《Laws of the Other World》


 CH 1

    Chapter 1: The Rescue Mission with an Unclear Objective


    The entire space was tense beyond comparison. The communications personnel had foreheads covered with sweat, and backs thoroughly drenched.


    ¡°Line 2! Line 2 please reply!¡±


    ¡°Is Line 3 still here? Line 3 please reply!¡±


    ¡°Is Line 5 still on the line?¡±


    In this temporary command center, three communications staff members involved in operations were trying to get in touch with the Special Operations team in the Juli Corporation¡¯s Biological Research Center. Not ten minutes after they had entered the Research Center, all of them had lost contact.


    Behind the three staff members, Zhou Yu stood in a bulletproof vest with his arms crossed, acting as the operations commander.


    The twenty eight year old Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes were deep and calm, but also cold and sharp. The line of his lips was unwavering. He used the index finger on right hand to push down on his left arm.


    He was silent, deep in thought. The lack of reply from the Research Center was not the only thing on his mind.


    Just what was it, that could cause seven specially trained, fully equipped, skilled, healthy, and extensively experienced Special Operations team members to lose contact within ten minutes, while command center was still completely left in the dark?


    This was supposed to be a simple rescue mission.


    Juli Corp originated from the investments of an alliance of large-scale conglomerates to create a biotechnology corporation. In recent years, the development of the domain of bio-pharmacy advanced by leaps and bounds. The corporation was extremely active. No matter which country Juli Corp branched into, their research organization would receive special protection from the government.


    Just in the last hour, Zhou Yu¡¯s Special Operations team received an assignment to enter Juli Corp¡¯s Biological Research Center to save the trapped hostages there. The cause of the incident was rumored to be due to the mental collapse of a researcher under long-term work-related stress attempting to destroy the entire research organization. After he was discovered, his plans for destruction were unsuccessful, but he had taken advantage of the Research Center¡¯s system equipment to trap the other researchers inside. Threatening their lives, he demanded that Juli Corp terminate all research involved in code name ¡°Nibelungen.¡±


    This kind of demand was impossible to agree to.


    As a result, Zhou Yu¡¯s small, elite team accepted the assignment, and headed for the sealed Research Center to save the trapped researchers.


    Before the mission deployment, the communications staff member Mei Xi glanced over at the researchers¡¯ profiles and had a fright.


    They were the best of the best in their respective fields. Whatever cytology specialist, neurology specialist, or virology specialist they were, their collective worth couldn¡¯t be weighed in gold. This meant that even if they had to stake it all, they could spare no effort in completing the rescue mission.


    This made Mei Xi feel curious, just what kind of research was Juli Corp engaged in?


    At this time, Mei Xi faintly had a feeling that the statement of an aberrant researcher keeping the other researchers hostage was a cover up. Something even scarier had definitely happened in that place¡­ Mei Xi also believed that the team that had entered the building had been¡­


    Just at this time, Line 7 replied.


    ¡°Leader! Don¡¯t come in! Don¡¯t come in!¡±


    It was vice captain Chen Chong¡¯s voice.


    Zhou Yu, who had not spoken a word so far, pulled over Mei Xi¡¯s headset with one hand and commanded: ¡°Chen Chong! Where are you? Retreat immediately!¡±


    The signal didn¡¯t cut off, but the sound of bones shattering came through in a burst. Zhou Yu¡¯s fist clenched tightly at that moment, and at his side, Mei Xi¡¯s fingertips slightly trembled.


    ¡°Chen Chong! Chen Chong!¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s voice remained low and cold, this caused the atmosphere in the entire command vehicle to be tense on the verge of suffocation.


    ¡°Leader¡­¡± Mei Xi had been through missions large and small, and although she hadn¡¯t been charging through enemy lines, she did have experience with all sorts of situations. She thought that she had perfected an imperturbable heart, but she had overestimated herself.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s back only stiffened for less than a second, before he straightened out his own cut-resistant gloves. Confirming the position of the pistol in the holster on his thigh, he carried in his hand a Type 95 assault rifle and pulled open the car door.


    When Zhou Yu was about the exit the vehicle, Mei Xi was finally aware of what Zhou Yu was about to do, ¡°Leader, you can¡¯t go! Did you forget vice captain Chen¡¯s last words? Reinforcements are about to arrive!¡±


    ¡°If we wait for the reinforcements, who knows if we can even find the bodies of our members.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s tone was still cold and collected, as if he had faced the same situation before, that the worst situation would be a hail of bullets. But he knew in his heart, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be as simple as just a hail of bullets.


    ¡°Leader¡­¡± Mei Xi knew that once Zhou Yu set his mind on something, then she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to take a look at what took out all of our people.¡±


    Zhou Yu left quickly, approaching the Research Center.


    To Zhou Yu, this had nothing to do with curiosity, only responsibility. He had to find out what had happened to his team members who had been through hell and high water with him. If they had all died in the line of duty, then as the mission commander, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t just let himself live on in such a dishonest way.


    The exterior of the research facility was an all-metal construct. Under the moonlight, it reflected a cold light. There were no other buildings in its vicinity. Gravel was everywhere but there were no signs of human habitation, as if it was a deserted island.


    According to the building map, it was a hexagonal courtyard-style building, the layout was a little similar to the pentagon.


    To protect classified research, the system there was extremely precise. Every researcher¡¯s height, pace, and voice was recorded into the system. Each researcher could only move about in their corresponding zones, if anyone overstepped their research zone, they would be locked down and issued a warning.


    Zhou Yu carried his gun and came to the passageway entrance.


    The space in front of him was brightly lit up, but not a single person was present.


    This scenario was somewhat like Resident Evil, maybe if he went forward a few more step, a horde of zombies would rush forth. Or maybe an infrared laser would shoot out trying to cut intruders into meat chunks.


    But at this moment, Zhou Yu only wanted to find his team members as quickly as possible.


    He held up his gun, kept his back straight, and walked forward with steady but silent steps. He maintained this posture while quickly walking in.


    The communication device in his ear sounded with Mei Xi¡¯s voice, ¡°Leader, new orders came from up top, we need to retreat immediately! The mission has been aborted!¡±


    Zhou Yu snorted coldly, ¡°We don¡¯t have anyone left, what¡¯s the point of retreating?¡±


    He knew he should obey the order, it wasn¡¯t too late to turn around and head back. But at the same time, he also clearly knew that if he turned around now, then everything that happened here would become an unspeakable secret. Not only will he never see his teammates again, he¡¯ll never find out what happened.


    Rather than spending the rest of his life guessing and in regret, he¡¯d rather find out now.


    Zhou Yu walked the entire passageway without hesitation, he was about to turn to the left.


    Originally, there were double doors ahead, but now both the inside and outside doors were open.


    Zhou Yu went forward while remaining calm and collected, he felt his senses sharpening. He carefully inspected the place by listening, but there was nothing there other than his own breathing.


    Where were the researchers?


    Where were his team members?


    The silence felt abnormal to Zhou Yu.


    Finally, ahead in the passageway, he saw a figure lying on the floor. He should¡¯ve been a researcher, because he wore a long white coat and was lying in a large pool of blood, staining a portion of his white coat red. It was a ghastly sight.


    The entire place was covered in traces of spilt blood, as if something had taken along the researchers¡¯ blood while moving at a high speed. But right now, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t see anything nearby. Whatever person or monster killed those researchers, they or it wasn¡¯t here at the moment.


    Zhou Yu slowly crouched down while maintaining his alert state. With his right hand, he pressed down on the other person¡¯s neck. His pulse had already stopped, and even his corpse had cooled.


    Zhou Yu slightly turned over his face, wanting to confirm if he was the researcher who had lost his mind, or a hostage. But the moment he saw it, all the muscles on his body tensed up.


    The corpse¡¯s jaw was completely gone, as if some wild animal had torn it off. The area below his collarbone was also hollow, even his organs were gone.


    Zhou Yu knitted his brows, swearing in his heart: Fuck!


    Juli Corp was definitely lying, as for the research they were conducting, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t believe that it was only pharmaceuticals!


    Maybe the story that a researcher had lost his mind was also false!


    Zhou Yu adjusted his breathing and continued forwards.


    Past another set of double doors, what appeared in front of his eyes exceeded his understanding.


    There were bloodstains everywhere. A security guard in the research center was sitting against the wall, his eyes open wide and missing both of his calves. Something had struck his head. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t need to examine him any further, he knew that the back of his head had been entirely crushed.


    In front, two researchers wearing white lab coats were lying face-down, one researcher¡¯s posture was considerably twisted. It looked like he was snapped in half at the waist.


    This entire scene under the lights looked like it was Asura¡¯s hell, without any signs of life. If you closed your eyes, you could even hear the dripping sound of blood.


    Zhou Yu was very convinced at this moment, whatever had done this, it definitely wasn¡¯t human!


    Mei Xi¡¯s voice came from the earphones: ¡°Leader! Return quickly! The people up top said this mission has already exceeded the extent of our abilities! I¡¯m begging you! If something happens to you, what are we going to do?¡±


    Mei Xi¡¯s kept her voice low, she was holding back her tears.


    ¡°Xiao Mei, If I can¡¯t come back anymore, you should just treat this whole thing as if it never happened.¡±


    At that moment, the three communications personnel, including Mei Xi, all became silent. Their fists were clenched, even if other people were unable to understand Zhou Yu¡¯s determination, they could.


    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving, we¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Mei Xi replied.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zhou Yu took out his earphones and shut down his communications equipment.

 CH 2

    Chapter 2: It¡¯s¡­Coming¡­


    There was nothing for him to worry about anymore.


    Zhou Yu continued onwards. According to the information he had been provided, the stem cell cultivation center was ahead.


    Zhou Yu was just about to take a step forward when his toes crunched down onto the glass shards of a test tube, making some noise. In the silence, the sound of it made one¡¯s soul tremble as if some hidden danger could be roused awake. Still, Zhou Yu remained calm.


    There were a few of the researchers¡¯ corpses on the floor. The state of their deaths was awfully cruel. By how stiff the corpses were, Zhou Yu suspected that the researchers had died before they accepted the mission.


    Zhou Yu raised his head and saw the security camera attached to the ceiling. By Juli Corp¡¯s remote monitoring abilities, they definitely knew what had happened. But they still hypocritically contacted the relevant departments about some request to rescue hostages, causing Zhou Yu¡¯s team members to pay the sacrifice.


    Zhou Yu counted the dead bodies, it matched the number of stem cell cultivation researchers who were working there on that day.


    The computer monitor was already shattered. The main processor was also a mess. Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t able to find out what they were researching.


    Zhou Yu turned sideways and pushed open the door, it seemed like there was something leaning on the other side. He only heard a rustling sound before it fell to the floor.


    When the side of a face showed through the crack of the door, Zhou Yu discovered that it was his youngest team member, Zhao Cheng. His mouth was gaping in shock and his eyes were wide open, and if he had seen something unbelievable before death. At that moment, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart rate sped up. He crouched down and used his fingers to feel Zhao Cheng¡¯s neck¡­ there was no pulse.


    Zhou Yu forcefully closed his eyes, since he didn¡¯t know what was on the other side of the door, he had to carefully move Zhao Cheng¡¯s corpse before pushing it open.


    It was another passageway. If Zhou Yu had remembered correctly, this passageway led to the core of the Research Center where animals used for research purposes were being raised.


    Zhou Yu closed Zhao Cheng¡¯s eyes with his fingers. Then he saw that from the neck down, Zhao Cheng¡¯s body had been pierced through with numerous wounds, the blood flowing in rivers. Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t even imagine what had caused these fatal wounds. On the walls of the passageway were traces of bullet holes, and ammunition shells were scattered everywhere. Zhou Yu easily picked up Zhao Cheng¡¯s gun, he already knew that it would be empty of bullets.


    Zhao Cheng had been in the middle of pulling out the dagger at his waist¡­ but against his opponent, of what use was a dagger?


    After seeing Zhao Cheng¡¯s miserable end, Zhou Yu could confirm that none of his people had survived, including vice team captain Chen Chong.


    In the situation up until, even if it can be considered hell, Zhou Yu still had to meet that guy.


    He raised his gun and walked forwards in strides longer than before. There was less caution and more of his desire to see that unknown thing.


    He stood in front of the breeding center and turned his body sideways to pull open the door.


    In the split second his heart contracted, he thought something was about to rush out, but all was quiet.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s emotional state settled down, he thought that he would be frightened and scared, after all, he had a ninety-nine percent chance of dying just as horrifically as Zhao Cheng, but death did not come. Just a few seconds ago, the silence had been torturous for him, but at this moment, Zhou Yu suddenly felt¡­ like this was the door to the next part of his life.


    He walked in and expected to find different kinds of animals locked in cages, but he found that he was wrong.


    It was a large glass room, many plants Zhou Yu had never seen before were growing there. He kneeled down on one leg and pulled out a strand of withered grass by his foot. The leaves were a rhombus shape, with a striped pattern. It was as if it had sensed the temperature of Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers and dispersed like ashes.


    Zhou Yu found that the plants in the glass room were already dried up as if they all died at the same time.


    Other than these plants, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t find anything alive or moving.


    Something had smashed down the west side of the room, two Special Operations team members in bulletproof vests were lying on the floor.


    Zhou Yu quickly walked up to them. Although he was mentally prepared, he still let out a gasp.


    Their guns were also practically empty, they had more experience than Chao Cheng, and they were even partners of several years.


    According to the time they lost contact with the command center, they died in the span of only a few seconds.


    Zhou Yu looked up towards the shattered opening of the glass room, whatever had killed them left through this hole.


    He tightly gripped the gun in his hands with his jaw clenched. Right now he only wanted to slaughter that guy!


    He stepped over the broken pieces and went forwards. There were no lights ahead, and if he continued, then there would only be darkness.


    He knew that the thing was waiting for him in the dark.


    Chen Chong hadn¡¯t lost contact with him too long ago, he might still have the chance to find him alive!


    Zhou Yu sped up, heading into the darkness. It seemed like he was being reckless, but all the parts of his body were being utilized.


    The scents in his nostrils, his hearing, and feeling of his every footstep on the floor, even the friction between his body and the air.


    Up until now, Zhou Yu possessed exceptional insight and reflexes. It was exactly these sharp senses of his that allowed him to brush past the God of Death more than once.


    He didn¡¯t care at all about the noises he made while running, because he precisely wanted to draw that thing out.


    He suddenly stopped, there was the almost inaudible sound of breathing.


    Zhou Yu looked over, even in the darkness, he could faintly make out Chen Chong¡¯s silhouette. He was leaning against the wall, it looked like he was already on his last breath.


    ¡°Chen Chong!¡± Zhou Yu came to his side. Chen Chong used the last of his strength to push him away.


    ¡°I¡­ Didn¡¯t I tell you not to come¡­ Why didn¡¯t you listen¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer Chen Chong, he knew that if he and Chen Chong had switched places on the command vehicle, Chen Chong would have also recklessly came to save him.


    It was too dark in here, Zhou Yu was unable to make out the state of Chen Chong¡¯s injury, but he could smell the thick tang of blood.


    Zhou Yu was just about to carry Chen Chong when he realized that his entire arm was gone.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­coming¡­¡±


    Those were Chen Chong¡¯s last words to Zhou Yu.


    Full of fear.


    The sound of something crawling came from behind Zhou Yu. He turned on his powerful flashlight in an instant. In the split second he turned around, his entire world was overturned!


    It was a monster with a human appearance, its muscles didn¡¯t have any skin covering it. As it was crawling, Zhou Yu¡¯s intuition told him that it was extremely strong.


    Normal creatures under such a strong light will reflexively flinch, but this monster didn¡¯t have eyes!


    Naturally, his hearing should be sensitive, if not, then how could all the trained Special Operations members have died such violent deaths?


    Zhou Yu held his breath and stood still.


    That monster opened its mouth, its saliva flowing down. It was disgusting, but it was nothing to Zhou Yu.


    He carefully inspected the monster, its tail was long and slowly waving around in the air. From time to time it also revealed several sharp barbs. If Zhou Yu remembered correctly, Zhao Cheng had died from this tail. His other team members had emptied their cartridges without being able to shoot this guy, either it was faster than a bullet or¡­ bullets weren¡¯t strong enough to kill it.


    The monster drew closer step by step. Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t familiar with his movement patterns and didn¡¯t dare to act rashly.


    It slowly came closer to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu¡¯s right hand was on the trigger, ready to shoot at any time. It drew closer by each step. Zhou Yu¡¯s left hand was holding the flashlight, without the slightest interest in turning it off or putting it down. Sweat dripped down from Zhou Yu¡¯s neck. He had to see this monster clearly! The sinister wrinkles on its face, the bulging muscles on its limbs, and the tail¡¯s radius of attack.


    When its face was only a few centimeters away from Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu¡¯s mental state was stretched tauter than he had ever been since birth.


    Not only did this monster not have eyes, it didn¡¯t even have a nose or ears!


    Can it hear? Can it smell?


    Zhou Yu started to doubt that.


    It just happened that a piece of shattered glass fell onto Zhou Yu¡¯s sleeve. He caught it and then fiercely threw it outwards.


    The glass shard fell somewhere nearby and made a tinkling sound.


    However, the monster didn¡¯t react at all, not even its head turned.


    Therefore¡­it couldn¡¯t hear!


    If it couldn¡¯t hear, then just how did it kill so many people?


    At that moment, the monster suddenly moved, so quickly that Zhou Yu didn¡¯t even realize that it had happened. Only his unconscious mind told him to flip to the side. Zhou Yu¡¯s powerful reactive abilities saved his life once again, or else he definitely would¡¯ve been knocked into by that monster.


    Behind him came a crashing sound.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart contracted at that moment.


    He slowly turned around, to see the monster¡¯s claws pressed to the wall. Chen Chong, who had been on his last breath, had been killed by the monster.


    Everything happened too quickly, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t have a chance to stop it at all. Chen Chong died just like that in front of him.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s finger pressed down with more and more strength, he wanted to kill it.


    He had to kill it!


    ¡°Show me¡­just how fast you are!¡±


    Zhou Yu stood up, he held his gun in one hand and started to sprint. While running, he fired continuously. After being shot twice, the monster retreated a little, and then immediately started to run around the room, its tail lashing. It seemed to be trying to locate Zhou Yu.


    Very quickly, the bullets were used up, and the monster¡¯s tail had brushed by the top of Zhou Yu¡¯s head. Zhou Yu fell sideways to the floor, he very quickly replaced the ammunition clip, stood up, and avoided the monster¡¯s tail sweeping along the floor.


    Zhou Yu realized that bullets shot at the monster were automatically being rejected by its body. Although its wounds had traces of something like blood, they were already in the process of healing. In other words, its regenerative abilities were far beyond any living creature Zhou Yu knew of.


    Zhou Yu clicked his tongue and looked at it coldly.


    To take out the monster, he had to get closer to it. But first, the most important step was to get rid of its bothersome tail.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: Alive


    Zhou Yu took note of its healing speed, it was around 13 seconds.


    That¡¯s to say, he only had a window of 13 seconds!


    After he made his decision, he dutifully raised his gun without any second thoughts. Aiming at the monster¡¯s tail, he held down the trigger and was accurate enough to fire continuously at the same spot.


    The monster screeched, its sound was almost enough to shatter the ceiling.


    Zhou Yu felt a terrible pain in his head as if something in his brain was buzzing. But, he couldn¡¯t change that, so he continuously changed his position to make sure he stayed outside of the range of attack of the monster¡¯s tail. The stream of bullets went uninterrupted.


    The monster¡¯s muscles were very special, if it were an ordinary creature then it would¡¯ve long become a pool of mud, but its tail was still hanging there. Even though it was almost severed, it never detached from its body.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s ammunition clip was already empty.


    It was now! If he missed it then there wouldn¡¯t be a next time!


    Zhou Yu conveniently threw away his gun and rushed towards the monster at his fastest speed.


    He knew that if he approached its limbs then the best scenario was to be swatted away, although it was more likely that he would be slapped into mush like Chen Chong.


    Zhou Yu stepped onto the monster¡¯s abdomen with one foot. Sure enough, the monster trembled, it wanted to use its tail to attack Zhou Yu. But, its tail only powerlessly swept along the floor without lifting up.


    Zhou Yu suddenly sat on its back, and before he could be thrown off by the monster, he forcefully stuck his dagger in the monster¡¯s back.


    The monster immediately raised its head and let out an extremely enraged howl. Zhou Yu was about to be thrown off from its back, he could only clamp down tightly using his legs.


    Almost ten seconds had passed, he couldn¡¯t continue to waste time.


    It didn¡¯t seem like this organism had a brain, or maybe its brain didn¡¯t grow in its skull. Zhou Yu pulled out the handgun in the holster on his thigh, and let out a violent stream of bullets aimed at the monster¡¯s neck. He used up all of the bullets in a few seconds.


    The monster painfully threw off Zhou Yu. His vertebra had practically been shot through by Zhou Yu. It made a hateful and angered sound, the foundation of its nimble agility had been shaken.


    Zhou Yu just happened to fall near Chen Chong. Taking Chen Chong¡¯s gun, he started to shoot again at the monster¡¯s tail that was already half-healed and had started to lift up!


    There were no more weapons he could use nearby, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t manage the ammunition clip and directly threw the gun aside. Picking up a steel pipe that the monster than smashed aside, he charged forwards while shooting once at the monster¡¯s belly.


    The monster came at him from the angle of the shot. Zhou Yu¡¯s consciousness at that second was incomparably focused. He tightly gripped the steel pipe in that moment of life and death and ruthlessly stabbed it into its belly where it had been shot by the bullet.


    Zhou Yu knew that the monster¡¯s belly was very developed, so he concentrated all of the strength in his body, the muscles on his back practically taunt enough to split, and put all of the energy he possessed in his life into his moment.


    The steel pipe pierced through the monster while its tail raised up and quickly pierced through Zhou Yu¡¯s abdomen.


    Zhou Yu should have felt fear, once the barbs on its tail raised up, all of Zhou Yu¡¯s organs would be pierced through. He would die more miserably than Chen Chong.


    But just then, the acute pain caused Zhou Yu to become clear-headed. The thought of death became something not worth mentioning and was discarded.


    He had already come to this step, even if he wanted to dodge, it was too late. Since it was already like this, why not give this monster one truly terrible blow?!


    Zhou Yu frantically pushed the steel pipe in deeper. The blood dripping down from his abdomen didn¡¯t exist to Zhou Yu.


    He tensed up his arms and walked forwards step by step, allowing the monster¡¯s tail to penetrate him while also pushing the steel pipe in his hands deeper and deeper. The monster started to struggle, at its speed, it could¡¯ve easily avoided it, but it seemed like it was afraid of moving around. It only drew back quickly, even its tail recoiled. Blood immediately started to gush out of Zhou Yu. Right then he knew that he had definitely stabbed a vital region of the monster. Even if he died, he had to pierce it through!


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± An angry snarl followed Zhou Yu, the monster was about to break away from his area of attack. Zhou Yu spared no effort to sprint and leap into the air, his right foot firmly kicking in the steel pipe. It passed through layers of flesh as if it struck something soft. Only a tearing sound was heard as if brain tissue was leaking out from the monster¡¯s wound.


    It staggered and lost balance. Zhou Yu also fell to the ground, blood pooling around him and underneath his body. He coldly stared down at the guy in front of him until it toppled over with a crash and no longer responded.


    At this time, Zhou Yu slowly closed his eyes as well.


    He knew that bleeding out this much blood meant that he was going to die soon¡­ but when his consciousness started to fade, he seemed to have heard the engine of a helicopter.


    By his ear was the rhythm of some device, and it also seemed like people were talking.


    ¡°Heart rate, normal.¡±


    ¡°Pulse, normal.¡±


    ¡°The wound has healed well, there are no signs of infection so far. The estimated time for a complete recovery is two months.¡±


    Zhou Yu knitted his brows, was it a doctor speaking?


    ¡°Very good, when he wakes up, I want to talk to him.¡±


    The voice sounded very gentle, but it also contained a hint of something lofty and apathetic.


    Zhou Yu slowly opened his eyes. He was met with a bright ceiling. The nearby rays of light were blinding for Zhou Yu, he couldn¡¯t help but squint a little.


    He was in a hospital room, around him were various monitoring devices. Two doctors wearing white coats were standing at the other end of the bed, they were in discussion.


    Not too far away, a man in a black suit wearing glasses frames clearly noticed that Zhou Yu was awake. His lips slowly revealed a smile when he walked to Zhou Yu¡¯s side not too quickly or too slowly. Pressing down on one side of Zhou Yu¡¯s pillow with his hand, he lowered his body and said, ¡°Hello, Captain Zhou.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked into the other person¡¯s amber eyes.


    ¡°Where is this?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    He voice was slightly hoarse, and his abdomen felt a dull pain. It seemed like the area impaled by the monster had already been treated. Zhou Yu wondered which doctor was this skilled, his internal organs had been torn through many times, and he suffered from heavy blood loss, yet now he was still alive, and it seemed like his condition was stable.


    ¡°Where do you think this is?¡± The other person slightly smiled.


    Just now, the two doctors turned their way and started to approach them to check on Zhou Yu¡¯s body.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu suddenly took hold of the other man by his neck. He sat up and used one hand to press him against his body, ready to snap his neck at any time.


    ¡°This is the Juli Corporation!¡± Zhou Yu said in a low voice between gritted teeth.


    Also, the two people in white coats weren¡¯t doctors, they had the same ID passes as the researchers around their waists.


    ¡°Captain Zhou! Please don¡¯t act rashly! We¡¯re here to help you!¡±


    The two researchers had extremely nervous expressions, it seemed like the guy Zhou Yu had under his hand was an important person in Juli Corp.


    ¡°You saved me? To me, you¡¯re the elites of each field, but how come none of you have any sense of cause and effect logic?¡± Zhou Yu lifted up the corner of his lips to show a cold smile. ¡°Who bred that monster? Who hid the truth and sent my team to carry out some ¡°hostage rescue¡± mission? Where is that researcher who lost his mind? When we got there, everyone in the research center was dead already, no? We were only pawns sent there to kill the monster and to clean up the aftermath. Am I right?


    The man Zhou Yu was pressing down lightly chuckled.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, you really are interesting.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s funny that I can snap your neck at any moment?¡± Zhou Yu raised his brows.


    ¡°No, I think that anyone who can kill that monster is interesting. When we found you, you had already suffered massive blood loss, and you were only a step away from hell. The medical team that Juli Corp sent gave you blood transfusions the entire journey, knowing that you wouldn¡¯t make it to the hospital. They directly operated on you on the helicopter. From this, we sincerely wished for you to survive. In light of our good faith, can we have a proper conversation now? I can answer all of your questions.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked down at the man.


    In any case, there was nothing to lose. He let go of him.


    The other person straightened up and fixed his collar. The other two researchers let out the breaths they were holding.


    ¡°Hello, Zhou Yu. I am Song Zhi, the person in charge of Juli Corporation¡¯s ¡°Nibelungen¡± project.¡±


    ¡°Der Ring des Nibelungen¡±. This name made Zhou Yu¡¯s heart shiver.


    ¡°I heard that Juli Corp only recruits from the elite of the elites, so which international top-rate university does Mr. Song have a Ph.D. from?¡±


    Zhou Yu said with half a sneer.


    He¡¯d always been indifferent about bigwigs, and he had no sympathy for this guy¡¯s false pretenses.


    Song Zhi didn¡¯t mind and smiled. ¡°Does having a status mean anything to me? I told you my name to make it easier for you to address me and to converse with me. First of all, I need to clarify a point. The news you received that an insane researcher had taken the other researchers hostage was true. Juli Corp did not make up that story.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t speak, he only stared into Song Zhi¡¯s eyes, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°He was in negotiations with Juli Corp, demanding that we terminate ¡°Der Ring des Nibelungen¡± project. After being rejected by Juli Corp¡¯s top brass, he flew into a rage and released that monster. What came after that was the situation you went into. But, it was true that when your team had carried out the mission, there was no one left alive. Juli Corp was going to send a more experienced team to take care of that monster in the research center, but your superiors were under great stress and probably wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible, so they sent your team. They didn¡¯t tell you what your real objective was, because ¡°Der Ring des Nibelungen¡± is an absolute secret.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s gaze became deep and cold, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t see any trace of wavering or avoidance in his eyes.


    He was telling the truth.

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Nibelungen


    ¡°What was that monster? Bullets can¡¯t kill it! Its healing abilities are out of a sci-fi movie! I need you to explain, Mr. Song! Hasn¡¯t Juli Corp crossed the line, creating this monster? ¡®Der Ring des Nibelungen¡¯ project, just what is it?¡±


    Song Zhi closed his eyes, and after thinking for a few seconds he opened his mouth again. ¡°Are you sure you want to know? Although the objective truth exists, it will have no effect on your life if you don¡¯t know. But once you do know, you will fall from the edge of hell into hell itself.¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled, he pointed at the large area of the wound on his abdomen. His head was filled with the scene of Chen Chong being killed by that monster, ¡°Mr. Song, I¡¯ve already been to hell.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re still far from hell. You¡¯ve merely peered into its shadow.¡± Song Zhi wore a profound expression.


    This is what Zhou Yu loathed the most about academics, they thought of themselves as omniscient.


    As if he could even see through Zhou Yu¡¯s fate.


    ¡°On the surface, you¡¯re asking me if I really want to know, but you¡¯re already prepared to tell me, am I right?¡± Zhou Yu asked in reply.


    Song Zhi turned his face to the side and smiled.


    This guy had very fair skin, he probably stayed in the researched center all year round and was rarely in the sun. He didn¡¯t look like he exercised much, he was way too thin. When he was expressionless, he looked exceedingly cold and detached. But when he smiled, he revealed a noble and elegant demeanor.


    ¡°Correct, I would very much like to explain it to you. First, the monster you saw, we called ¡®Peryton¡¯, after a monster in Western mythology. You¡¯ve probably noticed that the monster didn¡¯t have eyes, ears, or a nose, and it had a naturally fierce disposition.


    ¡°If it didn¡¯t possess senses for seeing, hearing or smelling, how was it able to locate its targets?¡±


    This was a question that Zhou had been puzzling over.


    Song Zhi lifted his chin, ¡° You know that there are many animals in this world, the way they locate their prey is different from humans. For example, the bat. They use echolocation to determine their prey. Dolphins use sonar. The platypus uses electroreception. The monster you saw uses ¡°fear¡± to pursue its prey. The more frightened you are, the more you are able to excite its destructive potential.¡±


    Zhou Yu stared at him blankly, what Song Zhi had said was completely outside his scope of comprehension.


    ¡°You said fear?¡±


    ¡°Any animal, including humans, once in a state of fear, will have their brain secrete a special type of a microscopic hormone, which is then dispersed into the air through the skin. Once ¡°Peryton¡¯s¡± tongue tastes the hormone, it will pursue the prey. That¡¯s why the researchers died, they were all too familiar with ¡°Peryton¡¯s¡± nature and cruelty, and the more they tried to warn themselves not to be afraid, the more they were afraid. When their fear spread out unbounded, they would¡¯ve already pushed themselves into hell.¡±


    Zhou Yu still looked at Song Zhi with a distrustful gaze.


    ¡°Think about it carefully. Why did all your team members die? But you did not?¡± Song Zhi held his chin and looked at Zhou Yu meaningfully.


    As if he was being very patient, he waited for Zhou Yu to understand the question clearly.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and thought his team member¡¯s voices through the communication device.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°Impossible! This is impossible! Why would there be something like this?¡±


    It was the dread of seeing something unbelievable and of facing a swiftly approaching death.


    They were different from Zhou Yu, they went in with the goal of saving hostages, yet by a turn of events, they were met with a monster they had never seen before. When the monster attacked their least experienced member, Zhao Cheng, this rattled everyone else. They had a taste of just how terrifying the monster was. There was no need to say that bullets didn¡¯t hurt it, even if they showed the slightest amount of fear, that monster would hunt after it to the end.


    When Zhou Yu had met Chen Chong hanging onto his last breath, what had actually attracted that monster to them was not Zhou Yu, but Chen Chong¡¯s fear. You could even go as far as to say that the monster simply killed Chen Chong without knowing of Zhou Yu¡¯s presence, it only kept going until the trace of the hormone being secreted due his fear faded away.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t detect my presence the entire time.¡± Zhou Yu suspiciously asked Song Zhi.


    When Zhou Yu had shot at its tail, by its agility it could¡¯ve easily avoided the bullets and killed Zhou Yu. Yet, it was like it lost direction of Zhou Yu and didn¡¯t know where he was.


    Song Zhi smiled placidly and extended his arm, tapping a finger on Zhou Yu¡¯s chest, ¡°Ask yourself, were you afraid of it? Where you afraid of being tortured and killed by it? When you saw your team members¡¯ crushed remains, did you have the anger and the dedication to grasp the truth of it, or the fear of it?


    ¡°I wanted to find it. I wanted to kill it.¡± Zhou Yu lifted up his gaze, the resolution in his eyes made Song Zhi¡¯s smile even more defined.


    ¡°See, that¡¯s the reason you were able to live, on top of being able to kill it. Your gaze is telling me, you¡¯ve accepted my explanation. This is good news. If you can¡¯t even understand this, then what I¡¯m about to tell you will be even harder to understand.¡±


    Zhou Yu was silent.


    ¡°Your second statement,¡± Song Zhi extended his finger, ¡°That monster Peryton wasn¡¯t bred or created by us, and it is not a product of the pursuit of human endeavors. It was an already existing organism.¡±


    After he said that, Zhou Yu stared at him blankly.


    ¡°It was already existing? You¡¯re trying to persuade me into believing you that Juli Corp discovered some kind of new creature living on Earth?¡±


    Zhou Yu felt that Song Zhi was getting more and more absurd.


    ¡°Do you know of the concept of parallel spaces?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in movies. So right now, you want me to believe that this creature came from a parallel space? What a convenient explanation!¡±


    Although this explanation sounded made-up, Zhou Yu found a certain type of confidence in Song Zhi¡¯s eyes. At least in Song Zhi¡¯s heart, everything he said was true.


    ¡°We named that parallel space ¡°Nibelungen¡±. This name may sound whimsical, personally, I am more inclined towards a systematic naming system, such as alpha and beta, or World A and World B, any of that would be better than something from Norse mythology, but I have no choice, Juli Corp¡¯s board of directors like that name. Zhou Yu, many years ago, scientists thought that gravitational waves were only an imaginary concept, but now it has been confirmed to be true. The expansion of the known world is really just repeatedly verifying what we don¡¯t believe is true. The existence of Nibelungen is the same.


    Zhou Yu listened to his story and leaned back, ¡°Then, what¡¯s in that world?¡±


    His reason told him that this world didn¡¯t exist, it must be an excuse invented by Juli Corp to hide its research. But, deep in his heart, his intuition was continually echoing to him: It¡¯s real, Zhou Yu. It¡¯s real.


    ¡°Similar to earth, but with an entirely different system of organisms.¡±


    ¡°The monster was brought here from that world?¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t ask the other what the ¡°entirely different system of organisms¡± was, because it was a loaded and specialized question.


    ¡°Yes. Doing any research there has a large risk factor, our researchers are constantly in a state of danger. That¡¯s why we brought back some research specimens, to keep examining them in an environment we can control and understand.¡±


    He was saying that Juli Corp had already sent out researchers into that world, and since they were already capable of achieving this step, it meant that Juli Corp had already grasped how to cross over to that world.


    ¡°When you brought that monster into our world, you also brought the risk that came with it. Even if you retreat ten thousand steps to seize control of that world, you still can¡¯t control the organisms that don¡¯t belong to this world.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s tone was ice cold.


    In his heart, for the pursuit of his own answers, this lunatic could definitely act immorally.


    ¡°Did you see that monster¡¯s healing ability? And its special biological composition? By studying them, we can help humanity defend against and even defeat all kinds of diseases, even if it comes from our human bodies. For example, Huntington¡¯s disease, Down¡¯s syndrome, and etcetera, even deadly cancers can be cured. Humanity can even overcome the consequences of our collapsing environment, and be able to live and reproduce with no limits.


    ¡°That sounds grand.¡± Zhou Yu knew that every academic undergoing their frantic research would give themselves a grandiose purpose, ¡° Mr. Song, I believe that the other space is an absolute secret for you, but now that you¡¯ve told me of this secret, it can¡¯t be to just talk about science. Why not state your real purpose?¡±


    Song Zhi smiled. He tilted his head downwards and showed an expression of thought, ¡°A lot of people have seen Peryton, whether they were researchers or Special Operations teams trained by Juli Corps, but none of them were able to do what you did, to discard their fear and to look straight at death. In that world, fear is the sign of the hunted. Practically every person has some trace of it on their bodies. Although we¡¯ve done countless studies, and have made all kinds of equipment to mask our physical signals, fear always exists objectively. You¡¯re very special, Zhou Yu. You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve met who can face Peryton without any fear. I want you to join us, to go to the world on the other side.¡±


    This answer astonished Zhou Yu. He never thought that he would be worth this much to Juli Corp.

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Zhou Qing


    ¡°If I told you I don¡¯t agree, will be regret saving me, and wish in your heart that you had left me to die in there?¡±


    Song Zhi shook his head, ¡°I never speculate about the past.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly agree. You want me to join the research project that took away all of my team members? Stop joking, I just don¡¯t know how much I want to kill all of you yet.¡± A cold light flashed by in Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°When was the last time you saw your younger brother Zhou Qing?¡± Song Zhi suddenly said.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils widened as he grabbed the collar of Song Zhi¡¯s shirt, ¡°What did you do to Zhou Qing? Or did you also drag him into this mess?¡±


    Song Zhi knocked his fingers on Zhou Yu¡¯s arm, signaling at Zhou Yu to put him down, ¡°Professor Zhou is one of our most valuable members and a leading figure in plant physiology and embryology. For every academic, being able to participate in the cutting-edge research of their chosen domain is a lifelong pursuit, which is why you shouldn¡¯t use the phrase ¡°dragged into this mess¡± to describe Professor Zhou¡¯s current situation.¡±


    ¡°How did you persuade him?¡±


    Zhou Yu knew his own younger brother. Zhou Qing was a simple academic, but he also had his own bottom line. As for Juli Corp¡¯s research, Zhou Yu thought that it had already crossed that bottom line.


    Song Zhi stood and tidied up the edges of his shirt. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t appreciate those people who paid attention to their appearance all the time, but the feeling Song Zhi gave him was strict and businesslike.


    ¡°The main point isn¡¯t how we persuaded Zhou Qing, but¡­ when was the last time you sat down to have a chat or a meal with your younger brother? Do you know what his current condition is? Or what he needs? Go see him, and if you¡¯re still determined to tell me you can¡¯t accept our Juli Corp¡®s olive branch, then I promised that we won¡¯t bother you anymore. Juli Corp keeps its promises.


    After saying that, Song Zhi left the room.


    The world had been flipped upside-down in the time of only a few minutes for Zhou Yu. He didn¡¯t have time to be immersed in the sorrow of losing his teammates when another problem had already come his way.


    He survived a life-and-death confrontation with a monster, learned of a parallel world named ¡°Nibelungen¡±, someone wanted to hire him to travel to this world, and he was reminded of the lack of communication he had with his younger brother Zhou Qing.


    It was as if everything had played out according to plan.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s recovery period was quicker than expected, and after a month he left in a helicopter sent by Song Zhi.


    When the helicopter was soaring the skies, Zhou You discovered that they had been flying over a large desert the entire time. In the gusts of wind, the sand was tossed about in large waves, as if everything below was being flooded.


    Arriving at the city, Zhou Yu returned to his single apartment. He picked up a call from his superiors, thinking that he would be reprimanded, but he instead received a month-long vacation to recuperate.


    Zhou Yu smiled helplessly, no matter how he thought about it, it sounded like Juli Corp was giving him the time to ¡°think it over¡±.


    He also got a call from Mei Xi, she was very worried about him, and after only hearing Zhou Yu say the words ¡°Xiao Mei¡±, she started to cry directly into the telephone.


    It was fortunate that Juli Corp didn¡¯t investigate into Mei Xi¡¯s two coworker¡¯s duties, they were supposed to stop Zhou Yu, but they didn¡¯t. Zhou You¡¯s small team was pretty much completely wiped out, and Mei Xi was transferred onto another team¡¯s communication staff.


    When Mei Xi asked Zhou Yu what he had seen in the research center, Zhou Yu only said, ¡°Xiao Mei, live your life well, what you don¡¯t need to know, you don¡¯t have to find out.¡±


    Sometimes, closing your eyes will bring more happiness than chasing after the truth.


    Mei Xi tactfully understood and didn¡¯t pursue the topic.


    ¡°What will happen to Zhao Cheng and Chen Chong?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers were locked in place.


    Although he wouldn¡¯t deliberately think back to that moment, the moment of their deaths was deeply branded into his brain.


    ¡°The funeral is already over, our superiors claimed that they died in the line of duty to outsiders and when their remains were handed back to their families, they were already cremated.¡±


    Because their deaths were a secret, they couldn¡¯t let their families see the remains.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go visit them.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s gaze lowered.


    Then there was silence between him and Mei Xi.


    On the afternoon of that day, Zhou Yu visited the public cemetery, and seeing his teammates gravestones and the pictures on the graves, he remained silent.


    On the second day, he bought a plane ticket to another city, to pay a visit to his younger brother Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Zhou Qing, Professor Zhou.¡±


    ¡°Professor Zhou isn¡¯t here at the moment. We¡¯re not sure when he¡¯ll be back, are you part of a research organization or institute? Or a biotechnology company?¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s name was impressive, he received an endless stream of research or collaborative invitations, even though he himself was not good at social interactions, if it wasn¡¯t a mandatory event, then his assistants would decline the invitations for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Zhou Yu, Professor Zhou¡¯s older brother.¡±


    After Zhou Yu said that, the two assistants¡¯ attitudes immediately changed.


    ¡°So it was Captain Zhou, Professor Zhou didn¡¯t tell you his hospital ward room number?¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart froze for a second, Zhou Qing was hospitalized? He had no idea.


    There weren¡¯t any unnecessary emotions shown on his face, he only continued from the assistant¡¯s words, ¡°That¡¯s right, he forgot to tell me. You know his personality, he always forgets the important things.¡±


    ¡°Professor Zhou is staying at the First General Hospital in the city, in the special ward, room three.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The bad premonition in his heart kept growing. Why did Zhou Qing not tell his only brother that he was sick? And he was staying in the special ward¡­ what kind of illness did he have?


    Twenty minutes later, Zhou Yu arrived at the First General Hospital, it was there that he learned that Zhou Qing had just been through a surgery to remove a colloid cyst in his brain a few hours ago. Zhou Qing¡¯s main doctor told him the tumor was malignant, with a high rate of recurrence. Although Zhou Qing¡¯s surgery was very successful, the prediction was that it would reappear in six months to a year. Zhou Qing¡¯s brain will eventually be pushed aside by the tumor, and he will gradually lose his sight, motor functions, and finally, his ability to breathe.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips started shaking.


    He had already lost his teammates, that fixed outcome can¡¯t be changed.


    But for his younger brother Zhou Qing, he was on the verge of losing him. He was ready to do anything to save him, but at the same time, he knew that he was powerless to go against the natural laws of the world.


    Zhou Yu sat by Zhou Qing the entire time, waiting for him to wake up. While he was waiting, he kept remembering what Song Zhi had said to him.


    ¡°When was the last time you sat down to have a chat or a meal with your younger brother? Do you know what his current condition is? Or what he needs? Go see him, and if you¡¯re still determined to tell me you can¡¯t accept our Juli Corp¡¯s olive branch, then I promised that we won¡¯t bother you anymore. Juli Corp keeps its promises.¡±


    Was the meaning of Song Zhi¡¯s words that Juli Corp¡¯s leading development in science and technology could save Zhou Qing¡¯s life?


    Zhou Yu was a very resolute person. He was extremely clear on what he had already lost, what he could still strive to obtain, what he had to do, and what he had to protect even if he had to stake it all.


    A few hours passed by, Zhou Yu maintained his posture sitting up straight by the bedside, without moving a limb. The surrounding medical personnel had come in to check on him many times, but they were unable to disturb Zhou Yu¡¯s train of thought.


    When Zhou Yu had finally come back to his senses, the sky outside the windows had already darkened, even the hallways were quiet. It was already midnight. Lying on the hospital bed, Zhou Qing had already woken up. He was looking at Zhou Yu with a serene gaze, it was unknown how long he had been staring for.


    ¡°Zhou Qing, you¡¯re awake¡­¡±


    Having been stared at like an animal by Zhou Qing with such a penetrative gaze, he was momentarily at a loss for words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would come.¡± Zhou Qing slowly said.


    His voice was a little hoarse. His wan face was completely absent of color, and he had become extremely thin.


    ¡°I¡¯m your big brother.¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you I fell ill. I only thought¡­ that telling you wouldn¡¯t change anything. And¡­ you¡¯re often out on dangerous assignments, I didn¡¯t want to distract you.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked downwards.


    ¡°Your surgery was very successful, but since the location of the surgery is the brain, it¡¯s extremely complicated and delicate, even if a single nerve is touched, it can have an effect on your motor skills or other abilities.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Zhou Qing smiled, ¡°From the time I gained consciousness to now, there hasn¡¯t been any discomfort so far. While you were spacing out, I reviewed the research experiments I¡¯ve been conducting and found that my thinking and memory skills don¡¯t seem to be affected. I also tried moving my fingers and toes with no problem. After all, the chief surgeon who operated on me is the brain surgeon ranked first in the world, Doctor Daniel Benn.¡±


    Zhou Yu knit his brows.


    The best brain surgeon in the world, Doctor Daniel Benn, this wasn¡¯t someone Zhou Yu had the power to request.


    ¡°It was Juli Corp.¡± Zhou Qing directly answered Zhou Yu¡¯s doubts.


    ¡°What conditions?¡±


    ¡°The conditions are that I have to participate in a project called ¡°Der Ring des Nibelungen¡±, the location is in another world.¡± Zhou Qing carefully observed Zhou Yu¡¯s expression., Zhou Yu was calm, as if he¡¯d already predicted everything, ¡°You¡¯re not asking about what Juli Corp does, or what ¡°Der Ring des Nibelungen¡± project is, you¡¯re not even shocked at the other world, so you already knew?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a creature from that world. You¡¯ll die, Zhou Qing.¡±


    After a long time, Zhou Yu finally spoke.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: Instructor Wu Yun


    ¡°Even though the surgery was a success, I will still die. I don¡¯t have much longer left, I should do something more meaningful.¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    ¡°What is something more meaningful?¡±


    ¡°Without caring for the scientific progression of mankind, without caring for some established problem, by just following my own desires to discover more of that world, as well as worlds outside of this world.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Zhou Yu stretched out his hand and covered his brother¡¯s forehead, ¡°Rest well, you¡¯ve just had surgery.¡±


    Until Zhou Qing fell asleep again, Zhou Yu finally stood up and left the hospital ward. He sucked in a breath and looked out at the blue skies outside the window.


    Zhou Yu was someone who made decisions very quickly. The nature of his job required him to be decisive.


    Hesitation was mostly because you were afraid to lose something. But to really hesitate, oftentimes, even more will be lost.


    Three minutes later, he dialed Song Zhi¡¯s number.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you would reply to me so quickly, Zhou Yu.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice was not too fast or too slow, as always.


    ¡°Before, you told me the reason you¡¯re going to that world is to progress biological research and to overcome various human diseases.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is one of our goals.¡±


    ¡°What about colloid cysts?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re someone who wouldn¡¯t accept lies, so I won¡¯t lie to you. Tumors, including brain tumors, aren¡¯t the core of our research content. But, among all of the projects we are researching, finding a cure for colloid cysts is very probable. For example, that Peryton creature you saw, it was able to reject alien objects entering its body and bloodstream while healing itself. If this cell mechanism is decrypted, we could apply it to the tumor¡¯s self-repairing mechanism. Professor Zhou¡¯s research topics include plant embryology. That¡¯s also a very interesting scientific subject, if his research makes a certain level of headway, it can provide for a way for him to save himself.


    ¡°Okay, I accept your employment, but I have one condition.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°I want to be by my brother¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°Naturally. There won¡¯t be many people by Professor Zhou¡¯s side who will have a common language with him, his life will also become much more enriching. I will send you the contract of employment. As for your current job, we¡¯ll arrange for your retirement.¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled, Juli Corp really could reach through the skies.


    ¡°I can feel you smiling. Are you thinking that Juli Corp is too influential?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. There will always be someone standing at the top of the pyramid in this world.¡±


    ¡°Then, I look forward to meeting you again, Zhou Yu.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice contained a clear smile, he had long predicted this outcome.


    That night, Juli Corp¡¯s lawyers and human resources representatives came to the hospital in suits, they signed the employment contract with Zhou Yu.


    Because of the medication, Zhou Qing was deeply asleep.


    The lawyers and human resources representatives explained the contract to Zhou Yu, from the confidentiality agreement to the pay salary, and even familial support in case of death, to the point that it was so clear to Zhou Yu that he couldn¡¯t even ignore it.


    ¡°In one week, there will be a commissioner arriving here to bring Mr. Zhou to a secured training session. Please prepare for it.¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you.¡±


    The following week, Zhou Yu accompanied Zhou Qing from beginning to end. The two brothers still did not have much of a common language. For most of the time, Zhou Qing recuperated or flipped through scientific materials.


    Zhou Yu used his cell phone to swipe through all types of web articles, looking up different sources of news about Juli Corp.


    The financial backing of the corporation was impossible to fathom. The identity of the corporation¡¯s chairperson was still a mystery to this day. Zhou Yu was able to find all kinds of cutting-edge results from this corporation, it looked very illustrious, but it was built on smoke and mirrors.


    A week later, a man in a suit arrived at the hospital, Zhou Yu nodded at that other person. He then told Zhou Qing that something came up at work that he needed to take care of, and when it was taken care of, then he would come back to visit Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing stared blankly, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know if he discovered anything.


    The private car dropped him off at the airport, he was the only passenger on the plane, this was something Zhou Yu did not anticipate.


    After a few hours of flight, Zhou Yu landed at one of Juli Corp¡¯s private airports. As for where it was located, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know. This place looked like a military base, there were fully armed and equipped patrol officers everywhere, this made Zhou Yu wonder if there was an alien creature more savage than the Peryton here.


    The security checkpoints on the base were even more strict than at the research center. Zhou Yu followed the human resources representative who came with him into the deeper reaches of the base until he invited Zhou Yu into a room. Three people were already sitting down at a roundtable.


    One of them looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, had wide-open eyes, and looked to be curious about everything.


    Beside the youth, a woman around thirty-five was seated, she had short hair and looked very agile, she was a capable woman.


    On her other side was a man who was about forty, wearing black framed glasses and a dark colored sweater jacket, he looked old-fashioned.


    Zhou Yu sat down. There was no indication that anyone wanted to start a conversation, Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t interested in chatting with strangers either.


    A few minutes later, a large and straight-postured man in camouflage walked in. His sleeves were rolled up high on his forearms, that area of exposed flesh had smooth contours, bursting with strength. They weren¡¯t good-looking but useless muscles trained from the gym, they were trained from real combat.


    There were deep slashes of scars at his temples, but on the contrary, he didn¡¯t look fierce at all, instead, he had the wisdom of a man matured over years of being polished. His gaze swept over the few people present, with a somewhat examining view.


    The moment he smiled, he revealed a carefree expression of being indifferent to everything.


    Both of his hands were propped up on the edge of the table, and he inclined his body forwards, ¡°Here, there is a top-notch IT professional, a doctor with first aid experience on the battlefield, a high-level engineer, and also¡­¡±


    His gaze stopped on Zhou Yu, obviously turning something over in his head.


    Zhou Yu looked back at him with a calm demeanor, as if nothing could upset his water into waves.


    ¡°I¡¯m your current training instructor, Wu Yun.¡±


    Wu Yun relaxed his shoulders and smiled: ¡°I¡¯m a pretty unlucky person, just like my name, Wu Yun¡ª¡ªWu Yun. I¡¯ve trained more than hundreds of students, it¡¯s a pity that not one of them is still alive today. They¡¯ve all died in Nibelungen, most of their corpses can¡¯t even be recovered.¡±


    ¡°So unlucky¡­¡± The middle-aged man with black glasses frames sighed.


    Wu Yun obviously heard him, but he continued talking, unconcerned, ¡°Most of my students were too arrogant and lacked self-control. What I told them they had to remember and what they had to do, they didn¡¯t even remember half of it.¡±


    The man in the black framed glasses choked once.


    Wu Yun lightly hopped onto the table and sat there very naturally. He turned sideways and faced Zhou Yu, ¡°Does anyone know how more than seventy percent of the organisms in Nibelungen determine and hunt for their prey?¡±


    No one answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going over there to design a system. Juli Corp told me my job is to modify the system in the local base at any time.¡± The wide-eyed youth said, unconcerned.


    Wu Yun smiled, ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re the Stanford drop-out who messed with the banking system of a certain multinational bank until it nearly collapsed. Li Qian?


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Li Qian lifted his brows.


    ¡°Why do you think Juli Corp hired you?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a genius in my field, and because they couldn¡¯t find anyone better than me.¡± Li Qian replied.


    His voice was very calm, but his eyes revealed his frivolous and arrogant personality.


    Wu Yun smiled and asked Zhou Yu, ¡°Zhou Yu, what do you think?¡±


    Zhou Yu knew that Wu Yun had started to observe him from the moment he came into the room. Or even from before that, Wu Yun had been watching him.


    ¡°Because the important position of a systems engineer is empty.¡± Zhou Yu said with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Then, why is it empty?¡± Wu Yun continued.


    ¡°Because they died.¡± Zhou Yu met Wu Yun¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°For a systems engineer, he only had to stay inside the laboratory, there was no need for him to interact with the outside world. Also, there were definitely many professionals protecting him, how did he die?¡± Wu Yun¡¯s direct gaze at Zhou Yu suddenly became serious.


    ¡°Then it means that everyone was wiped out.¡± When Zhou Yu said that, everyone¡¯s faces except for Wu Yun¡¯s changed colors.


    In Zhou Yu¡¯s mind, the images of his teammates¡¯ tragic deaths came to view.


    ¡°Yes.¡±Wu Yun finally turned to face the pale-faced Li Qian, ¡°This is why you were hired. If you plan to accept this job, to stay in Nibelungen, you must remember everything I say.¡±


    ¡°Returning to my first question. In Nibelungen, how do more than seventy percent of the organisms hunt for their prey?¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu.


    By that time, the other three people had noticed Wu Yun¡¯s special attitude towards Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s face still did not betray any emotions.


    Wu Yu continued to look at Zhou Yu as if he wasn¡¯t going to continue talking if Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fear.¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°Huh? Why is it fear?¡± The only woman present expressed her confusion at the answer.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not the world we reside in, so we can¡¯t use our understanding of this world to judge the life forms of Nibelungen.¡± Wu Yun answered, ¡°If you¡¯re unlucky enough to be surrounded by what are known as Perytons¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the projector behind Wu Yun started to play a film.


    The camera shot was extremely shakey, it was taken from the body camera of a person being surrounded.


    When the fierce appearance of the Peryton appeared in the camera lenses, the three people present all subconsciously leaned back into their seats.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: The Laws of Survival


    When the Peryton¡¯s tail rapidly swept over, as if it was going to skewer through his eyeballs, the female doctor cried out in fear, while Li Qian and the engineer in black-framed glasses had their mouths half-open, unable to say anything. Words could not describe what they were seeing on the screen; they felt as if they themselves had been killed on the spot.


    ¡°This¡­ this has to be the result of CGI¡­¡± Li Qian stuttered.


    ¡°I can send you the video and you can study it frame by frame to find out if it really is CGI. After all, you¡¯re an expert in this field.¡± Wu Yun replied, smiling.


    There were all kinds of blood-curdling screams coming from the video. It lasted for a few seconds until only death remained in their view.


    When the screen changed into static, they had not yet managed to recover their spirits.


    Wu Yun knocked on the table and time started to move forward once again.


    ¡°The First Law of Survival in Nibelungen, never show fear,¡± Wu Yun extended a finger, ¡°Does anyone know why so many animals in that world use fear to hunt for their prey?¡±


    No one answered. Regardless of whether it was Li Qian or the other two, they were still immersed in fear; they were not yet able to disengage from their state of mind.


    ¡°Because when you¡¯re afraid of something, it implies that you¡¯re not as strong as it. Since you¡¯re not as strong as it, then by the law of the jungle, you can only become the prey,¡± explained Wu Yun.


    ¡°Bullshit! How is that possible¡­ whatever that monster was¡­ who wouldn¡¯t be afraid of it rushing at them?¡± The engineer yelled, his tightly clenched fists were still shaking.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Wu Yun¡¯s gaze once again landed on Zhou Yu, but he quickly moved onto the next step, ¡°The Second Law of Survival in Nibelungen¡ª¡ªdo not be tempted by anything beautiful. The more beautiful they are, the more dangerous.¡±


    Another video started to play.


    It looked like it was in a cave. There were insects attached to the cave walls emitting a light blue glow, and the entire scene looked like a beautiful cave of light blue fireflies. Only, these fireflies were even more striking, they had a certain kind of leisurely and graceful sense of beauty as if they were the ancient light of stars.


    A researcher entering the cave looked up and revealed an enchanted expression, he slowly reached out his hand, as if he wanted to touch the fireflies. A few of the small bugs satisfied his expectations; they lazily fell down, like snowflakes.


    The moment they made contact with his skin, the little bugs suddenly bored into it. The researcher frantically started to scratch at his palms, wanting to catch the bugs, but they had already entered his veins, and in that short time, they already managed to reproduce inside his entire body.


    He fell to the floor. All the veins and arteries in his body appeared blue, he was twisted painfully, and the sound of his hoarse screams had the film¡¯s audience frozen in terror.


    All of a sudden, countless blue fireflies burst from inside his body in a dense swarm and flew out, like a supernova.


    They slowly rose up, and once more attached themselves to the cave wall.


    That researcher¡¯s remains were still scattered on the floor.


    All was peaceful again as if nothing had happened.


    The engineer in black glasses frames suddenly lowered his head and started to vomit. In the instant his glasses fell, Zhou Yu scooped them up with his finger.


    Li Qian¡¯s shoulders were also trembling and there was dread deep in his eyes.


    As for that female doctor, she raised a hand to cover her mouth, her eyes were opened wide.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t plan to enter into whatever research project this is anymore! Let me go back! Let me go!¡± The engineer had finished vomiting and started to beat the table hysterically.


    They had already been told that the other world was dangerous.


    But the level of danger exceeded their expectations.


    ¡°There¡¯s no going back. Juli Corp won¡¯t give its own pawns an escape route.¡± Wu Yun came to stand behind the engineer and pressed down on his shoulder, he seemed to be helping him relax, ¡°Mr. Li SiZhe, as long as you remember my words, and do what I tell you to do, you will live until your contract with Juli Corp expires. Juli Corp never abandons their benefactors, as long as you don¡¯t leak any of their secrets, your life after this will be pretty good. Practically all your wishes can come true.¡±


    The engineer Li SiZhe retrieved his glasses from Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ll talk about the Third Law, it¡¯s a rather important one. It may seem like it¡¯s easier to do than the previous two, but this one is exactly what most people can¡¯t resist.¡± Wu Yun put away his languid attitude, Zhou Yu was unable to decipher his cold gaze. ¡°Remember, they don¡¯t have love. If they make you feel enchanted, or touched, or perfectly willing to put everything at stake for them, then you¡¯re really finished. They only need to reproduce, and the composition of our human bodies are perfect in proportions, whether it be the protein content or anything else, we¡¯re the most well-suited for the next generations to grow in, not as a mate, but as nutrients.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking to us about love? There¡¯s no way we could find those monsters charming!¡± The female doctor thought that Wu Yun¡¯s words were unreasonable.


    ¡°The evolution of the organisms in Nibelungen are very special. Here, the highest level of life is humankind, because we are better at intelligent thought than the other animals. But in there, when an organism has progressed to a certain degree, they will develop abilities that you would think come from a sci-fi movie. We divide the organisms there into five ranks. The highest S rank organisms have a common characteristic: mimicry. Their mimicry is different from ours, their cells can regenerate and recombine, for example, changing into the appearance of a human¡­ a very charming human. They want to tempt you so they will change themselves into an appearance that will captivate you the most.


    Not only did Li Qian and the others show astonished expressions, even Zhou Yu was staring.


    Could an organism really change themselves into something entirely different?


    At this time, the video showed a certain pregnant female researcher. She was enclosed in a sealed research chamber, her face showed fear and horror, she continued to shout ¡°Save me, please save me¡±. She was beating at her abdomen, and under her stream of tears was despair.


    ¡°I recognize her¡­ She¡¯s a well-known pathologist¡­ what happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Han Li, isn¡¯t it obvious? She¡¯s pregnant,¡± Wu Yun replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying¡­ what¡¯s with the child in her womb! Why would she act like this? If she¡¯s pregnant then why would you treat her like this?¡±


    ¡°Because inside her womb is an S rank organism from Nibelungen,¡± Wu Yun spoke with regret, ¡°I reminded her countless times, but this woman still wasn¡¯t able to handle it. What¡¯s more, women are the most emotional, thinking that they will be the ¡®exception¡¯. During an outdoor expedition, she had a chance encounter with a graceful and sexy man, then she was with child.¡±


    A few minutes later, that pathologist died. Han Li covered her eyes, not daring to look at the scene as the pathologist¡¯s screams echoed unendingly in their ears.


    Li Qian buried his head between his arms. Li SiZhe wanted to vomit again but there was nothing left in his stomach.


    Only Zhou Yu watched it from beginning to end without the slightest hint of wrinkles between his brows.


    When the video finished playing, the entire room was silent. No one had any desire to speak.


    Wu Yun indifferently said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, as long as you keep the three laws of survival in mind, there isn¡¯t a likely chance that you¡¯ll die. Li Qian, you¡¯re the youngest of everyone here. Do you still remember what those three laws are?¡±


    Li Qian opened his mouth, but his mind was a complete blank. It was as if everything he heard before had been poured out of his head and he couldn¡¯t remember any of it.


    ¡°No way, you¡¯re the youngest, I¡¯d have thought that your memory would be the best too.¡± Wu Yun sighed, ¡°Listen up, I¡¯ll say it for the last time. Number one, fear is the sign of the hunted, so never show fear. Number two, the more beautiful an organism is, the more dangerous they are, do not approach them. Number three, do not be tempted by the mimicry of an S rank organism, they don¡¯t have human emotions like love, and no humans are an exception to them.¡±


    These three laws, even if they were remembered, were sometimes impossible to uphold.


    Because they went against human instinct.


    After class, Li Qian and the others went elsewhere. They were all specialized and skilled professionals; when met with a truly dangerous situation, they were still far inferior to Zhou Yu.


    In the next half of the year, Zhou Yu went under a series of rigorous training sessions. They included some lessons on the uses of special weapons, identifying the organisms of Nibelungen, team coordination, etc.


    Zhou Yu knew that training in there for a lifetime still would not be as useful as staying in Nibelungen for a minute. This news did not have a big effect on Zhou Yu¡¯s mood, but he knew that this group would also include Zhou Qing when it was dispatched.


    A very precise magnetic shuttle installation connected the two worlds. When Zhou Yu entered the control room, countless numbers flickered by on the ubiquitous computer screens. The technical staff and researchers were bustling about, and it resembled the space agency¡¯s preparations for a rocket launch.


    ¡°All party members to be dispatched, please enter the shuttle hold,¡± announced an ice-cold voice from above their heads.


    In front of Zhou Yu was a ring-shaped metal door. In front of the door, a thing that looked like a cable car was parked, and it looked a little like a shuttle exploring the universe, severe and cold.


    Just as he was about to go up, someone called out to him.


    ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu.¡±

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Crossing the Magnetic Field


    Zhou Yu turned around and saw Song Zhi. The other person had one arm clasped and a slight smile on his face.


    ¡°Mr. Song,¡± Zhou Yu nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not here to see me off, are you?¡±


    ¡°What if I said I really am here to see you off? The world on the other side is wonderful, I¡¯m looking forward to your performance.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Song.¡±


    Saying that, Zhou Yu started walking towards the open cabin entrance. When he entered it, the first person he saw was Zhou Qing.


    The hair he shaved off from the open-skull surgery had grown back and he did not look as thin and sallow as he had on the hospital bed. He was now refreshed and alert.


    The moment he saw Zhou Yu, Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes opened very wide and a sliver of terror flashed by in his eyes.


    Zhou Yu came beside Zhou Qing and sat down. The safety mechanism automatically lowered, enveloping Zhou Yu.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come here. You have your own life.¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but the corners of his eyes had turned red, ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous there. I could die at any time so it doesn¡¯t matter if I risk my life, but how could you do this¡­¡±


    ¡°You have the things you want to do, I also have the things I must do.¡±


    Zhou Qing closed his eyes, his lips were slightly trembling, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ and, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Just your thanks is enough. I don¡¯t need your sorry.¡±


    Zhou Yu swept his gaze over the entire shuttle cabin. He saw the IT youngster Li Qian from their first class, the battlefield doctor Han Li, and a brown-haired man in his forties.


    Zhou Yu had already searched him up on the internet. He was the main surgeon who had operated on Zhou Qing¡¯s colloid cyst, Dr. Daniel.


    ¡°How come that engineer isn¡¯t here?¡± Zhou Yu quietly said.


    Li Qian was sitting diagonally opposite to Zhou Yu, he pursed his lips and said in a helpless manner, ¡°Since the first class when he got scared because of that self-proclaimed ¡®unlucky¡¯ guy, he couldn¡¯t sleep at night anymore and started muttering weird things all day. I heard he was diagnosed with clinical depression, and is currently undergoing therapy.¡±


    There was another possibility: he wanted to leave Juli Corp, but was ¡®taken care of¡¯.


    ¡°That self-proclaimed ¡®unlucky¡¯ guy, are you talking about me?¡±


    A lazy and teasing voiced sounded, Li Qian raised his hand to cover his face and cursed in a low voice, ¡°Fuck, why did he have to hear me?!¡±


    Wu Yun swaggered over to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and sat down, ¡°Hi everyone, I¡¯m the commander of this shuttle dispatch mission, Wu Yun. In case of an emergency situation, everyone must strictly carry out my orders and comply with my commands. Although, any problems that occur when we¡¯re riding the shuttle can only be left to heaven¡¯s will, don¡¯t count on me for it. Who was it who called me an unlucky guy?¡±


    ¡°What? Problems can occur when we¡¯re riding the shuttle?¡± Han Li revealed a shocked expression.


    ¡°Of course problems can happen. It¡¯s like taking a plane from one country to another country¡­ If we happen to come across turbulence, thunder, lightning or an open cabin door, then we¡¯re finished,¡± Sadistic joy shone in Wu Yun¡¯s eyes as he spoke.


    Zhou Qing became nervous and Zhou Yu turned to face him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Nothing will happen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhou Qing nodded.


    They put on earphones and command center sent them a reminder; the system was currently detecting the magnetic field stability while receiving signals. Safety factors in each category were being checked.


    The backs of their seats slowly sank down, then the seats rose up in suspension.


    The feeling of weightlessness was amazing.


    Zhou Yu indescribably became nervous. He knew that if a problem really happened, he couldn¡¯t save Zhou Qing.


    Like a slingshot, their shuttle cabin was shot out.


    After a suddenly acceleration, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t feel it anymore, it was as if his body had been paralyzed. By all means, he should¡¯ve felt nervous, but he couldn¡¯t even hear his own heartbeat. It was as if all biological functions were static at this moment.


    The shuttle cabin was sealed so they had no idea how the shuttle was doing in the magnetic field.


    Han Li had her eyes closed tight and was saying prayers in her heart.


    Li Qian was the opposite, he had his eyes open wide and took in each second as his last.


    Zhou Qing did not have any reaction and he seemed to be asleep. This made Zhou Yu very nervous. Since they were all secured and unable to move about, Zhou Yu had no way of reaching out to Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Before we entered the shuttle cabin, I gave Professor Zhou some sedatives to lower his brain activity rate, thus lowering the effects of the two magnetic fields on his brain,¡± Daniel assured.


    This made Zhou Yu calm down, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I have two duties on this mission. The first one is to conduct research on neurological diseases. The other is to take charge as Professor Zhou¡¯s main doctor. Before we left, the growth of his colloid cyst had been under control. If, after we arrive in Nibelungen, his colloid cyst starts to grow in size again, I will perform a second surgery on him.¡±


    Zhou Yu stared blankly. Were these Song Zhi¡¯s orders? They were rather ¡®considerate¡¯, no?


    ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu, do you know who¡¯s team you¡¯ll be assigned to in Nibelungen?¡± Wu Yun was probably really bored, so he started to chat with Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Yours.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you said it before, your luck isn¡¯t good. I¡¯d estimate that all of your subordinates will die there, and even a one-man commander needs teammates,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute,¡± Wu Yun replied, ¡°But our team only consists of you and me, isn¡¯t that a little sad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very good like this. If you die, I only need to take revenge for you, there¡¯s minimal pressure and responsibility,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°Alright, not only are you cute, you¡¯re also quite horrid.¡±


    Zhou Yu was just about to say ¡°Thanks for the compliment,¡± when the steady shuttle suddenly gave a violent jolt.


    Han Li screamed loudly and Li Qian turned dumb with shock. They wanted to grab onto something, but because they were still suspended, they were unable to grab ahold of anything.


    Immediately following the jolt, everything was plunged into darkness and Zhou Yu lost consciousness.


    Without knowing how long had passed, Zhou Yu¡¯s head was hurting terribly. The cries of birds sounded unendingly in his ears. He pressed at his head with difficulty and sat up.


    As his sight focused, he saw that Zhou Qing was lying beside him. He immediately used his hand to feel at Zhou Qing¡¯s neck and found that his pulse was steady. Li Qian and Han Li were on the other side. There were some bloodstains on Han Li¡¯s forehead, she probably hit her head on something after being thrown down from a state of suspension when the shuttle stopped working. Fortunately, the safety mechanism was still there, or else her brains would¡¯ve been blown out.


    At this time, Dr. Daniel also woke and sat up, he shook his head a few times, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Also¡­ Wu Yun is gone,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Dr. Daniel made a fist and knocked on his own head a few times, ¡°He can¡¯t just disappear in the middle of nowhere. The shuttle didn¡¯t break apart in the magnetic field¡­ there¡¯s only one possibility, Wu Yun left.¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded, he came to the shuttle door and tried to open the hatch door.


    Just as the door opened to a small crack, Zhou Yu suddenly closed it again.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Dr. Daniel suspiciously asked, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°Perytons,¡±Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°What¡­ Perytons? So we¡¯re in Nibelungen right now?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the destination of the shuttle Juli Corp¡¯s research base?¡±


    ¡°That base¡­ It seems like it¡¯s completely destroyed. I saw the remains of the building and a few human corpses.¡±


    Just what had happened? They just got here, and the base was already destroyed?


    If Wu Yun had gained consciousness before them, then where did he go? Why did he leave all of them here?


    ¡°Are you afraid, Dr. Daniel?¡± Zhou Yu sat leaning against the door.


    ¡°There are Perytons outside. Did you think I didn¡¯t receive any training, so I don¡¯t know what Perytons are?¡±


    ¡°So you know that you must never be afraid?¡± Zhou Yu told Daniel after he closed the door because he didn¡¯t want the hormones from his fear to be sensed by the Perytons outside.


    ¡°I know. But, do you think anyone is able to achieve that? Do you know why humans have fear? When we¡¯re afraid, our adrenal glands shift into high gear in order to push our bodies to the limit to save ourselves! That¡¯s basic human nature!¡±


    ¡°I need to get out. The electric circuits in the shuttle cabin are already fried, we have no way of contacting them on the other side. If we keep staying in here we¡¯ll suffocate without being able to do anything about it. Also, we don¡¯t know where Wu Yun went, or if he¡¯ll come back.¡±


    ¡°You want to go outside? Are you mad?¡± Daniel showed an incredulous expression.


    ¡°Yes, I want to go outside. Compared to waiting here passively, I¡¯m better at taking action. Dr. Daniel, Zhou Qing is very important to me. You¡¯re also very important to me. Right now, Zhou Qing, Han Li and Li Qian are unconscious. This is a good thing because even if I open the door, they won¡¯t be afraid, so they won¡¯t become targets to the Perytons. That¡¯s why I need you to remain calm.¡±


    Daniel sucked in a breath of air, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know how to do that¡­¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re performing surgery, you must¡¯ve faced situations of life and death, right? Even the slightest difference might kill the patient.¡±


    ¡°This is different from surgery.¡± Daniel clutched at his face, ¡°Heavens, why did I have to wake up!¡±


    ¡°This is the same as surgery. You¡¯re able to detach your emotions and stay level-headed at that time, you can also do it now. I need you to take good care of Zhou Qing. You can¡¯t die,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Daniel gulped, ¡°Okay, give me some time¡­¡±


    Only, with a crashing sound, Zhou Yu flipped himself backwards. In the second that Daniel¡¯s heart rate sped up, the cabin door had already been violently closed shut.


    Daniel opened his eyes wide, wasn¡¯t Zhou Yu¡¯s speed a little too fast?


    He didn¡¯t even have time to be afraid, yet Zhou Yu had already left?


    Also, wasn¡¯t he afraid of the Perytons outside? What if he died outside?

 CH 9

    Chapter 9


    When Zhou Yu left the shuttle cabin, he had a better understanding of the situation at the base.


    The area of the base was about the same as the research center he first entered. Judging by the level of damage, this place had been through an explosion.


    Everything was in ruins, and the electric lines were destroyed. There wasn¡¯t even a chance that Zhou Yu could find a working telephone.


    A few Perytons were aimlessly wandering about. They had already hunted so now they looked a little bored.


    The base was located in a spacious and empty location, and Zhou Yu could see a jungle off in the distance. Narrowing his eyes, he could even see several giant birds spiraling in the skies above the dense jungle as if they could come flying this way at any time.


    Zhou Yu searched the bodies of the dead researchers, but he was unable to find any communication tools. That¡¯s right, researchers will more often use computers for communication. To find a communication device, he had to locate an armed guard.


    Zhou Yu surveyed his immediate environment. Surrounded by the herd of Perytons, there was a body wearing camouflage fallen in the middle.


    Zhou Yu walked over there and half-squatted down. He searched the body and finally found a badly damaged and half-missing communication device; it was useless.


    Were they trapped here with no way of contacting their colleagues or the base?


    Juli Corp didn¡¯t just have one base. If they sent a rescue party without being able to contact the base and were exposed to this dangerous environment, it was only a matter of time before they¡¯d all be massacred.


    ¡°Hey, you sure have some guts. When Mr. Song said you aren¡¯t afraid of Perytons, I thought he was exaggerating. Who would¡¯ve thought that it¡¯s actually true.¡±


    Zhou Wu turned around and saw Wu Yun.


    He was carrying all sorts of weapons and equipment on his body and he was wearing a pair of sunglasses from who-knows-where on top of his head.


    ¡°Catch,¡± Wu Yun threw something at Zhou Yu, ¡°Although you can keep your composure while facing the Perytons, it doesn¡¯t mean that you won¡¯t keep your cool in front of other organisms. Perytons aren¡¯t the scariest things here.¡±


    ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°Suppressors. After you inject it, it can guarantee that you won¡¯t secrete the hormone that marks you as a target no matter how afraid you are within the next 48-hours.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zhou Yu put it in his bag.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, thank the researchers at Juli Corp. This suppressor is the lifesaver for all field workers. The ones in the research center have mostly been blown up¡­ You¡¯re not going to use it?¡± Wu Yu tilted his head.


    ¡°Alright. Come here and help me. This base is already destroyed, we need to get to the next base.¡± Wu Yun turned his body around.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the closest base?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not far through that forest called ¡®The Demon¡¯s Eye¡¯,¡± Wu Yun said easily.


    ¡°Are you joking? We all know forests will have danger lurking under every leaf. Also, that forest is pretty big, can we pass through it before nightfall?¡±


    If it was just him and Wu Yun, then it was fine. Both of them had been through specialized combat training, but what about Zhou Qing and them? They were all doctors and academics without the strength to truss up a chicken.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to use this guy.¡± Wu Yun pointed with his jaw.


    Zhou Yu followed Wu Yun over a broken wall and saw an off-road vehicle. It was somewhat different from the cars in the other world, it was more sturdy and had more functions.


    ¡°This is a specialized car for traveling through forests.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I packed everything we can use inside it.¡± Wu Yu opened the trunk of the car, other than weapons, there were rations and water. A black box also sat inside.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°An embryo for research that didn¡¯t get blown up. Although we don¡¯t know what rank the organism inside it is, it¡¯s very important to any research base in the initial stages of its life.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Yu put his hand on the box and in that second, it was as if something inside it resonated with his heartbeat.


    His body was surrendered in a surge, as if his spirit had been captured by something.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, are you alright?¡± Wu Yun laughingly looked at Zhou Yu, ¡°Don¡¯t lose this thing, it can save us a lot of work. If we have a subject we can study, then those lead researchers won¡¯t ask us to capture those dangerous organisms as often. Get in.¡±


    ¡°That thing in the box, can it move?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Wu Yun lost his smile, ¡°How can it move? The embryo in the box can only continue growing under special conditions to mature into life.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? We have to take it with us?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Zhou Yu, I thought you weren¡¯t scared of anything?¡±Wu Yun also placed his palm on the box. His expression was the same as usual, as if he didn¡¯t feel anything.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, if you don¡¯t want as many dangerous missions in the future, then don¡¯t provide any source materials for those crazy researchers.¡±


    It looks like Wu Yun was already very familiar with the way Juli Corp worked.


    Zhou Yu followed Wu Yun into the car.


    Wu Yun lit up a cigarette from somewhere and dangled it in his mouth with an expression of being as easy-going as an immortal.


    As they got closer to the herd of Perytons, Wu Yun pressed some button and a handgun appeared in front of Zhou Yu. The barrel was long, it could shoot far.


    ¡°Take out all of those Perytons. Or else when we open the cabin door, if those guys are all awake and if someone starts screaming, the two of us can¡¯t take on all of them.¡±


    ¡°What are the bullets?¡±


    ¡°Neurotoxins¡­¡±


    Just as Wu Yun¡¯s words left his mouth, Zhou Yu had already pulled the trigger. Within five minutes, the Perytons fell one after the other, like dominoes.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too fast?!¡± Wu Yun¡¯s cigarette almost fell out.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t standing hundreds of kilometers away. Even if I miss, they won¡¯t know where we are.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Wu Yun stopped the car in front of the cabin. Zhou Yu swiftly opened the car door and stepped out to pull open the cabin door.


    Dr. Daniel was sitting against the wall, while Li Qian and Han Li had already woken up. They probably already heard of the situation from Dr. Daniel, they were hugging their arms with faces full of fear. Especially Han Li, her eyes were already glistening with tears.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t waste his words on them, he directly took out the suppressor shots. After giving them a simple explanation of its function, he injected the drug into their bodies.


    Zhou Yu propped up Zhou Qing, who was still drowsy, and checked his pupils, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving? Or do you want me to kick all of you out?¡±


    ¡°How do we know the drug is working?¡± Li Qian reflected back.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you go outside,¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s expression remained cold.


    Dr. Daniel was the first one to go outside. Li Qian and Han Li followed him out, quivering with fear.


    The first thing they saw was a Peryton¡¯s dead body.


    Han Li opened her eyes wide and gasped, she held back a scream. She and Li Qian held onto each other while climbing into the car.


    Zhou Yu supported Zhou Qing while entering the car, then handed a syringe to Daniel, ¡°Give him the shot when he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Dr. Daniel nodded.


    Since Zhou Qing wasn¡¯t awake yet, using the drug would be wasting it.


    Wu Yun was still smoking. Zhou Yu, who was sitting beside him, took it and threw it, ¡°Sorry, my brother¡¯s body is still weak, I don¡¯t want him to inhale your second-hand smoke.¡±


    ¡°You sure are something.¡± Wu Yun rolled down the car window, unconcerned.


    They traveled towards the forest.


    This wasn¡¯t a jungle expedition. Zhou Yu knew that aside from danger, they were going to face even more danger.


    In Li Qian and Han Li¡¯s eyes, the forest loomed over them like the open jaws of a demon, able to swallow them at any time.


    ¡°In the next while, if anyone screams, I¡¯ll use this gun to shoot them.¡± Wu Yun pulled out a gun from his waist and waved it a few times in the air.


    Li Qian and Han Li were scared enough to lean back against their seats.


    Dr. Daniel, who was taking Zhou Qing¡¯s pulse, was probably the calmest of the three.


    At the moment the front windshield of the car hit onto the dense jungle vines and foliage, countless birds as large as a finger were startled and came rushing out. They knocked into the windows, scraped past the car, and emitted a sharp cry, causing everyone to cover their ears.


    The force of the attack was scary, could the car be knocked over at any time?


    ¡°This is a D rank organism, called ¡®Little Fingers¡¯. Isn¡¯t the name cute? The danger factor is only D rank, but that¡¯s considering them individually. A colony¡¯s power is immense. Li Qian, if you hadn¡¯t injected the suppressant, and if you were standing outside the car, after they leave you would¡¯ve been stabbed into a hornet¡¯s nest by their beaks. All the blood in your body would be sucked dry too.¡±


    Wu Yun seemed to really enjoy scaring Li Qian.


    This sort of creature had definitely been explained before in their training classes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you also give me a shot like Professor Zhou? At least when we¡¯re passed out, we won¡¯t give you any extra trouble.¡±


    ¡°Really? I like the way you cause trouble for us.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just shoot me then!¡± Li Qian clenched his fist, resisting the urge to punch Wu Yun.


    ¡°That¡¯s a waste of bullets. Don¡¯t worry, when the effect of drug fades and you start to get scared again, I¡¯ll shoot you. I¡¯ll be fast and accurate.¡±


    When they entered the forest, they all unconsciously raised their heads to take a look.


    The trees here were very tall, as if they could burst through the horizon.


    The lush leaves and branches were interwoven through each other, so only a few strands of sunlight fell down from between the cracks. At night, there definitely wouldn¡¯t be any light here.


    These trees had been alive for hundreds and thousands of years. Their leaves were very peculiar, they looked like moving fingers. When they touched each other they slipped by, as if they were exchanging an embrace.


    All kinds of strange animals sized up their vehicle from different positions.


    A muscular, six-eyed creature jumped down from somewhere above and landed on their car roof. They only heard a ¡°thud¡ª¡± sound and before the people in the backseat could start to scream, Wu Yun started shaking around the gun in his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s only an E rank organism. Its IQ is rather low, and it¡¯s not a hunter,¡± said Dr. Daniel in the back seat as he held onto Han Li¡¯s hand to show comfort.


    Suddenly Wu Yun opened fire on his machine gun, moving it to face the top of the car. Zhou Yu took aim and pulled the trigger into the gaping jaw of that creature, firing off a violent stream of bullets.


    That creature fell from the car roof very quickly and in its open mouth was another face with twisted features.


    ¡°It¡¯s different if there happens to be another C rank organism in his body,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Parasites were Nibelungen¡¯s most basic species. Once they entered the body of a host, they could control the host¡¯s movements. Relying on the bodies of harmless creatures to get closer to their prey, then they can live in another organism as a parasite once again.


    Li Qian trembled for a long time before speaking, ¡°C-Can we go back to the shuttle cabin? It ¡¯s too dangerous in the forest¡­ please, Boss W-Wu¡­¡±

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: The Two-Headed Wolf Spider


    ¡°Boss Wu?¡±


    Wu Yun was shocked for two seconds, then he started to laugh. He almost forgot to steer the car properly.


    It was Zhou Yu beside him who reached out to steady the wheel, or else the car would¡¯ve run into a tree.


    ¡°Li Qian, the situation is already like this, why not enjoy it?¡±


    Saying that, Wu Yun turned on the music in the car, it was playing ¡®It¡¯s a Heartache¡¯.


    To Li Qian and Han Li, who were still caught up in being afraid, it was like a demonic tune driving them to near insanity.


    Zhou Qing, who had been deeply asleep the whole time, twitched his brows. Dr. Daniel immediately gave him the injection.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Zhou Yu looked into the rearview mirror.


    ¡°What happened? Are we in Nibelungen?¡± Zhou Qing rubbed his head.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re starting our exploration trip into Nibelungen early,¡± Wu Yun smiled and made a peace sign.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to be at the base?¡± Zhou Qing looked outside the car window.


    The sky was starting to turn gloomy, the sun was sinking, and everything was about to descend into darkness.


    A different kind of danger loomed in the darkness.


    Dr. Daniel patiently explained the current situation to Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if I could collect a sample of the plants here. Pity I didn¡¯t bring any sampling tools.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Li Qian looked at Zhou Qing in astonishment, ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared at all? We¡¯re in a lot of danger right now! We can die at any time!¡±


    ¡°When I accepted Juli Corp¡¯s invitation, I was already prepared for it. Right now, this isn¡¯t the best outcome, but it¡¯s not the worst either,¡± Zhou Qing answered.


    Li Qian stared at Zhou Qing. This guy sounded like an amazing scholar, but he studied plants, not animals. He was extremely thin, and his body didn¡¯t look very healthy.


    ¡°What does ¡®not the worst outcome¡¯ mean?¡± Li Qian asked again.


    ¡°First, we¡¯re still alive. Second, no one is alone. Third, we¡¯re protected by two experienced veterans¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m the only one with lots of experience, not him,¡± Wu Yun pointed at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu acted like he didn¡¯t hear him, and Zhou Qing continued, ¡°Fourth, we were injected with the suppressants, we can avoid attacks from 70% of organisms within 48 hours.¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s voice was thorough and tranquil, Li Qian¡¯s tense mental state started to loosen up.


    ¡°It sounds like it really isn¡¯t that bad,¡± Li Qian let out a breath of air.


    ¡°It¡¯s 70%,¡± Wu Yun reminded him.


    At this time, Wu Yun suddenly hit the brakes.


    ¡°Our good luck¡­ if only it wasn¡¯t used up already.¡±


    Wu Yun turned off the car lights.


    Everyone became nervous, Li Qian tightly gripped onto Han Li¡¯s hand.


    In the darkness, they could see a faint and slow-moving silhouette.


    When the shadow of its limbs passed by their car, no one dared to breathe loudly.


    Two faces grown close together pressed onto the front windshield, there were countless eyes on them.


    ¡°Two-headed wolf spider,¡± Zhou Qing whispered.


    This made Li Qian and Han Li hug each other even tighter.


    Dr. Daniel stared at the monster with his mouth open wide.


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any two-headed wolf spiders moving around here.¡± Wu Yun clenched the steering wheel, ¡°My luck really did turn sour.¡±


    The two-headed wolf spider was a monstrosity to human eyes. They had two brains but only one body. The two heads could even communicate with each other and work together to control their body.


    The two-headed wolf spider had twelve legs, each one was incomparably sharp, they could pierce through common steel. They were different from the spiders in Zhou Yu¡¯s world, this spider was a hermaphrodite, and reproduced through parthenogenesis.


    ¡°Does this guy want to eat us?¡± Dr. Daniel asked.


    ¡°Two-headed wolf spiders are B rank organisms possessing sight. The fear that their prey shows lets the organisms here identify them. To draw a comparison, organisms that are bigger and stronger than it wouldn¡¯t be afraid of it. But, if you¡¯re scared of it, and you also send them these signals, they will naturally believe that they¡¯re stronger than you and classify you as their prey. This is the instinct of animals living here. For the organisms in Nibelungen, their hierarchy is much more strict than the one that exists in our world,¡± Wu Yu replied.


    Then, the two-headed wolf spider suddenly raised a leg and ferociously smashed it onto the car window.


    The car started shaking violently.


    Han Li closed her eyes and buried her head in Li Qian¡¯s embrace. Li Qian also lowered his head and stiffened his back, too afraid to move an inch.


    Such a powerful force still didn¡¯t break the car window.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Juli Corp. If a field vehicle could be smashed so easily, we wouldn¡¯t be able to do any research with it,¡± Wu Yun sighed, he was just about to start up the machine gun, but the two-headed wolf spider suddenly sprayed out a liquid, attaching it to the muzzle of the machine gun.


    ¡°Fuck¡ªisn¡¯t this thing a little too smart?!¡±


    The liquid rapidly solidified, sealing the opening of the machine gun and the slot for the adjustable machine gun.


    ¡°W-What is it trying to do?¡± Dr. Daniel asked, ¡°Since we didn¡¯t send it a signal that we¡¯re afraid, it shouldn¡¯t be trying to treat us as prey! If we don¡¯t understand the exact reason why it¡¯s attacking us¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in its mating period,¡± Zhou Qing said from beside Daniel.


    ¡°What? Mating period?¡±


    ¡°Its abdomen should have a striped pattern, but right now it has waves. That¡¯s because there are eggs taking shape in there. It¡¯s searching for nourishment to hatch its eggs in. Humans have a different protein content than the organisms here, and to them, we¡¯re very ¡®nutritious¡¯,¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    ¡°How do you know? Aren¡¯t you a botanist?¡± Wu Yun turned around from the front seat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read over information on all of the organisms studied in Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°You can remember all of it?¡± Wu Yun thought that it was unbelievable. The two-headed wolf spider¡¯s foot smashed down on the window again, frightening them out of their wits with each strike. Wu Yun still wore a nonchalant expression.


    ¡°My little brother¡¯s memory is very good. As long as he¡¯s seen the information once, he won¡¯t forget it,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°Right now is not the time to be praising Professor Zhou, how do we get rid of¡­ get rid of this wolf spider with two heads!¡± Han Li started shouting.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be too loud, my head hurts,¡± Wu Yun waved his gun again, which immediately shut Han Li up.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Wait here. When it tires itself out, we leave.¡± Wu Yun scratched the back of his head, he seemed to want to light up another cigarette.


    ¡°Hah? What?¡± The people in the back seat spoke in unison.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to smash at the car for the whole night, as long as it strikes at the same spot three hundred times, the car window will break,¡± said Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Hah? What?¡± The people in the back seat spoke in unison.


    ¡°Reverse the car,¡± Zhou Yu said, coldly.


    Wu Yun smiled, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s listen to my partner.¡±


    The car suddenly moved, quickly retreating backwards.


    The two-headed wolf spider was surprised and fell to the ground, but it quickly gave chase.


    Wu Yun¡¯s driving technique wasn¡¯t bad, he reversed in a large arc without hitting any trees, yet the two-headed wolf spider was still unwilling to give up its pursuit.


    ¡°Why does it have to chase us? We¡¯re not afraid.¡±


    ¡°Because, if the eggs in its belly can¡¯t find a source of nutrients, they¡¯ll die. Although we didn¡¯t send it a signal of fear, it didn¡¯t show an overwhelming display of power either. To this two-headed wolf spider, although there¡¯s danger, it can still give it a try.¡± Zhou Qing reached up to seize the grab handles.


    ¡°You said 70%! Now we¡¯ve met the other 30%¡ªan organism¡¯s mating period!¡± Wu Yun didn¡¯t seem to be concerned about impending death.


    The enraged two-headed wolf spider almost crashed into them and then knocked into an ancient tree, causing it to sway.


    ¡°Protect one¡¯s progeny. It seems like whether it be our world or this one, it¡¯s all the same,¡± Dr. Daniel sighed.


    ¡°So, we need to hold out until all its eggs are dead?¡± Han Li said through clenched teeth.


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t have the time to answer her. Using the time before the two-headed wolf spider turned around, Wu Yun made a U-turn and pressed down hard on the gas pedal, driving off.


    The two-headed wolf spider still did not give up, and instead chased after them as if its life was on the line. It was faster than before. Wu Yun turned on the headlights again to avoid any obstacles.


    The car jostled forwards at the speed of flight. The headlights passed by something amber colored that was hanging from a nearby, ancient tree. There were many, hollow faces in the amber, they were the corpses of humans encapsulated inside the spider¡¯s fluid, each body had an egg attached to it, they were sucking in the nutrients.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to turn into that! I don¡¯t want to turn into that!¡± Han Li started screaming.


    ¡°Help me get rid of her!¡± Wu Yun shouted.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    They could still faintly see the white lab coats or camouflage-patterned clothing on those researchers¡¯ bodies.


    They were probably survivors of the explosion who wanted to pass through the forest to reach the next closest base, but they met this two-headed wolf spider and unfortunately became nutrients for reproduction.


    The two-headed wolf spider got closer and closer, then it suddenly spat out a liquid onto the back wheel.


    The car gave rumbled and was about to come to a stop.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Wu Yun cursed under his breath.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu suddenly opened the car door. Just as the two-headed wolf spider came to rip off the car door with its fangs bared, he pulled out the second gun at his waist and shot out at it continuously.


    The spider, having been shot, let out a hissing sound. Zhou Yu immediately got back in the car and closed the door. A thick pus squirted out from it, it could be said that Zhou Yu missed it by a hair.


    Everything was quiet again.


    Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu from the corner of his eye. Zhou Yu slipped the gun back into the holster at his waist.


    That gun was the one Wu Yun found at the base, he and Zhou Yu each had one. The bullets in the gun were specialized neurotoxins.


    The two-headed wolf spider had fallen, coincidentally, on the trunk of their car. There were countless small feelers in its open jaw that just happened to be pasted onto the rear windshield.


    Dr. Daniel protected Zhou Qing, ¡°There¡¯s no need to turn around, Professor Zhou.¡±


    Li Qian covered his mouth.


    ¡°Hey, hey, I say¡­ If anyone wants to throw up, do it outside.¡± Wu Yun started waving around his gun again.


    Li Qian choked everything that was in his throat back down.


    ¨C


    The author has something to say:


    Wu Yun: Welcome to Nibelungen.


    Mo Ye: Why didn¡¯t I appear today? The box didn¡¯t even appear? Bad review!

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: Snake Scorpion Beauty


    ¡°I noticed your movements were swift and decisive, it couldn¡¯t be that you had long prepared to do just that?¡± Wu Yun took another look at the car door sealed shut from the two-headed wolf spider¡¯s fluid and then at the side of Zhou Yu¡¯s face.


    ¡°Since we had no way of breaking away from it as it continued to pursue us, someone had to do it,¡± Zhou Yu answered, very naturally.


    ¡°It only wanted to give birth, did you need to be so cruel?¡± Wu Yun pointed at the thing behind them.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you get out of the car and volunteer to be the sacrifice?¡± Zhou Yu shot back.


    ¡°Because I still have to drive,¡± Wu Yun replied naturally.


    ¡°I know how to drive too,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Fine, even by retreating ten thousand steps, you didn¡¯t need to shoot that many bullets at the two-headed wolf spider. What a waste. The neurotoxin isn¡¯t easy to come by. The more you use it, the less we have,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°I know, it comes from the spinal fluid of a certain S rank organism. Even a minute amount could kill other organisms. I only forgot about it momentarily, I¡¯ll remember it in the future. More importantly, right now, can our car still move?¡±


    Wu Yun tried to start the engine and struggled to wrench the car wheel free from that sticky fluid. Unfortunately, the fluid had already hardened and locked the wheel in place.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Wu Yun cursed under his breath.


    ¡°You really are unlucky. Have you thought about changing your name?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Oh? what name should I change it to?¡± Wu Yun clasped his hand onto Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer him, but instead waved away his hand and said, ¡°We can only wait in the car and rest for now until daybreak to check if the car can still be repaired. Also, it¡¯s impossible that those evacuated researchers came into the forest on foot. Before they were captured by the two-headed wolf spider, they should¡¯ve been driving a car. We should search for that car, and if we¡¯re lucky, we might find one.¡±


    ¡°What if we¡¯re unlucky?¡± Li Qian asked.


    ¡°We walk,¡± Wu Yun answered.


    Li Qian really didn¡¯t want to hear Wu Yun say anything anymore.


    ¡°Thinking of anything else right now is useless. Instead, we should all rest well and save our strength,¡± Zhou Yu closed his eyes, ready to sleep.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, other than sleeping, there¡¯s nothing else we can do,¡± Wu Yun turned off the car lights and locked the car doors.


    ¡°How¡­ Can you sleep like this¡­¡± Li Qian whispered.


    Han Li didn¡¯t speak and covered her face with her hands. She was probably weeping. After experiencing so much, her neat hair bun was now in a sorry, disheveled state.


    Dr. Daniel performed a simple examination on Zhou Qing to confirm that his brain did not suffer from the excitement that was followed in quick succession and by the excessive shaking and jolting of the car.


    Time passed faster than Zhou Yu realized. When the first ray of sunlight fell onto his face, he opened his eyes.


    There were no menacing organisms in sight at first glance. A few strange, many-eyed birds peered at them curiously from the branches of a tree, as well as a few small, unknown creatures.


    Wu Yun also woke up, he took out his box of cigarettes and used his strength to throw it at Li Qian¡¯s face in the backseat. Li Qian jolted awake and flailed around in confusion, ¡°Don¡¯t eat me! Don¡¯t eat me!¡±


    At the sound of this ruckus, everyone else in the back also woke up.


    When Li Qian opened his eyes, he saw that the corners of Wu Yun¡¯s mouth were lifted in a smirk towards him while he looked at him with an expression that implied ¡®idiot¡¯.


    ¡°Is everyone rested? Get out of the car!¡± Wu Yun ordered.


    ¡°What? Get out?¡± Li Qian was momentarily astonished before he completely understood Wu Yun¡¯s meaning.


    The car was already broken, and taking advantage of the time when the suppressor drug was still effective, they had to leave the forest as quickly as possible.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu had already opened the doors. Zhou Qing didn¡¯t say anything and followed them out of the car.


    The two-headed wolf spider was still sprawled on the trunk.


    ¡°We have to get this thing off, or else we can¡¯t retrieve our water, rations, and equipment,¡± Wu Yun pressed at his head, ¡°But it¡¯s so gross, I don¡¯t even want to touch it.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to do it?¡± Zhou Yu snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed it with such fortunate timing.¡±


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll leave the timing to you,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    He took out some rope and bound it around the spider¡¯s body. He threw the other end over a tree branch and then pulled down hard on it. The wolf spider was dragged off.


    With a crash, Li Qian and them hid far away, too scared to even look.


    Wu Yun opened the trunk of the car and divided up the water and rations amongst everyone to carry.


    ¡°So heavy¡­¡± Li Qian didn¡¯t exercise much in the first place, and with the weight of the water and rations, he almost fell flat on the ground.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t carry it, then you don¡¯t get to eat or drink. Although, dying of thirst or hunger is a much more beautiful death than being eaten by any of the organisms here,¡± Wu Yun gave a vile laugh.


    Zhou Yu was about to take the things that had been handed to Zhou Qing, but Zhou Qing refused him.


    ¡°You have to protect everyone, so you should carry something more important.¡±


    The party continued forward, Wu Yun was carrying more than enough, but he didn¡¯t forget to take the box containing the embryo with him.


    ¡°It looks like the thing in there is really important,¡± Zhou Yu glanced at it.


    ¡°Haha¡­ everything is important.¡±


    While they walked, Zhou Qing observed the plants nearby.


    Then, Li Qian stepped on something and let out an ¡°ah.¡±


    He bent down to see and discovered that it was a flower as transparent as glass.


    The petals had been crushed by Li Qian.


    ¡°I thought¡­ it was a dangerous organism¡­¡±


    Just as Li Qian closed his eyes and let out a breath, Zhou Qing pulled him away, ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Something as thin as a silver snake suddenly reared out of the flower¡¯s center, only a hair¡¯s breadth away from biting Li Qian¡¯s nose, frightening Li Qian into screaming.


    That silver snake withdrew and then gathered its energy to pop out as if it simply could not give up on biting Li Qian.


    ¡°Hurry¡­Hurry and shoot it¡­¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s going to die very soon. This is only its last retaliation against its aggressor before death,¡± Wu Yun stood nearby and cooly answered.


    ¡°What is this thing¡­ why was it inside the flower?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen a caterpillar before?¡± Wu Yun smilingly said, ¡°Just treat this as a leveled-up version of a caterpillar.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Li Qian completely did not understand.


    ¡°This is an appearance unique to Nibelungen. Plants and animals sharing the same body. Juli Corp gave it the name ¡®snake scorpion beauty¡¯. Its danger level is only C rank, about the same as a parasite. Because the plant and animal share a body, the animal side is unable to break away from where the plant has taken root.¡±


    ¡°If it could separate itself, would I be alive right now?¡± Li Qian was not in the mood to feel amazed by the unique lifeforms here, he only let out a relieved sigh that he was still alive.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, if you were bitten, maybe a plant will also grow from your body,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to scare me again!¡± After a day and a night, it could be said that Li Qian had had enough of Wu Yun.


    ¡°Wu Yun¡¯s not scaring you, he¡¯s telling the truth.¡±


    Zhou Qing shouldered his heavy backpack and walked past Li Qian at an easy pace.


    The group of people continued forward. What met them ahead was a happy surprise¡ªthey found a car.


    It should be the one left by the people from the base.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Li Qian was just about to rush over before being held back by Dr. Daniel.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun both pulled out their matching guns and approached it step by step.


    The car door was wide open.


    Wu Yun¡¯s gun was pointed at the driver¡¯s seat and Zhou Yu¡¯s at the copilot seat. After they checked to ensure that there were no problems, they inspected the back seats and the trunk as well.


    After confirming that everything was fine, Wu Yun waved Dr. Daniel over.


    Then the rest walked over.


    Wu Yun tried to start the car, but it was unresponsive.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ Do we have to continue walking?¡± Li Qian knew that it was impossible for him to walk the whole day with such a heavy load.


    Wu Yun examined the car, ¡°It¡¯s fine, a few parts probably came off from the two-headed wolf spider¡¯s attack. There are maintenance tools in the car, give me a hand, Zhou Yu. It should work after it¡¯s fixed up a little. Everyone else, stay here and rest. Don¡¯t wander off anywhere and don¡¯t touch anything, am I clear?


    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to go anywhere!¡± Li Qian directly sat on the ground and surveyed his surroundings, scared that something would pop out.


    Zhou Qing was the only one who didn¡¯t sit down, with his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes narrowed, he maintained a distance with the surrounding vegetation while observing it.


    Dr. Daniel found it funny as he looked over at his back view. Although they¡¯ve only known each other for a short while, Dr. Daniel had a good impression of this botany professor. He respected Zhou Qing¡¯s professional knowledge and how he was earnest and meticulous, he also admired his cool-headedness during critical moments. After a day and a night, he and Zhou Yu had already established a rapport for protecting Professor Zhou. For example, just now, when Zhou Yu passed by them, Daniel¡¯s gaze was on Zhou Qing the whole time. He wouldn¡¯t stop him from observing the plants, but he was prepared to pull him away if danger appeared.


    Zhou Qing was already captivated by the grains of the primitive trees. They relied on absorbing nutrients in ways that were not just through photosynthesis. Their bark wasn¡¯t hard at all, but they were like a layer of skin, there were even veins, arteries and even something like nerves underneath the surface.


    Leaning in even closer, he seemed to be able to hear the whispered conversations of the trees.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, drink some water,¡± Dr. Daniel raised up a bottle of water from nearby.


    ¡°Ah, oh, thanks!¡± Zhou Qing understood that this was Dr. Daniel¡¯s tactful way of reminding him not to get too close to the trees.


    Even seemingly harmless creatures may have hidden dangers.


    Taking the water and drinking two mouthfuls, Zhou Qing sat down beside Daniel. First, he raised his head to look at the leaves as continuous as waves, not appearing impatient at all. When his head became tired, he looked down at the mud and dirt by his feet.


    Like an illusion, there seemed to be something winding around his neck, fiddling with the ends of his hair, and slipping past his ears. As if something from behind Zhou Qing gently embraced him into its bosom.


    In the beginning, Zhou Qing thought it was a breeze, but gradually he felt something like a gentle hand slowly covering the back of his head, as if checking to see if the open-skull surgery had harmed him.


    Zhou Qing thought it was Dr. Daniel, but the doctor was taking inventory of his water and rations, both his hands were visible.


    Li Qian and Han Li were sitting on the other side, and Zhou Yu was still busy with Wu Yun.


    Zhou Qing became nervous and suddenly turned his head back, but there was nothing to be seen.


    Zhou Qing let out a breath of relief. It probably was just a breeze, he was being too sensitive.


    At this time, the car was able to start, Dr. Daniel looked over and Han Li and Li Qian excitedly stood up and went over.


    ¡°How is it? Can we drive it?


    ¡°Fantastic! Let¡¯s leave this place, quickly!¡±


    Zhou Qing also stood up, but his world suddenly vanished into darkness and he couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Zhou Qing thought that his colloid cyst had started to grow again and had compressed his visual nerves so that he couldn¡¯t see anymore.


    ¡°Do you want to see?¡± An ethereal and graceful voice sounded.


    ¨C


    The author has something to say: It looks like Professor Zhou is going to see his little gong first.


    Mo Ye: I¡¯ll appear later but outdo the earlier! Good preparation is the key to success! The future will overtake the past!


    Zhou Yu: You should be incubated first before babbling about all of that.

 CH 12

    Chapter 12: The Lake


    Zhou Qing paused. Who was speaking?


    He wanted to ask, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    ¡°Come to me.¡±


    The voice was extremely soft and gentle, and it placated Zhou Qing¡¯s nervousness.


    Zhou Qing uncontrollably walked forward, moving closer, step-by-step, to a place unknown to him.


    When light suddenly came to him, he found himself standing at the shore of a lake.


    The graceful, swaying cattails seemed to spread towards the horizon. There were red and purple fruits nestled amongst the intersecting cattails, and when they touched each other, they let out a tinkling sound, like small silver bells.


    In his own world, Zhou Qing had never seen such clear lake water before. He lowered his head and could even faintly see the pebbles at the bottom.


    Zhou Qing knew that the beauty it presented was only its external appearance. No matter how much he wanted to reach out his hand, he definitely couldn¡¯t touch it, there was probably something dangerous living in the lake.


    He turned around and found that the forest was not far off, he could even faintly see the rear view of Zhou Yu and Wu Yun repairing the car.


    What had lured him over here?


    When he turned back, a figure slowly emerged from the lake and gently rested by the shore.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s pupils instantly dilated.


    Wet, black hair stuck to the back of his head and his ears, and he had fair skin that shone with a certain brilliance under the sunlight. Those pair of limpid eyes were like the lake. Those were all of Zhou Qing¡¯s thoughts.


    Zhou Qing knew that other than the humans working for Juli Corp who were in Nibelungen, any other humans present¡­ must be the product of an S rank organism¡¯s mimicry.


    He didn¡¯t think that he would meet such a creature at the top of the pyramid so quickly.


    Was this an illusion?


    ¡°I¡¯m not an illusion,¡± an ethereal voice sounded in his head.


    The S rank organism didn¡¯t open his mouth at all, so the voice he heard really was his imagination.


    ¡°The voice in your head isn¡¯t your imagination either, this is only a way to communicate between us, we don¡¯t necessarily need to use ¡®sound¡¯.¡±


    He slowly raised his lips into a smile.


    Zhou Qing didn¡¯t really have an approximation of the concept of ¡®beauty¡¯. Movie stars or women who were lauded to be beauties were all the same in his eyes.


    But the organism in front of him was truly beautiful. The outline of his features and his expressions were all like a perfect dream.


    ¡°Then, why did you lure me over here? Am I your prey? Or the nutrients you need to reproduce?¡± Zhou Qing asked in his mind.


    He knew that even if he didn¡¯t speak, the organism would still hear him.


    ¡°Prey? I don¡¯t need unhealthy prey. As for the nutrients needed to reproduce, you¡¯re not nutritious enough.¡±


    He had a pleasurable voice that made Zhou Qing feel like he was lying in an open plain and staring up into the starry skies.


    ¡°Listen, don¡¯t continue to eat the blue pills in your bag.¡±


    ¡°Why? If I don¡¯t eat them, my brain will very quickly be pushed aside by the tumor, and I¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Although the blue pills will inhibit the growth of your tumor, they will also inhibit your bodily functions, causing your muscles to atrophy. They will make you overextend yourself.¡±


    Zhou Qing paused, how did he know all of this?


    ¡°In this world, there are trace elements in the air, they will naturally inhibit the growth of your tumor.¡±


    ¡°Why did you tell me all of this?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I enjoy the way you look at me.¡±


    His voice was still slow and gentle as if he would be content to exist with the rotation of the stars.


    ¡°Are you real? Is this really not an illusion in my mind?¡±


    ¡°You can try to touch me and see¡­ whether I¡¯m real or not.¡± He turned his face to the side.


    Time slowed. It was as if mountains that had been shrouded in cloud and mist had finally cleared to reveal their original appearance.


    Zhou Qing froze in place.


    His rational mind told him not to touch. No matter how beautiful his appearance was, he wasn¡¯t human.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? You have long accepted death. Being able to touch an S rank organism that you¡¯ve always wanted to study before your death, isn¡¯t it a good thing?¡±


    It was, and what he said was correct. Even if he was extremely careful, how long would he be able to live for?


    If he died just like this, it might relieve Zhou Yu of a burden. He could leave this dangerous world a little earlier, and return to his peaceful life.


    Zhou Qing kneeled down in front of him on one knee and slowly raised his hand towards the other. Looking carefully at every inch of skin on the other person, he continuously sighed in his heart at how God was able to create such a perfect being. Zhou Qing¡¯s fingertips made contact with his cheek, and as an imperceptible tremble passed, he felt the warmth that belonged to a human body.


    The other being also extended his slender hand with well-proportioned fingernails, as if they had deliberately been crafted that way.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s heart rate sped up. The being covered the back of his hand with his own, lightly placing it on his face.


    ¡°Am I so different from you?¡±


    He turned his face back with his gaze following. Zhou Qing¡¯s breath caught in his throat.


    ¡°Zhou Qing! What are you doing?!¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s voice came from behind him.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s shoulder shivered, and everything in front of his eyes disappeared. Only the tinkling sound of the cattails and the empty, transparent lake remained.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m just looking around¡­¡± Zhou Qing stood up.


    Zhou Yu had his gun in hand when he cautiously walked up to Zhou Qing, ¡°Looking around? What¡¯s there to look at here?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a peculiar plant here that rings. Also, this is the first lake I¡¯ve seen in Nibelungen,¡± Zhou Qing helplessly smiled, as if he was saying, ¡°you¡¯re too tense.¡±


    After Zhou Yu looked around once, he slightly relaxed, ¡°You know you shouldn¡¯t be out of everyone¡¯s sight. You really gave Dr. Daniel a scare. He only turned around to look at us, and you were gone.¡±


    Dr. Daniel stood not too far away, when he saw that Zhou Qing was safe he clutched at his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was lost in thought observing these plants, and walked over here without thinking.¡±


    ¡°The car has been fixed, let¡¯s head back.¡± Zhou Yu patted Zhou Qing¡¯s shoulder.


    Zhou Qing nodded and followed everyone into the car.


    Wu Yun was smoking. Just as Zhou Yu walked over and was about to pluck the cigarette from his mouth, Wu Yun evaded him, ¡°I know, I know, your brother¡¯s body isn¡¯t well! I¡¯m almost done. If you don¡¯t let me smoke I can¡¯t concentrate on driving!¡±


    While driving, Wu Yun played ¡®It¡¯s a Heartache¡¯ again.


    Li Qian rolled his eyes, everyone had their first breakfast in Nibelungen in the car¡ªcompressed biscuits and energy drinks.


    With a car, they could probably make it through the forest before nightfall, this lightened up mood a little.


    Han Li and Li Qian started to talk about what they would do if they returned to their original world.


    Dr. Daniel noticed that Zhou Qing¡¯s face was expressionless as if he was pondering over something.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, what are you thinking of?¡±


    Zhou Qing looked at Dr. Daniel. He was his attending physician, so he must be very clear on his medication use.


    ¡°Daniel, are there components in my medication to inhibit the growth of my tumor?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Is it a hormonal component?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    In certain aspects, Zhou Qing and Daniel were both academics, Daniel knew that once a logical gap appeared in some things, it can¡¯t be hidden from Zhou Qing for any longer.


    Their conversation involuntarily attracted Zhou Yu¡¯s attention, and when Han Li and Li Qian heard them, they also looked over.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Zhou Qing, Li Qian would have been killed by the ¡®snake scorpion beauty¡¯, so Li Qian had a very good impression of Zhou Qing. As for Han Li, as a battlefield doctor, she¡¯s encountered many people and many situations, and as for a person as calm as Zhou Qing, it naturally made her curious.


    ¡°Since it can inhibit the growth of the tumor, will it also have an effect on my body?¡±


    When Zhou Qing looked at Dr. Daniel, Daniel could feel a kind of power in his gaze enter into his mind, thoroughly and firmly.


    Daniel opened his mouth, ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°Causing the muscles of my body to gradually atrophy.¡±


    Zhou Yu subconsciously clenched his fist.


    Daniel fell silent.


    Wu Yun in the driver¡¯s seat suddenly braked. Everyone thought that something happened, and showed a scared expression.


    Wu Yun only slapped at the steering wheel, ¡°Hey, Dr. Daniel, let¡¯s tell the truth here. Professor Zhou is very important, so if there¡¯s a problem with his medication that will affect his body, I need to know. Anything that can possibly happen here will affect the lives of everyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel replied, ¡°But these symptoms will appear at least a year later. A year¡­ is enough for Juli Corp to complete breakthroughs in many research topics.¡±


    Zhou Yu shut his eyes closed tightly.


    Although he had prepared for it, he still didn¡¯t want to see his own brother suffering.


    ¡°If my brain¡¯s colloid cyst starts to grow, will you be able to operate on me again, Dr. Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± Dr. Daniel replied very assuredly.


    ¡°Then, I won¡¯t take this medication anymore,¡± Zhou Qin directly threw the blue pill bottle out the car window.


    ¡°Professor Zhou!¡± Daniel reached out but wasn¡¯t able to catch it.


    Zhou Yu wanted to get out of the car and retrieve the pill bottle, but he gave up on it.


    ¡°Hey, your brother¡¯s medication¡­¡± Wu Yun nodded over at it.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for it. He¡¯s already made up his mind. I just need to support his decision now.¡±


    Wu Yun sighed, ¡°Like this, the number of people who need protection has been increased by one.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that mean?¡± Li Qian asked.


    ¡°To be honest, the assignment Mr. Song handed me was that anyone could die, but Professor Zhou can¡¯t die. There are still many research projects involving plants waiting for him.¡±


    ¡°Are we that unimportant?¡± Li Qian was angered. Although he knew deep down that Wu Yun was just talking bull again, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel unhappy about it.

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: Revenge of the Two-Headed Wolf Spider


    ¡°Now that Professor Zhou is no longer taking his medication, Dr. Daniel can¡¯t die either. If he dies, there will be no one left who can operate on Professor Zhou.¡±


    Wu Yun smiled while using his elbow to jab at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Should I thank Professor Zhou?¡± Daniel covered his face in distress, ¡°Actually, I wouldn¡¯t recommend that medicine to Professor Zhou either, but Juli Corp insisted.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Not only do they want to over-extend my time, but they also want to over-work me to my potential to contribute the greatest amount of research results in a limited amount of time.¡±


    Just then, Wu Yun suddenly accelerated, and the car sped along.


    Li Qian almost bumped his head on the roof of the car.


    ¡°Hey! What was that?!¡±


    A crackling sound came from behind them.


    ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s the two-headed wolf spider¡­ lots of them!¡± Han Li yelled after she turned back to look.


    More than a dozen two-headed wolf spiders came leaping from between the ancient trees, chasing after them.


    ¡°¡­They were hatched from the eggs of the two-headed wolf spider we met last night.¡± Wu Yun said from between clenched teeth, rushing the car forward at top speed.


    If they knew this would happen they would¡¯ve gotten rid of the eggs!


    He concentrated on driving, they were doomed if they collided into anything.


    ¡°Are they here for revenge?¡± Li Qian asked, dumbly.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be screaming by now.¡±


    Wu Yun was still in the mood to joke around at this time.


    The car¡¯s machine gun was turned on and pointed to the rear, Zhou Yu then looked into the gun¡¯s sight and started to fire.


    Because Wu Yun had to avoid all kinds of large trees, Zhou Yu was unable to aim accurately.


    After about a dozen round of bullets, only one had been hit.


    ¡°Do you realize that you¡¯re wasting bullets?!¡± Wu Yun shouted.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so much better, drive in a straight line.¡± Zhou Yu shot back.


    When they flew off a mound of dirt, everyone in the car cried out, including Wu Yun himself.


    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die! We¡¯re really going to die this time!¡± Li Qian was about to let out all of his tears with snot.


    The car landed steadily, and after jolting twice, it continued to rush forward.


    The two-headed wolf spiders got closer and closer, running past the mound of dirt.


    Although they were not yet as large as their parents, they were exceedingly quick and nimble.


    Zhou Yu let out a breath, in the two seconds that Wu Yun drove in a straight line, he dispatched of two wolf spiders in two quick shots.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help but praise him.


    However, Zhou Yu replied, ¡°We¡¯re out of bullets.¡±


    ¡°What? We¡¯re out of bullets?!¡± Han Li opened her eyes wide while Li Qian was also about to go crazy.


    ¡°The bullets are¡­¡±


    Before Wu Yun could finish talking, a two-headed wolf spider suddenly leaped onto the roof of their car. Fortunately, their body size was only a quarter that of their parents¡¯, or else the entire car would¡¯ve flipped over.


    It violently struck the roof of the car with its claws, each strike was hair-raising. Although they understood that the car wouldn¡¯t be so easily pierced through, they still gawked at the roof with faces full of fear.


    Wu Yun jerked the steering wheel, wanting to throw the creature off, but instead he shook it over to Zhou Yu¡¯s window.


    Zhou Yu quickly opened the car door, and before the people in the backseat could scream, he sharply fired his gun once before banging the car door shut.


    The two-headed wolf spider tumbled off.


    ¡°Have you been watching too many Hollywood movies?! Why are you always pulling these dangerous moves?! I¡¯m locking the car door next time!¡±


    Wu Yun was about to cuss him out. His heart had almost jumped out of his chest, if that two-headed wolf spider were to spit something out at him, not only would Zhou Yu suffer, but he, Wu Yun, would also suffer along with him!


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you lock the door? Aren¡¯t you supposed to follow the rules of the road?¡± Zhou Yu coldly replied.


    The other two-headed wolf spiders were still close behind. From time to time, the claws of two of them would scratch the trunk. The sound grated on their nerves, driving everyone insane.


    ¡°Where are the bullets?¡± Zhou Yu asked, ¡°I need to reload the machine gun.¡±


    ¡°In the trunk.¡± Wu Yun answered.


    ¡°Do you want me to crawl back and evade attacks from those two-headed wolf spiders while we¡¯re going at top speed, open the trunk, take out the bullets, and then crawl into the car again?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re skilled, but I had no idea you could even do all of that!¡± Wu Yun faced Zhou Yu with an expression of worship.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive, you climb out and get the bullets,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Wu Yun gnashed his teeth, ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t have been that skilled!¡±


    ¡°Stop messing around, you two! What should we do now?!¡±


    Han Li and Li Qian were about to go crazy.


    At this time, a gentle and ethereal voice sounded in Zhou Qing¡¯s mind, ¡°Go west.¡±


    Zhou Qing froze. It was the voice of that S rank organism. Was he nearby? Or had he been following them the whole time?


    ¡°Go west.¡±


    The voice sounded once more, it softly extended out a thread of pressure.


    His eyes appeared in front of Zhou Qing, they seemed elegant and ethereal, but they also tugged at his soul.


    If it were only himself, Zhou Qing might have tried going west, but there were other people in the car, how could he use all of their lives to gamble on whether the S rank organism was telling the truth?


    Moreover, that so-called S rank organism might be a hallucination caused by the brain tumor¡­


    A two-headed wolf spider suddenly rammed into their car, Li Qian knocked his head against the front seats and directly passed out.


    ¡°If you hesitate any longer, someone will die. Try following my words, the results won¡¯t be any worse.¡±


    Zhou Qing sucked in a breath and then shouted, ¡°Go west! Drive west!¡±


    ¡°Why west?!¡± Wu Yun shouted.


    ¡°A feeling!¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°What feeling?¡±


    Before Wu Yun could move, Zhou Yu directly leaned over to take control of the steering wheel. The car drove west like mad, a string of two-headed wolf spiders trailing behind them.


    ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! We¡¯re just going to drive west for no reason?!¡± Wu Yun yelled.


    ¡°My brother¡¯s feelings, don¡¯t they count as a reason?¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    In front of them were huge vines twined around the trees, they were crisscrossed, and the practically sealed the route ahead of them.


    ¡°This is your brother¡¯s feelings led us to! Great! We¡¯re done!¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s hands left the steering wheel.


    ¡°Press down on the gas! Go straight there!¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡±


    Han Li and Li Qian had their eyes open wide and watched as they drove straight into the vines.


    Then, something unexpected happened. The vines that were blocking the road let out an extremely loud sound, and instantly cleared the path ahead of them! Their car drove straight through.


    ¡°Retreat! Retreat! These are devil vines!¡±


    Wu Yun turned pale with fright.


    Although devil vines were plants, they were categorized as B rank organisms. Research confirmed that devil vines had the mental capacity of an animal. They were able to attack and twist to death organisms which had entered their territory. They would then reveal the digestive organs on the surface of their vines to absorb nutrients from the organisms.


    They moved fast, had a large area of attack, and very strong entangling and penetrative abilities.


    If the devil vines full-out assaulted them, then the car they were riding in would be mashed into pieces.


    A devil vine twisted up from the ground and brushed past Li Qian¡¯s car door, then it suddenly and ferociously pierced through one of the two-headed wolf spiders that had been chasing them.


    The two-headed wolf spider let out an ear-piercing shriek and was instantly ground to pulp by the devil vines.


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Han Li cried out in fear.


    The devil vines quickly shifted their movement, they were like huge waves that overflowed the skies as they continued to capture the young of the two-headed wolf spider.


    Wu Yun was entirely preoccupied in pressing down on the gas pedal like mad, but he also saw the devil vines brush by their car to form a large net behind them while they pushed through between a narrow crack.


    The two-headed wolf spiders were skewered one by one, even those who wanted to flee were blocked by the vines. It was like the saying ¡®if there¡¯s a road in heaven, you won¡¯t walk it, but if there¡¯s no door to hell, you break through it¡¯. In other words, they just had to do it the harder way.


    This was hell for the two-headed wolf spiders, but why wasn¡¯t it hell for Zhou Yu and the others as well?


    Half of a two-headed wolf spider almost fell onto their car roof, but a vine immediately skewered it then rolled it away.


    Their car drove by from within the mass of vines almost as if they had entered through the devil¡¯s esophagus.


    Their hearts not daring to beat, Han Li¡¯s tears had already started to flow. They were nearing the end, and ahead of them stood a massive black rock.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡±


    ¡°The brakes aren¡¯t working!¡± Wu Yun stepped down with all his strength, but the car didn¡¯t slow down in the slightest.


    ¡°Are you kidding?!¡± Han Li was going crazy.


    They watched as they were about to collide head-on with it. Han Li was at a complete loss and held onto Li Qian, who had already passed out. Dr. Daniel pressed down on Zhou Qing¡¯s head, and both of them tried to maximize their defense by shock absorption.


    The expected impact did not come.


    Their speed suddenly came down to a stop, as if something had tugged at it.


    Wu Yun¡¯s body swayed intensely, he almost crashed into the steering wheel.


    Wu Yun had closed his eyes and now opened one of them, he discovered that the car was basically suspended in midair and had stopped right in front of the large rock.


    They didn¡¯t crash into it.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhou Yu frowned, he looked back and saw that the spiders that had been pursuing them were now food for the vines.


    At such a lavish feast, they were like mistaken visitors among them.


    ¡°The car stopped?¡± Han Li peer out from the windows.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    The car wheels were still turning in midair, so what had stopped the car?


    ¡°Devil vines,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°They want to¡­ squeeze open the car and snatch us out?¡± Han Li asked, trembling with fear.


    ¡°Very likely so,¡± Wu Yun was still the same as usual, he rummaged through his bag for a while before remembering that his box of cigarettes had long fallen out.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m trying to smoke the last cigarette of my life. Maybe the nicotine fumes will knock out the vines.¡±


    No one appreciated Wu Yun¡¯s humor.


    ¡°The two-headed wolf spiders are gone, but now we have to deal with the devil vines. Nibelungen is a fine place.¡± Dr. Daniel sighed, ¡°Professor Zhou, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhou Qing straightened up.


    After a loud noise, their car wheels stopped turning.


    ¡°W-What happened.?¡± Han Li asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°The devil vines destroyed the engine,¡± Zhou Yu replied.

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: Incubation


    ¡°Are you going to shoot them?¡± Dr. Daniel asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough bullets for all of them, although there are enough for suicide,¡± Wu Yun replied.


    There was silence in the car.


    Wu Yun turned to look back at Han Li, ¡°I thought you¡¯d cry about wanting to go home or about how you don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°¡­I chose this path, so even if my tears run dry, and I¡¯ll have to stake my life on it, I¡¯ll still walk this road to the end,¡± Han Li sucked in a breath and looked at Li Qian, who was beside her, ¡°Right now, I really admire this guy, he¡¯s just going through everything while unconscious.¡±


    ¡°I can knock you out too.¡±


    Just as Wu Yun¡¯s words left his mouth, their car slowly started to lower, until it steadily landed on the ground.


    Everyone held their breaths, not daring to make a sound.


    The rustling sound of the devil vines¡¯ movements came from behind them, but they didn¡¯t match the devil vines¡¯ quick and violent behavior.


    They acted carefully and cautiously as if they were afraid of hurting something.


    After a sudden shake of the car, the devil vines finally let go of it.


    No one moved and even after a minute had passed, nothing else happened.


    ¡°Did they give up on us?¡± Han Li asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s inconsistent with the devil vines¡¯ behavior,¡± Wu Yun answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys think the devil vines actually saved us?¡± Dr. Daniel asked.


    ¡°No way, where did you get such a fairytale idea from?¡± Wu Yun thought it was funny.


    ¡°First, when we rushed into the devil vines, they let us through. Based on how fast they can move, what¡¯s the probability that we didn¡¯t run into a single vine?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s impossible,¡± Wu Yun narrowed his eyes, ¡°And second?¡±


    ¡°Second, the devil vines hunted the spiders from beginning to end, but they turned a blind eye to us. I would even go as far as to say that they specifically let us through, is such a ¡®courtesy¡¯ also just a coincidence?¡±


    Everyone let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Third, we almost crashed the car but the devil vines stopped us just in time while also taking care of the engine. It¡¯s impossible for us to crash into anything now,¡± after Zhou Yu spoke, he opened the car door and got out.


    ¡°Hey! Zhou Yu!¡± Han Li was worried.


    Zhou Yu stood there for more than half a second. Nothing happened.


    The devil vines quietly twisted around the trees, they showed no signs of moving.


    Wu Yun held his own head, ¡°Great, you always manage to achieve the unexpected.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Zhou Qing. His questioning gaze caused Zhou Qing to look away.


    No one in the car was an idiot. All of them could recall that it was Zhou Qing who told them to go West and into the territory of the devil vines.


    Since Zhou Qing didn¡¯t explain himself, no one asked either. After all, the most important thing was to stay alive. Now was not the time for an interrogation. Zhou Qing was a botanist, so maybe he was more familiar with devil vines than the others. For example, compared to them, perhaps the devil vines preferred the two-headed wolf spiders as their food.


    ¡°We need to start walking again. Except, we¡¯ll never make it out before nightfall,¡± Wu Yun shrugged, helpless.


    ¡°Are you changing your name?¡± Zhou Yu asked while opening the trunk of the car. He took out a gun and filled the cartridge, taking the rest of the clips with him.


    ¡°Should I change it to ¡°Good Luck¡±, instead of ¡°No Luck¡±?¡± Wu Yun also started to pack up the ammunition.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dr. Daniel distributed the rations and water.


    What was the most worrying for everyone now was the effectiveness of the suppressant. If they did not reach the base before the effects wore off, the results would be tragic.


    Wu Yun passed a box of medication to Dr. Daniel, ¡°Everyone gets one shot of the suppressant. If you drop yours, then that¡¯s your responsibility, no one else can take the blame for you.¡±


    Dr. Daniel brought the last shot of the drug to Wu Yun and Zhou Yu, ¡°There¡¯s only one more shot left, how will you two split it?¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded at Wu Yun, ¡°Give it to Wu Yun.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need it?¡± Dr. Daniel asked him, astonished.


    ¡°I still have one,¡± Zhou Yu opened his waist pack to show him.


    Wu Yun gaped in shock, ¡°This was the one I gave you at the ruins of the base, you weren¡¯t using it from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t use it. If there¡¯s a need for it, I¡¯ll save it for Zhou Qing.¡±


    ¡°From the start¡­ you weren¡¯t afraid at all?¡± Wu Yun¡¯s eyes were opened very wide.


    ¡°I have very good self-control.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, how did you do it?¡± Wu Yun grabbed Zhou Yu¡¯s collar, ¡°Are you superhuman? Or a monster?¡±


    ¡°I only needed to do it once. As long as you¡¯ve ignored fear for the first time, you can do it for the second, and the third time.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked straight and unwaveringly into Wu Yun¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Fear is a human instinct. What are you thinking of inside your head?¡± Wu Yun narrowed his eyes.


    He wanted to see through Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu continued to be as simplistic as always. There was nothing for him to ponder or investigate over.


    ¡°Once you recognize the things that you have to do even if you die, then you no longer have anything to fear anymore. There are feelings stronger than fear,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°Such as anger. Such as telling yourself that you have to survive.¡±


    Wu Yun froze, then he let go of Zhou Yu¡¯s collar, ¡°Being partners with you is one hell of a wild ride.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that it¡¯s an exciting ride.¡±


    Wu Yun lightly scoffed, ¡°Just keep an eye on your younger brother. Our great professor Zhou¡¯s sixth sense has been startlingly accurate.¡±


    ¡°The so-called ¡®six-sense¡¯ is signals our brains have accumulated through knowledge and experience. Zhou Qing studied the many organisms of Nibelungen, it¡¯s not strange at all that he used his sixth sense to save everyone.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked to the side in Zhou Qing¡¯s direction. His expression was calm.


    When Zhou Qing hefted up his pack of rations and water, he said ¡°thank you¡± in his mind.


    That familiar voice once again echoed back, ¡°It was my honor. You will leave this forest safe and sound.¡±


    That was a promise.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s fingers trembled. None of this was his own imagination. In the world of Nibelungen, hierarchies were rigid. S rank organisms were above other organisms, and they could control similar organisms beneath them. The devil vines must have saved them under the control of that S rank organism.


    ¡°You saved us, so what do you want me to do for you?¡± Zhou Qing asked in his heart.


    He thought the other party would answer him, but more than a dozen minutes passed, yet no one replied.


    Did that S rank organism leave his mind?


    Or maybe, as a part of the top-ranking organisms in Nibelungen, he was looking at their struggles in this new world with a gaze full of ridicule. Was all of this just an amusing past-time to him?


    When Wu Yun lifted out the box containing the embryo, it suddenly started to shake.


    ¡°Oh my God! What is that?!¡± Han Li jumped in shock.


    Zhou Yu immediately raised his gun.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Watch your aim! If you¡¯re going to aim at something, aim at the box, not at me!¡± Wu Yun was extremely nervous that Zhou Yu would shoot him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s in that box? Why did you bring it with us?¡± Dr. Daniel walked over.


    ¡°An organism embryo,¡± replied Zhou Yu.


    ¡°What? You brought an organism embryo?! You don¡¯t think we¡¯re dead enough as is?!¡± Han Li felt like she was in a mental asylum.


    ¡°Why did you tell them? Look, now you¡¯ve scared them!¡± Wu Yun helplessly said.


    ¡°Put down the box,¡± Zhou Yu nodded at it.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Wu Yun bent down at a leisurely pace and placed the box on the ground.


    ¡°Open it,¡± Zhou Yu said again.


    ¡°You want me to open it? What if it bites my head off?¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu with an expression that said ¡®how could you be so heartless?¡¯.


    ¡°Either you get your head bitten off, or I beat your head to mush, you choose,¡± Zhou Yu eyes said ¡®You were the one who insisted on bringing that box, you take responsibility¡¯.


    ¡°You¡¯re a tyrant!¡± Just as Wu Yun was about to open the box, Han Li voiced her disagreement.


    ¡°What if there¡¯s a two-headed wolf spider inside?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill it,¡± Zhou Yu coldly said.


    ¡°Also, you¡¯ve been carrying that box with us this whole time, Wu Yun, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside of it,¡± Dr. Daniel gave Wu Yun a suspicious look.


    Wu Yun sighed, ¡°See the color of the box? It¡¯s black.¡±


    ¡°Black means that it must be delivered safely,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m only carrying out a compulsory assignment,¡± shrugged Wu Yun.


    ¡°So to say, there¡¯s most likely a B rank or even an A rank organism inside?¡± Han Li became nervous.


    ¡°Maybe it could be S rank,¡± Wu Yun shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Juli Corp hasn¡¯t yet been able to train S rank organisms.¡± Dr. Daniel replied, ¡°Also, an embryo is extremely valuable, even if it¡¯s a B rank embryo, it¡¯s still significant to the study of the origin of life in Nibelungen. It¡¯s just that¡­ has it been incubated? The embryo should be in a dormant state¡­¡±


    ¡°This body type can¡¯t be higher than a B rank organism anyway,¡± Zhou Qing said.


    Han Li sighed in relief at Zhou Qing¡¯s words.


    ¡°Wu Yun, if you don¡¯t open it anytime soon, it¡¯ll suffocate in there,¡± Dr. Daniel reminded him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better if it suffocates?¡± Han Li was still very nervous.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯m opening it.¡±


    Wu Yun put his hands on the side of the box and faced it towards Zhou Yu. If there really was something dangerous inside, Zhou Yu would shoot it.


    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three!¡±


    The box was opened, and in the second he had his own breathing under control, Zhou Yu saw a pair of limpid eyes like amber. They were innocent of worldly matters and looked weak and innocent.


    ¡°Huh? What is that?¡±

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: Little Thing


    A little thing that looked like a young dragon hatchling from Western fantasy movies sat inside, its body still sticky from the amniotic fluid. The difference was that it black fur down its back and ears that drooped downwards pathetically.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Han Li tilted her head.


    That little thing also tilted its head to look at Han Li. It had an expression of curiosity as if it was giggling foolishly.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, should we kill it¡­ or not kill it?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°What rank is this organism?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Everyone looked at Zhou Qing since he was the one with the most extensive knowledge of the organisms in Nibelungen out of all of them.


    Zhou Qing went closer and stopped beside Zhou Yu, he narrowed his eyes and carefully examined it.


    ¡°Just by its body type, its infant form isn¡¯t large, it¡¯s much smaller than the young of the double-headed wolf spider¡­ It should be a C rank organism or lower.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also kind of ugly. It can¡¯t even compare to that snake scorpion beauty,¡± Han Li also went closer to examine it, ¡°Remember what Wu Yun said the second law of survival was? The more beautiful an organism is, the more dangerous they are. Its appearance is far from ¡®beautiful¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, do you think Perytons are beautiful?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Han Li didn¡¯t speak. Ugly organisms weren¡¯t necessarily safe, but beautiful organisms were certainly dangerous.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not planning to take it with us, just throw it off here. If you¡¯re going to bring it¡­ could you please clean it off first? It¡¯s filthy.¡±


    Wu Yun showed an expression of distaste, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s covered in snot¡­¡±


    Realizing that there were also people behind the box, the little thing turned around. Its two claws clinging onto the side of the box, it looked at Wu Yun and let out a slight ¡°hrn?¡± sound.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ please don¡¯t look at me with those innocent and na?ve eyes. I¡¯ll feel guilty!¡± Wu Yu said, covering his face and shedding crocodile tears.


    ¡°We¡¯re all helpless to defend ourselves, and you still want to raise a pet?¡± Han Li asked, she took a glance at it and sighed, ¡°Alright¡­ a C rank or lower organism like this guy, without its parents¡­ It would probably become the demon vine¡¯s food very quickly.¡±


    ¡°Women are so easily overwhelmed with sympathy,¡± Wu Yun shook his head.


    Zhou Yu, who had been holding his gun with both hands, let go of one hand and crouched down to poke at the little thing¡¯s ear with his finger.


    It wasn¡¯t standing firmly and immediately fell down on its behind. Its small claws scratched at its ear and its squinted eyes showed a foolish expression.


    ¡°Oh my god, its the same as a newborn baby¡­ It¡¯s a crime whether we kill it or leave it here¡­¡± Han Li let out a big sigh.


    ¡°Then clean it up,¡± Wu Yun twitched the corner of his mouth.


    As a veteran, if even he didn¡¯t think this organism was dangerous, then it probably wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°What do I wipe it with?¡± Zhou Yu asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take off your clothes and I¡¯ll use that?¡±


    ¡°Get out,¡± Wu Yun rolled his eyes at Zhou Yu, ¡°I know you¡¯re jealous of my good figure, but I don¡¯t plan on showing it to everyone right now.¡±


    Han Li didn¡¯t pay attention to Wu Yun, she untied the silk scarf at her neck and passed it to Zhou Yu, ¡°I only have this.¡±


    Zhou Yu went over and picked up the little thing by its ear. The liquid on its body dripped down.


    ¡°Be gentle, Zhou Yu, you¡¯ll hurt it!¡± Han Li got nervous.


    Zhou Yu lowered his head, the little thing didn¡¯t appear to be hurt, instead, it started to shake itself. Translucent wings also opened up on its back and started to flutter, it had an expression of enjoyment.


    The little guy shook itself out and those dirty things were shaken off.


    Zhou Yu stroked it and found that the black fur on its back was like satin. While he was gently caressing it, Zhou Yu¡¯s cold and stiff heart inexplicably softened. Its translucent little wings flitted across Zhou Yu¡¯s finger over and over with each flap, as if it was trying to convey in its own way its good opinion of Zhou Yu, softly and coquettishly.


    ¡°It seems to have taken Zhou Yu as its mother,¡± Wu Yun was delighted at his misfortune, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped that the first person it saw was Zhou Yu.¡±


    Zhou Yu ignored Wu Yun and bundled it into the silk scarf Han Li gave him. He directly hung it from his waist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Zhou Yu thought that something was weird deep inside him. The usual him would have never willingly brought along that little bundle of trouble with them on the road.


    Li Qian was still lying there. Wu Yun went up and kicked him awake.


    ¡°Still pretending to be unconscious? Did you think I¡¯d carry you on the road?¡±


    Li Qian¡¯s face was ashen as he woke up from being kicked. He didn¡¯t dare make a sound and silently got up from the ground.


    The travelers resumed their journey on foot. Other than Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, everyone else¡¯s physiques were only average, they also couldn¡¯t walk too fast while carrying so many things.


    The only fortunate thing was, the devil vines around them lay sprawled on the ground as if in worship, they didn¡¯t even move.


    ¡°We have no way of making it out of this forest by nightfall,¡± Daniel wiped at the sweat on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything, not even a blade of grass or a flower petal,¡± Wu Yun reminded them again, ¡°Especially you, Li Qian.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Li Qian¡¯s shoulders were hurting from the weight of his backpack, he didn¡¯t want to touch anything, he only wanted to sit down and rest.


    More than an hour had passed when they finally walked out of the devil vines¡¯ territory.


    Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Because they were carrying heavy loads while walking, each step caused their bodies to sway.


    ¡°Take a five-minute break.¡±


    As Wu Yun¡¯s words left his mouth, Li Qian and Han Li sat their butts down directly where they were standing, as if they¡¯d been granted amnesty. They tore open their ration and water packs.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t sit. He didn¡¯t feel tired but he had to satisfy his body¡¯s needs for food and water.


    He opened a pack of compressed biscuits and took a bite while keeping an eye on his surroundings at all times.


    For some reason, after they¡¯d left the devil vines¡¯ territories, there hadn¡¯t been another organism in sight.


    There weren¡¯t any D rank organisms that lacked the instinct to attack.


    Zhou Yu spared a glance at Zhou Qing, he knew his brother was definitely hiding something from him, and he didn¡¯t plan on telling him about it.


    He was too familiar with Zhou Qing¡¯s personality. If Zhou Qing didn¡¯t want to say something, even if there was a gun pointed to his head, he wouldn¡¯t let out a word. What had caused him to make the judgment to say ¡°go west¡±? It definitely wasn¡¯t just a feeling, Zhou Qing had been firm and resolute at the time.


    The little thing at his waist started to wiggle, it was soft and warm. Zhou Yu looked down and made eye contact with it. Its eyes were large and bright, like¡­ an infant trying to act spoiled.


    It saw the compressed biscuit Zhou Yu was holding and became distracted, showing an expression of anticipation.


    A little glutton.


    Zhou Yu smiled inwardly, his fingers twirled the biscuit over its head.


    The little thing opened its mouth like a newborn puppy chasing a bone, but it was a pity that Zhou Yu did not eventually send the biscuit into its mouth.


    ¡°Hey, if you keep bullying it like that, be careful that it doesn¡¯t get its revenge.¡±


    Just as Wu Yun teased him, Zhou Yu felt a sudden pain on his finger. Immediately following, a jolt of some electric current flowed into his body from his finger, rushing along his nerves and deep into his brain, invading his every cell.


    He gasped. His strained mental state was being appeased and comforted as he started feeling more languid.


    Having been in Nibelungen for so long, this was the first time he¡¯d been so relaxed.


    Even at such a chaotic time, Zhou Yu knew that the little thing had nipped at his finger and was currently sucking on his blood.


    He couldn¡¯t¡­ He couldn¡¯t continue to sink downwards¡­


    Zhou Yu¡¯s line of thought was slowing sinking into the embrace of a warm world.


    This was the ultimate temptation.


    Not wealth, or glory, but a satisfaction in the depths of his heart.


    Zhou Yu clenched his jaw and forcefully pulled himself out from within that feeling. His shoulders shook, and he lowered his head to shake off the little thing biting down on his finger, but it had already let go of him.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Are you okay?¡± Zhou Qing discovered that Zhou Yu had been bitten by that little thing and nervously rushed over to check on him.


    No matter how harmless that little thing looked, no one knew how Zhou Yu would be affected by his wound.


    Would it lead to inflammation? Would some parasite enter Zhou Yu¡¯s body through his wound? Would he contact a virus?


    The little thing saw that Zhou Yu was angry and immediately buried its head into the silk scarf to hide.


    Zhou Yu lifted up his finger to inspect it and saw that there was no trace of an injury.


    ¡°What a relief¡­¡± Zhou Qing exhaled.


    But Zhou Yu was sure that his finger had definitely been bitten hard enough to draw blood, he had felt his blood being sucked out.


    As for that illusion of calm and contentment, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but suspect that it was the way the little thing hunted.


    Why wasn¡¯t there a wound?


    Zhou Yu pulled the little thing out of the silk scarf, it was extremely unwilling and tried to avoid him. Zhou Yu directly gripped it around the neck.


    ¡°Hey! Zhou Yu! Are you going to choke it to death?¡± Han Li rushed over.


    Dr. Daniel held her back, ¡°Zhou Yu seemed to have been bitten by it.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ can bite people?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that?¡± Wu Yun shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu, you¡¯re fine, right? If some parasite¡¯s inside of you, don¡¯t blame me if I shoot you.¡±


    Although Wu Yun was wearing a smile, his eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all.


    The little thing being restrained by Zhou Yu showed a pitiful expression.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart didn¡¯t soften at all. He used his other hand to force open the little thing¡¯s mouth to confirm whether it had teeth or not.


    Zhou Qing understood what Zhou Yu wanted to do, he also went up to examine it. Zhou Yu stuck his finger inside its mouth and prodded its upper palate. It was warm and soft inside, and everywhere else was soft as well.


    Zhou Yu left go of it, and the little thing closed its mouth and looked at Zhou Yu with an expression of being wronged.


    ¡°Hey, it probably didn¡¯t bite you and was just sucking on your finger. Look at how riled up you are,¡± Wu Yun found it funny.

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Bright Eyes


    Zhou Yu walked past Wu Yun and shot him a cold glare, ¡°Who just said they would shoot me if I became infested with parasites?¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± Wu Yun raised his arms and followed behind Zhou Yu, ¡°They¡¯re just mandatory procedures. Didn¡¯t you also learn them when you received training?¡±


    ¡°Relax, by the time you get bitten by some D rank organism, I will abide by the same mandatory procedures and shoot you too.¡±


    After five minutes, Li Qian was still unwilling to stand up, but everyone still pushed forward.


    While he was walking, Zhou Yu looked at the little guy hanging at his waist. As if it had really been hurt, it remained huddled inside and didn¡¯t move.


    Zhou Yu poked it with his finger, and quietly said, ¡°Did it suffocate?¡±


    Just as his words left his mouth, the little thing turned its head his way from within the silk scarf and looked at Zhou Yu with an accusatory gaze, as if it was saying, ¡°You hurt me, why didn¡¯t you apologize?!¡±


    Zhou Yu involuntarily smiled.


    He suddenly recalled something from his childhood. There was a tall kid in his school who would always bully Zhou Qing. One day, Zhou Yu gave him a beating and on the next day, that tall kid had looked at Zhou Yu at school with the same gaze as that little thing.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t pay it any attention, he only continued walking.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, don¡¯t you need it?¡± Wu Yun nodded at the loaded syringe.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°Alright then, no matter what we may come across, you better not be afraid. I have enough kids to take care of already, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t save you as well.¡±


    ¡°Just take care of yourself.¡±


    The night wasn¡¯t a suitable time for them to continue walking, and Li Qian and the others really did need to rest. If they pushed on, Zhou Qing would faint.


    Li Qian and Han Li sat back to back. Li Qian¡¯s arm just happened to slap onto Wu Yun¡¯s face and was pushed aside by Wu Yun.


    Although the usual Li Qian may act as if he disliked Wu Yun, but at a time like this, he still felt the safest beside a seasoned veteran like Wu Yun.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, did you know? I¡¯ve never slept like this in the primitive forest before, being exposed to danger in the open.¡±


    Wu Yun closed his eyes while talking to Zhou Yu, who was across from him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if we meet anything dangerous, I won¡¯t save you.¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    ¡°Because being taken care of like a kid will hurt your ego. Compared to your life, it¡¯s more important to you that you protect your ego,¡± Zhou Yu crossed his arms and closed his eyes as well.


    ¡°You should still try to protect my life.¡±


    There was a temperature difference between day and night. Fortunately, the ancient trees were dense and retained the temperatures of daytime, so it wasn¡¯t too cold.


    Li Qian and Han Li were already huddled together.


    Zhou Yu removed his outer clothing and used it to cover Zhou Qing. Zhou Qing had been overly exhausted and tensed up and had fallen into a deep sleep.


    Just has Zhou Yu turned over, he squished that little thing under him.


    Please don¡¯t pirate my translations from [email protected], thanks:)


    Then Zhou Yu realized how laughable his thoughts had been. He was like a father holding his own kid and imagining their future.


    Suddenly, the little thing naughtily stuck out its tongue and swiped it across Zhou Yu¡¯s nose.


    It was soft and tender, like when Zhou Yu had first touched it.


    He knew he could have avoided it, but for some reason, when he looked into its eyes, he forgot all about it.


    Zhou Yu let go.


    The little thing was still tangled in the silk scarf, and they both fell onto Zhou Yu¡¯s chest.


    When Zhou Yu turned over, it also fell off. It struggled but wasn¡¯t able to get out of the scarf.


    Zhou Yu reached out and occasionally petted down the black fur on its back.


    ¡°Hrrn¡­¡± The little thing narrowed its eyes, then flopped over and showed its belly, as if it was saying, ¡°touch me here, too¡±.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but think of the husky he had once kept. Every time he showered it, it would flop down onto the ceramic tiles and show its belly. Its meaning was ¡°give me a good rinse here as well.¡±


    Zhou Yu used a finger to poke its belly, it unexpectedly let out a burp, then showed an unsatisfied expression to Zhou Yu.


    This raised Zhou Yu¡¯s spirits. He used his fingers to move about its small wings, and it also wobbled around happily.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t play around too much that you forget to sleep,¡± Wu Yun opened his eyes to remind him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhou Yu make a gesture of ¡®quiet¡¯ to the little thing.


    It didn¡¯t understand what he meant and tilted its head to look at Zhou Yu. It kept using its back to push at Zhou Yu¡¯s finger.


    ¡°It looks like it really likes your finger. Why don¡¯t you try giving it your finger to suck on, maybe then it¡¯ll sleep,¡± Wu Yun said sarcastically, then turned over.


    Zhou Yu bopped it on its snoot, then cupped his palm over its back. It became docile and closed its wings, afraid of harming Zhou Yu. It really liked the temperature of Zhou Yu¡¯s palm and let out a chirp, then it sucked on Zhou Yu¡¯s index finger.


    In that second, Zhou Yu tensed up. Just as he was about to withdraw this finger, he felt its tongue poke him, and carefully wrap around Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, as if it was begging him to stay.


    Just as Zhou Yu¡¯s heart softened, a sharp pain came from his finger, he was a hundred percent sure that his finger had been bitten through the skin.


    Zhou Yu wanted to take his finger back, but the following pleasant feeling that relaxed his mental state made him feel as if the pores of his body had opened up to welcome the oxygen in the air.


    His heartbeat slowed to a gentle pace and his thoughts flowed into a warm and vast ocean.


    What¡¯s going on¡­? It must have bitten me¡­ It must have bitten me¡­ It¡¯s sucking on my blood¡­


    Gritting his teeth, Zhou Yu suddenly took his hand away. He held it under the moonlight to inspect it carefully, then once again but fiercely, but there truly wasn¡¯t even a pinprick of a cut on his fingertip.


    Just what was going on?


    The little thing seemed to have gotten sleepy. With half its mouth open, its breathing gradually became steady.


    Zhou Yu squinted and carefully pried open its mouth.


    There was still nothing.


    Maybe it could hide its teeth?


    What kind of creature was it?


    The little thing shifted a little. It seemed to feel a little cold and cuddled into Zhou Yu¡¯s embrace.


    That soft, warm, and weak feeling once again occupied Zhou Yu¡¯s awareness.


    It seemed to know well that this could soften Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    This was what was the most scary.


    Zhou Yu fiddled with his fingers, there wasn¡¯t any pain there at all. This made Zhou Yu start to doubt if the little thing¡¯s saliva had some special kind of composition that could have a numbing effect. Of course, these were all Zhou Yu¡¯s conjectures.


    In the process of thinking, Zhou Yu eventually fell asleep.


    At the same time, Zhou Qing was also well asleep.


    Between hazy moments, he felt something gentle caressing his forehead, even his nose could pick up on a fresh and clean scent that caused him to relax.


    Zhou Qing wanted to turn over, but he felt something tracing the curve of his brow bone, he suddenly opened his eyes, and abruptly realized that the face he had met by the lakeside appeared before him again.


    Gasping in surprise, Zhou Qing¡¯s pupils instantly enlarged.


    The other put his finger to Zhou Qing¡¯s lips, signaling him to stay quiet.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to speak, I know what you are saying.¡±


    This voice sounded like that of the elves in ¡°The Lord of the Rings¡± as it echoed inside Zhou Qing¡¯s mind.


    Zhou Qing looked into his eyes, it was as if his thoughts had entered another world.


    He was curious about his appearance.


    The other party smiled, Zhou Qing was unable to look away from the curve at the end of his brows and at the corner of his eyes.


    Was this the charm of an S rank organism?


    Please don¡¯t pirate my translations from [email protected], thanks:)


    Zhou Qing was unable to control himself from staring at him.


    He subconsciously asked in his mind, ¡°What should I think about that has value?¡±


    ¡°Such as the nerves on these plants, or the manner in which they evolved, such as the embryos of plants, or the tumor in your brain, or¡­ me.¡±


    Zhou Qing opened his eyes wide and looked at the other person.


    ¡°Everything will get better. When you accept this world with the purest objectives, this world will repay your purity. Good night, Zhou Qing.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, everything disappeared.


    Zhou Qing raised his hand and lightly pounded at his heart.


    Did that S rank organism really appear in front of him, or¡­ did he only create a gentle fantasy for himself?


    Just as Zhou Qing turned over, he suddenly realized that he seemed to be holding something in his palm.


    He slowly opened up his fingers and discovered that it was a light blue fruit resembling colored glass.


    His entire person shook.


    He remembered that fruit. He had read over the limited information they had on it thousands of times.

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: The Fruit of Elpis


    Its name was ¡°Elpis¡±. Once it matured, it would grow into an A rank organism.


    ¡°Elpis¡± comes from the name of the Greek goddess of hope. She was once locked in Pandora¡¯s box, and when the box was opened, all kinds of catastrophes were released into the world. Only Elpis remained in the box.


    As an A rank organism of Nibelungen, it possessed an enlightened consciousness. Although it didn¡¯t have a human ¡°brain¡±, it was capable of complex thinking and awareness. When Zhou Qing discovered the information regarding this organism, he thought that it would be the breakthrough cure for his brain tumor.


    Juli Corporation had already been conducting research in Nibelungen for many years. A plant like Elpis has always been one of their key research goals, but they¡¯ve never been able to obtain its fruit or seed, let alone take a sample of it.


    Yet now, Zhou Qing had its fruit in his grasp?


    None of this was an illusion.


    That S rank organism had really been here!


    However, what is his purpose in helping Zhou Qing?


    Fine. No matter what his purpose is, there is nothing left that the other could snatch away from him.


    If he wanted Zhou Qing¡¯s life, he could give it to him¡­ there was nothing unfair about it, and Zhou Qing wouldn¡¯t feel reluctant to part with it.


    On the contrary, he would feel grateful.


    The fragrance of the Elpis fruit seemed to have a calming effect. Zhou Qing felt as if his thoughts were galloping on the open plains, speeding with the wind, free and boundless.


    He fell asleep.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu! Wake up!¡±


    Someone was slapping Zhou Yu¡¯s face. Zhou Yu abruptly sat up and almost knocked into Wu Yun¡¯s nose.


    ¡°My God, you sure sleep like a log. Even Dr. Daniel got up earlier than you,¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu, then placed a hand on his forehead.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Nothing. I thought you had a fever, but your body temperature is normal.¡±


    Wu Yun got up and went to wake Han Li and Li Qian.


    Zhou Yu kneaded his face, he felt like something unbelievable had happened.


    What was going on? Why did he sleep so deeply?


    ¡°What I mean is, even if you think it¡¯s the problem, we still have to bring it back to the base, it has a high research value,¡± Wu Yun nodded.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t want to pay attention to him. He put the little thing back into the silk scarf and tied it to his waist, then continued walking. He looked towards Zhou Qing.


    Perhaps it was because they had gotten a full night¡¯s rest, Zhou Qing looked much more spirited than he had been yesterday. Not only were his spirits improved, but even his face also didn¡¯t look as pallid as usual.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, you can give me some of your stuff. I¡¯ll help you carry it,¡± suggested Dr. Daniel.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, thank you. I feel fine today.¡± Not only did Zhou Qing respect Dr. Daniel, but he also felt grateful towards him.


    Li Qian and Han Li were in lower spirits than Zhou Qing. The two had their heads hanging and were rubbing their eyes.


    Wu Yun walked up to them and clapped his hands, ¡°Hey! Cheer up! Let¡¯s try to make it out of here today!¡±


    ¡°Actually, our luck has been pretty good. No dangerous organism tried to attack us through the entire night,¡± said Dr. Daniel.


    Li Qian and Han Li also nodded, agreeing that they had been extremely fortunate, but Wu Yun and Zhou Yu looked at Zhou Qing.


    In his heart, Zhou Qing understood that their night of peace had been because of the protection of that S rank organism, but he couldn¡¯t tell everyone that.


    One, it would cause panic, and two, Zhou Yu¡¯s character would definitely compel him to protect Zhou Qing by breaking off contact between him and the S rank organism.


    It wasn¡¯t just because of a scholarly desire for knowledge, it more genuinely due to his deep, subconscious longing for the other.


    There was a kind of resonance between him and that S rank organism.


    He wanted to always keep the unique understanding they had between them. Even if he ended up as the other¡¯s prey.


    ¡°Probably because we all injected the suppressant, we didn¡¯t emit any hormones that mark us as prey,¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Zhou Yu looked away.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste time, keep going.¡± Wu Yun saw that Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t planning on pursuing an answer, so it was meaningless for him to continue to cling onto the topic.


    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way?¡± Li Qian felt uncertain and asked Wu Yun while walking.


    Wu Yun raised his wrist to check his watch. There was a special compass fixed onto his watch that was compatible with the magnetic fields in Nibelungen and could tell the direction.


    ¡°We¡¯re going the right way. To avoid two-headed wolf spiders, we went the long way,¡± replied Wu Yun.


    ¡°What if we can¡¯t make it out by tonight?¡± Han Li asked, extremely worried.


    ¡°That¡¯s very possible.¡±


    Wu Yun thought that his words would make everyone nervous, but contrary to his expectations, Li Qian and Han Li¡ªthe two who had the most extreme mood swings¡ªwere very calm.


    They walked for a while. The little guy at Zhou Yu¡¯s waist nudged him, it seemed to have woken up. It stuck its head out of the scarf and opened its large eyes, looking up at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Look at it, it¡¯s black all over, let¡¯s call it ¡®coal ball¡¯!¡± Wu Yun deadpanned.


    Han Li rolled her eyes, ¡°What kind of a name is that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it little blackie,¡± Li Qian also came by to chime in, ¡°Are you hungry, blackie?¡±


    Saying that, Li Qian took the leftover compressed biscuit he hadn¡¯t finished eating and slowly waved it in front of its face.


    The little guy followed Li Qian¡¯s hand, turning to the left, then to the right. Every time Li Qian moved the biscuit close to its mouth, it opened its mouth and closed its eyes. Then, Li Qian would move his hand away and after this repeated a few times, it simply turned around and buried its face in Zhou Yu¡¯s waist, showing its resentment towards Li Qian by ignoring him.


    Zhou Yu placed his palm on top of its head, ¡°It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t give it a name. Once we name it, we¡¯ll become attached to it, and then we won¡¯t have the heart to hand it over to the researchers anymore.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s words caused everyone to fall silent.


    As if the little thing understood Zhou Yu¡¯s words, it showed Zhou Yu an expression that was completely different from pathos, resentment, or even grievance.


    It was disappointment.


    Zhou Yu suddenly started to doubt, could it understand their language?


    Before he came here, he once heard that many life forms in Nibelungen were intelligent, and some of them¡­ surpassed even humans.


    Zhou Yu teased it a little with his finger, but it didn¡¯t react at all. Zhou Yu slid his index finger down the soft fur on his head, however, it extended a wing and covered its head with it, not allowing Zhou Yu to touch. At this, Zhou Yu thought it was funny for some reason.


    ¡°Do you want a name so badly?¡±


    The little guy slightly peeped out from under its wing and looked at Zhou Yu, then it shrunk back under its wing and continued sulking.


    After walking for a few more hours, the humidity level in the air became noticeably higher.


    ¡°I think I heard something¡­¡± Wu Yun tilted his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s the sound of water,¡± replied Zhou Yu.


    Everyone turned their ears that way and listened carefully, the sound of water became more and more obvious.


    ¡°Is it a waterfall?¡± Dr. Daniel asked.


    ¡°It seems so¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suddenly curious, how are the waterfalls in Nibelungen different from the ones in our world¡­?¡±


    As Li Qian spoke, he found that Wu Yun¡¯s expression had turned dark.


    ¡°If I haven¡¯t guessed wrong, this should be the largest waterfall in the forest and the source of all its rivers, ¡®Angel Horns¡¯,¡± said Wu Yun.


    ¡°This is Angel Horns? How magnificent¡­¡± Zhou Qing was moved, ¡°According to Juli Corp¡¯s research data, the ecological diversity here isn¡¯t inferior to our Malaysia!¡±


    ¡°So¡­ are there any piranhas here?¡± Li Qian gulped.


    ¡°Piranhas are comparatively harmless,¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    There were many animals even more ferocious than the piranha in the Malaysian ecosystem, let alone in Nibelungen.


    Li Qian¡¯s face immediately lost all of its color.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get any closer to that waterfall!¡±


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t say anything, he only kept walking. Everyone else silently followed behind him. Li Qian didn¡¯t understand and tugged at Han Li, ¡°Are you not afraid either?¡±


    Han Li gave a bitter laugh, ¡°Will that help? Wu Yun is familiar with this place. If we can go around it, why wouldn¡¯t he bring us around it? It has to be because going around would waste more time. The suppressant compound in our bodies can¡¯t last until then.¡±


    After hearing Han Li explain, Li Qian also lowered his head and fell silent.


    The closer they walked, the more they felt the mist and water from the waterfall splashing onto their faces. Li Qian didn¡¯t doubt at all that if he were to be hit by the falling water, the force of its impact would crush his bones to dust.


    Under the falls lay the longest river in the forest¡ª¡±Angel Tears¡±.

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: Life and Death Sniper


    ¡°It truly lives up to the name ¡®Angel¡¯s Tears¡¯¡­¡± Dr. Daniel sighed helplessly.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Li Qian didn¡¯t understand Dr. Daniel¡¯s sigh.


    ¡°If even the angels are crying, then how are we supposed to cross it?¡± Han Li answered him.


    The river was very, very long and its end wasn¡¯t visible. It was impossible to go around.


    ¡°Are we going to take a ferry across the river? There are no boats here!¡± Han Li looked at Wu Yun with doubt.


    Since Wu Yun had decided to go through Angel¡¯s Tears, then he must have a way to cross it.


    ¡°Do you see that there? That¡¯s the narrowest part of Angel¡¯s Horns,¡± Wu Yun pointed out.


    Everyone looked over in that direction. There was a rock jutting out over one side of the waterfall, while the opposite side had a corresponding rock that reached towards it. They looked like two hands that were struggling to reach out to, but never touching each other.


    ¡°So what? Are we going to jump across? It looks like it¡¯s at least a dozen meters!¡± said Li Qian.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll use ropes,¡± Wu Yun pointed towards his backpack with a thumb. There were more than just bullets in there for equipment.


    ¡°Wu Yun and I will launch the rope across the cliff and fix the other end on this side. Then we¡¯ll glide across using the cable,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°Why are you making it sound as easy as saying ¡®hey, add some milk to my coffee¡¯?¡± Li Qian¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°There¡¯s isn¡¯t any milk or coffee here. I don¡¯t understand the meaning of your comparison. To me, it¡¯s just that simple.¡±


    At this time, several strange, featherless, and three-eyed birds were circling the skies.


    They flew quite low, then suddenly dove over the water¡¯s surface. A white fish as large as an adult person was caught by a beak and thrown into the air.


    At the same time, several of the strange, three-eyed birds tore apart the fish in mid-air until there was practically nothing left. The visceral sight it left behind was shocking.


    They stood watching everything from the shore, dumbfounded.


    ¡°Did you say¡­ that it was easy to cross from here?¡± Li Qian turned to ask Zhou Yu.


    Wu Yun sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re full and they can¡¯t sense our fear. They won¡¯t attack us so easily.¡±


    ¡°God! Are you sure? As long as those strange birds are here, I absolutely won¡¯t go! And across such a distance, how can we be strong enough to support our weight over the rope?! My arms will fall off halfway across! And what if the rope snaps?! What if one end isn¡¯t properly secured?¡± Li Qian drew back.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, there are too many unknowns here and it¡¯s extremely dangerous. None of us has been specially trained. A distance of more than ten meters is¡­ too much.¡±


    Even Dr. Daniel shook his head.


    Zhou Qing and Han Li were silent, clearly showing their disapproval at the plan.


    Wu Yun smiled helplessly and looked at Zhou Yu, ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to properly explain to you all about an invention Juli Corp takes great pride in.¡±


    ¡°This is climbing rope our field personnel frequently use called ¡®Apollo¡¯s Arrow¡¯. It has a range of 50 meters, and its front claw can penetrate the hardest of the rock that produces diamonds, kimberlite. Also, this rope can bear a weight of one ton. I don¡¯t think all of us added together will measure up to a ton. You don¡¯t need to worry about that either, Li Qian, you¡¯re the one with the smallest mass among us.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Li Qian looked at Wu Yun with suspicion.


    ¡°But a smaller mass also means less acceleration. Since you¡¯re so light, if you stop in the middle, then I really don¡¯t do what we¡¯ll do?¡±


    Li Qian really wanted to beat up Wu Yun.


    The others simply looked to Zhou Yu. To them, Zhou Yu was more trustworthy than Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu crossed his arms and said with an icy expression, ¡°Wu Yun said the truth, except for one point.¡±


    ¡°Which point?¡± Li Qian asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why this climbing rope is named ¡®Apollo¡¯s Arrow¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Fine, the name was something I came up with temporarily, to make sure the biggest scaredy-cat among us, Li Qian, can go through with it with peace of mind.¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Li Qian eyes rounded.


    ¡°One look at you and I can tell that you¡¯re naive and you like to fantasize. Greek mythology suits you! You¡¯ve definitely daydreamed about sitting in a golden chariot and shooting the sun as a child!¡± Wu Yun ridiculed.


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t Hou Yi [1] the one who shot the sun?¡± Han Li asked.


    ¡°Also¡­ This is Nibelungen.¡± Li Qian wearily looked at Wu Yun. He wasn¡¯t grateful for his sense of humor at all.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Nibelungen?¡± Wu Yun retorted.


    ¡°Nibelungen comes from Norse mythology, which is completely different from Greek mythology. The name you gave the rope was really too inadequate.¡±


    Finally, Li Qian felt like he could show off his IQ in front of Wu Yun.


    ¡°Even if the rope system is safe, specially trained people like you and Zhou Yu may be able to get across, but the rest of us really can¡¯t hold on for such a long distance,¡± Zhou Qing reiterated the concern raised by Dr. Daniel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make a T-shaped rope that¡¯ll go through your thighs. You just need to grab onto the top of the rope and keep your balance, then I¡¯ll push you through. And before you cross over, let Wu Yun go first. If he dies, it would prove that it¡¯s impossible to glide across the Angel¡¯s Horns.¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Qing nodded.


    ¡°Shoot all of them down,¡± Wu Yun glanced at Zhou Yu¡¯s sniper rifle, which he had been carrying on his back.


    ¡°Shoot down? They¡¯re flying so fast! And if they get angry, what if they flock together and attack us?¡± Li Qian looked stunned.


    Wu Yun clapped his hands and said, ¡°Oh, not bad. You grew a brain!¡±


    ¡°My IQ is certainly higher than yours!¡± Li Qian flung back.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll shoot them down. They¡¯ve been hovering, which is indeed a risk factor for us. Since there is such a dangerous element in front of us, then we should resolve it.¡± Zhou Yu said as he lowered the rifle from his shoulder and assembled it neatly. After two sharp clicks, Zhou Yu held a complete rifle in his hands.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­¡± Zhou Qing hesitated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhou Yu glanced at Dr. Daniel, who pulled Zhou Qing back.


    ¡°Everyone, stay away from Zhou Yu. If he misses the target, then those strange birds will come over here to retaliate against Zhou Yu,¡± Wu Yun stretched out his arms to pull everyone back.


    Although Li Qian wanted to say that Wu Yun had no sense of camaraderie, he spoke the truth.


    ¡°Um¡­ Do you have a hold on the situation, Zhou Yu?¡± Han Li asked anxiously. She genuinely didn¡¯t want anything to happen to Zhou Yu.


    Their journey together had proven Zhou Yu¡¯s decisiveness and his extraordinary reaction time. Everyone felt in their hearts that, compared to Wu Yun, Zhou Yu was more reliable.


    ¡°If the chamber doesn¡¯t jam, then I¡¯ll get rid of them all.¡± Zhou Yu lifted his gun and knelt on one knee. After adjusting his sight lenses, he slightly tilted his head sideways to aim at the skies above the waterfall.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your big mouth to jinx anything!¡±


    The others nodded one by one, including Dr. Daniel.


    At this time, Zhou Yu had started to steel himself, mentally. The hand he supported his gun with was steady and his shoulders did not tremble in the slightest.


    His mind was so focused that he was able to feel the speed of the oncoming wind. Even the sound of his heart beating gradually faded away as everything became quiet.


    The little thing at his waist pushed aside the scarf to make a gap and stuck its head out. It found Zhou Yu aiming his gun, so it raised its small shoulders, looking afraid and nervous.


    Han Li covered her eyes and whispered, ¡°We should bring it over here!¡±


    What if it moved around while Zhou Yu fired?


    But the little thing seemed to understand what Zhou Yu was going to do.


    It only stuck out its head and stretched its neck, as if it was also a gun, staring at those strange birds with its big eyes. Zhou Yu¡¯s finger was pressed on the trigger. Everything that followed only flashed by in the eyes of the bystanders, but for Zhou Yu, each frame happened in slow motion.


    His first shot hit the nearest monster bird dead on and it fell into the river with a cry.


    Just as it was only a dozen meters away from the river¡¯s surface, some kind of creature in the water that looked like a crocodile, but was several times the size of a crocodile, surged up with a twist and clamped down on the bird. It swallowed it into its belly, then returned back under the water¡¯s surface in only an instant.


    Li Qian¡¯s heart was about to jump out of his chest.


    However, the scene did not shake Zhou Yu. When the other four birds found where Zhou Yu was, they shrieked and rushed toward Zhou Yu.


    Their eyes were filled with wrath and the desire to tear him apart, but Zhou Yu remained unshaken. The second shot was aimed straight at the forehead of the giant bird leading out front.


    It dropped from the sky and tumbled onto the ground, raising a cloud of dust and almost hitting Zhou Yu. It finally stopped less than a meter away from Zhou Yu.


    Li Qian and the others subconsciously raised their hands to cover their eyes.


    In Zhou Yu¡¯s vision, the two other giant birds swooped down from the left and the right.


    He remained calm and raised the gun.


    The little thing at his waist also lifted its face upwards and opened its mouth slightly with an expression of ¡®the new world will open up before me¡¯.


    Zhou Yu pulled the trigger twice as fast as before. Two shots were fired, one immediately after the other. Two giant birds fell to the ground together and tumbled down in opposite directions to Zhou Yu. The loud noise was like an airplane hitting the runway without lowering its landing gear.

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Crossing the Angel¡¯s Horns


    The birds¡¯ wings cut through at either side of Zhou Yu, nearly slicing him in half across the waist.


    The little thing also spread out its wings to bury its head beneath them.


    Finally, as the last giant bird arrived in front of Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu ducked down onto his side and pulled the trigger, but no bullet came out!


    Zhou Qing, who had been held back by Daniel, lost all the color in his face in an instant and recklessly rushed forward. Zhou Yu quickly cleared the jammed bullet and shot out at the bird just as its claws were about to come in contact with his thigh.


    The neurotoxins diffused rapidly, and the giant bird finally dropped down with a loud rumble.


    Fortunately, Zhou Yu reacted quickly and rolled over on his elbow. Otherwise, his bones would¡¯ve been crushed by the giant bird.


    ¡°Zhou Yu!¡± Zhou Qing ran over.


    He walked around the dead body of the giant bird and let out a sigh a relief when he saw Zhou Yu stand up and brush himself off.


    ¡°Amazing! I applaud you!¡± Wu Yun came over, clapping.


    Li Qian shot a glance at Wu Yun and said, ¡°That mouth of yours better not jinx anything else! You said that the chamber had better not jam, and it really did jam!¡±


    Wu Yun smiled helplessly. He was about to open his mouth until Zhou Yu¡¯s cold eyes swept over him.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± It seemed like Zhou Yu was also impatient with Wu Yun.


    The bodies of the giant birds were bigger up close than they appeared in the sky.


    Li Qian gulped and kept imagining himself being devoured by them.


    At that time, if the birds slammed into Zhou Yu or if their wings sliced into him, it would have been fatal. However, Zhou Yu was able to judge the situation calmly and remain motionless, beyond what an ordinary person was capable of.


    Zhou Yu felt something soft at his waist nudging him. As soon as he lowered his head, he saw the translucent wings of that little thing furling and unfurling, as if it was cheering.


    ¡°You¡¯re a real boot-licker,¡± Zhou Yu smiled faintly.


    The little thing tilted its head. Its clear and bright eyes kept looking at Zhou Yu as if it was yearning for something.


    Zhou Yu stretched out his finger and poked it at the tip of its nose. Its face wrinkled, looking ugly, but also very cute.


    It shook and avoided Zhou Yu¡¯s finger. Just as Zhou Yu was about to pull his hand back, it opened its mouth and swallowed his fingertip.


    Zhou Yu thought that he would feel his finger being bitten and having his blood sucked again, but he felt only the soft tongue of that little thing and being warmly enveloped by it. It narrowed its eyes in delight as if it was giggling because it could hold onto Zhou Yu¡¯s finger.


    Zhou Yu wanted to retrieve his finger, but he suddenly had the idea to allow it to be mischievous, once in a while. After all, in the dangerous situation just now, the little thing had remained motionless by his side.


    Perhaps it had the strength to stay in place because it didn¡¯t know anything, or perhaps it was because it trusted Zhou Yu more than anyone else.


    ¡°Now the biggest threat has finally been resolved! We¡¯re going to cross Angel¡¯s Tears! This will be a thrilling stroke of color in our lives!¡± Wu Yun clapped his hands, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back.


    ¡°A stroke of color¡­ What the hell? ¡± Han Li was totally unaffected by Wu Yun¡¯s morale-boosting statement.


    ¡°Although the strange birds have been taken care of, there are still giant crocodiles in the water¡­¡± Li Qian was still scared.


    ¡°That was a reverse-scaled dragon. It can grow to be as long as twenty-three meters, and generally lives downstream of Angel¡¯s Tears. Each breeding season, the female dragon will swim against the current to return to the source of Angel¡¯s Tears, which is Angel¡¯s Horns, to hatch her young here.¡± Zhou Qing came to the shore and looked down at the oncoming water splashing up. ¡°These creatures have a keen sense of smell and vision, but they lock onto their prey in the same way as the Peryton, based on the prey¡¯s sense of fear.¡±


    Doctor Daniel was afraid that Zhou Qing would accidentally fall into the water and came beside him. At this time, there was only an endless spray from the unceasing torrents of the river, completely lacking in any hint of a reverse-scaled dragon. The moment it swallowed the giant bird was like an illusion for everyone. No one knew how many young reverse-scaled dragons there were in the river, nor of how big they were.


    ¡°Is it possible they¡¯ll attack us like the two-headed wolf spider to provide nutrition for its offspring?¡± Han Li said worriedly.


    ¡°The river is full of young dragons who don¡¯t need to breed for the time being. Also, the height at which they can leap out of the water doesn¡¯t pose a threat to us. That young dragon leaped out of the water to eat the bird because it was afraid in the moment Zhou Yu shot it, and subsequently, it became the prey,¡± Zhou Qing answered.


    Li Qian had always respected Zhou Qing¡¯s extensive knowledge. When he heard Zhou Qing say that, Li Qian felt slightly relieved, but he was still very nervous.


    ¡°Stop hesitating. If anyone doesn¡¯t want to leave, then they can stay here, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Wu Yun took out the rope and grapple and came to the shore. He aimed at the opposite cliff and roughly shot out its claw.


    The grappling hook flew out at an extremely fast speed and fixed itself to the opposite side.


    Wu Yun forcefully tugged on the rope to ensure that it was secured in place. The other end of the rope was fixed to an ancient tree that exceeded the total arm span of three people encircling it.


    ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu tilted his head at him, ¡°You first. I¡¯ll push them over from here.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Wu Yun did not have a joking expression on his face. His conversation with Zhou Yu was also very concise. It seemed like crossing Angel¡¯s Tears was imperative.


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t use a slip knot harness to loop around the line, instead, he directly fastened a piece of rope around it. Then, he stepped back to stand in front of the tree and abruptly ran forward while speeding up.


    Everyone was completely caught off guard!


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Li Qian and Han Li¡¯s eyes bugged right out of their sockets.


    Wu Yun¡¯s figure quickly slid along the line towards the other side, his strong and powerful body completely stretched out as he went.


    After a few seconds, he landed steadily across the bank.


    He turned around and put one hand on his waist, then made a gesture of ¡°come over¡± at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going first?¡± Zhou Yu looked the rest of them.


    Neither Han Li nor Li Qian spoke, but unexpectedly, Zhou Qing raised his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s expression was calm, without a trace of fear.


    As a scholar with such courage, Han Li and Li Qian both admired him a lot.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Zhou Yu looked at the others, ¡°Wu Yun only used the hand-rope on purpose to save his own harness for the rest of you. Plus, I don¡¯t need a harness either, so two more people can use it. Zhou Qing is using one, so only one out of the three of you can also cross with the harness.¡±


    After Zhou Yu spoke, Li Qian and Han Li were struck dumb.


    ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡¯


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Wu Yun tell you not to hesitate?¡± Zhou Yu asked coolly, making Li Qian and Han Li choke back their words.


    Zhou Yu fixed the rope around Zhou Qing¡¯s thighs, hugged Zhou Qing¡¯s shoulders then whispered into his ear, ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±


    Just as he said those words, Zhou Qing was pushed out by Zhou Yu.


    The world quickly swept past Zhou Qing while the wind violently whipped past his ears, it was as if everything was reversing at top speed until it vanished completely.


    He opened his eyes wide, it felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest.


    That soft and ethereal voice was whispering into his ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m by your side.¡±


    At that moment, all his fears were soothed. When Zhou Qing¡¯s toes touched down on the rocks, Wu Yun reached out to to steady him.


    Before Zhou Qing had recovered, Wu Yun patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Not bad. The Great Professor Zhou¡¯s face didn¡¯t even pale, nor did he scream. Those people across the cliff should watch and learn.¡±


    Zhou Qing only looked around. Where was that S rank organism? He seemed to be able to sense his emotions at any time¡­ It was too unfathomable.


    What was his original form, and why hasn¡¯t he been able to see any trace of him so far?


    Zhou Yu turned back and said, ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Me!¡±


    ¡°Me!¡±


    Han Li and Li Qian spoke in unison, and even Dr. Daniel could not help laughing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you two afraid?¡±


    Li Qian blushed and Han Li was somewhat nervous. Since there was only one last harness rope left, she would have to go. Her arms wouldn¡¯t hold up with just the hand-rope.


    She didn¡¯t dare look at Li Qian, because she knew that Li Qian also wanted to use the extra harness.


    Unexpectedly, Li Qian stepped back and said, ¡°Let Han Li go first.¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    ¡°Did I hear you correctly?¡± Dr. Daniel was surprised.


    ¡°Or else, what?¡­ Having to fight over such a thing between an adult man and woman¡­ Even if I won, I would be too ashamed to live on,¡± Li Qian said sullenly.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zhou Yu asked, ¡°Between a gentleman¡¯s courtesy and your life, you¡¯d choose courtesy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of manners. Haven¡¯t you hear of the story of the Titanic? There was a Japanese civil servant who pretended to be a woman in order to get on the lifeboat. After being rescued, he was dismissed by his company and rejected by society. Finally, he committed suicide. [1] That¡¯s why, Han Li, hurry up and go before I regret it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    Han Li was pushed out by Zhou Yu at a speed comparable to a roller coaster.


    The wind blew past, wrinkling her face.


    She really wanted to scream, but she couldn¡¯t. She was afraid that once she opened her mouth, she would lose her strength and balance.


    A few seconds in the eyes of others felt like a century to her.


    When she was caught by Wu Yun, her heart was beating wildly and she was almost in tears.


    When she turned around and saw Li Qian opposite of her, Han Li felt extremely guilty. At such a fast speed, Li Qian would surely fall off.


    Seeing that Han Li had arrived safely, Li Qian breathed out. At least his concession had been worth it.


    ¡°Next.¡± Zhou Yu looked at the two remaining men.


    Li Qian scratched his head and said, ¡°Let Dr. Daniel go first. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯ll affect Dr. Daniel¡¯s mood if I fall off.¡±


    Doctor Daniel laughed and said, ¡°So you¡¯re not afraid that it will affect your mood if I fall off?¡±


    [1]This is a false news story that was sensationalized in Western media at the time. Masabumi Hosono was accused by an American of sneaking aboard a lifeboat dressed as a woman and was condemned by the public. After returning to Japan, he was socially ostracized for disgraceful behavior.

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: An Illusion in the Water


    ¡°How is that possible?! Doctor, I can tell by your figure that you exercise regularly, there¡¯s no way a weakling shut-in like me could match up to you.¡± Li Qian abandoned himself to despair.


    Dr. Daniel came to stand under the line. Zhou Yu patted Li Qian on the shoulder. ¡°Watch Dr. Daniel¡¯s movements carefully. Also, wind the rope around both wrists so that even if you let go, the rope will hold onto your wrists to prevent you from falling off.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Li Qian¡¯s expression was of sudden enlightenment.


    Doctor Daniel immediately provided him with another stab, ¡°Don¡¯t even think of letting go, or else your wrists will dislocate and then it¡¯ll hurt so much that you¡¯ll want to die.¡±


    Li Qian gulped.


    Doctor Daniel crossed over without a hitch. After all, he was a rock climbing enthusiast and often participated in outdoor survival activities.


    However, when Li Qian buckled onto the cable line, his heart almost cracked open.


    ¡°Li Qian, remember that you can¡¯t hesitate when you leave. Once you hesitate, you lose speed. If you get stuck in the middle, that means you¡¯ll be blocking my way into a dead end too.¡±


    Li Qian¡¯s heart contracted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go first?!¡±


    ¡°If I go first, then what will you do? You certainly won¡¯t cross over anymore.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s voice was steady.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, is there ever a time when you¡¯re afraid?¡± Li Qian asked.


    He thought it was amazing that Zhou didn¡¯t use the suppressants, could shoot the two-headed wolf spiders at close range, and had sniped those strange birds without so much as a wrinkle in his brows. It was simply inhuman.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    The little thing at his waist popped its head out and looked at him curiously as if it was also interested in the topic.


    ¡°When?¡± Li Qian asked.


    ¡°When I feel that I may lose all my companions.¡±


    ¡°How did you overcome that feeling?!¡± Li Qian asked as he put his hands through the rope.


    ¡°When I realized that losing them was the reality, I stopped being afraid. When you have something more important than your life to protect, your fear will be overwhelmed by persistence. Li Qian, past the Angel¡¯s Horns, you will find that you are braver than you think.¡±


    After saying that, Zhou Yu pushed Li Qian out.


    When Li Qian remembered that he would block Zhou Yu¡¯s path if he couldn¡¯t make it across, he ran forward as if his life depended on it. The moment his foot touched down on air, it was as if he was rushing into Angel¡¯s Horns. The world flew by at his feet, time was meaningless.


    ¡°Very good, that¡¯s it¡­¡± Zhou Yu looked after Li Qian¡¯s figure growing distant, a smile tugging at his lips.


    When Li Qian was caught by Wu Yun, Han Li hugged him.


    ¡°You scared me to death! I was really so scared! I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t come or that you were too scared to come!¡±


    Li Qian eyes were also opened wide, he couldn¡¯t believe that he had made it over either. And what¡¯s more, he hadn¡¯t let go!


    It turned out that many things were not as terrifying as he had imagined them to be!


    Li Qian turned and waved at Zhou Yu, who nodded back.


    He lowered his head and tightened the scarf, or else the little thing might fall out in mid-air.


    The little thing stuck out its head and looked around, then it shivered in fear.


    Zhou Yu was amused and teased it with his fingers, but unexpectedly, it didn¡¯t latch onto Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers. Instead, it kept retreating deeper, as if it was afraid.


    ¡°Hey, you have wings. By logic, you should be able to fly, if worst comes to worst, you can just start flying.¡±


    The little thing stuck its head back out and rubbed its nose against Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips, as if to comfort him and say, ¡°I am not afraid, so you shouldn¡¯t be afraid either.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart instantly softened. He hadn¡¯t been comforted like that for a long time.


    ¡°Good, do you know there¡¯s something in my world called a roller coaster?¡±


    Zhou Yu grasped the hand-rope and stepped back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s push forward without looking back!¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s legs made large strides across the rocks and then he leaped out.


    His speed is extremely fast. Meanwhile, Wu Yun was already prepared to catch him on the other side.


    But in that instant, something unforeseen by anyone happened.


    A giant reverse-scaled dragon leaped out of the turbulent waters with a massive splash, as if it had reversed the flow of the waterfall!


    Its wide mouth and pointed teeth stunned Li Qian and Han Li.


    Its scales were like sharp blades, they reflected a cold brilliance under the sunlight as if they could shatter their prey, layer by layer.


    Wu Yun immediately pulled out the gun at his waist and fired at the reverse-scaled dragon.


    The gunshot sounds were drowned out by the dull roar of the water.


    Handgun bullets weren¡¯t enough to penetrate the scales of the reverse-scaled dragon!


    Zhou Yu was headed directly into the jaws of the reverse-scaled dragon right before their eyes!


    ¡°Brother¡ª¡± Zhou Qing shouted.


    Zhou Yu clenched his teeth and at a critical moment, used his right foot to kick the reverse-scaled dragon in the teeth, rebounding in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the reverse-scaled dragon bit down on the cable line. The two ends couldn¡¯t bear the added weight and snapped into two.


    Wu Yun wanted to grab ahold of one end, but everything happened so quickly that Zhou Yu fell into the river.


    ¡°Zhou Yu!¡± Wu Yun madly dashed along the shore, but the current was too fast for him to even catch a glimpse of Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Qing almost jumped in, but Dr. Daniel caught him from behind with a firm grip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, Zhou Qing!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my brother! Let go of me! ¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes turned red. That was the first time he had shown an out-of-control expression.


    Without saying a word, Dr. Daniel restrained Zhou Qing, ¡°Calm down, Zhou Qing! You can¡¯t go there!¡±


    ¡°How is this possible¡­ Tell me¡­ Am I dreaming¡­?¡±


    Li Qian was also dumbfounded.


    How could Zhou Yu fall off?


    Why did the giant reverse-scaled dragon suddenly appear?


    This didn¡¯t make sense! What the hell was going on?


    ¡°Save him¡­ We have to find a way to save him!¡±


    Li Qian remembered how Zhou Yu had encouraged him. He looked cold and frosty, but he has a good sense of responsibility. How many times has he helped everyone escape from death? How could he just disappear just like that?


    ¡°I want to go down¡­ Let me go down! ¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s tears fell, he used his fists beat the sand and stones on the ground.


    If he hadn¡¯t wanted to come to Nibelungen, how could Zhou Yu have come here? It was clearly he, Zhou Qing, who was terminally ill. The one who was going to die was him, so how could it be Zhou Yu?


    Wu Yun ran for a few hundred meters, throwing off everything on him that was weighing him down while running, just so he could go a little faster.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡ªZhou Yu¡ª¡±


    No matter how hoarse he shouted himself, he still couldn¡¯t find a trace of Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! ¡± Wu Yun tripped over a stone and fell to the ground.


    He squeezed his eyes closed and gritted his teeth.


    He knew better than anyone¡­ that Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t come back anymore.


    Forcing himself to hold back his tears, Wu Yun¡¯s eyes turned red in an instant.


    He immensely regretted it, Zhou Yu should have been the first to glide across. Maybe then, the giant reverse-scaled dragon wouldn¡¯t have swam over yet!


    A few seconds later, Wu Yun got up and came back. He looked at Zhou Qing struggling to jump down, and gave him a resounding slap!


    ¡°You know what Zhou Yu cares the most about. Do you want to abandon everything he cares about?¡± Wu Yun grabbed Zhou Qing¡¯s collar and ruthlessly interrogated him.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s body trembled, ¡°I¡¯m going to die soon anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why every minute and every second you have left is vital!¡±


    ¡°We¡­ We have to find him¡­ Just because he fell in doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s dead! He wasn¡¯t bitten by that giant dragon, I saw it clearly!¡± Han Li said.


    ¡°The ecosystem of the Angel¡¯s Tears is more complex than the Amazon¡¯s. How many young dragons do you think there are in the river¡­?¡± Wu Yun said no more.


    Han Li¡¯s tears fell and Li Qian clenched his fist tightly.


    ¡°Even I was able to make it over, so why couldn¡¯t he? Why did that giant dragon attack Zhou Yu? Zhou Yu definitely wouldn¡¯t have been afraid of it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because the first bird that Zhou Yu shot fell into the water and was devoured by the young dragons. That bird had neurotoxins in its body, so the young dragon that ate it would have certainly died. The mother dragon¡¯s sudden attack was for revenge,¡± Wu Yun answered.


    ¡°So¡­ He still died for us¡­¡±


    Wu Yun grabbed ahold of the dispirited Zhou Qing and hauled him up, ¡°Let¡¯s go. As matters stand, even if I die, you¡¯re not allowed to die, because you¡¯re the person my partner cares for the most.¡±


    Zhou Qing breathed with effort and tried his best to bear with the reality of losing Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Listen up, Professor Zhou. You will complete your research, you will fix the tumor in your brain, and in Zhou Yu¡¯s place, you will¡­ Have a long and happy life. You must have a stronger desire to live more than anyone else in the world!¡± Wu forcefully kept ahold Zhou Qing¡¯s cheeks.


    Zhou Qing subconsciously covered his pocket, which still contained the fruit of Elpis.


    At the same time, Zhou Yu was being battered by the strong current, all his bones aching in pain. He had already choked down a few mouthfuls of water, and his body could not compete with the force of the current.


    Then, a school of fish with long and narrow beaks rushed over towards him. Zhou Yu was like fish bait in the water, on the verge of being ripped apart by the masses.


    The beaks were hard and dense, they ruthlessly pierced through Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder and abdomen.


    Blood flowed out but quickly dissipated in the water.


    Compared with the river, Zhou Yu was only a drop in the pond.


    Heavy blood loss blurred his consciousness.


    He knew that this time, he had reached his end.


    Fortunately¡­ Zhou Qing had crossed the Angel¡¯s Horns. He was a genius, so he was bound to find a cure for himself in his future research.


    And as Wu Yun¡­ That guy looked unreliable, but he actually had a strong sense of camaraderie¡­ He would certainly spare no effort to protect Zhou Qing¡­


    Suddenly, all the sharp-billed fish fled.


    The tenacious mother reverse-scaled dragon had caught up to him.


    Its hatred for Zhou Yu was hard to put into words. As the ruler of the waters at the Angel¡¯s Tears, it absolutely would not allow other creatures to have a piece of Zhou Yu.


    Just as it opened its mouth and was about to swallow Zhou Yu, something stretched out in the water and and came to block Zhou Yu in front of him.


    In the midst of the chaos, Zhou Yu saw an enormous creature. Its silver, translucent figure seemed like a mythological beast out of a fantasy movie, and for all of its elegance, it was brimming with an oppressive air.


    His line of sight quickly flew away with his consciousness, and for the first time, Zhou Yu felt a loss of control.


    It charged towards the reverse-scaled dragon, who could not put up any resistance. In a flash, the mother dragon was battered to pieces, and like a sudden shower of billions of stars, it disappeared into the endless torrents.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21: Swordbone Butterfly


    Zhou Yu was about to close his eyes, he was unable to think of anything else.


    Maybe it was one last mirage before his death¡­


    A figure swam towards him.


    It was a youth with short black hair softly drifting along in the water like a fanciful dream. He had a fair complexion, an elegant brow, and a pair of shining eyes, innocent and limpid, as if they could bind up all the forgotten expectations in Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You won¡¯t die, Zhou Yu.¡±


    At that moment, a voice that did not belong to him sounded in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    Peace seemed to have been bestowed upon all living things.


    He was getting closer and closer to Zhou Yu, just like a heavenly envoy on the eve of bringing Zhou Yu over into another world.


    His eyes looked into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes, and the tip of his nose tips lightly touched upon Zhou Yu¡¯s nose, pure and without desire.


    He stretched out his arms, threading them under Zhou Yu¡¯s to embrace him, and then strove towards the light above their heads.


    The warmth of a body in the ice-cold waters caused Zhou Yu to be reluctant to part with it.


    I¡¯m so tired. Let me go to sleep, just like this¡­


    An indefinite amount of time later, Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips twitched. It seemed like something was using its strength to jump up and down on his chest. His halted heart suddenly trembled, and he drew in a gasp of breath. Zhou Yu choked on water and started hacking violently.


    He was about to cough up his lungs.


    Zhou Yu felt the water on his face and found that it was the little thing who was jumping up and down on his chest.


    As soon as the little fellow noticed that he was awake, it impatiently cuddled close to him and rubbed itself against Zhou Yu¡¯s chin. Zhou Yu petted its head that was still wet with water.


    Only then did he realize that he had been washed into the shallows with the skeletons of some creatures beside him. He and the little thing were the only ones alive.


    Did the little thing keep jumping on his chest to give him first aid?


    In such violent waters, this fellow should¡¯ve been washed away, so how come it was still next to him?


    All of his doubts became insignificant once he looked into to its eyes.


    Zhou Yu forcefully rubbed the head of the little thing, as if he was saying, ¡°So you even know how to give first aid, who did you learn that from?¡±


    The small thing proudly raised its head, as if to say, ¡°Reward me, hug me!¡±


    Zhou Yu really wanted to hug it. In such a dangerous situation, the little thing hadn¡¯t abandon him. Who said that the creatures here were inhumane?


    ¡°Luckily, you¡¯re not an S rank organism. Otherwise I¡¯d think that you have other plans,¡± Zhou Yu thought to himself that it probably regarded him as its parent.


    Zhou Yu felt his own shoulder and found no pain there, but his jacket was torn. Looking at his abdomen, it is clear that his body has been pierced through, but there wasn¡¯t even a scar!


    What happened?


    There was also a corresponding hole in the abdominal region of his jacket¡­


    What he had experienced in the water was not a hallucination.


    What was the silver creature larger than the reverse-scaled dragon?


    Who was that youth who had embraced him?


    Zhou Yu¡¯s chest felt tight. Was it a so-called S rank organism? Then the underwater youth was the form of its mimicry?


    If that¡¯s the case, then why did it save him?


    Song Zhi had said that S rank organisms were considerably arrogant and lived in isolation. Did he inadvertently intrude upon that S rank organism¡¯s territory?


    Zhou Yu stood up and looked around with vigilance. Other than the primitive forest and a few small creatures, Zhou Yu found nothing else.


    He forcefully kneaded at his head.


    Maybe it was because he has been lucky enough to be saved by some S rank organism on a whim?


    Wait a minute. Was it an S rank organism at all?


    Maybe it really had been his own imagination from beginning to end.


    In any case, the most important fact was that he was still alive.


    Drenched, Zhou Yu took off his shoes and poured out the water in them.


    The little thing lay belly-down on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder and looked over him.


    He was lucky enough to have been washed across to the opposite shore of the river.


    It was a little far off, but at least when he walked out of the forest, he should be able to find his way to the base.


    His backpack was gone, which meant that he had lost his supply of rations and water. To be honest, he¡¯d just drank so much of the water in the Angel¡¯s Tears that it was possible that he¡¯d ingested some harmful microorganisms. If there was a problem, then he would have to wait until he got to the base for a check-up or for treatment.


    He felt around his waist and found that his gun had also washed away, not to mention the sniper rifle.


    No weapons, no water, no food, only one¡­ unknown organism following him.


    Oh, the watch on his wrist was still there. The watch was configured in the same way as Wu Yun¡¯s, there was a compass in it to indicate the direction.


    As long as he followed the general direction, he would eventually find the base.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zhou Yu let out a sigh and hooked his finger at the little thing.


    The little thing ran for a few steps on the ground, then suddenly jumped up and clung onto Zhou Yu¡¯s arm. Then it bit onto Zhou Yu¡¯s finger.


    The pain from being bitten didn¡¯t come, the little thing was like a baby, demanding to suckle something.


    ¡°You and I can be considered life-long friends. I¡¯ll let your childish behavior pass.¡± Amused, Zhou Yu deliberately tried to fling it off, but it held on tightly.


    Zhou Yu walked straight forward and entered the forest.


    A flock of Perytons ran up ahead, wagging their tails and seemingly hiding in horror.


    Zhou Yu frowned, then he saw a large group of blue, palm-sized butterflies flying towards him.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s memory did not defy natural order like Zhou Qing¡¯s did. He vaguely remembered one of the many dangerous organisms mentioned during his training, but as for what exactly they were called and how dangerous they were, he couldn¡¯t recall.


    For him, it was inconceivable to run away.


    The flutter of blue butterflies quickly drew closer, shrouding the skies.


    The little fellow holding Zhou Yu¡¯s arm uttered a ¡°hrrn,¡± it seemed to be afraid.


    Zhou Yu knew how terrifying fear was. He covered the little thing¡¯s eyes with his other hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, they¡¯ll leave soon. Soon¡­¡±


    As for whether they would leave or not, Zhou Yu himself did not know.


    He searched for the suppressants on him, but they had washed away. If the drug had still been there, he¡¯d give the little thing an injection.


    Having received Zhou Yu¡¯s comfort, the little thing quieted down.


    Zhou Yu also closed his eyes.


    The butterflies were beautiful, and there seemed to be transparent golden veins on their wings, which reminded Zhou Yu of the fairy tales Chen Chong¡¯s daughter often read.


    The butterflies were like the spirits in those fairy tales.


    Occasionally being brushed by their wings, Zhou Yu could feel pain blossom on his skin. His face and his body were cut by them.


    Ten seconds later, Zhou Yu could no longer feel the presence of those blue butterflies.


    Slowly, he opened his eyes. Sure enough, his arms were covered in scratches and scars and his face probably looked just as colorful.


    He turned around and saw the blue butterflies off in the distance.


    On the ground were the bodies of Perytons.


    Riddled with wounds, the scene was horrific.


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes. He knew first hand just how fast Perytons could run and how strong they were. Yet, in just the few seconds when the blue butterflies had passed by, they¡­


    That¡¯s right, that was the ¡°swordbone butterfly¡±!


    They could grow hard bone spurs from their bodies at any time and stab into their prey to absorb nutrients before quickly leaving. Although they were small, they were in the same rank as the reverse-scaled dragon.


    Zhou Yu exhaled, he had just missed the gates of hell once again.


    The little thing that had its eyes covered by Zhou Yu twisted around. It seemed to be very dissatisfied that Zhou Yu could see, but why couldn¡¯t it see?


    Zhou Yu sighed, the little fellow would eventually grow up one day.


    One day, it might become prey or nutrition for other organisms in Nibelungen. Although the the little thing¡¯s development had diverged from its natural path, it was still necessary for it to understand the horrors of nature.


    For example, if it ever cluelessly came across the swordbone butterfly¡­ it could lose its life.


    Zhou Yu really hoped that when it faced more powerful and dangerous organisms than itself, that it could let go of the fear in its heart.


    He took his palm away.


    When the little thing first saw Perytons¡¯ corpses, especially the dense wounds caused by the swordbone butterflies, its innocent eyes were struck silly.


    Zhou Yu knew that he was being cruel.


    But cruelty was a compulsory lesson in order to survive.


    ¡°Do you see? They died miserably. Do you know why their deaths were so tragic?¡±


    Hearing Zhou Yu¡¯s voice, the little thing suddenly seemed to come back from its thoughts and immediately burrowed into Zhou Yu¡¯s arms.


    Its head was already hidden under Zhou Yu¡¯s arm but it was still trying to burrow even deeper. It had really suffered a fright.


    Inexplicably, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart also started to hurt. He petted the exposed back of the little thing and said softly, ¡°Those dead creatures, we human beings call them ¡®Perytons¡¯. Although they have no eyes or ears, they¡¯re nimble and quick, and have a B rank risk factor. My best friends were killed by this creature.¡±


    It seemed to feel that Zhou Yu was down. The little thing poked out its head again and nudged against Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu picked it up and spoke as he walked.


    ¡°They use ¡®fear¡¯ to locate their prey. Of course, many of the creatures here hunt in the same way. At first, I thought it was incomprehensible to hunt by fear, but in fact it very closely followed the natural law of things. No organism would be afraid of something weaker than it. If you feel the fear of the other organism, then you are at least stronger than they are. The law of the jungle is the law of the natural world. It¡¯s the same in my world and here. Zhou Yu petted its head again and again.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The little thing agreed, it wasn¡¯t as soft and cute as before, it now looked wilted.


    After falling into Angel¡¯s Tears, it was fine facing scary creatures such as the reverse-scaled dragon, but the sight of the Perytons¡¯ bodies was what really gave it a fright.

 CH 22

    Chapter 22: Steadfast Loyalty


    Perhaps it had no concept of how scary those creatures were, but just now, it came in direct contact with what was known as ¡°death¡± for the first time.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know if it really understood, but his intuition told him that it was actually very intelligent.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s body had been wet the whole time, so he walked under the sunlight where the shade was sparse on purpose.


    He lifted up the little thing with one hand, then smiled, ¡°Look at your stupid expression.¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± The small fellow tilted its head.


    Zhou Yu was suspicious that it had devised this angle on purpose, it was the best at making others think it was both foolish and stupid.


    ¡°Some people think that we are destined to be this way from the moment we are born, but, you can¡¯t accept this viewpoint. Once you start to think that way, you¡¯ll never be able to surpass yourself. For example, when you come across a reverse-scaled dragon, even if you clearly know that it¡¯s stronger than you are, and more dangerous than you are, never, ever, be afraid. As long as you¡¯re not afraid, it won¡¯t think that you¡¯re weak. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The little thing listened to Zhou Yu earnestly.


    Its pair of amber eyes reflected Zhou Yu in them. Zhou Yu smiled and thought to himself, could this little thing really understand human language?


    Against the sun, the edges of its black down were faintly suffused with a silver glow.


    Zhou Yu unexpectedly thought of that enormous organism that had blocked in front of him in the river.


    An impossible thought flashed through his mind.


    It was quickly rejected.


    ¡°If you could really turn into such a big guy¡­ That would completely go against the law of conservation of matter.¡±


    Zhou Yu raised the little fellow up high and shook it around. It squinted in a happy expression, thinking that Zhou Yu was playing with it.


    Bringing it back down, Zhou Yu continued forward.


    More than half the day had gone by. Zhou Yu was starting to feeling hungry, but it was still bearable. The little fellow was still perched on his shoulder, curiously looking around.


    The vines had completely covered the surface of an ancient tree, a few light golden fruits were growing on the vine.


    The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of the fruits.


    Zhou Yu swallowed, the sweetness seemed to be provoking him. It reminded him of the aroma of the failed apple pie Mei Xi had baked for their team.


    Zhou Yu did not go up to it.


    The vines were strange, they almost seemed like they were strangling the tree and extracting its vitality from it.


    And the fruits on the vine were too pretty.


    In the instant Zhou Yu looked away, he faintly saw that there were many small organisms struggling underneath the vines. They were slowly being strangled by the vines until their last breath, then the barbed tips of the vines would pierce into their bodies and suck out their nutrients.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and took a breath, fortunately, he had held himself back¡­


    Mysteriously, Zhou Yu felt that his hunger pangs were much stronger than before.


    He had a desire to rush up and stuff those golden fruits into his belly.


    So hungry.


    Too hungry¡­


    Zhou Yu stepped closer to the vines, in only that one step, a string stretched taut somewhere in his thoughts. He suddenly stopped.


    He shouldn¡¯t go any further.


    Its fruits were definitely not safe! The aroma they emitted could probably reduce an organism¡¯s willpower. Then, after the vines lured it closer, it would become food for the vines!


    Just as Zhou Yu took a step back, that sweet scent seemed to become many times thicker than before. His body once again broke away from his control and his heart rate sped up. He was like a marionette, walking forward, step by step. Even though Zhou Yu knew he shouldn¡¯t go any closer, he was unable to stop himself.


    As he came near the vines, it had already extended itself towards him.


    Just a little more, and the vines would be able to wrap around him!


    Suddenly, a sharp pain came from Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, as if countless fireworks were bursting in his veins. It cleared away that sweet miasma from his consciousness, and his heartbeat gradually became calm.


    Zhou Yu suddenly came to his senses and stepped back. He looked down and found that the vines had already reached his toes, and felt cold sweat down his back.


    Once the vines manage to entangle him, then he would share the same fate as those organisms that had fallen into the trap and have the nutrients in his body sucked dry.


    Zhou Yu quickly retreated. The vines, seeing that they were unable to entice Zhou Yu closer, shrunk back.


    Zhou Yu raised his hand and found the little thing biting his finger.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the little thing, he would have really died this time.


    The little thing kept sucking with a dissatisfied expression, its cheeks puffing out. It angrily looked at Zhou Yu, as if saying, ¡°You see? What would you do without me?! You¡¯ll even fall for such a shallow trap, how annoying!¡±


    That¡¯s right, without you, I¡¯d be dead.


    Zhou Yu did not deliberately stop it from sucking on his finger, but he was sure that it had broken his skin just now, or else, how could he have snapped out of it?


    Quickly leaving the range of the sweet-scented miasma, Zhou Yu knocked on his head a few times. How could he have so easily been attracted by that fragrance? If he had decisively evacuated the area, there wouldn¡¯t have been an accident¡­ It seemed like he really was hungry and tired, for his willpower to drop to this point.


    The little thing saw that Zhou Yu was thinking, so it released his finger and climbed up Zhou Yu¡¯s arm onto his shoulder, rubbing Zhou Yu¡¯s face with the soft fluff on his head.


    Zhou Yu smiled and petted it a few times. When he withdrew his hand he found that his fingers were still undamaged.


    ¡°Tell me, did you suck my blood?¡± Zhou Yu patted its back.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± It tilted its head again.


    Zhou Yu shook his head and helplessly said, ¡°Forget it. Suck it if you want. Without you, I¡¯d be dead.¡±


    Accepting it at this point, Zhou Yu decided to stop investigating the little thing¡¯s hunting patterns, and what sort of organism it was.


    Suddenly, the little thing suddenly opened its eyes wide and let out a sharp cry.


    At the same time, Zhou Yu felt something quietly approaching him, and before he could even turn around, that thing twisted around his leg and dragged him away.


    Zhou Yu fell to the ground. He finally realized that the vines that had been emitting a sweet scent had secretly been following him and made their move when he¡¯d let down his guard!


    The vines dragged away Zhou Yu very quickly, his body scorching with pain from the friction, as if he was being skinned alive.


    The little thing caught up to him at lightning speed and jumped onto Zhou Yu¡¯s body, wanting to increase his weight, but to no use. Next, it jumped onto the vines and started biting them, trying to cut them off.


    Zhou Yu was not scared by this scenario. Even though all of his equipment was gone, the Swiss Army knife he had tied to his leg was still there. He raised the leg that was not tangled up in the vine and pulled out the army knife, then stabbed it into the vine.


    The vine seemed to become enraged, and dragged along Zhou Yu even more vigorously.


    The little thing was still trying its best to bite through the vine. Its left wing was already broken from being dragged across the ground.


    ¡°Hurry up and go! Idiot!¡± Zhou Yu was forcefully stabbing the the vine with his dagger while using his other hand to try and wave it away, but the little thing kept clinging on and refused to leave.


    In the blink of an eye, the vine had dragged them back to that fruit tree.


    What Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect was that when the vines that were twined around the tree came unraveled, layer by layer, it revealed that the center of the tree was hollow. Like a gaping mouth, the vines were actually coming from inside of the tree! Just before the vines were able to drag Zhou Yu inside, he stabbed the dagger into the ground.


    ¡°Urgh!¡± The vines were too strong. The veins on Zhou Yu¡¯s forearms were bulging, but he was still slowly being pulled inside.


    Seeing that it was unable to bite through the vine, the little thing returned to bite down on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder, trying its best to drag him outwards.


    The vine saw that Zhou Yu was struggling intensely and immediately wrapped around him again, tightening its grip.


    Zhou was strangled to the point where it became hard for him to breath. All the bones in his body were about to crack, yet he still held on to the dagger and refused to let go.


    He understood that once he let go of his only weapon, he would have nothing else to rely on.


    Zhou Yu remained steady, he could sense that the little thing who had been biting onto him had also been restrained. This made Zhou Yu feel a twinge of guilt, but he was also moved.


    If he died, then it was because of his bad luck.


    But that little fellow¡­ Zhou Yu clenched his jaw and and wrung out his wrist, but it was futile.


    I¡¯m sorry, little thing¡­ I¡¯m starting to lose my strength¡­


    Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts were slowly starting to slip into a muddled state.


    Fragments of his life flashed by in his mind like the scenes of a revolving lantern. He saw Zhao Cheng, Cheng Chong, and all of his former brothers.


    Time seemed to flow in reverse, he thought of the time he walked home from school with Zhou Qing, the sky gradually fading into evening and the street lamps making their shadows stretch out.


    Zhou Yu had just had a fight with the boy bullying Zhou Qing and his eyelids were swollen.


    ¡°When we get back remember to tell mom that I tripped and hurt my eyes,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying such a stupid excuse.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you going to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the truth. Someone was coming to bullying me and my brother blocked in front of me, taking the hit.¡±


    It completely avoided the active role Zhou Yu had played in the fight, and focused on the one hit that Zhou Yu had taken. Their parents would think that Zhou Yu was a good child to protect his younger brother and was also a victim, only serving to make them more distressed.


    That¡¯s right¡­ There was still Zhou Qing¡­


    He can¡¯t die, and he didn¡¯t want to die, at least not here.


    If he had been alone, maybe he would have just given up¡­ But he still had to protect Zhou Qing! He had to see Zhou Qing again! He couldn¡¯t die, just like that!


    The desire to survive made Zhou Yu plunge his dagger into the edge of the tree hollow the moment he was dragged inside.


    In his confusion, he felt the vines loosening around him. He had finally gained his freedom and he took a deep breath. He was about to go search for the little fellow but as soon as he looked up, he saw a woman with one hand propped on the ground. Zhou Yu had never seen such a beautiful woman before, every frown and smile made his heart thump like crazy.

 CH 23

    Chapter 23: Mo Ye


    Her hands came to gently rest on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulders. She slowly approached him with her lips slightly open, giving off a fatal level of sex appeal.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was beating very quickly. When she retreated half a step, he subconsciously went forward, as if everything was centered around her.


    He wanted to kiss her, and to have her. Everything he cared about no longer seemed important.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu remembered Wu Yun¡¯s warning: the more beautiful something was, the more dangerous it was.


    Also¡­ This was Nibelungen, why would there be a human woman here?


    Zhou Yu became alert. Without any further thoughts, he raised the dagger in his hand and stabbed it into her!


    Something shrieked into his ear, then his body instantly dropped down.


    Falling hard, the dull pain made Zhou Yu widen his eyes. Now that he was able to breathe, he started to cough violently.


    When he fully regained consciousness, he realized that he did not know when he had been dragged into the tree hollow by the vine. The beautiful woman he had just seen was an illusion that the vine had created for him.


    Zhou Yu looked up and saw his dagger sticking out from the inner wall of the tree hollow not too far away, slashed downwards to tear open a large gash. There was a faint beam of sunlight slanting down, just enough to illuminate the green liquid flowing out, like blood from the wounded tree.


    At the bottom of the hollow, there was a space large enough for three or four people.


    Zhou Yu walked forward a few steps to find that there were skeletons of various animals under his feet. Some of them were already bones, while others were still rotting.


    Zhou Yu wanted to vomit, but more urgently than that, he had to leave this place first!


    He didn¡¯t know why the vine had let him go, but he realized that the vine had grown from the inside of the tree to the outside. In other words, the vine and the tree were one entity! The vines acted as the hands of this tree!


    This was totally different from Zhou Yu¡¯s understanding. His impression of vines was that they clung to trees and climbed upwards, yet this tree had grown its own vines to catch food!


    Maybe it was the gash he made on the tree that had temporarily rendered it unconscious, but before he was digested by it, he had to leave this place immediately!


    Zhou Yu suddenly remembered something and shouted, ¡°Little thing? Where are you, little thing?¡±


    The little thing had been trying to save him the whole time, so of course he wouldn¡¯t abandon it to leave by himself.


    Crunching sounds came from somewhere and the little thing crawled out from under a pile of broken bones. Its entire body was filthy.


    There wasn¡¯t much light in the hollow, but the eyes of the little thing glittered like a pair of jewels. Zhou Yu saw them at first glance.


    Zhou Yu picked it up and let out a breath of relief, ¡°You really scared me to death! I thought you had been eaten by the tree!¡±


    The little thing opened its eyes wide and watched Zhou Yu with happiness, it stuck out its tongue to lick Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu quickly turned his face away, he wasn¡¯t interested in having his face coated with saliva.


    They didn¡¯t have time to chat over the weather, Zhou Yu bent down to retrieve a few of the longer pieces among the broken bones of the animals. He then pierced the relatively sharp and fractured edge into the interior of the fruit tree. Taking a few more, he tied them to his waist.


    The tree seemed to feel pain and started to tremble.


    Regardless of consequences, Zhou Yu stepped on top of the broken bones to boost himself up. He stabbed in more of the bones from his waist and went up again. When he passed by his Swiss army knife, he pulled it out.


    Like this, he finally climbed out of the tree hole.


    Zhou Yu was in no hurry no escape. He looked coldly at the vines that had fallen out and then firmly nailed them to the trunk with his Swiss army knife.


    ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±


    After saying that, Zhou Yu left with the little fellow in his arms.


    When he came to a spot with direct sunlight,  Zhou Yu picked up the little thing and looked over it, carefully inspecting its injured wings. He found that there was no wound there at all.


    ¡°Ah, how could I forget that the organisms of Nibelungen have powerful healing abilities?¡± Zhou Yu put it back on his shoulder and continued walking.


    They were on guard the entire way, wary of meeting another carnivorous tree. They walked on until evening. Zhou Yu did not know how long it would take for him to walk out of the forest, so he decided to rest.


    Leaning against an E rank ancient tree, Zhou Yu checked that there was no danger around before holding the small thing in his arms, ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be eaten by some powerful organism tonight?¡±


    It shook its head.


    ¡°Are you afraid of being eaten?¡± Zhou Yu felt that he must be very bored to chat with it.


    It paused and then nodded.


    It¡¯s solemn expression made Zhou Yu laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. I¡¯m so hungry I could die. Why don¡¯t I eat you up?¡± Zhou Yu deliberately put his face close to it to see its reaction clearly.


    It showed a dumb expression.


    An evil thought came to Zhou Yu as he rubbed over its hind legs, ¡°The meat here is pretty juicy, it would be great if I had some salt to roast it with.¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± It took its legs back from Zhou Yu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Gee, making pan-fried pork belly with this part doesn¡¯t sound too bad either.¡± Zhou Yu touched its belly.


    Speaking of pan-fried pork belly made Zhou Yu miss Mei Xi¡¯s cooking a little.


    A few seconds later, it unexpectedly showed a sad expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to eat you, you¡¯d better run away.¡± Zhou Yu became even more playful. He poked its ear.


    Suddenly, it wrapped itself up into a ball with its wings and rolled under Zhou Yu¡¯s arm.


    Even when I¡¯m about to eat you, aren¡¯t you going to run away?


    Zhou Yu sighed, ¡°You are so cute, should I spare you? Never fall into the hands of humans, we are all selfish animals.¡±


    One of its small wings instantly lifted up and it peeked out at Zhou Yu with one eye.


    Zhou Yu suddenly felt that it was really very amusing to tease it.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t eat you anymore. Nobody would be here to listen to me if I ate you.¡±


    Weariness washed over him and Zhou Yu closed his eyes with his arms crossed.


    There was no point in being alert, what he needed the most was rest. If he was doomed to be hunted by some creature, then so be it.


    The little thing curled up into a ball and laid on top of Zhou Yu.


    Its warmth made Zhou Yu feel lazy, as if he was being covered with a quilt of soft down.


    The little thing had already established a strong social relationship with him and they were now bound by life-and-death.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I give you a name?¡± Zhou Yu touched the fluff on its back. It felt very nice.


    The little thing had also had its eyes closed but it opened them again when it heard Zhou Yu¡¯s voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re like a round black ball, how about black lump?¡±[1]


    Looking at Zhou Yu¡¯s expression, it seemed to guess that the name was not very good. It turned to face Zhou Yu with its behind, as if to say, ¡°Eat my butt.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like the name? Then you can be called little coal ball!¡± Zhou Yu thought to himself, doesn¡¯t this name suit you a lot? You¡¯re both black and round.


    It kept its butt facing Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was at peace. He enjoyed the world that only contained him, plus a warm little thing. He no longer had to worry about, or shoulder anything.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Zhou Yu poked its butt. It seemed that it had made up its mind to ignore Zhou Yu.


    It really did become quiet for a while.


    The shade under the tree was scattered and sparse, but only a few slivers of moonlight shone through.


    A strand of light fell right onto its back, the silver beam wavering like liquid.


    ¡°Mo Ye,¡± Zhou Yu said softly. [2]


    These two words inexplicably flashed through Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    The little thing trembled and slowly turned to look at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu pinched its nose, ¡°Do you like this name?¡±


    It widened its eyes, then it rubbed against Zhou¡¯s knuckles with the tip of his nose while narrowing its eyes. Zhou Yu¡¯s mood softened to become mellow again.


    ¡°It looks like you like the name.¡± Zhou Yu laughed. ¡°¡¯Ink¡¯ means ¡®black¡¯ in my country. It can be used to write or draw. Landscapes of mountains and rivers, clouds and mists, thousand-year-old trees, or fish and shrimp can be painted with ink. It can create a distinctively poetic image¡­ ¡®Night¡¯ is also black, as if it hides a secret. It encompasses all the other colors within it.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± It looked very happy, and its small wings raised up.


    ¡°Good, from now on, you will be called Mo Ye.¡± Zhou Yu had an evil glint in his eye when he grabbed Mo Ye with one hand and intentionally pressed it down with his arm.


    Mo Ye made a ¡°Hrrn¡± sound and pretended to be bullied by Zhou Yu. It rolled over twice but was still restrained by Zhou Yu in the end. It finally rolled over and exposed its belly while looking satisfied.


    Zhou Yu felt Mo Ye¡¯s warmth and slowly fell asleep.


    When he woke up, a ray of sunlight was shining down on his face. He sat up and looked around, then found that Mo Ye had disappeared!


    His heart thumping, Zhou Yu knitted his brows. Hadn¡¯t everything been fine last night? Why did it go missing?


    Zhou Yu even checked back around the ancient tree he was leaning against, but he did not see any trace of Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mo Ye!¡± Zhou Yu lowered his voice and shouted its name.


    Could the little thing have been caught by some other creature while he was asleep? But he shouldn¡¯t have been that deeply asleep! Was it possible that he didn¡¯t respond at all to another creature approaching them?


    Or did Mo Ye, that unloyal thing, take his jokes about eating it up last night seriously and run off to pursue its freedom after he had fallen asleep?


    Zhou Yu sighed. He sat under the tree with his arms crossed. If the little thing did not come back within an hour, he would really leave without it.


    Ten minutes later, nothing had changed.


    Zhou Yu was really worried that it would never come back. If it no longer wanted to stay by his side, then Zhou Yu wouldn¡¯t be feeling this way. However, he was more worried that Mo Ye was in danger. Even though the strong preying upon weak was the law of nature, Zhou Yu still felt soft-hearted.


    Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the thicket. Zhou Yu¡¯s head snapped to its direction as he saw Mo Ye poke out of the bushes with something hanging from its mouth.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: Return to Base


    Zhou Yu¡¯s mood instantly settled down. He picked it up with one hand.


    ¡°Where did you run off to? I almost left without you!¡± Zhou Yu expressed his irritation at his companion lacking in discipline.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye tilted its head and knocked the thing it had in its mouth against Zhou Yu¡¯s mouth.


    Zhou Yu took the branch from it and found that there was a coffee-colored fruit hanging off from every third or fourth leaf. Mo Ye had pressed it to his mouth, could it be that Mo Ye had brought it for him to eat?


    ¡°You want me to eat this?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    Mo Ye nodded.


    ¡°Did you run off because you wanted to find something for me to eat?¡± Zhou Yu asked, uncertain.


    Mo Ye nodded again.


    Zhou Yu felt warmth burning in his chest, he suddenly found Mo Ye to be extremely cute. It knew how to comfort him, it accompanied him in their most dangerous moments, and it took care of him in its own way.


    Zhou Yu enveloped it in a hug.


    Mo Ye¡¯s tiny wings lightly trembled, it seemed to be overjoyed.


    Humans couldn¡¯t eat just anything they found in this place. Mo Ye had only been born a few days prior, so no matter how intelligent it was, it wouldn¡¯t have a better understanding of the organisms in this world than Zhou Yu.


    Mo Ye saw that Zhou Yu only held onto the branch with no intentions of eating the fruit and became discontent. It headbutted Zhou Yu and whined into his ear.


    Zhou Yu thought it was funny. He really was extremely hungry, and if he didn¡¯t eat anything soon, he wouldn¡¯t last long enough to make it out of the forest.


    Zhou Yu plucked a fruit from the branch and sniffed it. It had a faint, sweet scent, and appeared to be refreshing. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t think a fruit like this would be too dangerous for him, and as for whether or not it was edible, he would find out after he ate it. It was similar to how the tomato was considered to be poisonous by their predecessors. It would remain so unless someone tries it, thinks the taste is not too bad, and then wakes up to the early morning sunshine as usual after lying in bed waiting for death the night before.


    Zhou Yu decided to be the ¡®first person to try the tomato¡¯. [1]


    He placed the coffee-colored fruit into his mouth and slowly bit into it. Sweet juice burst out, the taste lingering on his tongue. A refreshing feeling washed over his body and revitalized his spirit. His digestive system also warmed up; just one fruit was enough to make him feel full.


    Zhou Yu ate two more, then plucked off the rest and placed them into a pouch that didn¡¯t have any holes.


    After walking for a long time, Zhou Yu realized that his mental state was still in good shape. He didn¡¯t feel tired and he was clear-headed.


    The fruits Mo Ye had brought him hadn¡¯t been poisonous.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Zhou Yu, poking it with a finger. It immediately latched onto his finger with its mouth.


    Before the sun could set, Zhou Yu finally made it out of the forest.


    He looked up. Bathed in the colors of the sunset, there was a feeling of coming back to life.


    Ahead was an empty yet spacious zone, and the shine of light reflected on metal.


    The base was just up ahead.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu stopped.


    He had pondered over a certain choice his entire journey. Now was time to make his decision.


    He petted Mo Ye, then he placed it on the ground.


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t understand. Zhou Yu kneeled down and looked into its eyes with a solemn expression.


    ¡°Mo Ye, listen up, I¡¯m really grateful for your companionship on this journey, but I can¡¯t bring you to where I¡¯m headed to.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡± Mo Ye tilted its head and looked up with eyes that could melt anyone¡¯s heart.


    However, the softer his heart became, the more clearly Zhou Yu knew that he couldn¡¯t continue to bring it along.


    ¡°Between you and me, we¡¯re equals. I¡¯m not your owner, and you¡¯ve also saved me¡­ So no matter what you think of me as, I consider you a brother-in-arms. The same as my previous vice-captain Chen Chong, my liaison Xiao Mei, my younger brother Zhou Qing¡­ If something happened to any one of them, I would do anything I could to save them, even at the cost of my life. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t stand anyone treating you like an object of research. It would be fine if they were only to observe you, but it¡¯s very likely that you¡¯ll get hurt. They can¡¯t give you the respect and equality you¡¯re expecting¡­ You¡¯re an intelligent creature, your feelings will definitely get hurt.¡±


    Mo Ye really did understand Zhou Yu¡¯s words and the wings on his back drooped downwards.


    ¡°So, go on. However, you must remember the three laws of survival. First, never show fear, fear will mark you as prey. Second, don¡¯t be tempted by beauty, the more beautiful an organism is, the more dangerous they are. And third¡­ it shouldn¡¯t affect you much, but stay as far away as you can from S rank organisms.¡±


    Zhou Yu petted Mo Ye¡¯s head, then gently pushed it away.


    Mo Ye still remained where it was, unmoving.


    Zhou Yu stood up without any hesitation and strode away. Mo Ye remained in its spot, whimpering.


    Once Zhou Yu set his mind to doing something, he would press forward without turning back. However, that was the first time his heart had hurt so much.


    Mo Ye was too small. Even though his adult appearance was unknown, at least he would be free. It would certainly be in better condition than the Perytons locked up in the research center.


    Seeing that Zhou Yu had no intentions of turning back, Mo Ye immediately started stumbling after him on his little claws.


    Zhou Yu abruptly stopped walking and Mo Ye crashed into his leg. Zhou Yu glared down at Mo Ye, ¡°I told you already, stop following me!¡±


    Mo Ye paused in shock, it had never seen Zhou Yu show such an expression before.


    ¡°Do you want to grow up behind a glass box? Do you want to be vivisected for researchers to study your internal organs? Do you want your blood to be sucked dry? Do you want your head to be cracked open and your brain to be cut into slices?¡±


    Mo Ye stepped back a little, frightened.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, it was painfully hot.


    He turned around and quickly left.


    Don¡¯t follow me anymore.


    You and I¡­ we were never of the same world in the first place.


    Mo Ye continued to whimper, making Zhou Yu feel endlessly remorseful. He shouldn¡¯t have named it, because now he will remember its name forever.


    And miss it.


    After Zhou Yu had walked a very far distance away, he finally couldn¡¯t resist turning back.


    In lingering dusk, he could no longer see any trace of Mo Ye.


    There was a particular feeling in Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    But what was done, was done. He would no longer look back, nor would he be reluctant to leave.


    ¡°Goodbye, Mo Ye. You have to become an outstanding organism, and live on proudly.¡±


    When Nibelungen became completely submerged in the night, Zhou Yu arrived at Juli Corp¡¯s base. What he wanted to know the most was whether or not Zhou Qing and the others had arrived safely.


    Zhou Yu walked up to the metal door and placed his palm onto the identification panel. It immediately made contact with the base¡¯s communication center.


    After reporting his employment status and identification code, the metal doors slowly slid open. Zhou Yu knew that human civilization lay just on the other side of that door.


    Armed guards in camo appeared in front of Zhou Yu. Everyone wore a guarded expression, as if Zhou Yu was a monster.


    Zhou Yu frowned as someone walked out from behind them. It was Song Zhi.


    Song Zhi opened his arms, but he didn¡¯t take another step forward.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! How absolutely unimaginable, you were able to return to us after falling from the Angel¡¯s Horns! It¡¯s a miracle.¡±


    Zhou Yu sneered, ¡°Is this how you welcome me back, Mr. Song?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice. The organisms here can be complicated, and we can¡¯t be sure that there aren¡¯t parasitic organisms in you, or that you haven¡¯t brought any germs or infectious diseases with you. You could already be some organism¡¯s ¡°nourishment¡± for reproduction. After you pass our full-body examination, I promise to have a glass of red wine with steak with you.¡±


    Song Zhi pointed to a particular pathway.


    ¡°Leave the wine. The steak, I really need.¡±


    At this time, some people squeezed past the guards. It was Wu Yun and Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing was overjoyed at this unexpected turn of events and wanted to throw himself into an embrace with Zhou Yu. However, Wu Yun held him back.


    ¡°Wait until he finishes the exam.¡± Wu Yun wore a grave expression, but his eyes were happy and hopeful.


    ¡°I understand. Thanks, Wu Yun.¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s caution was just what Zhou Yu had wanted to see. No one knew if something would happen to Zhou Yu¡¯s body one day.


    With the guns of the guards pointed at him, Zhou Yu walked towards the special passageway. Sterilization gases were sprayed onto him. Through the passageway, data from each part of Zhou Yu¡¯s body were measured and scanned before being imported into the computers.


    Everything from his blood circulation to scans for dangerous substances in his body indicated that Zhou Yu was perfectly normal.


    Next, Zhou Yu was instructed to lie down on a bed to undergo an MRI scan.


    Song Zhi came to the monitor room and asked, ¡°How is his body¡¯s condition?¡±


    ¡°Everything is normal.¡±


    Song Zhi narrowed his eyes, ¡°He¡¯s not even injured?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s are no signs of any bleeding or parasites.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s gaze dimmed, ¡°He fell from the Angel¡¯s Horns! It¡¯s impossible for him to return without the slightest injury.¡±


    The last step was drawing blood for testing. All results indicated that everything was normal, there were no signs of harmful bacterial or viral infections, and in fact, each indicator showed him to be more healthy than the average person. He was in peak condition.


    ¡°There really are no problems,¡± The monitoring staff replied.


    Song Zhi nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine. He¡¯s very special, I don¡¯t hope to see him die either.¡±


    However, suspicion still clouded his eyes.


    Just as Zhou Yu walked out, he was hugged by Zhou Qing.


    ¡°You¡¯re not dead! Wonderful! You¡¯re really alive! Simply wonderful!¡±


    Feeling the temperature of Zhou Qing¡¯s body heat, Zhou Yu experienced the sensation of truly feeling like he was alive again.


    Wu Yun came to stand in front of him and fist bumped him.


    ¡°Looks like I don¡¯t need to find a new partner anymore!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your name first?¡± smiled Zhou Yu.

 CH 25

    Chapter 25: Life at the Base


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    Wu Yun shook his head with his hands in his pockets, ¡°You have no idea how I felt, seeing you fall right in front of my eyes. If changing my name means that nothing like that will ever happen to you again, then I¡¯ll change it immediately!¡±


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    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m not dead,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    ¡°You¡¯re someone I personally invited here, I was very sad when I heard that something happened to you. If you had died, then I would have really been disappointed.¡± Song Zhi extended his hand to Zhou Yu.


    The man was truly ice-cold. He could examine everything with absolute calm and disregard anything unrelated. He only had his eyes on the results he wanted.


    Zhou Yu was a key component of his plans, losing him was indeed a loss for Song Zhi.


    Zhou Yu shook Song Zhi¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. Song, you know¡­ I have a reason to keep on living.¡±


    Song Zhi looked at Zhou Yu, then nodded, ¡°Juli Corp keeps its promises. Professor Zhou has received the best research opportunities here, as well as first-rate medical treatment. I think you should all have a lot of things to say to each other, the cafeteria will be open to you until midnight. I hope you¡¯ll have a pleasant night.¡±


    That night, Wu Yun, Zhou Yu and the rest stuffed themselves in the cafeteria. Wu Yun handed Zhou Yu two cans of beer.


    ¡°Hey, the supplies here are a little short, beer and cigarettes are considered luxuries.¡±


    ¡°What about red wine?¡± Zhou Yu opened the beer and made a toast with Wu Yun.


    ¡°Probably something only someone of Song Zhi¡¯s caliber could indulge in.¡±


    ¡°Song Zhi looks young, but he¡¯s already at an important position in Juli Corp. It¡¯s pretty unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Legend has it¡­ And I¡¯m talking about a legend¡­¡± whispered Li Qian, ¡°Mr. Song once crossed paths with an S rank organism, and he almost killed it¡­¡±


    ¡°Kill an S rank organism? That¡¯s an apex predator! I heard the previous based was destroyed because of an S rank organism.¡±


    Dr. Daniel was doubtful.


    ¡°What shocking news. I¡¯ve never heard of it in all my years working at Juli Corp.¡± Wu Yun smiled, but his eyes told Zhou Yu that not all of it was complete nonsense.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s fingertips imperceptibly trembled. He thought of the S rank organism that had once saved him. As for the voice in his head, he had not heard it echo again.


    Everyone started to talk about their upcoming plans. Li Qian only had to stay in the base to do system maintenance and related programming designs. Han Li and Dr. Daniel would stay with the medical team. Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were to wait for their assigned missions.


    ¡°Is your body still okay?¡± Zhou Yu asked Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m not experiencing any negative reactions right now. A thorough brain examination was done when I got here. It¡¯s strange, the tumor hasn¡¯t grown. Also, I¡¯ve completely stopped taking the medication with negative side-effects that was prescribed to me.¡± Zhou Qing said, smiling.


    A heavy weight finally lifted from Zhou Yu¡¯s chest.


    It was the most scrumptious dinner Zhou Yu had after arriving in Nibelungen.


    After dinner, Wu Yun showed Zhou Yu around the base to familiarize him with the environment. Security guards, as well as field work personnel and researchers, outnumbered the logistics employees 3 to 1. Naturally, the turnover and mortality rates of the security guards and the field workers were the highest. Those who had been at the destroyed base were known to be the best of the best. Song Zhi had come to Nibelungen because of that base.


    The area of the base was limited, and everyone had their own small living area.


    Wu Yun termed their living quarters the ¡°sleep capsule.¡±


    When Zhou Yu opened the door to the room he had been allocated, he couldn¡¯t help but admit that Wu Yun¡¯s comparison had hit the nail on the head.


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    How was it doing? Had it found something to eat? Was it resting well? Maybe it was frightened?


    Zhou Yu had the fruits Mo Ye brought to him in his hand. He tossed one of them into his mouth. Its sweet, pleasant taste relaxed his mood, but he still could not fall asleep no matter what.


    After searching forever, he finally found a spare pillow. Zhou Yu hugged it close and pretended that it was Mo Ye.


    But Mo Ye was even softer and warmer.


    Live well, Mo Ye.


    You have to grow up and become strong.


    Then you¡¯ll have the freedom to do the things you want to do.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu¡¯s intercom sounded. Song Zhi¡¯s voice came from it.


    ¡°I know you need the rest, but I have a few questions that I need answered, or else I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡±


    Zhou Yu knew what Song Zhi wanted to ask.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in my office.¡±


    Then, the line was cut short.


    Zhou Yu quickly got up and left his room. The deepest part of the base was also known to be the safest place¡ªSong Zhi¡¯s office.


    The office wasn¡¯t large, it was just big enough to fit a desk and two chairs.


    Song Zhi had his hands clasped as if he had been waiting for Zhou Yu for a long time. He was like a hunter lying in wait beneath the shadows; no lies could escape his gaze.


    When Zhou Yu sat down, the door to the office automatically locked itself.


    A bottle of red wine really was placed down in front of Zhou Yu.


    Although Zhou Yu didn¡¯t understand wine, he could tell this was no cheap bottle from the tears of the wine. [1]


    ¡°You can ask me the questions,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°I could have added truth serum to the wine, but I did not. I want to hear you tell the truth. Any secrets you hide could be the reason for your companions¡¯ and your brother¡¯s deaths,¡± said Song Zhi.


    ¡°Then, may I ask you a question first?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    ¡°You may,¡± nodded Song Zhi.


    ¡°Have you really made contact with an S rank organism before?


    ¡°Yes. It was beautiful. When I say ¡®beautiful¡¯, I don¡¯t mean its appearance. I mean the arrogance of its freedom to look down on all other organisms,¡± Song Zhi replied with no hesitation or ponderance.


    ¡°Then, did it entice you?¡± Zhou Yu questioned again.


    Song Zhi looked down and chuckled, ¡°It didn¡¯t need to entice me. Its mere existence was gravity.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    ¡°That was merely my due to my good luck, as well as my misfortune. I angered it and it punished me with the most effective and direct method.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Song Zhi, his ice-cold gaze was overflowing with sorrow.


    ¡°My fianc¨¦e had also been a researcher here. She was the one who researched how to manufacture the bullets fatal to the organisms here. The S rank organism took her away and forced her to conceive its child. That child took her life. I¡¯ve been searching for it, but I never saw it again.¡±


    Zhou Yu had never expected that Song Zhi had been through such an experience.


    ¡°All of my students, researchers, colleagues, and my most significant friends became its source of nourishment. That¡¯s why I know how dangerous they are better than anyone. In one moment, they will make you feel like you¡¯ve ascended to heaven, and in the next, you¡¯re plunged into the abyss of hell.¡±


    Zhou Yu saw the frost in Song Zhi¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to ask you questions. I hope you¡¯ll answer me truthfully, take it as doing it for Professor Zhou.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


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    ¡°What about the reverse-scaled dragon? It let you go, just like that?¡±


    ¡°I saw the reverse-scaled dragon coming towards me to kill me, but¡­ an organism blocked it in front of me and killed the dragon.¡±


    ¡°If an organism killed the reverse scaled dragon, it would at least be A ranked. Is there anything else you¡¯re not sure of or you think was an illusion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought I saw a youth save me. Then I was by the shore when I woke up.¡±


    After Zhou Yu spoke, he studied Song Zhi¡¯s expression carefully.


    Song Zhi raised his hand to cover his forehead, then he remained silent for a long time.


    ¡°Did I come across an S rank organism?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    ¡°I think, yes.¡±


    ¡°It could be a coincidence, it never appeared again,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    Song Zhi shook his head and helplessly smiled, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t save a human being for no reason, they¡¯re too proud. They wouldn¡¯t spare a second glance at any creature beneath them. You must be its target, yet we have completely no idea what its standards are in choosing you as its target.¡±


    Zhou Yu was not surprised at all when he heard that news.


    ¡°Be more careful, I hope to see you alive long enough to return to our world.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded, then he left Song Zhi¡¯s office.


    Song Zhi¡¯s judgement and his sensitivity towards the existence of S rank organisms was exceedingly sharp.


    However, life was a one-way trip, and no matter if the S rank organism would appear on this trip again, the destination would never change.


    Since the outcome was set, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was calm.


    When he had almost reached his room, he saw a few of the field workers chatting.


    ¡°Have you heard? Team alpha brought an A rank organism back from their mission!¡±

 CH 26

    Chapter 26: Night Spirit


    ¡°Team alpha? An A rank organism? How many people did they lose?¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a single casualty, it was an orphaned pup. It was probably born just a few days ago!¡±


    ¡°What a lucky find! They won¡¯t be able to spend all of that huge commission fee from Juli Corp for the rest of their lives!¡±


    Zhou Yu paused. He thought that Mo Ye was pretty lucky to not have ended up like that A rank organism. Despite all its power, it still ended up as research material.


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    It was scared. It was crying for help.


    Zhou Yu suddenly opened his eyes, overcome by a bad premonition. He pushed aside the covers and dashed out.


    At night, the base entered into a secured state. Zhou Yu was only able to move around in the resting area for field personnel, he couldn¡¯t go anywhere else.


    Zhou Yu immediately contacted Song Zhi through the intercom.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I want to see the A rank organism team alpha brought back!¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I will grant you access privileges. It¡¯s in the biological conservation center in area X.¡± Song Zhi agreed without asking for any explanations.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zhou Yu opened the passageway and quickly headed for area X.


    There were various types of life forms isolated behind transparent walls and all kinds of plants were growing there as well. It reminded Zhou Yu of the first time he had been inside Juli Corp¡¯s research center in that desolate botanical garden.


    At the innermost corner of the area, Zhou Yu saw researchers bustling about and also Song Zhi in a black suit.


    Song Zhi turned with his arms crossed in contemplation and saw Zhou Yu.


    In the glass box behind him was Mo Ye!


    It was curled up inside, looking downcast. Even its ears and wings were drooping.


    ¡°Why is it here¡­¡± Zhou Yu walked up to the glass wall and placed his palm onto it.


    ¡°You recognize it?¡± Song Zhi looked at Zhou Yu with interest, ¡°Looks like there are still many secrets you haven¡¯t told me.¡±


    ¡°How did you capture it?¡± Zhou Yu asked Song Zhi.


    There was an oppressive edge to his gaze.


    ¡°It climbed onto team alpha¡¯s car. They discovered it when they were scanned upon returning to the base.¡± Song Zhi watched Zhou Yu¡¯s expression, then he suddenly came to a realization, ¡°It came to find you, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Zhou Yu clenched his fist, neither confirming nor denying it.


    ¡°This type of creature is called a night spirit. It won¡¯t grow to be very big and it¡¯s not strong at attacking, but it is very rare,¡° Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°If it has a docile temperament, why is it classified as A-rank?¡±


    ¡°Organisms are not ranked by their level of danger. It¡¯s just that in the usual case, higher ranked organisms have more destructive potential. However, the night spirit¡­ their bodies contain a special type of enzyme that is only emitted for only a brief period of time. It can speed up the healing process of wounds, promoting the synthesis of hemoglobin. It¡¯s completely miraculous, and it has top research value.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips trembled. No wonder he had been able to survive after being stabbed by all those sharp-beaked fish, it was because of Mo Ye!


    ¡°We¡¯ve been wanting to study such an organism for a long time, but they truly are very rare. We¡¯ve only been able to find the remains of such a creature before. The research team was able to use those remains to clone a night spirit. However, the base was destroyed and the embryo vanished from the face of the earth.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s face remained expressionless, but in his heart, he understood that Mo Ye was the clone created by the research team.


    Nevertheless, Song Zhi was observant enough to detect the change in Zhou Yi¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Wu Yun mentioned in his report that he tried to bring back a box containing an embryo, which had been successfully incubated. Unfortunately, the surviving hatchling fell into the Angel¡¯s Tears with you¡­ therefore, this must be¡­¡± Song Zhi pointed to Mo Ye on the other side of the glass wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    ¡°You should have reported that to me.¡± Song Zhi didn¡¯t seem to intend to criticize Zhou Yu, but his tone was very low.


    In any case, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t plan on lying. He looked at Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye, who had been curled up the entire time, seemed to sense Zhou Yu¡¯s line of sight and slowly raised its head. When its gaze met Zhou Yu¡¯s, its ears perked up and its little wings started to flap. It charged at Zhou Yu, but it knocked into the glass wall and bounced back instead.


    It immediately got back up and switched to a different position to rush forward, only to crash into the glass again.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Stop!¡± Zhou Yu beat the glass.


    Mo Ye, however, was persistent. He rammed into the glass again and again. It was unable to comprehend how it was separated from Zhou Yu, who was just in front of it.


    It started running towards him with more and more power so that even the glass walls started to tremble. Each time it fell down it showed a hurt expression. It looked miserably at Zhou Yu, but it continued to use even more force the next time.


    It glared with its large eyes, angry. It retreated to the furthest corner and madly ran forward.


    Zhou Yu was struck with terror. Mo Ye seemed to be unhesitant in destroying itself in order to enter into Zhou Yu¡¯s world


    The monitors issued a warning. The researchers had no choice but to look to Song Zhi for instructions, ¡°Mr. Song, if this continues¡­ That night spirit will ram itself to death¡­¡±


    ¡°Release a sedative gas,¡± Song Zhi issued an order.


    ¡°That won¡¯t work, the sedative gas is ineffective against this type of organism! The enzyme in their body will quickly neutralize the sedative!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Let it out!¡± Zhou Yu hauled up the researcher by the collar.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Song Zhi walked over and placed his hand on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Night spirits are extremely fast creatures. If we let it out then it will be very hard to capture it again.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll watch it ram itself to death?¡±


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    ¡°Mr. Song, according to the scan results, it has already cracked its shoulder bone from the impact of repeated collisions.¡±


    ¡°Ignore it. Night spirits have a strong recovery ability.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The researchers were shocked.


    Song Zhi only looked at Zhou Yu through his downturned eyelashes, ¡°You planned on releasing it into freedom, didn¡¯t you? Since it did not cherish that freedom, then it must pay the price.¡±


    Zhou Yu clenched his fist, he knew deep in his heart that once Mo Ye was fixed on doing something, it would do it even if it split open its own skull. In Mo Ye¡¯s mind, he, Zhou Yu, was more important than its freedom.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t let it out, then let me in,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, don¡¯t do anything foolish,¡± Song Zhi coldly warned him.


    ¡°Foolish? Do you think I¡¯ll run off with it? A small team of guards is more than capable of beating me into pulp. You would you rather study a night spirit dead than alive?¡±


    After Zhou Yu spoke, the other researchers looked to Song Zhi as well.


    Song Zhi sighed again, ¡°Fine, let Zhou Yu in. I absolutely won¡¯t allow that night spirit to come out.¡±


    Saying that, Song Zhi turned around and left.


    Zhou Yu came to the double-layered entrance. He walked in when the first door opened.


    When Mo Ye understood that Zhou Yu was going to come inside, it immediately hurried to the door and started banging on it with its claws.


    When the outer door closed, the second, inner door opened. Mo Ye leaped up and threw itself into Zhou Yu¡¯s embrace.


    Zhou Yu held it, it was soft and warm, but also much lighter.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave? Why didn¡¯t you listen? Now you¡¯re stuck behind a glass room, are you happy??¡±


    Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye while sighing over Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye rubbed its head all over Zhou Yu¡¯s chest, and hooked its claws onto Zhou Yu¡¯s collar, refusing to let go.


    Zhou Yu leaned against the wall and sat down while feeling around its ears and wings. Just as he touched its left wing, it cried out. It had been fractured when it was running into the glass.


    ¡°You little dummy. This glass is made with special materials, its density surpasses metal. You can¡¯t break it,¡± Zhou Yu sighed. If there was anything left in the world that could make him feel so helpless, it was probably just Mo Ye.


    Mo Yu sniffed the finger Zhou Yu had used to poke him with an expression of anticipation. Zhou Yu realized what it wanted to do, so he sent his index finger into Mo Ye¡¯s mouth. Its little tongue wrapped around him as expected, and after a slight sting, Zhou Yu felt an indescribable mood wash over him.


    Unwilling to part, reluctant to let go.


    It was the first time Zhou Yu really felt like he was the center of the world to another being.


    Mo Ye turned to the side and nestled on top of Zhou¡¯s leg. It squinted and displayed a pleased look.


    Zhou Yu helplessly shook his head.


    Mo Ye raised its fractured wing and it let out a crackling sound, then it flapped the wing lightly.


    Zhou Yu knew that it had recovered.


    He couldn¡¯t feel Mo Ye sucking on him anymore, it was probably full now. Zhou Yu stroked its back, its soft down slowly rose and fell with its breaths, like a gentle wave. Everything was peaceful.


    Zhou Yu thought that Mo Ye had fallen asleep. Just as he was about to retrieve his finger, Mo Ye suddenly opened its eyes and looked at Zhou Yu with alertness. It bit down hard on Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, and although it didn¡¯t hurt, he was completely unable to break free from it.

 CH 27

    Chapter 27: The El Ni?o Water Dragon


    Zhou Yu could only continue petting its back with his other finger. Only then did it eventually calm down.


    After a long while, Mo Ye really did fall asleep as its breaths gradually became more shallow. Zhou Yu placed it down on the floor, stood up, and left.


    He went to the surveillance room and started chatting with the chief researcher, Carlos.


    ¡°I never expected to be able to see a living night spirit in all my years. This species is nearly extinct in Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°Will you hurt it?¡± This was what Zhou Yu was the most concerned about.


    At this stage, it was impossible for him to take Mo Ye away, not to mention that Juli Corp had control over the way back to his world.


    ¡°Of course not! It has research value only if it is alive! We will carefully extract its saliva and not hurt it! Look at how beautiful it is!¡± Carlos stood in front of the glass wall and looked at Mo Ye with an almost reverent gaze.


    Zhou Yu was a little surprised. It was the first time he had heard that little black thing referred to as ¡°beautiful¡±. Sure enough, the world of academics was different from the world of normal people.


    ¡°What about its habits? For example, what does it eat?¡±


    ¡°Before we got hold of it, we had nothing on it. But according to the data from our sensors, when it was holding your finger just now, it had been sucking your blood.¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought¡­¡±


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    ¡°Yes. Instead, it made your body healthier,¡± Carlos shrugged his shoulders.


    Zhou Yu nodded, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯m going back to rest. If anything happens to Mo Ye¡­ that night spirit, please let me know.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Carlos nodded, then suddenly asked, ¡°Did you give it a name?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Yu answered, ¡°It¡¯s called Mo Ye, it means ¡®a night as black as ink¡¯.¡±


    Back in the room, Zhou Yu lay down on his narrow bed. He had not received any tasks in these two days, so he was finally able to have a good rest.


    The next morning, Zhou Yu¡¯s intercom sounded and Wu Yun¡¯s voice came from it, ¡°Hey, bro! We need to head out! A research team out collecting important plant samples is currently trapped.¡±


    Zhou Yu jumped up and glanced at his watch. He found that he had only slept for five hours.


    However, that was enough for Zhou Yu. When he left the room, he saw the two coffee-colored fruits lying on the bed. He took them with him without hesitating.


    After checking their equipment, he and Wu Yun quickly walked over to the surface level of the base.


    Several younger field workers followed behind them.


    Wu Yun nudged Zhou Yu with his elbow and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s always a pain bringing rookies on missions.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all newcomers?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Yeah. They think they know how dangerous Nibelungen is, but they don¡¯t. They want to show off their abilities in order to win the backing of Juli Corp and then wait for the money to flow into their pockets. They think they¡¯ll spend the rest of their lives lying on the beach somewhere in Hawaii, drinking cocktails and ogling beauties in bikinis.¡±


    ¡°By the time they get back, maybe inflation will have made the money they exchanged their lives for worthless already.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, what a cold sense of humor, I like it,¡± Wu Yun gave Zhou Yu a thumbs up.


    In front of them were two helicopters on standby.


    Stepping into the cabin, Zhou Yu suddenly thought of something, ¡°Hey, did you introduce yourself to the rookies?¡±


    Wu Yun touched his nose and laughed, ¡°A warning would be useless if no one listens, and suggestions that aren¡¯t followed are also worthless. Don¡¯t you know the significance of this task?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to rescue the researchers?¡±


    ¡°Whether those two researchers are still alive or not is still up in the air. The true purpose of this task is a screening and, if possible, to retrieve the research data of the researchers. Every researcher carries a recorder with them when they go out into the field that records everything they do, including conjectures based on on-site observations. If they can¡¯t be saved, then it becomes vital to bring their recorder back. Juli Corp will not spend an exorbitant amount of money to support anyone worthless. Those who survive repeated missions are the ones who deserve their money.¡±


    ¡°Others just get compensation pay, right?¡±


    Wu Yun shrugged without answering.


    Two of the newbies also got in their helicopter. They were about the same age as Zhou Yu and also looked like seasoned veterans. There was unconcealed pride in their eyes and they showed no intentions of initiating conversation with their senior, Wu Yun. One of them was from Korea, named Kim Joo-won, and the other was from Japan, surnamed Yamamoto.


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    ¡°Me? My life previous life had been miserable. I was finally about to marry my girlfriend of ten years, but she got pregnant with someone else¡¯s child¡ªand that someone was my close friend! If that wasn¡¯t enough, she then planned with him to kill me! In all my rage, I took a knife and killed the two of them instead! At this point, I can only stay in Nibelungen.¡± Wu Yun spoke in English, allowing everyone to understand him.


    Sitting opposite of Wu Yun, Kim Joo-won and Yamamoto both showed sympathetic, yet somewhat contemptuous, expressions.


    They sympathized with his girlfriend¡¯s betrayal, but were contemptuous that he had fallen to such a level over a woman.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Professor Zhou is at the base. While you¡¯re away, he¡¯ll go to see Mo Ye.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Now was not the time to worry about Mo Ye.


    Very soon, the helicopter flew to a crater-like place.


    Looking down from above, there was a lake in the center of the volcanic crater. It was surrounded by green vegetation, appearing like a transparent sapphire inlaid in jadeite.


    A gleam of sunlight only added a bright halo around its elegance.


    Such beauty was not at all common.


    As the shadow of the helicopter passed over the lake, several winged, dragon-like creatures suddenly sprung out from beneath.


    The water splashed up several meters high and fell back down with a crash.


    The dragon-like creatures sped up towards the helicopter like sharp arrows released from the bow.


    The pilot had no choice but to adjust their angle. Zhou Yu and the others were almost flung out of the cabin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Wu Yun shouted and jumped out of the hatch.


    Zhou Yu followed closely behind.


    They were wearing wingsuits, and they glided down in the air with their arms outstretched.


    The two other team members also jumped off after them.


    However, the other helicopter was not so fortunate.


    The dragon-like creatures were ¡®El Ni?o Water Dragons,¡¯ nicknamed ¡®El Ni?os,¡¯ due to the fact that they were unpredictable, just like the El Ni?o phenomenon. Generally, aquatic organisms would evolve fins to maintain their balance in the water, but El Ni?o water dragons retained both of their wings and often leaped out from beneath the water¡¯s surface to catch their prey. Their dynamic vision was very strong, and they often attacked moving objects. They were one of the few organisms in Nibelungen that didn¡¯t hunt based on fear.[1]


    The dragons were capable of being very destructive, and their wings unimaginably powerful. They could pierce through the chassis of the helicopter and drag out the humans who weren¡¯t able to jump out in time to tear them apart in mid-air.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were already used to situations like this, and they were able to maintain their balance while gliding in the air.


    However, Kim Joo-won and Yamamoto, who jumped down with them, had almost dropped off from the shock.


    Wu Yun gestured at Zhou Yu to descend. Their goal was to complete the task, there was no time to spare for the rookies. Those who were truly strong would be able to adjust their mentality at the most critical moment and seize onto any opportunity to live from even the narrowest of crevices.


    A dragon was coming head-on towards Zhou Yu, its gaping jaws capable of snapping him into two from the middle. No one could see Zhou Yu¡¯s movements clearly, except that he pulled out the gun from his waist, drew an arc in the air, and shot into the mouth of the water dragon.


    The entire series of actions took less than a minute, and Zhou Yu was able to keep his balance throughout.


    The dragon let out a cry and fell back down.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s movements were fluid and natural in the air. Wu Yun gave him a thumbs up, while Kim Joo-won and Yamamoto revealed amazed expressions. However, before they were able to ponder over how Zhou Yu had killed the water dragon, another one charged at Yamamoto.


    He wanted to pull out his gun, but his actions were too slow. Before he could draw his weapon, the dragon bit down on him.


    Yamamoto didn¡¯t suffer for too long before being swallowed by the dragon.

 CH 28

    Chapter 28: The Underground Kingdom


    Kim Joo-won glided past him. In such close proximity to the scene, his face had turned pale.


    ¡°Focus, prepare to land!¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s shout brought him back to his senses.


    The three of them descended from high altitude, getting further away from the lake where the aquatic dragons were and gradually losing sight of them.


    They landed on a tree. Zhou Yu looked down to check the conditions below before hitting the ground. Wu Yun followed behind him and they stood back to back with their guns out.


    The only rookie on their team, Kim Joo-won, also landed. He immediately came to where Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were to create a triangular formation.


    Wu Yun glanced at the locator on his wrist. All the researchers had a tracking device around their ankles that could send signals to the locator to determine their location when they were out on assignments.


    The locator showed that the two researchers were close by.


    Wu Yun made a hand gesture. The newcomer held up his gun and followed Wu Yun. Zhou Yu maintained a position that kept his back towards them, defending their rear.


    Before them lay a forest of ancient trees. Their gnarled and twisted roots had grown out above the soil.


    Wu Yun stopped. The rookie beside him was about to continue walking, but was stopped by Wu Yun.


    ¡°Careful, that¡¯s not an ordinary tree.¡±


    Plants without a consciousness were classified as E rank organisms, which was the safest category.


    Kim Joo-won looked to the side and saw that within the twisted roots of the tree, there was the impaled body of a researcher that had been absorbed inside. He had become nutrition for that tree.


    ¡°My God¡­¡± Kim Joo-won wore an expression of astonishment.


    It was no longer the first time that Zhou Yu had been in such a situation. Last time, when he had been in the primitive forest with Mo Ye, he also saw a vine that attracted prey using the sweetness of its fruit, then wrapped around them to absorb their nutrients.


    His body did not tremble at all.


    ¡°How¡­ Do we rescue him?¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s too late for him¡­ He can¡¯t be saved¡­¡±


    The researcher seemed to hear the sound of their conversation and he opened his eyes slightly. His eyes were full of hope and his lips opened and closed.


    ¡°What is he saying?¡± Kim Joo-won asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s saying, ¡®Please kill me¡¯,¡± Wu Yun answered.


    He was under excruciating pain. Every minute and every second of being alive was torture.


    When Wu Yun raised his gun, no one stopped him. However, instead of shooting the researcher, he aimed at the tree.


    With a bang, the bullet sank into its trunk and the neurotoxin began to spread inside of it. The tree quickly withered, split open in the middle, and fell with a rumble.


    Zhou Yu took a step to the side just as the tree fell beside him.


    Wu Yun came to the destroyed root of the tree. The painful expression of the researcher gradually became peaceful as the neurotoxins dispersed in his bloodstream.


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    The meaning behind ¡®finished¡¯ was whether the researcher had died. In this world, death was sometimes a form of release.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wu Yun nodded.


    As he walked toward Zhou Yu, he checked the locator on his wrist and said, ¡°The other researcher probably won¡¯t be any better off.¡±


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu pulled the trigger of his gun, the bullet whipping past Wu Yun¡¯s shoulder. Wu Yun quickly dodged. The rookie also starting shooting, the sound of their gunfire was particularly loud in the deathly still of the primitive forest.


    Wu Yun turned back and saw the dead researcher shakily stand up. His gaze was unfocused and his eyeballs were completely white. The limbs that had been broken by the tree roots were hanging limp, and each step he took brought him closer to Wu Yun.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? The bullets aren¡¯t killing him!¡±


    Kim Joo-won retreated step by step, he had used up all his bullets.


    The researcher came up to him and opened his mouth to bite him. There seemed to be a mass of roots from a plant inside of his mouth.


    Zhou Yu quickly drew out a dagger from his side and threw it out, striking it squarely into its head.


    Kim Joo-won had never seen anything like this before, ¡°This¡­ is a corpse?¡±


    Wu Yun yanked him back, ¡°Not a corpse¡­  He had already been infested with parasites before he got captured by the roots of the tree.¡±


    They looked down and saw that something was stretching out from the earth beneath the researcher¡¯s feet.


    ¡°We got him, but not the parasite in his body.¡±


    Wu Yun aimed at his feet, but before he had time to shoot, something quickly sprouted from the bullet hole in its head, bursting from its skull and speeding into the sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s mistletoe!¡±


    Just as those words were said, the mistletoe fell down to the side because there were no trees nearby to climb up.


    Zhou Yu did not hesitate to shoot. The mistletoe rapidly withered and decayed.


    The rookie let of a breath of relief.


    Wu Yun indicated the direction with his chin, ¡°Shall we leave?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more researcher left. If he¡¯s alive, then we¡¯ll find him, and if he¡¯s dead, then we¡¯ll find his corpse.¡± Zhou Yu held up his gun and continued forward.


    Along the way, they saw many ancient trees. Those trees seemed peaceful, but Zhou Yu could almost hear them breathing.


    At the root of an ancient tree, Zhou Yu saw some tattered scraps of camouflage fabric, which must have been left behind by the guards who had been protecting the two researchers. Those trees were capable of attacking, but at that moment they kept silent, biding their time.


    Once Zhou Yu and the rest moved in too deep, they would launch their attack, giving them no chance to escape.


    They seemed to be the guardians of this piece of land, steadfastly protecting something.


    Zhou Yu looked at Wu Yun and Wu Yun nodded. The three of them took out and put on respirator masks. Wu Yun then took out a grenade-like object and threw it high into the air.


    The grenade whined, spewing out a light yellow gas in all directions which rapidly spread through the air.


    The trees started to stir, and their roots slowly reached out from the soil, attacking them as if they were on their deathbed.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were both calm, but Kim Joo-won was nervous. He was no longer as arrogant as he had been in the beginning. Wu Yun had experience and Zhou Yu possessed the ability to make snap judgments. He had to keep up with them in order to survive.


    The effect of nerve anesthetics was strongest in the first ten minutes, and the trees gradually stopped responding. It had been specially formulated by the researchers before Wu Yun started the mission.


    It seemed that the people who came here before did not expect such a situation.


    In Nibelungen, everyone survived on the experience of others. Those experiences were often exchanged at the cost of lives.


    Wu Yun made a ¡®forward¡¯ gesture.


    Following the locator, they came to a cave.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Do you think he was dragged inside by some dangerous organism, or did he hide in there from them?¡± Wu Yun raised his eyebrows.


    Zhou Yu clicked on his high-powered flashlight to light up the place.


    The tunnel was deep enough that the flashlight¡¯s beam reached its limit of more than a dozen meters without hitting anything.


    ¡°Are we really going in there?¡± Kim Joo-won looked at Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.


    It had only been a few minutes since the attack of the water dragons on the helicopters to the ancient trees that preyed upon living creatures and the mistletoe that grew from human bodies. He hadn¡¯t even had the time to catch his breath yet, were they going to walk right into danger again?


    ¡°Did Song Zhi say why he sent the researchers here?¡± Zhou Yu asked. Having reached this point, Zhou Yu felt that it was necessary to clarify what they are facing.


    ¡°There¡¯s an A rank organism growing here¡ªElpis. It has a consciousness and can even think and respond to the external environment. According to the research department¡¯s estimates, there is a fruit of Elpis about to ripen. They were here to obtain that fruit,¡± Wu Yun answered.


    ¡°How many guards were there besides the two researchers?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    He disliked this kind of ambiguous mission the most.


    ¡°Twelve guards,¡± Wu Yun frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not an insignificant number, but not one has made contact with the base. They were probably all overwhelmed by the ancient trees. The ancient tree species we saw just now is the guardian of Elpis. There are two kinds of fruits of Elpis: one is a seed that is carried by organisms that live near Elpis to its surrounding area, then it will grow into the ancient trees that we can see right now when it¡¯s buried in the soil. Their entire lives will be dedicated to defending Elpis from all those who trespass on its domain. Another kind of seed is one which Elpis produces only once in a thousand years to cultivate its descendant. When the young sapling grows up, it will absorb all the nutrients of the old tree and the old tree will wither and die.¡±


    ¡°So they came to obtain that special kind of fruit?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wu Yun looked at the rookie and said, ¡°Hey, you stand guard outside the cave, just in case.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. What if those guards come and attack me?¡±


    ¡°Then shoot them,¡± Wu Yun simply said, ¡°Or are you coming with us?¡±


    Looking into the cave that was completely void of light, Kim Joo-won hesitated for a few seconds before nodding, ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll stand guard outside.¡±


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun nodded, then they opened their flashlights and went inside.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Wu Yun asked aloud.


    ¡°What do you think is in the cave?¡±


    They were still just barely within reach of the sunlight.


    ¡°Elpis is inside,¡± Wu Yun said, ¡°But have you hear of trees that grow in caves?¡±


    ¡°This is Nibelungen, anything is possible.¡±


    When the darkness completely submerged them, Zhou Yu could not even see Wu Yun, who was right beside him.


    The road underneath their feet was bumpy and uneven. It was easy to step onto what felt like were masses of roots, making it easy to trip and fall.


    Zhou Yu spoke into the darkness, ¡°Before we get close to the center of the cave, can you tell me why you have to complete this mission?¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s footsteps stopped.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what we should do? Loyalty to the agency. Juli Corp pays us and we sacrifice our lives. We go get whatever they want to have.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s tone was chilly in the darkness.


    ¡°Is that so? Is there any task that is more important than life? We are now entering a very dangerous situation. In fact, you could have gone back and told Juli Corp that all the researchers and guards were killed by the guardians of Elpis, and that we could not even get close to Elpis. We have only three people whereas the team of twelve guards already failed to complete the task. Even if we aren¡¯t able to complete it, Song Zhi can¡¯t blame us for anything. Unless Song Zhi gave you a death command, that for certain reasons, you are compelled to carry out,¡± Zhou Yu calmly analyzed.


    ¡°¡­ I do have a reason I need to complete the mission. I made up the nonsense I said today in the helicopter because I¡¯m not used to telling others what I¡¯m shouldering.¡±


    ¡°Your burden won¡¯t become my burden just because you told me about it.¡±


    Wu Yun chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s why I like you, Zhou Yu. You¡¯re frank, straightforward, and will occasionally tell some hurtful truths. My wife never messed around with anyone, and on the contrary, we had a good relationship. She was eight months pregnant when she was involved in a car accident and passed away. The doctors saved the child through an emergency cesarean section¡­. it was a girl. Just as you spare no effort to protect Zhou Qing, my daughter is everything to me. But when she was eight years old, she was diagnosed with lupus erythematosus, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Then Juli Corp found you.¡± Zhou Yu continued walking.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, if you find yourself in danger, you don¡¯t have to worry about me, just retreat immediately,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do meaningless things. If you¡¯ll die even if I try my best, then, of course, I wouldn¡¯t waste my life on it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That hurt.¡± Wu Yun sounded wronged but carried a hint of a smile in his voice.


    ¡°You just said that you like my straightforward and occasionally hurtful truths.¡±


    As they walked on, Wu Yun¡¯s locator indicated that the missing researcher was just more than a hundred meters ahead.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this cave a little too deep?¡± Wu Yun muttered.


    ¡°Rather than a cave, it seems more like a tunnel to somewhere.¡±


    Just as Wu Yun was about to take another step forward, Zhou Yu held him back, ¡°Careful!¡±


    Aiming his flashlight ahead, Wu Yun found himself in front of a vertically descending pit.


    Some loose pebbles fell down into it, their pitter-patters echoing back.


    Falling in at this height meant that you weren¡¯t human if you didn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Still going down?¡± Wu Yun asked for Zhou Yu¡¯s opinion. After all, Zhou Yu could still quit now.


    The mission was too dangerous. From a rational point of view, Zhou Yu knew that he should leave now, and also stop Wu Yun.


    But there was an inexplicable desire deep in a corner of his mind.


    The darkest and most bottomless of places held secrets that were the most worth exploring.


    And that secret was itching at Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go down and have a look.¡± Zhou Yu took out some rope.


    Because they had glided down in wingsuits, they didn¡¯t carry much equipment with them.


    ¡°If the rope isn¡¯t long enough to reach the bottom, then we¡¯ll give up the mission and head back.¡± Wu Yun was clear about why Zhou Yu chose to continue the mission.


    Fixing the rope in place, they slowly descended.


    Zhou Yu pinned the flashlight onto his shoulder and adjusted its path of light.


    As they went downwards, they could see marks on the walls of the cave.


    Zhou Yu placed his palm over them. Although he wasn¡¯t knowledgable about geology, he had a feeling that the cave was not naturally formed, as if it had been dug up by something.


    When they came to the end of the rope, Zhou Yu shone his flashlight down and found that they had also come to the bottom.


    ¡°It was just the right height?¡± Wu Yun had some doubts.


    They subconsciously looked up and found that there was plenty of light coming from where they had descended.


    Wu Yun became nervous. There had been nothing there before they came down!


    ¡°What kind of organism is that?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re eyes,¡± Zhou Yu answered, ¡°Do you remember what Elpis relies on to spread its seeds?¡±


    ¡°The research team said that it¡¯s a type of small-sized organism.¡±


    ¡°Those organisms are probably it.¡±


    Their eyes glowed blue in the darkness, with a touch of demonic magic and cold melancholy.


    ¡°It feels like we fell for their plans. They seemed to have waited until we came down here on purpose¡­¡±


    As soon as Wu Yun¡¯s spoke, the rope they fixed in place outside the cave came unraveled and dropped down.


    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± Wu Yun really wanted to take out his gun and invite them to eat his bullets.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Zhou Yu retrieved the fallen rope and secured it to his waist.


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    ¡°In theory, yes. So what?


    ¡°So whether it¡¯s the ¡®guardians¡¯ outside the cave or the small organisms that spread seeds for Elpis, they all bow down to Elpis. Elpis is an organism with a consciousness, so it must be controlling these organisms in some way, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the research team that it seems so. That¡¯s why we need to be careful. Elpis will probably try to control us in some way.¡± Wu Yun was worried.


    The way they proceeded with the mission was too rash, and many things were not clear. However, weren¡¯t the researchers using them as experimental mice to probe Elpis in the first place?


    ¡°If Elpis ordered those organisms to kill all the humans who invade its territory, what do you think those small organisms would have done back then?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Untie the rope when we were halfway down. Then you and I would have fallen to our deaths.¡±


    ¡°But they waited until we got down here before they untied the rope. Their purpose is not to kill us, but to not give us a chance to go back. Their ruler, Elpis, could be eager to see us.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s steps were much calmer.


    Wu Yun was stunned for a few seconds. Sometimes he really had to work hard to keep up with Zhou Yu¡¯s thought process.


    It may seem ridiculous, and it just a guess, but things often turned out in a way that proved he was right.


    ¡°I think you and Nibelungen may be linked by fate,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°What fate?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s flashlight found another hole at the bottom of the cave, which was just high enough for both him and Wu Yun to enter.


    The coincidence made Zhou Yu feel that they were not intruders to Elpis, but rather like intentionally invited guests.


    ¡°You seem to know how the organisms here think very well.¡± Wu Yun also found the entrance and made a gesture of ¡®should we enter?¡¯ to Zhou Yu.


    Having reached this point, if they were to return the way they came by, then those organisms that were keeping watch at the entrance of the cave would certainly not allow them to leave. They could only brace themselves to keep going.


    Wu Yun was about to go forward, but Zhou Yu came to the front first.


    Zhou Yu held a pistol in his right hand and held the flashlight on top of the gun with his left while moving forward.


    It wasn¡¯t a long road and he could see the pale blue light shining at the entrance of the cave.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression was serious. If there was any danger, he hoped that Wu Yun would have the time to run.


    Wu Yun understood Zhou Yu¡¯s plan, but still softly said, ¡°I¡¯m allowed to die, but you¡¯re not.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers slightly tightened. Suddenly, he thought of his vice-captain Chen Chong, the young Zhao Cheng, and all the other faces that were no longer with them.


    Over the entire journey, Wu Yun¡¯s position in his heart was now no less than Chen Chong¡¯s.


    What he was unable to protect last time, he had to protect this time.


    When he reached the opening of the cave, his eyes opened wide with shock at the sight of the open clearing before him.


    There was unexpectedly such a vast space underground!


    In the middle of this space was an enormous tree growing upwards in a spiral shape. Its branches and leaves covered almost the entire ceiling of the cave. The trunk and branches were translucent, and he could see something akin to blood flowing through veins and arteries, interweaving with each other. Some were more delicate networks like nerves.


    Its bottom-most leaves were gigantic. Attached on top of the leaves were light-blue fireflies!  Zhou Yu still remembered the researcher¡¯s violent death to these seemingly beautiful organisms in the video he saw.


    The tree also sprouted some large, white flowers, but unlike those of the deadly organisms whose fragrances were overly seductive, the flowers of Elpis were simple and elegant, with the loftiness of the lily of the valley and the grace of the white magnolia. However, there were swordbone butterflies perched in the centers of those white flowers.


    Between the leaves and branches, Zhou Yu could also see a devil vine coiled up like a python.


    Devil vines were dangerous to ordinary organisms, and even a thousand-year-old tree entangled in a devil vine would be sucked dry very quickly, but it was clear that Elpis had not been exhausted by it.


    Taking in a deep breath, Zhou Yu knew that these dangerous creatures had been raised by Elpis.


    They absorbed nutrients from Elpis while protecting it.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Yun saw that Zhou Yu was motionless and went to Zhou Yu¡¯s side to look. He was also stunned by what he saw, ¡°My God, is this an entire underground ecosystem?¡±


    To the side of Elpis was a deep pool of underground water, which quietly ran along the cave wall. The pool was not overflown, indicating that the bottom of the pool led somewhere else. The pool was possibly the source of the water used by Elpis.


    Tremors rippled across the water and a young El Ni?o water dragon leaped out above the surface, startling Wu Yun to subconsciously step back.


    If they were to be attacked by the El Nino water dragon in a confined space, then they were dead for sure.


    The underground space and the tree in there were both so large that there was no way to estimate how long it had existed for.

 CH 29

    Chapter 29: The Inheritance of Elpis


    ¡°Where¡¯s the researcher located?¡± Zhou Yu did not seem to be shaken up by the scene before him.


    Wu Yun raised his wrist to study it, changing the angle as if he was correcting the positioning.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°According to distance and direction¡­ He seems to be inside of Elpis¡­¡± Wu Yun furrowed his brows.


    Did Elpis swallow the researcher?


    Were they lured here according to Elpis¡¯ plan?


    ¡°Put on the respirator.¡± Zhou Yu put on his respirator mask.


    Wu Yun immediately understood what Zhou Yu meant, and he clasped Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist, ¡°Even if the tranquilizer bullets are effective on the bluelight fireflies or swordbone butterflies, they might not be for Elpis!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll know once we try it. Wu Yun, don¡¯t forget about your daughter. Anyway, it¡¯s already too late for us to go back from the way we came, so there¡¯s no harm in giving it a shot. I have a hunch that you will be able to retrieve the recorder from the researcher, reap unimaginable benefits, and get back safely.¡±


    ¡°¡­ A feeling about this kind of thing¡­ Do you have any hunches about what will happen to me?¡± Wu Yun asked with a helpless smile.


    Will he die here?


    Or¡­ Will he be able to see his daughter again?


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about the future. The future can be changed, and ¡®later¡¯ is bound to arrive.¡±


    After that, Zhou Yu suddenly threw out his only tranquilizer grenade.


    The grenade exploded in mid-air and dispersed the sedative gas.


    This was an enclosed underground space, making the effect of the tranquilizer grenade highly effective.


    Zhou Yu counted in his mind: one second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ Nine seconds, ten seconds!


    The swordbone butterflies in the centers of the Elpis flowers fell, one after another, followed by the bluelight fireflies. Like a rain of blue, the scene before them was spectacular.


    Like the flow of time, like a vast and momentous illusion.


    The ground was soon covered.


    The sedative was soluble in water. Since it was effective for bluelight fireflies and swordbone butterflies, it should also be effective for underwater dragons, although the effect would not last as long.


    Zhou Yu made a ¡®forward¡¯ gesture.


    They must race against the clock.


    The closer they got to Elpis, the more deeply could feel the mystical wonder of the tree.


    As if every vein was a creature capable of independent thought, the second Zhou Yu looked up, an inexplicable sense of holiness filled his heart.


    Elpis was like an elder that had observed the world, and it looked down upon them with a merciful gaze.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart seemed to beat as one with Elpis.


    Wu Yun looked at the locator on his arm and walked up to Elpis. To his surprise, the researcher lay just under the Elpis tree, completely unharmed by the swordbone butterflies or bluelight fireflies, and not suffocated by the devil vines.


    Wu Yun put pressed his fingers to the researcher¡¯s neck and found that his pulse was steady.


    This was an impossible situation.


    Wu Yun could confirm Zhou Yu¡¯s theory that Elpis had deliberately let them in here, and this researcher had been their bait!


    What was its purpose?


    At that moment, the sleeping researcher suddenly opened his eyes, startling Wu Yun to back away.


    Then he slowly stood up, wearing a smile that Wu Yun had never seen before.


    Calm and unflustered, yet noble.


    ¡°Welcome to my world.¡±


    The voice was ethereal, echoing in the vast underground kingdom like a star contained within a cup.


    ¡°Who are you?! That¡¯s not Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s voice!¡±


    Although Wu Yun wasn¡¯t familiar with the researcher named Zhao Xiaoping, he had been on several missions with him.Wu Yun knew what Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s voice and mannerisms were like.


    The man before him was definitely not Zhao Xiaoping!


    Zhao Xiaoping looked past Wu Yun¡¯s shoulder at Zhou Yu, ¡°What about you? Who do you think I am?¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression was much calmer than Wu Yun¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re Elpis,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    Wu Yun was flabbergasted. Then he suddenly recalled how Elpis controlled other organisms.


    Although it did not mimic humans like S rank organisms, it could insert its consciousness into other organisms and control their behavior.


    ¡°Why did you invite us here?¡± Zhou Yu held his gun while coldly staring at Zhao Xiaoping, ready to shoot Elpis at any moment.


    Whether his precaution was a futile effort or not, he would still try to create a chance of escape for Wu Yun at all costs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Zhou Yu. The bullets fired from your gun aren¡¯t powerful enough to penetrate my body.¡± Zhao Xiaoping turned to the side. His eyes were full of banter and detachment that came from standing above humanity.


    Wu Yun felt a premonition of danger: Elpis could read their thoughts¡­ It could control himself and Zhou Yu at any time and even make them kill each other.


    ¡°What do you want? If you take me and Wu Yun as your prey, then there¡¯s no need for all your chit-chat.¡±


    ¡°You should know that, as Elpis, I will bear only one fruit after thousands of years. However, I gave that fruit to an organism of a higher rank than I.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s words surprised both Wu Yun and Zhou Yu.


    An organism of a higher rank than Elpis had to be S rank.


    ¡°I lost the opportunity to pass on my blood.¡±


    Wu Yun subconsciously took a step back.


    If Elpis¡¯ goal was not to treat them as food, then it might be because it was planning to use them as nutrition for its progeny!


    It wanted to nurture another life, so it needed¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s play a game. In three minutes, the sedative gas will become ineffective and my subjects will awaken. If you can climb up fast enough, you may still be able to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Climb up?¡± Wu Yun was completely puzzled.


    Zhao Xiaoping only smiled while pointing above their heads.


    When Zhou Yu and Wu Yun looked up together, Elpis¡¯ leaves and branches started to shift. A ray of sunlight shone down on Zhou Yu¡¯s face from between the gaps. The midday sun was especially dazzling, and Zhou Yu subconsciously turned his head to the side.


    In other words, the huge underground space was not completely enclosed, but Elpis¡¯ dense foliage had covered up the top of the cave!


    ¡°We are different from the hypocritical and deceitful humans who fail to keep their promises. Once we make a promise, we will absolutely honor it. The humdrum of passing time bores me, provide me with some entertainment. Time is ticking! Be quick, or else my children will awaken soon.¡±


    Immediately following those words, Zhou Yu looped one end of his rope into the launcher he carried and shot it out high above their heads.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Wu Yun! ¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s shout alerted Wu Yun.


    They quickly climbed up along the rope towards the top. They were climbing for their lives.


    To Elpis, they were insignificant beings, like the ants on a tree.


    It took them almost a full minute to reach where the leaves began.


    Sweat dripped down from Zhou Yu¡¯s temples. He stepped onto the flowers to boost himself upwards, trampling over the devil vines.


    Wu Yun also moved swiftly. At the moment, they had no time to think about whether Elpis was playing tricks on them or whether it really was bored enough to consider them entertainment.


    Two minutes later, they were not even halfway up Elpis.


    But they couldn¡¯t give up.


    At three minutes, and slumbering creatures were gradually starting to awaken.


    They had just climbed past the midsection of Elpis and could now clearly see the sunlight.


    Zhou Yu saw countless swordbone butterflies and bluelight fireflies flying towards them through the gaps in the leaves.


    Time was running out!


    Zhou Yu swung up in front of Wu Yun and said, ¡°Give me your rope!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Saying that, Zhou Yu tied his and Wu Yun¡¯s ropes together so that one end was tied tightly around Wu Yun¡¯s waist. He shot out the other end at a branch high above them.


    However, the metal claw did not seize onto any of the branches and fell down the other side.


    As Zhou Yu grabbed the metal claw again, Wu Yun suddenly understood what he was trying to do.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! No!¡±


    ¡°Take good care of Zhou Qing for me! I¡¯m Elpis¡¯ target!¡±


    Saying that, Zhou Yu threw himself off.


    ¡°Zhou Yu!¡± Wu Yun reached out to grab him, but he was pulled up by the rope. He watched with his eyes wide open as Zhou Yu, who had jumped down, was dragged away by a devil vine that had been creeping upwards.


    The more force the devil vine used, the faster Wu Yun accelerated upwards.


    Zhou Yu opened his eyes wide and loosened the rope just as Wu Yun seized onto a branch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let my life go to waste!¡± Zhou Yu loudly warned Wu Yun, but very soon, he was completely engulfed by the branches and leaves.


    Wu Yun¡¯s tears streaked by. He gritted his teeth and truly felt how powerless he was to fight back against this creature that was more powerful than him.


    He regretted telling Zhou Yu about his daughter. If he hadn¡¯t told him anything, then maybe Zhou Yu wouldn¡¯t have sacrificed himself to save him.


    The sunlight shone down on his body. Although he was still a long way from the apex of the cave, the bluelight fireflies would not follow him to where the light was. Those creatures only lived in darkness, and sunlight would rupture their bodies. The swordbone butterflies targeted their prey by fear, and as long as the suppressants inside his body had not metabolized yet, then he would not be attacked as long as Elpis did not really intend to kill him.


    Wu Yun¡¯s mind constantly replayed Zhou Yu¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t let my life go to waste.¡± No matter how much hatred he felt, no matter how much he wanted to jump down and find Zhou Yu, he still had to do everything he could to keep climbing up.


    When he finally made it to the top, he unexpectedly found himself at the edge of a cliff.


    He fell to his knees with both of his hands supporting the ground. His tears fell without stopping.


    He had lost many companions, but Zhou Yu¡­ Was the one he did not want to lose the most.


    He wiped away his tears and reoriented himself, headed for the base.


    His steps were shaky and his mind was full of scenes from the first time he saw Zhou Yu up to their entire journey together.


    He placed his hands over his eyes.


    ¡°You bastard! I should¡­ How do I explain all of this to Zhou Qing?¡±


    At this moment, Zhou Yu was being hauled away by the devil vine. Below him, Elpis was slowly unraveling its body, layer by layer. Zhou Yu fell into the center.


    There was a golden liquid. Caught unprepared, Zhou Yu heard one last gurgle in his ear before being completely submerged.


    His hair floated up in the water, and he could no longer breathe. His limbs were bound by something that seemed like veins. They twisted together tightly, making it seem like he was being held in an overflowing glass of champagne.


    It was all like as if Elpis had opened its mouth and swallowed him whole, the liquid being his digestive fluids.


    Zhou Yu swam upwards, but his supply of oxygen was rapidly decreasing. Just as he was finally on the verge of breaking through the surface, it felt like he was pushed back by a force, and he sank down again.


    His supply of oxygen was depleting, fast. He coughed and swallowed a few mouthfuls of the golden liquid.


    That liquid was tasteless, but it seemed to permeate throughout his body once it entered him. It infiltrated his blood, cells, and deep in his nerves.


    Zhou Yu pounded hard at the walls, but he couldn¡¯t find a single point of weakness.


    His body became heavier and heavier, until he could no longer struggle.


    At the very end, his consciousness seemed to pull out of his body. His limbs stretched out and he floated in the golden liquid.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­ Zhou Yu¡­¡±


    A soft voice sounded. Zhou Yu slowly opened his eyes.


    Am I dead?


    Am I still breathing?


    A hand reached into the golden liquid. Zhou Yu instinctively raised up his hand to hold onto it.


    Then a sudden and powerful force pulled him up, crashing through the water¡¯s surface and into a vast and boundless space.


    Before him was a woman in a long white dress.


    She was elegant and noble, reminding Zhou Yu of an Elven Queen from a movie.


    ¡°Who are you¡­ Where is this?¡±


    Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t sure whether this was an illusion from his deathbed, or if he was already dead and on his way to other lands.


    ¡°I am Elpis, the one who trapped you. I apologize for inviting you into my world in this way.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked into her eyes. She was peaceful and thoroughly non-aggressive. Her eyes were even merciful.


    ¡°To invite me? Why?¡±


    Elpis smiled, ¡°I told you that I lost the fruit I had been nurturing for millennia. It was my child. I lost the successor of my blood.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you said that. So what? Do you want me to become nutrition for your next fruit?¡±


    Elpis shook her head.


    ¡°Our way of ¡®inheritance¡¯ is beyond the human concept which only encompasses the replication and passing on of genes. It has another form: ¡®thought.¡¯ You know that we Elpis are rare plants that have a brain and a consciousness capable of individual thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know about that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived for tens of thousands of years, watching the world. My ancestors have passed on what they¡¯ve seen to me, and I would have passed on those memories to my children. However, I have lost my children, and I will soon reach the end of my own life. I must find a living body to receive my memories. That is the legacy of Elpis.¡±


    ¡°What? Why did you choose me? There are so many creatures in Nibelungen! And I¡¯m a human being from a different world!¡± Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t understand Elpis.


    Elpis smiled. It was detached and aloof, as it it could see through the past and the future.


    ¡°Because he chose you. It would be my greatest honor to have you inherit my everything.¡±


    ¡°Who is ¡®he¡¯?¡±


    Elpis walked up to Zhou Yu, step by step. She placed her fingers on both sides of his head and slowly closed her eyes.


    ¡°The process of accepting everything may be painful, but it will be very important for you to continue surviving in Nibelungen.¡±


    After that, there was no opportunity left for Zhou Yu to refuse or question anything as a force flooded into Zhou Yu¡¯s brain like a current.


    It pounded and surged like a whirlpool.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s head started to hurt violently, as if it had cracked open.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± he cried out painfully.


    Numerous fragments and memories flashed through his mind. The origins of various organisms and their paths of evolution and extinction all shuttered past like fleeting landscapes.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t breathe. He thought that he would die.


    It was like his body had been battered and smashed to pieces by the torrent of thought.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­ You will live on¡­¡±


    Elpis¡¯ voice grew more and more distant, until all the extreme pain dissipated.


    Zhou Yu could not open his eyes, he only knew that he continued to sink.


    He lost consciousness.


    Wu Yun returned to the base by helicopter.


    He cut a sorry figure. As he walked to Song Zhi¡¯s office, members of the other teams watched him pass by.


    When he walked into Song Zhi¡¯s office, the first question he was asked was, ¡°Did you obtain the fruit of Elpis?¡±


    He was ice-cold, and he followed a pre-established trajectory without any deviation from its course.


    For the first time, Wu Yun felt the impulse to beat up the man.


    ¡°No, the Elpis tree said it did not have any fruit.¡±


    ¡°No fruit? How is that possible? We¡¯ve been observing it for three years! Wait¡­ What do you mean it said that it did not have any fruit?¡±


    ¡°Elpis is a plant possessing a consciousness. They can¡¯t mimic other organisms, but they can enter the minds of other organisms through their thoughts. One of the researchers, Zhao Xiaoping, had his mind under Elpis¡¯ control and acted as its spokesperson. Zhao Xiaoping said that its fruit was taken away by an S rank organism.¡±


    Wu Yun placed the recorder he had recovered from the researcher on the table in front of Song Zhi.


    ¡°Very good, I know that you tried your best. If the information you brought back is true, it will be of major significance to our research on the A rank organism, Elpis. You can go back and rest. Although you did not bring back the fruit of Elpis, Juli Corp will reimburse you in full according to the initial agreement of employment.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s answer was machine-like.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Don¡¯t you know that Zhou Yu died?¡± Wu Yun clenched his fists.


    He had never been an impulsive person, and had long become indifferent to life and death, but at that moment, he really wanted to pull out his gun and blow Song Zhi¡¯s head off.


    ¡°He¡¯s already dead. What I can do for him now is to transfer his compensation payment to Professor Zhou and give full support to Professor Zhou¡¯s research. Perhaps Professor Zhou will be able to manage to find a cure for himself before his time is up. What you can do is to protect what Zhou Yu wanted to protect. Apart from this, do you think there¡¯s any point in me weeping and subjecting myself to misery over this?¡±


    Song Zhi looked at Wu Yun coldly, as if he were looking at an unreasonably troublesome child.


    Wu Yun could not refute what he said, it made complete sense.


    ¡°Do you know why you are so emotional at the moment?¡± Song Zhi asked again.


    ¡°Oh? Why? Is Mr. Song knowledgeable in psychology?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t blame Juli Corp for sending you on this mission because you knew how dangerous it was and how likely it was to die before you received this mission. You feel guilty because of yourself. Why weren¡¯t you the one who gave up your life to save him?¡±


    Wu Yun forced himself to close his eyes. He knew, deep in his heart, that Song Zhi was right.


    ¡°Wu Yun, don¡¯t you know what Zhou Yu¡¯s character is like? People like Zhou Yu don¡¯t have any interest in complaining about whatever fate befalls them. He was willing to sacrifice his life for those who were important to him, and he trusted that you will spare no effort in protecting Zhou Qing, so he was able to save you with no hesitation. Don¡¯t let down his trust in you.¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s throat tightened with emotion.


    ¡°You can leave. I still need to go in your place and explain to Professor Zhou why Zhou Yu did not return.¡±


    Wu Yun did not speak and went out. He leaned against the wall. Everything was so stifling that he could not breath.


    How he wished that Zhou Yu was still alive. They could drink beer together in the dining hall and talk about all kinds of irrelevant things.


    In his office, Song Zhi connected to the intercom: ¡°Is the team alpha still there? I want you to go on a mission and confirm the location of the cave where Elpis is growing. If you can, please look for Zhou Yu¡¯s body. It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s dead or alive, I just want a definite answer.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    In the quiet of his office, Song Zhi had his hands clasped together and pressed against his forehead.


    ¡°Why do I have a feeling that you¡¯re not going to die just like that? Show me another miracle and give me a pleasant surprise¡­ Zhou Yu¡­¡±


    At the same time, Zhou Yu opened his eyes, exhausted.


    The rays of the setting sun slanted in from above his head, illuminating the pool of water at the bottom of the cave.


    Zhou Yu panted heavily for a while, feeling blood flow from his brain to his fingertips. His fingers trembled slightly, and his thoughts returned to him in that instant.


    Where is this?


    Zhou Yu moved, shifting to lie down and face the sky.


    Where was Elpis? Didn¡¯t its leaves and branches cover the entirety of the cave opening? How was he able to see the sky?


    Zhou Yu looked down and found that below the knees, he was still submerged in clear water.


    He shook his head. He could clearly remember being dragged into that golden liquid at the center of Elpis by the devil vine!


    Looking around, Zhou Yu saw the branches that had belonged to Elpis spread around the entire cave floor. The nerves that had originally appeared to have a pulse and circulation now lay there, dead and lifeless.


    All the white flowers had withered and fallen.


    The leaves were also a pale, dull color.


    Zhou Yu stood up and stepped out from the center that contained the liquid.

 CH 30

    Chapter 30: Mo Ye¡¯s Freedom


    He took two steps and found that the bottom of the cave, which had been filled with all kinds of creatures, seemed to be empty now.


    What happened?


    Was everything he experienced before an illusion, or had it been real?


    Zhou Yu stepped onto the soft branches and leaves, leaving behind footprints with every step.


    He took a deep breath. Was Elpis truly dead?


    Was that why all the organisms that were dependant on Elpis left?


    Or, were they controlled by Elpis in the first place, and now they were free?


    Zhou Yu looked up, feeling his own breathing and heartbeat.


    He was still alive. It was almost inconceivable, but he was still alive.


    He had to get back to the base¡­ he didn¡¯t know if Wu Yun had made it back safely yet! And Zhou Qing would be very worried if he did not return.


    After searching for some time, Zhou Yu finally found the rope that had fallen down when Wu Yun left.


    With it, Zhou Yu could at least go back from the way he came.


    When he finally walked out from the stone path, he saw that the ancient trees that had once guarded Elpis were dead.


    The world was terribly quiet.


    Zhou Yu walked for a long time before he was able to get out.


    He was hungry and tired, as if what had happened after he fell into Elpis sapped him of his energy.


    Suddenly, he remembered that there were two of the fruits that Mo Ye had fetched for him in his pocket. He did not know if they were edible, but if he didn¡¯t consume anything, then Zhou felt like he would collapse on the spot.


    He took one out and found that it was still intact after having been through so much. It didn¡¯t even show any signs of dehydration or wrinkling.


    Without caring for whether it was dangerous to ingest or not after being soaked in Elpis¡¯ golden liquid, Zhou Yu tossed it into his mouth.


    It was still sweet.


    His body felt like it had been charged with a surge of energy. Zhou Yu no longer felt as tired as he had been earlier.


    He had only been thinking of Zhou Qing and Wu Yun, he still didn¡¯t know what happened to Mo Ye.


    Would it be foolish enough to run at the glass wall again?


    Is it waiting to bite his finger?


    He hoped that it had met Zhou Qing, behaved properly, and not done anything foolish.


    He missed the soft fluff on its back, its droopy ears, and its fluttering little wings.


    Zhou Yu smiled bitterly.


    He didn¡¯t know what kind of gaze Song Zhi would meet him with when he returned.


    The helicopter carrying team alpha came to the mouth of the cave.


    When they looked down from above, they were stunned by the scene before them.


    It was like a giant flower had withered and fallen, its petals spread around the bottom of the cave.


    Following the setting sun, moonlight had wandered in. Like the hemline of a skirt flowing with the moonlight, its rings signified each passing year. Turning around and around, continuing to age.


    The members of team alpha slid down along ropes extended from the helicopter to the bottom of the cave, where they released their flares.


    Everything became illuminated as clear as the day.


    They inspected every inch of the place and found Zhao Xiaoping lying unconscious in a corner.


    They sent Zhao Xiaoping to the helicopter, but they did not find Zhou Yu.


    One of the team members saw the clear pool of liquid in the middle of the cave. He took some of the liquid with a sampler before leaving.


    Nighttime in Nibelungen was dangerous, some of the nocturnal, winged organisms could take the chance to attack them. They had to return as soon as possible.


    When they flew over the forest, they saw the withered guardians of Elpis. They were shocked at what had happened.


    One of the team members suddenly pointed to the forest and shouted, ¡°There¡­ Isn¡¯t there someone walking?¡±


    The pilot turned on the searchlights and aimed into the woods.


    Zhou Yu, who had been on his trek back, was blinded by the strong light and raised his hand to shield his eyes.


    ¡°Is that Zhou Yu?¡±


    ¡°Looks like it! Let¡¯s go down! We must bring him back to the base!¡±


    The helicopter hovered over Zhou Yu, and the members of the team alpha dropped down from their ropes while carrying guns.


    They didn¡¯t know what had happened to Zhou Yu in that cave, or if he was still in a normal state, so all their guns were loaded with the muzzles aimed at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Are you Zhou Yu?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect for the base to send people to find him. Zhou Yu should have been long dead to them.


    ¡°We were sent by Mr. Song to look for you. Please come with us.¡±


    And so, Zhou Yu was escorted into the helicopter.


    The two team members sitting opposite to Zhou Yu remained alert the entire journey with their guns pointed at him. For the first time, Zhou Yu felt as if he had become a dangerous creature.


    After they arrived at the base, everything proceeded in the same way as last time. Zhou Yu went through a full-body scan, blood tests, and a series of examinations before officially entering the inside of the base.


    Song Zhi personally supervised his examination process.


    ¡°Blood content is normal, no bacterial or viral infections, no parasites, except¡­¡±


    ¡°Except what?¡± Song Zhi motioned for them to continue.


    The researcher pointed to Zhou Yu¡¯s brain activity displayed on the monitor, ¡°This scan shows that his brain activity is at a much higher level than before.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Song Zhi narrowed his eyes in thought.


    When Zhou Yu stepped out of the isolation zone, the first thing he saw was Wu Yun and Zhou Qing.


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes were red, he hadn¡¯t expected to see Zhou Yu again. Zhou Qing¡¯s expression was much calmer than what Zhou Yu had imagined, as if his safe return was within his expectations.


    ¡°How many times are you going to come back from the dead, kid?¡± Wu Yun¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve wanted to kill myself since I left that cave?¡±


    Zhou Yu gave him a wry smile and fist-bumped Wu Yun, ¡°Luckily, you didn¡¯t go through with it.¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head helplessly, then hugged Zhou Yu tightly. ¡°You have to tell me how you survived.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Yu also patted Wu Yun. Then his gaze fell to Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Brother¡­ Just be safe. Don¡¯t make such a dangerous decision again in the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Zhou Yu nodded.


    ¡°You should go see Mo Ye. It hasn¡¯t been well since it woke up to find you gone.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s felt his heartstrings being harshly tugged at, ¡°Not well? Was it running into the glass wall again?¡±


    That little fool!


    ¡°No, it¡¯s been huddled in a corner. Even when I went inside to accompany it, it didn¡¯t react. The biological scans showed that its body temperature is decreasing and its heart rate is slowing down. It also hasn¡¯t eaten anything.¡±


    ¡°Did Carlos feed it anything?¡±


    ¡°A specially formulated nutrient solution that looks like human blood. We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because Mo Ye recognizes that it¡¯s not blood or if Mo Ye just wants to see you, but once it made up its mind to refuse it, its body also rejected it. Nothing could be injected into it and it won¡¯t eat anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go see it!¡±


    Looking after Zhou Yu¡¯s retreating back, Zhou Qing slowly clenched his fist. In his hand, he held the fruit of Elpis that the S rank organism had given him.


    Zhou Yu strode into the area where Mo Ye was located. The first thing he saw was Mo Ye curled up in a corner.


    It was so small and lonely.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart inexplicably started aching.


    Carlos, who was in charge of taking care of Mo Ye, came to Zhou Yu looking greatly stressed out, ¡°That little guy has been like this since you left. No response to anything. It¡¯s killing me! When I heard about your accident, I was wondering if it was going to starve itself if you didn¡¯t come back!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t die without eating for just a few days.¡± Zhou Yu tapped on the glass with his finger. ¡°Mo Ye.¡±


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t respond, even its drooping ears didn¡¯t lift up.


    ¡°You see¡­¡± Carlos looked worried.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go inside and keep it company.¡±


    Carlos opened the double doors for Zhou Yu, who walked to Mo Ye and sat down beside it.


    He put his hand on its back and gently reached his fingers into the soft fluff on Mo Ye. Its temperature really was very low.


    He did not speak. Copying its actions from when it had acted spoiled, he picked it up and rubbed against its face.


    But Mo Ye¡¯s eyes remained shut and it slightly moved its head away without looking at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu secretly smiled. The little thing was clearly throwing a tantrum.


    ¡°Mo Ye, I went on a very dangerous mission, so I couldn¡¯t stay by your side. Zhou Qing said he came to accompany you, but you ignored him. You were really very bad, hmm? Zhou Qing is my most important person, you know?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s voice was gentle.


    Other than when Zhou Qing had been bullied by his classmates as a child, Zhou Yu had not coaxed anyone like this in a long time.


    ¡°Hrrn¡­¡± Mo Ye finally perked up its left ear and placed it against Zhou Yu¡¯s chest, as if to listen to his heartbeat.


    ¡°I almost died. Do you know what death means? It means that you can never see me again, I will disappear forever.¡± Zhou Yu rubbed his chin against Mo Ye¡¯s head.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye suddenly opened its eyes and looked up at Zhou Yu with its small head. It seemed very very nervous. Even the small wings on its back were raised up.


    ¡°Compared to the organisms of Nibelungen¡­ No¡­ Even compared to you, my lifespan is not even worth mentioning.¡±


    Night spirits will live forever if they are not fatally injured.


    ¡°Hrrn¡ª¡± Mo Ye stretched out the tone, then it shook its head. It stretched it front paws to press down once on Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead before shrinking back down.


    Zhou Yu seemed to understand what it was saying: I am with you. If you¡¯re not here, then I won¡¯t exist either.


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Zhou Yu embraced it tightly.


    Carlos, who was monitoring them, let out the breath that he was holding.


    It was the first time that he had ever seen any human come into such close contact with an organism from Nibelungen. He did not know what Zhou Yu had experienced, but he was very glad that Zhou Yu had come back alive.


    Zhou Yu poked its nose and asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Mo Ye squinted its large amber eyes, looking very happy. It stretched out its tongue and licked Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips.


    Zhou Yu thought it would bite him immediately, but he did not expect for it to stretch out its claws and hold onto Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers.


    As if to say: I will protect you.


    Don¡¯t give me any more warmth.


    I am afraid that one day, when I can leave this place, I will not be able to let you go.


    Mo Ye loosened its claws to carefully take Zhou Yu¡¯s finger into its mouth. It bit down gently on it as if it was afraid of causing Zhou Yu pain.


    That subtle sensation once again surged through his blood, as if there were innumerably thin and warm streams infiltrating the gap between every cell in Zhou Yu¡¯s body and filling him up, becoming one with him.


    Mo Ye closed its eyes and made a gulping sound.


    It was very hungry.


    Zhou Yu could feel Mo Ye¡¯s temperature rising.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because Mo Ye was sucking his own blood, but Zhou Yu had an illusion that his and Mo Ye¡¯s heartbeats were in sync.


    After eating its fill, Mo Ye still did not loosen Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers.


    It turned over slightly to reveal its belly.


    Amused, Zhou Yu laid his other hand over Mo Ye and rubbed it.


    Mo Ye immediately made soft, comfortable noises.


    When Zhou Yu pointed his finger to the left, Mo Ye¡¯s head followed him to the left. When Zhou Yu turned his finger around the right side, Mo Ye¡¯s head followed him to the right.


    It seemed to know that Zhou Yu was teasing it. Dissatisfied, Mo Ye lightly bit down on Zhou Yu to gnaw on him, but there was no pain.


    He sat for more than an hour holding Mo Ye, who snored softly when it had fallen asleep again.


    Probably because Zhou Yu was back, Mo Ye finally felt at ease.


    As Zhou Yu raised his head, he looked past the glass wall to its opposite side. Song Zhi was looking at them thoughtfully.


    Song Zhi gestured at Zhou Yu to come outside. Zhou Yu knew that he had to tell Song Zhi everything he experienced in Elpis¡¯ cave.


    ¡°Carlos, if Mo Ye wakes up and starts throwing a tantrum again, tell it I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Does it understand?¡± Carlos asked dumbly.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Zhou Yu left with a chuckle and followed Song Zhi to his office.


    ¡°Team alpha took some liquid samples from Elpis¡¯ cave.¡± Song Zhi always went straight to the point.


    The lifespan of a human is very short for Nibelungen, so they had to do as much research as possible in a limited time frame and not waste their time on nonsense.


    ¡°So there will be research results soon?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Song Zhi shook his head. ¡°It was just water. But¡­ It was pure water free of any microorganisms or impurities.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like Elpis used up all of its nutrients in an instant.¡± Song Zhi looked into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes. ¡°When Wu Yun came back, he reported to me that Elpis controlled others through their thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It controlled the researcher Zhao Xiaoping.¡±


    ¡°Zhao Xiaoping is back, but he hasn¡¯t woken up yet. After detecting that he has almost no brain activity, Dr. Daniel suspected that he would suffer brain-death if his condition persisted. This may be the consequence of being controlled by Elpis.¡±


    Zhou Yu did not agree with this view. So many of the creatures in the cave were controlled by Elpis. After Elpis had dried up, those creatures left.


    ¡°We brought all the remains of Elpis from the cave back to base.¡±


    Zhou Yu was surprised, ¡°Its remains are pretty large¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. The research team is dissecting it. Although it¡¯s morphologically a plant, its nervous system is far more complex than that of human beings. When you sacrificed yourself to save Wu Yun, you said that Elpis¡¯ goal was you. If it was going to use you for nourishment, why are you alive and back here now?


    ¡°The reason is simple¡­ Elpis did not regard me as food or a source of nutrition, but as¡­¡± Zhou Yu thought about how to describe the relationship between him and Elpis.


    ¡°As what?¡±


    ¡°As a vector for its memory, the inheritor of its thought. Elpis passes down everything it sees from generation to generation. But this Elpis lost its fruit, so it needed another creature to accept its memory.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s eyes were bright as he grabbed Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist. ¡°Elpis is an extremely ancient organism in Nibelungen. If it gave you its own memory, then the organisms here¡­ Do you know all of their habits and characteristics?¡±


    Although Song Zhi was strong, Zhou Yu easily broke free from his grip.


    ¡°Mr. Song, do you believe it?¡±


    To anyone else, it all sounded like complete nonsense. Memories inherited from a plant?


    It was more absurd than a fantasy movie.


    ¡°Is there an S rank organism in Elpis¡¯ memory whose original form is a translucent, silver-scaled creature¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is that the S rank organism that stole away your wife?¡± Zhou Yu interrupted Song Zhi.


    ¡°Yes. Did you get any relevant information from Elpis? Where can I find it? Is there any way to kill it?¡± Song Zhi¡¯s eyes shone with crazed light, looking terrible.


    ¡°Mr. Song¡­ You should know that S rank organisms do not have a fixed form because they can change their appearance at will and become anything. They can even become human beings and mingle in with us.¡±


    Song Zhi showed a startled expression and fell back into his chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the research team has named the creature you¡¯re talking about, but since you described translucent, silver scales, a slender body, and an arrogant and aloof personality, then it should be an organism that has been around in Nibelungen since ancient times. Night spirits are its servants, just like what the swordbone butterflies and bluelight fireflies are to Elpis. No¡­unlike them, the night spirit is absolutely loyal to it.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s breathing gradually became even again. He pressed a hand to his face and said, ¡°Do you know how many main types of S rank organisms there are in Nibelungen?¡±


    ¡°I do. There are three main types: those in the water, on land, and in the air.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we call those three types of S rank organisms the Kings of Nibelungen. And that silver-scaled creature is known as the king of kings.¡±


    ¡°There is a rumor that you injured it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the neurotoxins in the bullets that you are using comes from its spinal cord. It lost a large amount of its spinal cord, but it still escaped from my control. I don¡¯t know where it is slumbering now, but once it recovers, we will all die.¡± Something suddenly occurred to Song Zhi, ¡°You just said that the night spirit is its servant? Don¡¯t you have a night spirit? Can¡¯t you find it through that little thing?¡±


    ¡°Mo Ye? It¡¯s still small! It never grew up in its own community and it hasn¡¯t even seen an S rank organism before!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Some things are coded into its genes. That creature must have a way of keeping in touch with its master!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re crazy, Mr. Song. Nibelungen is so big, and Mo Ye is like a baby. If it really has the ability to find its master, if it really has anything to do with that S rank organism, then it wouldn¡¯t have been so insistent on entering this base to come and find me. Instead, it would have gone to find its master, where it belongs.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Indeed¡­ It is a direct replication of the gene extracted from the dead, unhatched egg of a night spirit¡­ Maybe it doesn¡¯t have the same nature as the other creatures in Nibelungen, but one day it will¡­ For that day to come, for it to stand on our side¡­¡±


    Song Zhi seemed to have an important decision to make.


    ¡°Mr. Song?¡±


    His paranoid expression made Zhou Yu inexplicably worried.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to let it live with you outside of the raising area for A rank organisms. I want it to be free, and for it to restore its true nature as a night spirit while refraining from causing any harm to us, as long as you are here. I want you to train it, teach it, and assimilate it!¡±


    Zhou Yu gaped with his mouth open, everything had developed completely outside of his expectations.


    It was indeed Zhou Yu¡¯s desire to have Mo Ye leave that place, but Zhou Yu never wanted Mo Ye to become a tool or pet for human beings.


    Song Zhi contacted Carlos directly and asked him to give Mo Ye to Zhou Yu.


    When Zhou Yu was leaving Song Zhi¡¯s office, Song Zhi suddenly stopped him and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t told me how to kill it yet.¡±


    ¡°As you know, it is extremely powerful. Mr. Song, how did you manage to injure it the first time? That may be how you can kill it.¡±


    After that, Zhou Yu left.


    Song Zhi sat alone in his empty yet narrow office with a sorrowful expression in his eyes.


    ¡°Kill it again? That¡¯s impossible¡­ Because it will never trust me again.¡±


    Zhou Yu came to where Carlos was. Worried, Carlos asked him, ¡°Is Mr. Song really okay? I don¡¯t want that little guy to be locked up all the time, it¡¯s going to get depressed if we keep it in there! But if you let it out like this, won¡¯t it run away?¡±


    Zhou Yu patted Carlos on the shoulder: ¡°I will take it back here regularly to let you check its heart rate and body temperature. With me here¡­ it will come back even if it runs away.¡±

 CH 31

    Chapter 31: Are you male or female?


    ¡°Fine¡­ Make sure you take care of it¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled. When he passed through the two doors, Mo Ye, who had been curled up in a corner looking very lonely, suddenly pricked up its ears. It perked up then pounced at Zhou Yu. It first stepped on top of his knee, then jumped up and dangled its two small claws over Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    Zhou Yu carried it by its butt and frowned. ¡°You look a lot fatter, Mo Ye. It seems that you need to exercise more, or else you¡¯ll become obese!¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye tilted its head, seeming to not understand what Zhou Yu called ¡®obesity¡¯.


    When Zhou Yu walked along in the base with Mo Ye in one hand, all the people passing by did a double take, staring after Zhou Yu with astonished expressions.


    ¡°No way, I heard that Mr. Song actually let him raise that night spirit!¡±


    ¡°A night spirit is no E or D rank organism! It¡¯s A rank!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! What if the night spirit grows up and attacks us?


    Mo Ye seemed to understand what they said and it dejectedly buried its head in Zhou Yu¡¯s chest.


    Zhou Yu continued on as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything until he saw Wu Yun standing in front of the dining hall.


    ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu, let¡¯s have a beer together. Mr. Song gave our group a three-day long extended vacation. You¡¯re not getting back before you get drunk today.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a shortage of supplies? How many cans of beer can a person have?¡±


    Wu Yun stretched out a finger, ¡°One can per person.¡±


    ¡°And you still want to get drunk on that?¡± Zhou Yu laughed.


    He walked into the dining area and found that Li Qian was also there.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Thank goodness, I was so worried after hearing about what happened to you!¡± Li Qian¡¯s gaze fell on Mo Ye¡¯s body and he immediately extended his arm to it. ¡°Hey! Little thing! Weren¡¯t you being locked up in that glass room by Carlos the mad scientist? It¡¯s worth celebrating the fact that you¡¯ve finally gained your freedom!¡±


    ¡°Hnn!¡± Mo Ye squinted its eyes, looking proud. It was familiar with Li Qian, but most importantly, Li Qian¡¯s attitude towards it was totally different from those people it had met in the corridor. Mo Ye was sharp and perceptive.


    Li Qian jabbed Zhou Yu with his elbow. ¡°Hey, let me hold it for a while!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a pet. You have to ask Mo Ye if it¡¯s willing to be held by you,¡± Wu Yun mocked.


    Li Qian smiled at Mo Ye. ¡°Oh, Mo Ye! Zhou Yu gave you a name! What a great name! Can you let uncle hug you for a while?¡±


    Wu Yun laughed even harder: ¡°Why are you coaxing it like an ignorant baby? Mo Ye is an A rank organism!¡±


    Since Zhou Yu had come into the dining hall with Mo Ye, the place had been almost empty except for a few others.


    Probably because it could feel that Li Qian held no malicious intentions towards itself, Mo Ye stretched out its left paw and put it on top Li Qian¡¯s hand, as if to say, ¡°I will allow you, a stupid human, to hold me.¡±


    Li Qian took Mo Ye into his arms and felt down the fluff on it back. ¡°Wow, it feels so good! I want to keep touching it.¡±


    At the base, everyone was allowed a fixed amount of food.


    On their plates were some vegetables and a cut of steak. Some came with rice, while others, with spaghetti.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s taste leaned traditional; he had rice on his plate.


    The three chatted while they ate. Wu Yun and Li Qian jabbered back and forth with each other. When Li Qian spoke about some impressive new system he had developed for the base, Wu Yun would immediately reply that it didn¡¯t do shit.


    Mo Ye remained crouched on the table, watching them eat.


    Zhou Yu used chopsticks. He picked up the already-cut steak and sent it into his mouth along with some rice. Mo Ye stretched out its neck to carefully study the way Zhou Yu¡¯s hand held his chopsticks.


    ¡°Are you hungry too?¡± Zhou Yu reached out to tap Mo Ye on its nose.


    Mo Ye huffed and used its small claws to push aside Zhou Yu¡¯s finger. It stretched out to grab onto his chopsticks.


    Across from him, Wu Yun seemed to find it amusing. ¡°Not bad, Mo Ye! It¡¯s making enough progress to learn how to hold chopsticks and eat like a human! ¡°


    Mo Ye crooked its head; its claws were not as agile as human fingers. Although it could grasp the chopsticks, it was unable to pick up the vegetables.


    Seeing that it was hard at work, Zhou Yu reached out to pet the small wings on its back.


    He knew why it took up his chopsticks, not because it was new and fun, but for the sake of becoming like Zhou Yu to live in the same way as him.


    Mo Ye finally carried the chopsticks horizontally and picked up a piece of beef. It carefully stretched out its forepaws and gave the piece to Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu opened his mouth and ate the beef.


    Li Qian picked up Mo Ye and shook it. ¡°You are so cute! What should I do? I want a night spirit too!¡±


    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Zhou Qing? Have you seen him?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Zhou Qing has been involved in some kind of research recently, he works while eating in the research lab¡­ But don¡¯t worry, Dr. Daniel examines him every day. His physical condition¡­ That thing in his head, it hasn¡¯t seemed to grow out yet¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhou Yu breathed out with relief.


    After dinner, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun went to the public baths to shower. They were each in their own stall. On the other side, Wu Yun was humming something along the lines of ¡°If you love me then kiss me, if you love me then hold me.¡± Zhou Yu instantly no longer had any desire to shower there.


    He squatted down and rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head. ¡°Mo Ye, you must be normal when you grow up. Don¡¯t be like Uncle Wu Yun, who¡¯s lost his marbles.¡±


    ¡°Hnn,¡± Mo Ye nodded.


    Wu Yun¡¯s voice came from the other side of the cubicle, ¡°I¡¯m singing a song! Every time my daughter sees me, she sings this song to me and acts like she¡¯s spoiled rotten!¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled and took off his jacket, revealing his strong upper body.


    Mo Ye was crouched in the corner with its head up and its mouth half open. It was attentively looking at Zhou Yu, studying him.


    When Zhou Yu¡¯s hand was about to open his pants zipper, he found that Mo Ye was looking at his most embarrassing place expectantly.


    ¡°Hey, turn around and don¡¯t look,¡± Zhou Yu indicated at it with a nod.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye tilted its head to the side, not comprehending his words.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips twitched. The little fellow actually pretended to not understand him.


    Zhou Yu put his foot on top of Mo Ye¡¯s head, ¡°You don¡¯t understand? Do you really not understand? Ah¡­ I never asked Carlos whether you were male or female.¡±


    How biological sex was determined in Nibelungen seemed to differ from that of his original world.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know where his interest came from, but he extended his hand to Mo Ye. ¡°If you¡¯re male, then tap my left hand. If you¡¯re female, then tap my right hand. Are you male or female?¡±


    Mo Ye stretched out his paw and tapped on Zhou Yu¡¯s left hand.


    Even Wu Yun from the next stall was interested, ¡°Hey, is your Mo Ye a little girl or a stinky boy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a boy,¡± Zhou Yu laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s a boy, we can shower together.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ so it¡¯s a boy¡­ It would have been nice it was a girl¡­¡± Wu Yun¡¯s tone seemed very disappointed.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do anything even if it was a girl.¡± Zhou Yu opened the faucet and soaked himself in the water from the top of his head.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything. But then you can buy dresses for her to wear and braid her hair!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you talking about your own daughter?¡± Zhou Yu said with amusement.


    He raised his hand and smoothed back his wet hair.


    Mo Ye remained crouched in the corner, motionlessly watching Zhou Yu. The contour of his shoulders and the line down his leg were brimming with restrained tension.


    Mo Ye¡¯s head slowly turned his way, as if it was in appreciation of something extremely moving. Its focused gaze¡­ was slightly greedy.


    Zhou Yu was lathering some body wash when he suddenly thought of something. He looked at Mo Ye and said, ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t been cleaned since you were born, have you?¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye took a small step back to the cubicle behind him, but it was a pity that he wasn¡¯t able to make it very far before Zhou Yu lifted him up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a good wash!¡±


    After that, he put Mo Ye directly under the stream of water, drenching Mo Ye enough for him to cough several times.


    When Mo Ye coughed, its small wings would also open up and splash the water, causing Zhou Yu to laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some shower gel!¡±


    Mo Ye started struggling, it didn¡¯t know what that was.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have the same scent.¡±


    That sentence probably tugged on Mo Ye¡¯s heartstrings, since it obediently stayed still. Zhou Yu rubbed the body wash onto it, paying attention to the fluff on its back. Mo Ye was practically submerged by the bubbles.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s hands slipped, almost dropping him. Mo Ye quickly hugged around Zhou Yu¡¯s neck and stared at Zhou Yu with round its eyes, as if to say: How could you drop me?


    Zhou Yu simply did not hold it anymore and placed it directly under the stream of water, the two of them washing together.


    Mo Ye clung to Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder, occasionally rubbing his head against Zhou Yu¡¯s chin.


    Shutting off the water, Zhou Yu wrapped the bath towel around Mo Ye and wiped it dry. Mo Ye popped his little head out from under the towel to curiously look around at the bathroom.


    Wu Yun came out with a bath towel and poked Mo Ye on the head. ¡°Listen to uncle, Mo Ye, this here is called the bathroom. And what is the bathroom for? It¡¯s where you wash the dirty stuff off your body. You have to take a bath regularly. Zhou Yu likes to touch the fine fluff on your back the most. If you don¡¯t bathe, then fleas will grow in your fur. They will jump onto Zhou Yu, and he¡¯ll become very very itchy, then he¡¯ll have to shave off all off both his and your fur.¡±


    Zhou Yu helplessly said, ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Wu Yun said solemnly, ¡°Mo Ye, do you want to be a bald night spirit?¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye looked at Wu Yun nervously as if his fur had really disappeared.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re going too far!¡± Zhou Yu picked up Mo Ye and left the bathroom.


    People passing by still stared at Mo Ye and whispered about them.


    Zhou Yu still calmly regarded them as if they were invisible.


    When they came to the entrance of his room, Wu Yun suddenly said, ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Yu opened the door, but did not enter.


    ¡°I heard¡­ that Elpis has passed on its memory to you. Is there any way to cure lupus in your memories?¡± Wu Yun knew that he was being silly. Elpis probably didn¡¯t even know what lupus was.


    ¡°I had a dream. A very long dream.¡±


    ¡°What kind of dream?¡±


    ¡°I dreamed that you came home, your daughter grew up, day by day, and you grew older, day by day. She went to a good university, got a good job, and met a like-minded man who would take care of her. Then they got married. At the wedding, you took your daughter¡¯s hand and handed her over to the man. A year later, you met your first grandson. Ten years later, you had a house full of grandkids. We became old, and we no longer carried out tasks in dangerous places, Juli Corp did not even exist anymore.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that boring?¡± Wu Yun laughed.


    ¡°It is pretty boring. We were just like the other smelly old men, we drink tea and play chess on the balcony. Occasionally, we¡¯ll go fishing. By the way, you became interested in plaza dancing because of a beautiful old lady, you were pursuing her.¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Wu Yun punched Zhou Yu on the shoulder, his eyes were slightly red. ¡°Hey¡­ Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± That was all the comfort that he could provide for him.


    Wu Yun left, and Zhou Yu threw Mo Ye on the bed.


    It was the first time that Mo Ye had seen a ¡®bed¡¯. It did a roll, then crooked its head to the side before rolling again several times until it rolled onto Zhou Yu¡¯s pillow.


    Zhou Yu helplessly lifted it up and mused, ¡°When you grow up, I won¡¯t have a place to raise you anymore. Maybe I should throw you out.¡±


    Mo Ye got angry and posed like he was going to bite Zhou Yu¡¯s finger. Zhou Yu avoided him.


    ¡°So stupid. If you get as big as me, then I¡¯ll lie on your belly. It¡¯ll be nice and warm and it saves space.¡±


    Zhou Yu was already pretty tired. He laid his head on the pillow and pulled Mo Ye over to hug inside his arms. He was really sleepy.


    Accepting Elpis¡¯s memories had consumed almost all of Zhou Yu¡¯s energy. He hadn¡¯t gotten enough rest. Now that Song Zhi had given him three days of vacation, he wondered if he would sleep through the entire three days


    Mo Ye wasn¡¯t sleepy. It wiggled its body until Zhou Yu¡¯s arm slid off of him to the side.


    It touched Zhou Yu¡¯s arm with its nose, but Zhou Yu did not respond.


    A few minutes later, it heard the sound of Zhou Yu¡¯s steady breathing.


    Mo Ye adjusted his position and lay on his side just like Zhou Yu, leaning against Zhou Yu¡¯s head.


    It stretched out its small tongue and gave a small lick on Zhou Yu¡¯s lower lip, then it quickly retreated.


    It looked at Zhou Yu nervously and found that not even Zhou Yu¡¯s eyebrows had twitched. It stretched out its small tongue and licked it again on Zhou Yu¡¯s lower lip.


    Zhou Yu was still unresponsive.


    Mo Ye seemed to be having a good time, it put its tongue out again, but before it could lick Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu¡¯s palm suddenly came pressing down on him, pinning down his head and rubbing him vigorously. ¡°You bad little boy, if you don¡¯t sleep, then I really will shave off the fur on your back.¡±


    According to Elpis¡¯s memory, the fur on the back of a male night spirit is used to attract a mate and symbolizes its masculinity. Zhou Yu did not believe that it would continue to misbehave if he threatened to shave off all his fur.


    ¡°Nnn¡­¡± Mo Ye made a pitiful sound, turned in a circle, and nested in the covers obediently.


    Zhou Yu smiled with satisfaction.


    Meanwhile, in Zhou Qing¡¯s research lab, all the research assistants had already left.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, it¡¯s getting late. You¡¯ve been working for more than ten hours already, you should go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, all right. I¡¯ll rest after I look over the information again.¡± Zhou Qing smiled and nodded.


    When everyone left, leaving him alone, he took out the fruit of Elpis that he had been hiding on himself for a long time.


    The fruit had a thick layer of skin; it felt soft, but couldn¡¯t be peeled.


    Zhou Qing could detect a sign of life inside the fruit, but he could not germinate it after attempting to in many different ways.


    Whether it was by collecting the soil of Nibelungen or all kinds of nutrient-rich water, it didn¡¯t react to any of that, as if it was trapped in the placenta.


    Zhou Qing was worried. If it did not germinate soon, would the seed die?


    After recording the measured data, Zhou Qing left the research room.


    He met Dr. Daniel walking towards him.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, did you return just now? This is harmful to your health, only getting enough sleep can encourage your ability to think.¡±


    Daniel looked tired, too.


    ¡°What about you, Doctor Daniel? You didn¡¯t leave your post until very late. How is Zhao Xiaoping?¡±


    Speaking of Zhao Xiaoping, Zhou Qing felt guilty. Before Zhao Xiaoping left the base, Zhou Qing had asked him if he could help him get some soil from Elpis. He didn¡¯t know if it was for that reason that something had happened to Zhao Xiaoping for him to be unable to wake up.


    ¡°It¡¯s still the same. Fortunately, Song Zhi wants to know how he feels, being controlled by Elpis. Otherwise, I¡¯d be worried that Juli Corp, in order to cut down on expenses, would¡­¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t happen. Although there are plenty of talented people here, it takes more than just money to train someone like Zhao Xiaoping who is both a capable and experienced researcher. I want to go see him, is that okay?


    ¡°Yes, but after you see him, you have to go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhou Qing promised, nodding his head.


    Zhou Qing came to Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s hospital room. He was being injected with a nutrient solution and he also had various instruments to test brain activity on his head. His expression was calm and free of pain, joy, and even thought.


    One of Dr. Daniel¡¯s patients seemed to have destabilized and he quickly rushed over. Only Zhou Qing and Zhao Xiaoping were left in the room.


    Zhou Qing sat down beside the hospital bed. He took a deep breath and put his hand over Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s forehead as if to confirm that he was still warm.


    But Zhou Qing didn¡¯t expect for Zhao Xiaoping, who had been sleeping, to suddenly opened his eyes and grab Zhou Qing¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Are you treating my child well?¡±


    Zhou Qing gasped and forced himself not to cry out.


    It was Zhao Xiaoping who spoke, but the indicator measuring his brain activity did not react at all, so¡­ was it not Zhao Xiaoping who was talking?


    ¡°You mean¡­ The fruit of Elpis?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I mean my fruit.¡± Zhao Xiaoping turned to face Zhou Qing.


    ¡°You¡­ Are Elpis?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Aren¡¯t you dead?¡±


    ¡°This is merely the form that you human beings think life exists as. If you want the seed to germinate, then you must use the purest water.¡±


    ¡°The purest water¡­¡± Zhou Qing suddenly thought of a liquid sample brought back by team alpha from the center of the withered Elpis.


    ¡°It seems like you understand.¡±


    Saying that, the instrument that monitored Zhao Xiaoping¡¯s brain activity suddenly sounded.


    The doctors rushed in to see Zhao Xiaoping sitting up.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Zhao Xiaoping.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoping looked bewildered and did not seem to know what had happened.


    Zhou Qing slowly got up and retreated behind the medical staff.


    Was the current Zhao Xiaoping himself or Elpis?


    However, for Zhou Qing, the question that he had been asking was finally answered.


    Zhou Yu slept like the dead, and when he woke up, it was already noon.


    Mo Ye lay in his arms looking very cute.


    Zhou Yu petted the fluff on its back. It felt even better after washing him with the body wash. No wonder night spirits used the fluff on their backs to pick up girls, it was their secret weapon!


    Zhou Yu got up and washed, then went to the dining hall. Instead of holding Mo Ye in his arms, he let it scurry along on its paws to follow behind him.


    Passerbys still cast them cautious glances, but Zhou Yu ignored them.


    Someone even said, ¡°Hey, watch your pet, okay?¡±


    Zhou Yu tilted his chin with his hands in his pockets. ¡°Who told you that he¡¯s my pet?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± The other person felt that Zhou Yu was too much, but just as he raised his fist, he was hauled back by the people next to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight him¡­ That guy is a monster that can¡¯t die.¡±


    The first time Zhou Yu fell into the Angel¡¯s Horns, the base had thought that he was dead. But he came back.


    The second time he was captured by Elpis, the base had thought that he was dead. But he was alive again.


    No one cheated death as often as he had.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ how fitting, a big monster raising a small monster.¡±


    Zhou Yu indifferently walked into the dining hall. He came a little late, so there weren¡¯t many people left except for Wu Yun, who was also on vacation. He sat with one leg propped up and was looking up to watch TV.


    The contents of what was playing on TV was extremely inappropriate for children.


    Zhou Yu knocked on the table, ¡°Hey, who chose this?¡±


    ¡°I chose it. It¡¯s rich in content and will open your eyes to the world.¡± Wu Yun kept watching, enthralled.


    ¡°Juli Corp provides films like this as entertainment for the people at the base?¡±


    Zhou Yu pretended not to see and treated the moans coming from the TV as the wind blowing past his ears. He bowed his head and ate lunch.


    Today¡¯s meal was potato stew, it tasted not too bad.


    ¡°Are you kidding? No matter which world we¡¯re in, we normal humans have needs, you know. And there are practically no women in the base. Now that I think about it, Han Li¡¯s figure is not bad.¡±


    The thrusting on the screen became even more exaggerated. If Li Qian was here, his ears would have turned red.


    Zhou Yu had always been rather indifferent in this area, probably because he had a higher standard for self-discipline.


    He took a bite of his food, then looked up again to see Mo Ye looking up at the same place as Wu Yun. Its eyes were wide open as if a new world had opened up before him.

 CH 32

    Zhou Yu immediately stretched his hand out and covered Mo Ye¡¯s eyes, then pulled him back: ¡°Bad boy! What are you looking at when your fur isn¡¯t even fully grown yet?¡±


    Just as the film was approaching its climax, Wu Yun waved his hand indifferently: ¡°Zhou Yu, you can¡¯t do that! This is enlightening education for Mo Ye!¡±


    ¡°Education my ass! How can you let him watch such a thing at his age?!¡± Zhou Yu thumped Wu Yun on the head.


    The more Zhou Yu covered his little head, the more Mo Ye attempted to stick his head out to watch.


    Wu Yun threw them a glance and burst out into laughter. He turned the volume up to its maximum.


    An obscene atmosphere enshrouded the entire dining hall.


    ¡°Wu Yun, do you really want me to beat you up?¡± As soon as Zhou Yu raised his fist, Mo Ye, who had been in his arms, scampered away. He jumped up somewhere else and continued watching the TV in deep concentration.


    Wu Yun laughed loudly and said, ¡°See? This is Mo Ye¡¯s true nature, he¡¯s a real man! I like it!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked on helplessly, then shouted, ¡°Mo Ye, come back.¡±


    Mo Ye replied with a ¡°Hnn,¡± but sadly, he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to turn his head back.


    All of a sudden, Zhou Yu felt like the situation was rather comical. What could Mo Ye learn from watching this? Human beings and night spirits would definitely have different ways of doing that¡­


    Zhou Yu finished his dinner and went to pick up Mo Ye, who was crouching a distance away from him. They left Wu Yun¡ªwho was still watching the tacky movie¡ªbehind.


    As Zhou Yu walked, Mo Ye turned around and rested on his shoulder, his head still angled in the direction of the TV.


    Zhou Yu slapped him on the butt angrily: ¡°You¡¯re not following a good example.¡±


    Back in his room, there wasn¡¯t anything entertaining to do in the evenings so Zhou Yu dug out his mobile phone. It had been brought over from the other side.


    Nibelungen didn¡¯t have network signals, but the movies saved on his phone could still be played.


    Zhou Yu felt that the movie Wu Yun had chosen in the dining hall was bound to have a negative impact on Mo Ye¡¯s young and immature mind. It was necessary to re-educate Mo Ye and to set him up with a proper¡­ Outlook on the world and on life.


    ¡°Mo Ye, listen up, what you saw in the dining hall with Wu Yun isn¡¯t everything there is to human beings¡­¡± Zhou Yu had no idea how to explain what he wanted to express to Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye looked up at him, his large amber eyes filled with confusion. His small wings flapped slowly as if to say, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zhou Yu coughed, ¡°I¡¯ll show you a different movie. Its two main characters share a beautiful relationship. This is what I want, not doing such things from the get-go.¡±


    Zhou Yu turned on his phone and picked up Mo Ye.


    The movie Zhou Yu played was ¡°The Curious Case of Benjamin Button¡±.


    The film was very long and the plot was scattered. Just like a running stream, it seemed like there was nothing left over after flowing past.


    Benjamin¡¯s life worked differently from others. He grew younger and younger as others grew older.


    In the movie, Daisy was pure and straight-forward, and she eventually became a dancer. Benjamin must have been deeply moved the moment she started her dance from behind the curtains, the lights etching out her shadow.


    The end of the film showed Benjamin as an infant, lying in the arms of the aging Daisy.


    All of life will become a memory, and all things will come to pass.


    Zhou Yu expected Mo Ye to find such movies unexciting. At least compared to Wu Yun¡¯s ¡°action movies,¡± there was not much to see.


    However, Mo Ye watched it earnestly. When Daisy held Benjamin in her arms, Mo Ye threw himself into Zhou Yu¡¯s arms, squeezing his way into his embrace. His body temperature dropped, expressing his grief.


    Zhou Yu held him in his arms as the last bit of battery in his phone was used up.


    Mo Ye tapped his phone with a claw and looked at Zhou Yu, as if to say: Why did it disappear? What happened next? What happened after that?


    Zhou Yu smiled and pressed his face onto him.


    ¡°There is no after. Because there is a beginning, that means that there is also an end. Mo Ye, in my eyes, you are like Daisy: simple, pure, and beautiful. But our time flows differently. When I grow old, you would still be like Benjamin, lively and youthful. You¡¯ll definitely become a charming existence that stands out from the crowd.¡±


    Mo Ye looked up at Zhou Yu.


    His eyes were pure, the depths easily seen through to the bottom.


    But they also contained many complex emotions that Zhou Yu could not fathom.


    He seemed to have many expectations for Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu knew that he would be unable to meet them.


    ¡°Therefore, your companions will eventually become a memory for you. Be yourself, and no matter what problems you face or whatever you lose, never forget who you truly are.¡± Zhou Yu rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head.


    Suddenly, Mo Yu straightened up and laid his two small claws on top of Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder. Their lips touched before Zhou Yu could respond.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu could not contain his surprise. His heart pounded rapidly, and his mind was swept clean of any thoughts.


    Mo Ye¡¯s mouth was soft, just like a human¡¯s.


    Utterly stunned, Zhou Yu leaned back to support himself. Looking into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes, Zhou saw that they were¡­ brimming with affection.


    Upon getting no response from Zhou Yu, Mo Ye turned away, climbed onto the pillow and curled into a ball.


    Zhou Yu scratched the back of his head. Did that count as a kiss?


    I was kissed by a night spirit? And a male one at that?


    Zhou Yu suddenly felt a little depressed. He poked at Mo Ye¡¯s ear with his finger: ¡°Hey, stinky brat, you were being a pervert.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s ears pricked up. ¡°Pervert¡± was a new word. He seemed to be analyzing what it meant.


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    Zhou Yu thought to himself that Mo Ye¡¯s actions just now were mostly due to seeing Benjamin kiss Tracy and learning from their example.


    Zhou Yu gave Mo Ye a pat and said with a smile, ¡°What you did, placing your mouth on mine, is known as kissing. It¡¯s something you do to the person you like, you know. When you meet a female night spirit in the future, you can only do that to her if you really like her. But it¡¯s wrong for you to kiss me. I¡¯m human, and male, just like you, understand?¡±


    Mo Ye remained curled up, not responding.


    Zhou Yu felt like it became even funnier.


    However, the movie did indeed sadden Mo Ye; he was no longer as warm as he used to be.


    Zhou Yu pulled him into his arms, and thought: Don¡¯t be sad, little thing, you should quickly warm up again.


    Ten minutes later, Mo Ye¡¯s body temperature was slowly rising. Zhou Yu thought that hugging him was very comfortable and fell asleep just like that.


    Mo Ye quietly slipped out from within his arms and stopped by the bedside.


    His figure slowly morphed, and a youth with short, black hair and fair skin sat down beside Zhou Yu.


    He had a face with well-contoured features, clear amber eyes, and an elegant expression that was almost otherworldly.


    His fingers touched Zhou Yu¡¯s ankle and gently grasped it, slowly moving upwards. His palm ran along the lines of Zhou Yu¡¯s calf to Zhou Yu¡¯s waist.


    The teenager lowered himself and slowly embraced Zhou Yu within his arms, gently pressing his face against Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    Zhou Yu did not feel the slightest bit of his weight.


    The youth raised his head and looked at Zhou Yu¡¯s sleeping face, he seemed to be attracted by something. Placing his left hand on Zhou Yu¡¯s back and his right hand on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder, he leaned closer and kissed Zhou Yu¡¯s lips.


    The teenager closed his eyes. His delicate eyelashes seemed to be bearing the weight of fragile expectations.


    He kissed Zhou Yu on his chin, then on the neck, before tightening his embrace, as if he was afraid that the man in his arms would suddenly disappear.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Zhou Yu furrowed his brows. The moment he was about to open his eyes, the young man¡¯s fingers lightly touched upon Zhou Yu¡¯s brow, at which Zhou Yu peacefully fell back to sleep.


    At noon the next day, Wu Yun sat in the dining hall table with his head resting in his palm while using his chopsticks to play with the meal of the day as if he had no appetite. Zhou Yu ignored him. There were only green beans and some canned food left on the plate.


    Wu Yun opened his mouth, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you think today¡¯s food is especially terrible?¡±


    Zhou Yu shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it tastes the same as always. The chef¡¯s cooking is just as it usually is.¡±


    Wu Yun sighed helplessly and looked at Mo Ye, who was curled up at the side. He poked Mo Ye¡¯s calf with his chopsticks and said, ¡°Say, Little Mo Ye, don¡¯t you think today¡¯s food is especially terrible?¡±


    Mo Ye opened its eyes and looked at Zhou Yu, then he stuck out his tongue and lowered his head to lick up the carrots and green beans on Zhou Yu¡¯s plate. For the first time ever, his little head shrank back up to look at Zhou Yu with a pitiful expression, as if to say, ¡°Gosh! It really is awful!¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled and picked up a carrot with his chopsticks to deliver it into Mo Ye¡¯s mouth. Mo Ye rushed to jump away but was held back by Zhou Yu, who forced the carrot into his mouth.


    Mo Ye struggled to break free and ran off to a corner of the table, spitting out the carrots and then turning around to stare at Zhou Yu with an aggrieved expression.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh, stunning Wu Yun who was beside him.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you laugh so openly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dead, why can¡¯t I laugh openly?¡± Zhou Yu replied as he dragged Mo Ye back.


    Mo Ye could tell that Zhou Yu was planning to stuff him with the green beans, so he hooked his two front paws onto the edge of the table, refusing to budge.


    Wu Yun took pity on Mo Ye and reached out to take Mo Ye into his arms, patting him on his little head: ¡°See, I told you they tasted disgusting, and you acted like they weren¡¯t!¡± There isn¡¯t a single piece of meat on this plate, and neither is there enough protein content in our food. Do you know what happened?¡±


    Zhou Yu continued eating while he beckoning at Mo Ye with his finger. Obediently, Mo Ye wiggled his way back into his arms.


    Wu Yu helplessly looked at Mo Ye and mouthed: You hopeless little thing!


    Zhou Yu stroked Mo Ye¡¯s back with his left hand and used his chopsticks with his right. Without looking up, he replied, ¡°Oh, what happened?


    ¡°They had originally delivered an entire week¡¯s worth of provisions to Base 5, but the convoy they sent out to us yesterday unexpectedly vanished without a trace in the primitive forest! They were probably all eaten by some terrifying organism!¡±


    Zhou Yu shot Wu Yun a glance, ¡°What are you so happy about? Doesn¡¯t their disappearance mean that you won¡¯t get to eat meat for the rest of the week?¡±


    Wu Yun slapped his thigh, ¡°It¡¯s not just meat that¡¯s missing! Soon, we won¡¯t even have potatoes anymore!¡±


    Hearing that, Zhou Yu lifted his head up. Even Mo Ye, who was sitting on Zhou Yu¡¯s legs, raised its head to look behind Wu Yun.


    ¡°What are you guys looking at?¡±


    Wu Yun was about to turn around, but a pair of hands pressed down on his shoulders and an ice-cold voice sounded: ¡°If you really want to eat meat, then we¡¯ll just have to trouble you to make a trip into the primitive forest and retrieve the supplies from the convoy!¡±


    Wu Yun smiled: ¡°Jeez! It was just you, Mr. Song! I didn¡¯t think you would assign such an important task to me, what an honor! But am I the only one going? I can¡¯t drive all those vehicles back myself!¡±


    Song Zhi gave him a chilling smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have your long-time partner, Zhou Yu, go with you.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s gaze swept past Mo Ye. Mo Ye stared at him. ¡°Mo Ye¡¯s doesn¡¯t need to go, this is only a simple assignment to recover the supply vehicles.¡±


    Zhou Yu frowned, ¡°Mr. Song, didn¡¯t the convoy vanish in the primitive forest? Were they not attacked by some dangerous and high-ranked organism?¡±


    Song Zhi smirked and glanced at Wu Yun: ¡°As always, you¡¯re pretty slick at telling tales! The convoy wasn¡¯t attacked; there was a leakage in their fuel tank and they had no way of moving forward. The entire convoy is still alive and they last made contact with us just ten minutes ago. All you have to do is take another vehicle out to deliver the fuel and repair their fuel tank, then we¡¯ll be able to get the provisions¡ªincluding the supply of protein that you really want¡­ meat.¡±


    After saying that, Song Zhi turned and left.


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    Wu Yu scratched at his head, ¡°As long as the food is still there. I can¡¯t live through a day without meat, right, Mo Ye?¡±


    Mo Ye merely cast him a glance before turning his head to the side with an unhappy expression.


    Zhou Yu smiled and raised his hand to stroke Mo Ye¡¯s small head: ¡°It¡¯s okay, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just going to go retrieve our food supply. What do you like to eat? I hear there are fresh fruits on the vehicle, do you like watermelon? I used to raise a hedgehog when I was younger, and its favorite thing to eat was the red center of a watermelon.¡±


    Although he had been sulking, Mo Ye¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He tilted his head up, as if to ask: What¡¯s a watermelon?!


    Zhou Yu took hold of Mo Ye¡¯s front limbs and held him up to shake him around, as if he was carrying a large and silly dog: ¡°Watermelon is a sweet fruit that is high in water content, it tastes different from the fruits in Nibelungen.¡±


    Wu Yun smiled: ¡°Look at that! You¡¯re getting special treatment. Mo Ye, it¡¯s hard for us to even taste watermelon and yet Zhou Yu is willing to leave you some. I¡¯m so jealous of you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hurry up and go recover the food supply.¡±


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun went to the firearms storehouse and took out some ammunition with them. While they were preparing to leave the base, Mo Ye followed behind them the entire way, until they came to stand in front of a Hummer.


    The moment Zhou Yu went in, Mo Ye jumped up and sat on his knees, determined to follow them.


    Zhou Yu smiled and gently shook him, ¡°Okay, you sticky little bug, you can¡¯t come with us. Weren¡¯t you listening to Mr. Song? Do you want to make him mad? He¡¯ll send you into the glass room again!¡±


    Mo Ye turned his head around with an expression that said ¡°I¡¯m very unhappy.¡± Also, Mo Ye had already grown big enough that a glass room like the one at the base wouldn¡¯t be able to contain him anymore.


    Zhou Yu reached out with a finger and tapped him on his mouth: ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll let you eat your fill before I leave, is that okay?¡±


    Mo Ye was still upset. He stuck out his little tongue to lick the tip of Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, then tilted his head to the side.


    Amused, Zhou Yu made a ¡°come¡± gesture with his finger: ¡°I¡¯m going to throw you out and leave if you don¡¯t eat now.¡±


    At that, Mo Ye finally opened his mouth to take in Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertip. When Mo Ye¡¯s teeth broke his skin, he was pricked by a slight sensation of pain, followed by emotions of fondness and attachment. It spread from his fingertips to all four of his limbs. This was how Mo Ye expressed his feelings for Zhou Yu.


    In that second, Zhou Yu found himself fighting a strong urge to hug Mo Ye and take him into his arms, taking him everywhere he went.


    More than a dozen seconds later, someone knocked on the glass window, breaking Zhou Yu out of his trance. He looked over to see Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ bro, Song Zhi asked us to take Mo Ye away.¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded and used his other hand to pet Mo Ye¡¯s head, softly caressing his ears and little wings. He said, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time for you to get off now. Mo Ye, you have to look after Zhou Qing well and protect him, you can¡¯t let anyone harm him while I¡¯m away.¡±


    Mo Ye reluctantly let go of Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, not forgetting to use his tongue to lick at Zhou Yu¡¯s wound. It quickly healed again.


    Zhou Yu opened the car door and Mo Ye hopped out, his gaze never leaving Zhou Yu as he departed.


    Wu Yun drove while smoking: ¡°Hey, have you ever thought about a problem?¡±


    ¡°What problem?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    ¡°If we¡¯re all still alive one day. I mean, if we manage to make it out of Nibelungen alive, what would you do if Mo Ye refuses to let you leave??


    Zhou Yu tilted his head back and closed his eyes, as if he was contemplating the question: ¡°I would probably want him to adapt to the environment here as quickly as possible. He¡¯s like a child, but even a child would eventually leave their parents to live their own life when they grow up.¡±


    Wu Yun wisely chose not to continue the topic.


    Other than Mo Ye and Wu Yun, Song Zhi had also sent another team in after them. There were five people in the truck that followed Wu Yun and Zhou Yu into the primitive forest. Zhou Yu activated the locator and locked in on the coordinates of the supply vehicle.


    ¡°Approximately how much longer will we take to get there?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°It will probably take most of the day!¡±


    As they were driving, Wu Yun suddenly frowned: ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu, don¡¯t you feel like something¡¯s off?¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded and answered, ¡°It¡¯s indeed very strange. If the supply vehicle came from Base 5, then it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to be at those coordinates. We¡¯ve divided the primitive forest into 12 zones, and they happened to be in Zone 12. It¡¯s the farthest zone from our base, so there was little exploration done in that area and we don¡¯t know much about its finer details. The distribution of organisms in that zone was determined through aerial photography by helicopter and thermal scanning. I don¡¯t understand why the supply vehicle would drive into unfamiliar territory.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s answer was that they were attacked by swordbone butterflies along the way. The driver then panicked and deviated from their original direction. In the process of escaping, the fuel tank was jostled from hitting a tree root, which led to the leak. Eventually, the car came to a stop at its current location.


    It sounded all fair and reasonable, however, why were they so inexplicably attacked by swordbone butterflies?


    The situation was pretty suspicious no matter how you looked at it.


    ¡°That supply truck has been stranded in place for more than a day. Do you think the transport crew would eat up all of our food?¡±


    ¡°You can say that they¡¯re pretty lucky they didn¡¯t become food for other organisms.¡±


    The closer they got to Zone 12, the lusher and denser the vegetation around them became. Their Hummer had been hindered by many obstructions along the way. The vines and branches of various plants fell onto the windshield of Wu Yun¡¯s Hummer and they almost hit a tree several times.


    The tires of the vehicle accidentally rolled over a snake scorpion beauty, causing the silver snake inside of it to slither out and fiercely ram into the glass window with its jaws wide open. Although it knew that it couldn¡¯t break the glass, the visual effect it created was terrifying.


    Wu Yun kept driving along the bumpy road, and the path underneath their wheels became more and more rugged.


    What worried the field personnel was that they unexpectedly came across traces of two-headed wolf spiders in the woods. But fortunately, it wasn¡¯t yet breeding season, and thus they could not sense their fear. Otherwise, it would have been their turn to become the prey again.


    After successfully avoiding the two-headed spiders, everything seemed to quiet down again. However, Zhou Yu could faintly sense that something was following them. It was hiding in the woods, observing their movements and ready to leap out at any moment.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    Wu Yun slightly frowned. He notified the vehicle following behind them with his walkie-talkie: ¡°Be on guard at all times.¡±


    Just then, a loud bang sounded from the vehicle behind them as a white figure rushed out from the woods and pounced on the Hummer behind them.


    Without wasting his breath, Wu Yun adjusted the machine gun equipped on the car and rotated its muzzle. Zhou Yu was also ready to shoot.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    Through the scope of his gun, Zhou Yu saw a white, wolf-like creature. In addition to its pure white body, it had two tusks, strong limbs, and a vicious expression. However, such an organism possessed a wild elegance in its demeanor. Were they not currently in such dangerous circumstances, Zhou Yu would have appreciated its strength and beauty.


    ¡°That¡¯s a white terror, a B rank organism from Zone 12! It¡¯s really strong!¡± Zhou Yu frowned.

 CH 33

    Chapter 33: Windtalkers


    The white terror violently crashed into the Hummer behind them. The squad members in the vehicle lacked the experience of facing these kinds of beasts head-on. Moreover, the machine gunner in the vehicle was still too unseasoned to aim properly at the beast. They neither dared to jump out of the vehicle, nor to open the window and shoot directly at it.


    In addition to the constant ramming of their Hummer, the white terror fiercely roared, stunning the squad members into a stupefied silence¡ªall except for their team captain Toby, who shouted, ¡°Mobilize the gun! I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    ¡°A buncha idiots!¡± Wu Yun felt immensely helpless.


    Seeing that the Hummer was about to flip over, Zhou Yu locked onto the target from his gun¡¯s scope and fired a single shot. It hit the white terror on the back of its head and it flipped off the hood of the Hummer. The Hummer¡¯s car door and hood had almost been trampled flat.


    ¡°Oh my God, that was intense!¡± Wu Yun patted himself on the chest.


    ¡°White terrors are organisms that locate their prey based on their fear. All of us were injected with suppressants, so how did it know to attack us? Something went wrong here.¡± said Zhou Yu.


    Before Wu Yun could reply, Zhou Yu slipped on an oxygen mask and opened the door to step out of the vehicle, scaring the daylights out of Wu Yun.


    ¡°What are you doing, Zhou Yu?! Get back here, hey!¡±


    The squad members in the second Hummer were all crammed inside the vehicle, not daring to open the door and come out of the car. They watched the scene with their eyes wide open as Zhou Yu walked right past the white terror.


    Just as Wu Yun was about to open the door and follow him, Zhou Yu¡¯s voice sounded from the walkie-talkie: ¡°You better stay in the Hummer, Wu Yun!¡±


    Wu Yun tightened his grip on the steering wheel with both hands and whispered into the walkie-talkie: ¡°Then you get the hell back in here too. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu turned around and ran to the car. He pulled open the door and slipped inside, then slammed the door shut and took off the oxygen mask on his face.


    Wu Yun looked back and saw that countless black bugs were flying out in dense swarms from the fallen body of the white terror! It seemed like the insects had consumed the white terror.


    Wu Yun stretched out his neck to check, and sure enough, he saw the shrunken corpse of the white terror. It looked like a deflated balloon; only its leather hide remained.


    The other squad members in the Hummer behind them also showed horrified expressions. This time, their panic was different from when they had been attacked by the white terror.


    Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu and said, ¡°What on earth are those bugs?¡±


    ¡°According to Juli Corp¡¯s database, those bugs are called ¡®windtalkers.¡¯ They can penetrate through the skin and into an organism¡¯s body to feed on their flesh and blood. They can even enter into bone marrow and the brain. Once it¡¯s in the brain, it can control organisms as parasites. The white terror probably attacked us because the windtalkers were controlling its mind.¡±


    ¡°My God, it¡¯s a windtalker! I¡¯ve heard of this insect, it¡¯s practically a myth. I didn¡¯t expect it to be real, and I just saw them with my own eyes! What should we do now, head back to base and get ready to come here again? What if we happen to come across those insects again?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the swarm of windtalkers that just flew away should soon be dead. Don¡¯t forget that I hit the white terror with the neurotoxin. The windtalkers came out from the white terror¡¯s body, so they also absorbed it. They won¡¯t be able to last long before dying from it.¡±


    ¡°What if there¡¯s another swarm of windtalkers? We¡¯re not that familiar with Zone 12, and I suddenly have a bad feeling about this.¡±


    This time, Zhou Yu agreed with Wu Yun¡¯s doubts. He opened the locator. Their newest locator had been upgraded by Li Qian and was now powerful enough to send radio waves that matched the magnetic field of Nibelungen, allowing them to communicate with the base.


    After Zhou Yu reported the situation involving the windtalkers to Song Zhi, Song Zhi told them that the first aid kit in the trunk of their Hummer contained a new, yellow-colored medicine that had been developed at the base. It could help them defend again the invasion of various parasitic insects.


    ¡°A newly developed drug? Are you sure it¡¯s reliable?¡± Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Enjoy your trip to Zone 12,¡± said Song Zhi.


    Wu Yun was completely speechless: ¡°Why didn¡¯t he tell us earlier before we left that we had drugs in the trunk?¡±


    ¡°Because we already have the suppressant inside our bodies and there may be side effects if we inject the new drug. Han Li said that the side effects include dizziness, tinnitus, and vomiting, but I prefer being dizzy, vomiting, and having tinnitus to being controlled by the windtalkers.¡±


    After that, Zhou Yu notified his teammates in the Hummer before taking out the drugs from the trunk. Everyone took turns injecting the drug before they continued on the road again.


    A few hours later, they finally arrived at their destination. They could see a few trucks parked out in the woods a distance away.


    However, the driver and front passenger seats were empty. Sunlight fell onto the roof of the vehicle through the gaps in between the leaves in a charming and carefree way, just like an oil painting.


    However, the silence gave Zhou Yu a bad feeling.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu did not get off the Hummer. Instead, Zhou Yu squinted his eyes and asked, ¡°Where are the people?¡±


    Wu Yun also looked around, keeping alert without rolling down the window: ¡°Yeah, why isn¡¯t anyone here? If they wanted to rest and stay in one place, then they should have followed Juli Corp¡¯s orders and stayed inside the car. This is the primitive forest, not the base. And you can tell that the doors and windows had been opened. They seemed to have abandoned the truck in a panic.¡±


    Before Zhou Yu could inform the Hummer behind them of the situation, its team had already taken action. They got out and went to inspect the truck. They opened the door of the truck and found that all the rations inside of it were still there. When the team captain made a thumbs-up sign at Wu Yun, Wu Yun and Zhou Yu only felt that things had become even stranger. The rations were here, but where did the people go?


    Zhou Yu picked up the walkie-talkie and said to the team captain Toby, ¡°Return to the car immediately. Something¡¯s not right here.¡±


    The place where the trucks were parked was densely forested. What had prompted them to drive to such a place where they could neither advance nor retreat?


    But team captain Toby turned on the radio in the truck and tried to get in touch with the missing crew members.


    Wu Yun shook his head and said, ¡°Forget it, even if you¡¯re doing it for their sakes, they¡¯ll only think that you want to order them around and won¡¯t listen to your suggestions.¡±


    Wu Yun picked up the walkie-talkie and said to the team leader, ¡°Can you check to see if the truck¡¯s fuel tank is empty?¡±


    ¡°Huh, weird! The tank is still two-thirds full, more than enough for them to drive back to base!¡±


    The feeling that something was wrong got even stronger. Zhou Yu urgently spoke through his walkie-talkie in a harsh tone and said, ¡°Get back here right now! Things here aren¡¯t right.¡±


    Suddenly, a sound came from the woods. The team immediately turned to point their guns in its direction, followed by the simultaneous clicks of their guns being cocked.


    Zhou Yu also pointed their vehicle¡¯s gun that way.


    They watched as a figure in camouflage walked out. He raised both his hands and showed a look of surprise: ¡°Hey! Are you trying to scare me to death like this?¡±


    Captain Toby immediately lowered his gun: ¡°Frank! It¡¯s you! Where¡¯d you go and why is no one here on standby?¡±


    Zhou Yu stared at Frank from behind his gun¡¯s scope and said in a low voice, ¡°Everyone, stand on alert.¡±


    Captain Toby glanced at Frank¡¯s arm and found that his blood vessels were protruded, and even black in color. Looking back at his eyes again, he saw that they were bloodshot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Toby quickly raised his gun to aim between Frank¡¯s eyebrows.


    Frank looked surprised and took another half-step forward: ¡°Toby, what¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m Frank!¡±


    ¡°I told you not to move!¡±


    All guns were pointed at Frank, but Frank did not look as frightened as everyone expected. Suddenly, Frank¡¯s eyes widened and he recklessly launched himself at Captain Toby. Toby reflexively pulled the trigger and hit Frank on the forehead. Instantly, countless black bugs emerged from the corners of Frank¡¯s eyes, his ears, and even from underneath his skin. A large mass of whining, buzzing insects filled the skies and blocked out the sun.


    ¡°Fucking hell!¡± Wu Yun was stupefied by the scene before them. The rest of the squad members scattered in a disordered mess and waved around their hands to shoo away the bugs.


    Frank fell flat on the ground, his body slanted to the side. He only left behind his camouflage clothing. His skin clung to his bones, drained of all its moisture.


    Because all the squad members had been injected with the drug, the insects could not parasitize their bodies and they made a harsh, annoying noise while surrounding them.


    They turned and flew to Wu Yun and Zhou Yu¡¯s vehicle, then repeatedly slammed into the glass windows with all their might.


    While they were besieging Wu Yun and Zhou Yu, the other members of the team went to head back inside the Hummer, but to their surprise, the members of the original transport crew emerged from the woods.


    They also carried guns.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu, who could not see what was going on, could only hear the crackling of gunfire.


    ¡°Toby! Toby, please respond! What happened?¡± Wu Yun could only contact the team leader through the walkie-talkie.


    ¡°The windtalkers! It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that the transport crew drove their truck here; there must be a windtalker nest here. After controlling the transport crew, they contacted base to have someone pick them up, which would bring more fresh food to the windtalkers.¡± Zhou Yu wore a chilly expression. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, then the transport crew controlled by the windtalkers should be currently fighting with Toby¡¯s team.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t go outside to fight them. Once we open the door, the windtalkers will rush in. As things stand, we still can¡¯t see outside.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s hands tightly gripped the steering wheel and prepared to withdraw immediately if Toby¡¯s team was killed.


    The food supply was only a minor matter, surviving was what really mattered.


    ¡°Have you realized that Song Zhi never assigns us the easy tasks? I don¡¯t think Nibelungen is too bad at all, but Song Zhi is pretty scary.¡±


    Wu Yun stared into the dark glass windows before him.


    Zhou Yu raised up his wrist to look at his watch. ¡°In half a minute, those windtalkers will die.¡±


    The force and sound of the insects hitting the glass windows became weaker and weaker until it gradually ceased.


    The gunfire outside had also stopped.


    Who had won? Was it the transport crew controlled by the windtalkers, or Toby¡¯s team?


    Wu Yun started up the wipers and swept away the insects on the front windshield. Before them, Toby was leaning against a tree with a pained expression. His wrists had been twisted into distortion.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on Wu Yun¡¯s window, and all the insects coating its surface dropped off. They saw a smiling face on the other side.


    ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t want me to shoot Toby, then come outside.¡±


    Wu Yun stared at him with wide eyes.


    That man was Morris, the captain of the transport crew.


    Morris¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and Wu Yun could see something squirming around in the blood vessels of his neck exposed outside his camouflage suit.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    Zhou Yu suddenly shouted as he put the car in reverse gear for Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun slammed down on the gas pedal and they quickly took off.


    As Wu Yun drove in reverse, Zhou Yu observed the delivery crew from the scope of his gun. He pulled the trigger and instantly downed two to three of them.


    However, Morris also took the rest of them into Toby¡¯s car and quickly caught up to them.


    The forest was too densely spaced for Wu Yun to turn around in, and Morris was getting closer and closer.


    They also aimed their guns and fired at Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.


    The bullets struck their front windshield. The machine guns were capable of doing penetrative damage to their vehicle, and if they continued like this, then their windows would soon break. Zhou Yu used their machine gun to fire back at them.


    Sparks flew in the air.


    Every time he heard the crackling sound of gunfire, Wu Yun¡¯s heart almost leaped out of his chest!


    At some point, their rear tires seemed to catch on something, and no matter how much they revved the engine, they remained stuck.


    Morris, on the other hand, continued forwards and ran straight into them. With a ¡°bang¡ª¡±, Wu Yu¡¯s neck almost snapped in half from the jolt.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡± Wu Yun threw the gun to Zhou Yu. ¡°Get out of the car!¡±


    They had no intention of fighting Morris after they exited the vehicle; that was irrational.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu climbed into the back of the vehicle and opened both doors. Sure enough, a hail of bullets came raining down, but they were blocked by the open doors.


    They left the vehicle, only to find that the roots of a tree poking out from the ground had jammed their rear tires.


    Without any undue hesitation, the two men, armed with guns, quickly entered the woods that enveloped them on both sides and hid there.


    Zhou Yu knew time was almost up for the parasites inside the transport crew, and that they would need a new host soon.


    Looking around, he found that he and Wu Yun were the only people around; there was not another organism in sight. They most likely had already been ¡°eaten up¡± by the windtalkers.


    ¡°Hey, are you two planning on leaving Toby behind?¡±


    Morris also got out of the vehicle with a gun, and he and the others randomly fired into the woods. A bullet narrowly brushed by near Zhou Yu¡¯s leg, but Zhou Yu only raised his chin and squinted his eyes, patiently lying in wait.


    Beside him, Wu Yun also raised the muzzle of his gun before exchanging looks with Zhou Yu.


    When Morris and his men walked to a place parallel to where Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were hiding, Zhou Yu held down on his gun and aimed quickly. Without even blinking, he pulled the trigger and hit Morris in the leg.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Morris fell to the ground and finally caught sight of Zhou Yu, but the neurotoxin soon killed him.


    Wu Yun was also an old and adept hand at this, and the next shot got rid of another person.


    A surge of windtalkers flew out from their corpses and toward Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, but they were unable to invade them.


    Zhou Yu leaned patiently against a tree, waiting for them to die from the neurotoxin. Wu Yun went a step further and drew out half a cigarette from his pocket. He also took out his lighter to light it. The insects rushed to the flame produced by the lighter and were set ablaze to produce acrid fumes. Just when Wu Yun finally had the chance to take half a drag of his cigarette, the insects died and fell on the ground and onto their bodies.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun brushed them off from their shoulders and stood up.


    From behind his clenched teeth, Wu Yun said, ¡°Even if I take a hundred baths, I¡¯d still feel sick.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to look for Toby and the others.¡±


    There was no time to change the tires. Zhou Yu and Wu Yun got in the Hummer that had been driven here by Morris.


    Before they left, Wu Yun took a look at Morris¡¯s body.


    ¡°He was a veteran too¡­ I didn¡¯t think he would die at our hands.¡±


    ¡°No, he died at the windtalker¡¯s hands.¡±


    Zhou Yu pulled down the hand brake for Wu Yun.


    ¡°I just had a sudden thought: is Song Zhi using us as an experiment?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Hm, maybe. With Song Zhi¡¯s mental acuity, it¡¯s impossible for him not to realize that there¡¯s something off about the transport crew driving into Zone 12. Plus, we had the newly developed antiparasitic drug in our trunk, as if he was expecting us to meet the windtalkers.¡±


    ¡°We got played by him again.¡± Wu Yun sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t stop me when we get back, I¡¯m going to wring his neck.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    When they drove back to the place where they had fought with the transport crew, the transport vehicle was still there, but the squad members who had been knocked down by Morris had disappeared. Even Toby, who had been leaning by the tree with his dislocated limbs, had vanished.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun looked at each other.


    ¡°I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°The situation is unknown, we need to evacuate immediately.¡± Just as Wu Yun was about to turn back, he suddenly heard Toby¡¯s cry for help.


    ¡°Help me¡ª Help me¡ª Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked up and found that while they were gone, Toby and other members had gotten tangled up in some kind of silk and were strung up on an ancient tree.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Wu Yun gritted his teeth. Since Toby was still alive, they couldn¡¯t just abandon him here. ¡°Zhou Yu, what is that?¡±


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and spotted some translucent, silkworm-like creatures among the bushes. They squirmed and secreted silk from their mouths, spinning Toby and the others into cocoons, layer by layer.


    ¡°According to Juli Corp¡¯s database, they should be crystal silkworms. They don¡¯t produce silk to make cocoons, instead, they use it as a digestive organ.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re going to eat Toby! Damn it! How aggressive are those silkworms?¡±


    Suddenly, a chilling scream came from Toby. The silk threads had started to wrap around Toby¡¯s neck.


    ¡°They are not very aggressive, but the mucus and silk in the bodies are highly corrosive!¡± Zhou Yu took out a sedative gas grenade from his waist pocket and rolled down the window. ¡°Toby! Hold your breath!¡±


    Toby stopped shouting. Zhou Yu threw the grenade into the air, and then quickly closed the window. He and Wu Yun took out their masks and put them on.


    After the sedative gas was released, the crystal silkworms stopped moving, and some even dropped to the ground.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun got out of the vehicle. Wu Yun climbed up the tree and kicked off the crystal silkworms, one after another. He came to Toby and carefully cut open the silk cocoon before tying a rope around Toby. Underneath the tree, Zhou Yu slowly released the other end of the rope to let Toby down.


    When they cut off all the silk threads around Toby, they found that the camouflage suit he had underneath had been almost been completely corroded. If they had waited for a few more seconds, Toby would have given them an even more blood-curdling scream.


    Wu Yun went to free the others too, but when he cut open the silk, he found that they were no longer breathing. Some of them were already badly mangled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why there are so many insects here¡­¡± Wu Yun muttered as he handled Toby¡¯s wound.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu realized what it was. He quickly threw Toby over his shoulder and said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now! We need to return to base right away!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°There may a higher-ranking insect species here. Just like a kingdom with a strict hierarchy, those insects could have been scavenging for food for that species!¡±


    Without another word, Wu Yun immediately returned to the vehicle, pulled the door open, and stuffed Toby into the back seat.


    They headed back immediately.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice appeared in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Watch out behind you.¡±


    Just as Zhou Yu was about to turn around, he was hit hard on the top of his head and fell to the side. Everything happened so fast that Zhou Yu lost consciousness.


    ¡°What are you doing¡ªToby!¡± Wu Yun turned around and was about to point his gun at Toby.


    However, Toby¡¯s movements were surprisingly agile. He grabbed the butt of Wu Yun¡¯s gun and slammed it upwards, hitting Wu Yun in the nose. It hurt so much he almost teared up, but he still pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting the glass. He was about to fire a second shot, but Toby twisted his wrist.


    Toby¡¯s strength was incredible. Wu Yun had his teeth clenched and his veins bulging, but he was still unable to match Toby¡¯s strength. Toby¡¯s eyes were wide open, and there was a trace of madness in them that Wu Yun had never seen before.


    ¡°Toby! What the hell is wrong with you?!¡±


    Just then, a silver spider crawled out from behind Toby¡¯s collar.


    Unlike normal spiders, it only had four legs. Its eyes were clouded with white, making Wu Yun suspect that it could not actually see.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Wake up! Zhou Yu! ¡± Cold sweat soaked Wu Yun¡¯s back as he watched the silver spider crawl along Toby¡¯s shoulder onto the back of his hand. Toby¡¯s hand suddenly got stronger and he snatched the gun from Wu Yun¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Even though his gun was gone, Wu Yun still did not plan to give up.


    80% of it was because that silver spider was the one controlling Toby!


    Wu Yun mercilessly swung a punch at the spider. The spider jumped up and threads of extremely fine silk that were attached to Toby could vaguely be seen. Toby¡¯s also aimed his fist at Wu Yun and struck him squarely in the face with one blow. He then took advantage of the opportunity to pull back Wu Yun¡¯s head and slam it hard onto the steering wheel.

 CH 34

    Chapter 34: Marionette


    Wu Yun¡¯s ears rang, but before he could gather his thoughts, Toby slammed his head down again. Wu Yun finally passed out and lay sprawled over the steering wheel.


    Toby laughed, appearing sinister and deranged.


    He got out of the car and the silver spider crawled into his collar again. He dragged Wu Yun out and threw him onto the back seat, then sat in the driver¡¯s seat and drove away, the vehicle bumping along all the way through the dense forest.


    They passed the delivery truck, but Toby acted like he hadn¡¯t seen it and rolled over the cocoon-wrapped corpses of his companions. He came to a stop before a towering ancient tree wrapped in numerous vines.


    There were hundreds of thousands of vines, entwined and sustaining each other up, while the ancient tree stood staunchly like a pillar reaching for the sky. Under the tangle of vines, it formed a large tree-castle, even detailing the shape of several windows lattices. The vines were interwoven into elaborate waves and curls like classic Rococo-style buildings. It had an air of elegance and mystery to it.


    Toby dragged Wu Yun out of the car and hauled Zhou Yu over his shoulder.


    Light fell through the gaps between the vines of the castle like a small trickling brook.


    Silver-white transparent butterflies danced among the glowing beams, like strings of crystal lights.


    Toby dragged Wu Yun to a tunnel entrance at the front of the tree-castle and pushed him in, then threw Zhou Yu down after him.


    The silver spider crawled out from underneath Toby¡¯s collar and leaped towards a descending vine. The silk thread connecting it to Toby broke and Toby suddenly lost consciousness. His eyes closed as he crumpled to the ground, just in time to fall into the hole.


    They slid down the cave and fell into a dark, spacious underground chamber beneath the ancient tree.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qing picked open a pine nut and sent it to Mo Ye¡¯s mouth: ¡°Mo Ye, do you want to eat pine nuts?¡±


    Mo Ye was curled up in a ball and huddled on the chair beside him. Occasionally, he would stretch his leg out and push out to make the chair turn. It seemed like he was entertaining himself.


    His ears were drooping and his eyes were closed. It wasn¡¯t clear what he had on his mind.


    Zhou Qing crooked his head to the side and said, ¡°Pine nuts¡­ Zhou Yu liked to eat them when he was a child. There were a lot of them in his pocket! Would you like to try it?¡±


    When he mentioned Zhou Yu, Mo Ye suddenly opened his eyes, and a touch of gold flashed through his amber irides. Zhou Qing paused, thinking that he had imagined it. Just as he was about to rub his eyes, Mo Ye suddenly straightened up his back and jumped down from the chair.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Where are you going?¡±


    Mo Ye went to the door and hit it hard. The door did not open. He turned back to look at Zhou Qing, a determined look in his eyes.


    ¡°You want to go out? Why? Is staying with me too boring?¡±


    Just then, a researcher came in. The moment the door opened, Mo Ye rushed out.


    Zhou Qing hurried to chase after him.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Where are you going?! Come back!¡±


    Still, Mo Ye rushed out of the room without a second glance and started sprinting through the corridor. At the same time, a field worker was passing through the exit gate. The moment the gate was about to close, Mo Ye rushed out from under his feet, leaving Zhou Qing behind.


    ¡°Goodness! What was that about?¡± The field worker asked, confused.


    ¡°Professor Zhou! Shouldn¡¯t you notify control center as soon as possible?¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s assistant came to ask Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing remained standing where he was. He had a feeling that the reason why Mo Ye had reacted like that was because Zhou Yu¡¯s life was in danger. If so, he would let Mo Ye leave instead of locking him up in here.


    He pretended to be slow to react and stood there for more than a dozen seconds until Mo Ye passed through the inner core of the base and into its outer wing.


    News eventually reached Song Zhi and he sent out an order to the system control center of the base to trap Mo Ye inside.


    Nobody knew how Mo Ye did it. He seemed to know exactly which channels would open in the labyrinth of the base and exactly when someone would pass through.


    At the most critical junction, he passed through a closed gate when a truck that was returning from the outside was about to enter the base. The moment the gate was opened, Song Zhi ordered, ¡°Close all nodes! No one is allowed in or out! Stop him! We must stop him!¡±


    The staff of the system control center had cold sweat down their backs. Their brain processing speed and the rate at which their fingers could type out code were far slower than Mo Ye. Something that looked like black lightning streaked through the monitors, breaking through the limits of vision and thought.


    Mo Ye¡¯s speed gave him the illusion of a comet piercing through the night sky, shooting out from a nearly closed gap in between the gates. He leaped on top of the hood of the Hummer in front of him. With a loud bang, the hood crumpled flat and even the front tire was blown.


    The system control employees were struck dumb with disbelief. ¡°That was way too fast! We had no way of predicting where he went at all, but he knew exactly which gates were being opened!¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s hands were laid out flat on the table. There was no doubt that Mo Ye possessed senses that were beyond those of human beings.


    Through the system surveillance¡¯s video replay, Song Zhi saw Mo Ye¡¯s face. His eyes were firmly looking ahead, as if he would break through any obstacles in front of him.


    Cold sweat dripped down from Song Zhi¡¯s forehead.


    It could be seen from this that it was completely within Mo Ye¡¯s capabilities to leave the base by himself. The only reason why he had not left was because of Zhou Yu.


    At this moment, Zhou Yu¡¯s head was buzzing. He finally found a trace of clarity and sat up slowly.


    There was darkness all around him, and in the darkness there were countless silver spots twinkling. He shielded his eyes and finally saw that those luminous dots were actually butterflies with silver wings.


    When his eyes fully adapted to the darkness, Zhou Yu could see everything around him more clearly. The spacious cavern he was in was interwoven by various vines. Overhead, he could also see the empty window-like opening with a rectangular shape. It was almost night. Twilight fell in from between the crevices and cast neat rows of shadows on the ground, just like window lattices.


    Wu Yun and Toby were lying down beside him. Zhou Yu immediately stretched out his hand and pressed it on Wu Yun¡¯s neck. When he felt a pulse in his carotid artery, Zhou Yu finally let out the breath he had been holding in. Wu Yun was still alive. He checked Toby and found that he was still alive as well, but his hands and feet had been twisted. Zhou Yu realized that some organism must have controlled Toby and attacked him and Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu carefully observed the space around them. It was as if it had been carefully designed by something or someone; it was impossible for it to have occurred naturally from the organisms of Nibelungen.


    The walls of the castle before him were actually part of the ancient tree. The silver butterflies fluttered their wings and slowly flew to Zhou Yu¡¯s side, as if they were helping him light up the area to let him see the walls more clearly. There was artwork in the form of carvings on the walls. Zhou Yu touched them with his fingers and found that the carvings were deep and full of meaning. When more specks of light gradually gathered near him, Zhou Yu could see them better. It was a portrait of a woman. She was vivid and lifelike, and the slight curve of her lips were especially tantalizing. Zhou Yu believed that whoever had carved this woman possessed a deep adoration for her.


    Zhou Yu took out his recorder and pointed it at the artwork above him. If he could make it back to the base alive, he would hand it all over to Song Zhi. Whether it was the meticulous architecture or the carvings, this place embodied human civilization.


    But using the ancient trees as pillars in the castle, weaving vines into the walls in rococo patterns, and manipulating the silver butterflies to act as lights¡ªnone of this was something humans could do, and it should at least be what an A-rank organism was capable of.


    ¡°Welcome to my world.¡±


    A gentle voice sounded, yet Zhou Yu could not see anyone after looking around.


    It suddenly dawned on him that the voice came from his mind, just like Elpis, an organism of A-rank or higher was communicating directly with him through his mind.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Yu immediately returned to where Wu Yun and Toby were.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am, but I can see many interesting things in your brain. You are a human being, yet Elpis chose you.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Zhou Yu was tense with caution as he placed his hand on the gun at his waist. It was still there!


    ¡°My original purpose was very simple; that is to treat you as food and sustenance. However, it¡¯s a pity that you¡¯ve injected some kind of drug into your bodies so that if I were to eat you, it would be detrimental to my health. I will have to wait until the drug metabolizes.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Zhou Yu knew that no matter what he planned out or how he acted, it will be noticed by the A-level organism. More importantly, the tree-castle was completely under its control. It was impossible for him to leave with Wu Yun, let alone by himself.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you have such an awareness of your situation. The relationship between us is like cats and mice. The longer you spend with me to pass the time, the longer I will keep you alive. But once I find you boring, I¡¯ll open my mouth and eat you all.¡±


    The voice was teasing and playful, it was unclear if it was playing tricks on them or frightening them, but its threats were a little immature.


    ¡°And where is your mouth?¡± Zhou Yu asked coldly.


    The voice laughed again, slightly insane.


    ¡°My head is on the ceiling, my feet are underneath you, my fingers are around your throat, and as for my mouth¡­ Where is it? You¡¯re already in my stomach.¡±


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes: ¡°Why do I think you¡¯re bluffing?¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Turn around and see.¡±


    As soon as Zhou Yu turned around, he found that vines were falling from the air and rolling up Wu Yun and Toby. Zhou Yu immediately ran to them while pulling out the gun from his waist. He fired several shots at the vines.


    Toby had been completely wrapped away. Wu Yun was still hanging in mid-air and the vines that Zhou Yu shot loosened him. Wu Yun fell and was caught by Zhou Yu.


    He looked up and saw that the mass of vines directly above him had withered, indicating that Zhou Yu¡¯s bullets were working.


    Without any hesitation, Zhou shot at the area that had not yet withered. Soon, the green vines above him turned yellow-brown.


    Wu Yun, who was knocked out, finally regained consciousness. He was shocked by the scene before him. Where he was now was a completely different world from before.


    Zhou Yu briskly said, ¡°Pull out your gun!¡±


    Wordlessly, Wu Yun turned over and pointed his gun in the same direction as Zhou Yu, his body tense.


    The yellowish-brown vines gradually peeled off from the air like dead snakes. The green vines writhed about in crisscrossing lines, creeping onto each other and tightening up. Even the previous window lattices had been blocked from sight. If it weren¡¯t for the silver butterflies, they would have no light at all.


    Although the bullets had been effective, there were just too many vines in there. Even if they used up all the bullets, the castle still would not fall apart.


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused me so much trouble that if I stand by and do nothing, it will seem like I did not do my duty as your host. I will have to give you a warning.¡±


    The voice in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind sounded again, and the vines above him began to unfold. Toby, who had been wrapped inside them, suddenly fell from above. Zhou Yu rushed forward to catch him, but was held back by Wu Yun. The silver butterflies flew past, sweeping a chilly breeze over their heads. Their wings seemed to invert, and in a sharp flash of light, it seemed like numerous sharp blades had slashed across Toby¡¯s body.


    Scarlet blood splattering everywhere. Zhou Yu could only watch the gruesome scene unfold with his eyes wide open. By the time the silver butterflies left for somewhere else, all that was left of Toby was his pale white bones.


    The entire process did not exceed three seconds; Toby didn¡¯t even get the chance to scream.


    As if nothing happened, the butterflies languorously and freely fluttered about in the interior of the castle¡ªlike stars in the darkness, something one yearned for.


    The more beautiful an organism was, the more dangerous it is. Zhou Yu undoubtedly realized it this time.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu¡¯s backs were already soaked with sweat. Against these organisms, their guns were completely ineffective.


    ¡°All right, a new game starts now. Will it be you or your friend who will become the next masterpiece to bloom in scarlet?¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils quivered and suddenly cried out, ¡°Wu Yun, the lighter!¡±


    Wu Yun threw the lighter directly at Zhou Yu without asking why.


    At this time, the butterflies were gathering together to gain momentum and fly over. They once again drew up their wings, preparing to make mincemeat out of them.


    ¡°Wu Yun! Get close to me, right now!¡±


    As soon as Zhou Yu¡¯s spoke, Wu Yun rushed to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and said, ¡°Do I also need to hold you tight?!¡±


    Zhou Yu ignored Wu Yun. He took off his coat and picked up a few of the branches on the ground. The second he lit the lighter, the silver butterflies that had been barreling towards them gave them a wide berth while surrounding them in a circle, hesitating to draw too close to the flame.


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Zhou Yu, you knew that they¡¯re afraid of fire!¡±


    ¡°Now get your vodka out!¡±


    Wu Yun did not ask Zhou Yu how he knew about his secret stash of vodka. He immediately threw a small metal hip flask to Zhou Yu.


    Seeing that the lighter¡¯s flame was dying out, the butterflies regrouped and were about to rush towards them again. Wu Yun could even feel his face being sliced open by their wings, the cuts burning with pain.


    The moment Zhou Yu relit the lighter, the silver butterflies suddenly dispersed again. They strayed closer and farther away along with the flickering of the lighter.


    Wu Yun helped Zhou Yu pour vodka over his clothes and tie it to a branch. In a sudden burst of fire, the flames leapt up and illuminated the inside of the castle. The butterflies near them were burned by the fire and crackled as they were incinerated while emitting a peculiar odor. It was neither the stench of rotting meat nor a burnt smell, but a light fragrance.


    Zhou Yu knew that he could not yet relax. Soon, the flames would burn out and the god of death would pay them a speedy visit.


    ¡°Wu Yun, do you have any sedative grenades on you?¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head. ¡°They probably fell out. I¡¯m already very lucky to have kept my gun!¡±


    Zhou Yu caught a glance of some equipment from on top of Toby¡¯s remains. He held up his torch and went to them with Wu Yun. Zhou Yu knelt down to rummage through them as Wu Yun held up his gun to guard their surroundings.


    Zhou Yu finally found some sedative grenades. He asked Wu Yun, ¡°How many seconds can you hold your breath?¡±


    ¡°Hey! How can you use seconds to count how long I can hold my breath? At least use minutes! I have no problem with three to five minutes!¡±


    ¡°And I thought you¡¯d be able to hold your breath for 10 minutes and carry me out of here while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping for you to carry me out of here!¡±


    ¡°No problem, you can start fainting away!¡±


    Saying that, Zhou Yu unexpectedly found an oxygen mask from Toby¡¯s stuff!


    ¡°Toby, that lucky guy! Both of our things were thrown out, yet he kept his own. How about I start fainting right now?¡±


    Wu Yun knew quite well what Zhou Yu was thinking: when the sedative gas took effect, the vines should open up, otherwise, all the creatures in the enclosed space would fall unconscious. Zhou Yu and Wu Yun will have a few minutes to wipe them out completely. If they didn¡¯t want to be killed, then they would have to let the air clear out. That would mean creating an opening.


    At this time, Zhou Yu¡¯s heard the voice of the A-rank organism in his mind again.


    ¡°You are so naive, Zhou Yu. Did you think I would let you go? I will suffocate you in here until you can¡¯t bear it anymore and pass out! Then I¡¯ll put you through punishment a hundred times harsher than what you are facing now.¡±


    Zhou Yu ignored its threat. He knew deep in his heart that he had to resist if he wanted to live.


    When Zhou Yu was ready and when Wu Yun had taken in a deep breath of air, Zhou Yu hurled the sedative grenade into the air, and the gas quickly diffused. The silver butterflies slowed down the flapping of their wings and dropped to the ground.


    Zhou Yu did not hesitate to light the torch to the ground and burn up the butterflies.


    As time slowly ticked by, the vines continued to closely guard the space, leaving no gap for Zhou Yu and Wu Yun to escape from.


    Soon, the bodies of the butterflies had all been reduced to ash, leaving the torch in Zhou Yu¡¯s hand as the only source of light.


    Then, Wu Yun stared at Zhou Yu, as if to remind him of something, but in order to avoid breathing in the sedative gas, Wu Yun could not open his mouth.


    Keeping alert, Zhou Yu leaned to the side. He saw a silver spider fall down from above and jump onto his face.


    Zhou Yu was startled. He took the dagger from his waist and stabbed it at his face, but the spider had leaped onto his neck and it quickly got into his collar.


    Zhou Yu did not say a word and threw the torch to Wu Yun. He was about to take off his oxygen mask and hand it to Wu Yun, but he was a step too late. He felt his vision plunge into darkness. His limbs were moving, but not under his control. He could not hear or see anything.


    Zhou Yu realized that the spider must have been hiding in a gap in the vines and had not been exposed to sedative gas. The burning of the silver butterfly had not only consumed the oxygen in the enclosed space, but also the sedative gas. When the concentration of the sedative decreased, the silver spider came out.


    The name of this spider was ¡°marionette.¡± This name was quite fitting. It could invade the muscles and nerves of its host with its silk thread, thus achieving its purpose of controlling their body. But unlike the windtalkers, it did not need to enter the body of its host. The marionette¡¯s threads were not affected by the host¡¯s blood or any drugs in the body¡¯s system.


    Zhou Yu shouted loudly, regardless of whether Wu Yun could hear him or not.


    ¡°Wu Yun! Don¡¯t worry about me! Take off my mask and either kill me or knock me down! Remember, one of us has to survive! ¡°


    Wu Yun raised his gun and pointed it at Zhou Yu. The Zhou Yu before him seemed to have gone mad. He pulled out the Swiss army knife at his thigh and attacked Wu Yun relentlessly. He was quick, decisive, and dangerous, as if he would not rest until he cut Wu Yun into a thousand pieces.


    Cold sweat covered Wu Yun¡¯s body. Although he heard Zhou Yu¡¯s shouts loud and clear, how could he shoot Zhou Yu? Once Zhou Yu was shot, he would definitely die.


    Wu Yun thought to himself: Fuck it, if we¡¯re going to die, then let¡¯s die together!


    Wu Yun stabbed the torch into the ground, its flames reflected on the intertwined vines like a blood-thirsty monster from hell.


    Wu Yun also took out the Swiss Army Knife from his waist and crossed blades with Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu had a strong and solid stance. Wu Yun, though experienced, could only dodge Zhou Yu¡¯s attacks. Their Swiss Army knives collided in the air, throwing off sparks from the friction between their blades.

 CH 35

    Chapter 35: The Silver Spider Overlord


    Wu Yun was still holding his breath. His strength was far inferior to Zhou Yu¡¯s.


    He had to deal with the silver spider that controlled Zhou Yu first. Wu Yun skillfully sidestepped behind Zhou Yu and slashed down hard to tear open his camouflage suit from the back. The silver spider flashed by as it scuttled away to hide somewhere else on Zhou Yu.


    What the heck? Was he, Wu Yun, supposed to cut away all of Zhou Yu¡¯s clothes?


    Zhou Yu¡¯s attacks became even more aggressive. His blade slashed across Wu Yun¡¯s shoulder and sliced the skin on Wu Yun¡¯s cheek.


    If this was during usual times, then Wu Yun would have started swearing out loud a long time ago. How was he supposed to go home and see his daughter when his face had been cut?


    Zhou Yu suddenly tripped Wu Yun and wrapped one hand around his neck. He swung the Swiss army knife in his other hand and was about to stab it into Wu Yun¡¯s chest.


    As his life was hanging by a thread, Wu Yun suddenly kneed Zhou Yu in the stomach. After kicking him away, he turned over and sat on top of Zhou Yu¡¯s body. He pressed the wrist of the hand Zhou Yu was using to hold the knife into the ground and used both hands to twist away the blade.


    Zhou Yu also gathered his strength and tried to throw off Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun struck Zhou Yu¡¯s chest with his elbow.


    Probably because the silver spider hiding on Zhou Yu had almost been squashed, it quickly climbed out and crawled along Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder to his back. Wu Yun knew that the spider wanted to repeat the same trick as last time and give strength to Zhou Yu¡¯s hand. Suddenly, Wu Yun released his hand and Zhou Yu¡¯s dagger was thrust into Wu Yun¡¯s shoulder. The second Wu Yun fell to the side, he pulled out the gun at his waist and resolutely pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the silver spider right on, and with a ¡°bang¡ª¡± it narrowly missed Zhou Yu on the back of his hand.


    The silver spider dropped down, its limbs twitching. All of its silk threads were pulled out from Zhou Yu¡¯s body.


    Zhou Yu suddenly opened his eyes and started panting heavily. His vision gradually returned until he could see again.


    Wu Yun was laid out on the ground beside him. He looked at Zhou Yu with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Shit, you almost killed me¡­¡±


    Wu Yun couldn¡¯t hold his breath any longer. Once he breathed in, even a small amount of the sedative gas would cause his mind to slacken.


    He tried to stay awake, but his eyelids grew too heavy.


    ¡°Wu Yun! Wu Yun, stay awake! ¡°


    Zhou Yu was about to take off his oxygen mask and give it to Wu Yun, but Wu Yun patted him on the back of his hand and said, ¡°Hey! Bro, I can¡¯t anymore. It¡¯s all up to you now. Let me sleep for a bit!¡±


    Zhou Yu gritted his teeth. He was grateful to Wu Yun from the bottom of his heart. He knew that Wu Yun had a strong sense of loyalty and that although his words always sounded unreliable, on that day he gave up on making the most rational choice to save Zhou Yu at the risk of his life.


    Wu Yun closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    Zhou Yuyi hauled Wu Yun up over his shoulder.


    The voice resounded in his mind again.


    ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t let you go.¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled coldly: ¡°Yes, you won¡¯t let me go. But at the same time, you can¡¯t leave this place either, can you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple: you controlled all of these insects, including the windtalkers, crystal silkworms, silver butterflies, vines, and marionettes to lure us closer, capture us, control us, and bring us here as your food. But now that your goal has been achieved and we¡¯re out of ammunition, you still haven¡¯t shown yourself. I¡¯m curious how you¡¯re going to swallow us up. Are we supposed to take the initiative to come to you? Because you can¡¯t move, you live in this castle for certain reasons, and you will only manipulate lower-level creatures to feed you. Your sole advantage is that you are higher up on the food chain in Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°Well said, it¡¯s true that I can¡¯t move. And yes, I am waiting for you to come to me. You should know well that unless I die, I won¡¯t let you out of here. So, come pay me a visit!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked down at Wu Yun: ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m making the right choice. You saved my life yet I may have to drag you back into a land of death. The only thing I can do if I live is to have you live as well. If I die, then apologizes, but I can¡¯t save you either.¡±


    Saying that, Zhou Yu equipped all the remaining weapons on him, reloaded his ammunition clip, and also carried Toby¡¯s remaining ammunition supply. He confirmed that his gun was loaded, then carried Wu Yun with him deeper into the tree-castle.


    He held the torch in his other hand, its light gradually growing weaker. He was surrounded in the passages interwoven by snake-like vines, which seemed to have been fixed in place by some ancient curse. Although the A rank organism that was hiding in the castle could summon and control the vines, they still had to maintain the shape of the castle.


    As he walked, Zhou Yu noticed withered flowers growing between the vines.


    He could imagine that when the flowers had been in full bloom, the passage must have been filled with a sweet fragrance and splendid colors, like something out of a fairy tale. Zhou Yu immediately thought of the portrait of the woman carved into the ancient tree. This place seemed like a loving castle created by a nobleman to please his sweetheart.


    When Zhou Yu reached the end of the passage, he stood inside the hollow center of the ancient tree.


    The flame in his hand had completely burned out, but without its light, it was brighter than Zhou Yu had expected.


    In the center, Zhou Yu saw a large cocoon wrapped in silk that was emitting a faint fluorescent glow.


    Listening carefully, Zhou Yu seemed to be able to hear the beating sound of a pulse.


    Visually, the cocoon was at least four times the size of a fully grown two-headed wolf spider!


    Zhou Yu slowly put down Wu Yun and raised his gun.


    ¡°You know very well that your bullets can¡¯t penetrate through the cocoon.¡±


    Zhou Yu frowned and thought to himself: What on earth is that thing?


    ¡°You¡¯re the silver spider overlord! Your kind forms large cocoons before you reach adulthood, and by the time you break out from the cocoon, your strength will have multiplied, making it possible for you to effortlessly pull out the roots of a thousand-year-old ancient tree with the simple wave of one of your legs!¡±


    ¡°It looks like you properly received all the knowledge Elpis passed on to you. If I ate you, would I also obtain the secrets that Elpis has told you?¡±


    ¡°Your cocoon-state lasts for nearly 1000 years, but you¡¯re hunting human prey in order to get the nutrition you need to emerge from your cocoon earlier.¡±


    As he spoke, Zhou Yu took out a grenade from his waist.


    Then, an ethereal serenade sounded by his ear. It stirred up his emotions and inhibited his mental acuity while blunting his reaction speed.


    Zhou Yu remembered that the silver spider overlord had a very special ability: by rattling their rear section, they could produce a sound wave that would cause hallucinations in others and reduce their willpower.


    Zhou Yu clutched the grenade in his hand and with great willpower, he tried to throw off the effects of illusion.


    But everything around him changed. The darkness receded, and the light around him grew brighter. The clacking sound of a keyboard came from nearby.


    Someone was patting him on the shoulder: ¡°You can even sleep so well sprawled over a table! Wake up, it¡¯s Zhao Cheng¡¯s birthday tonight. We¡¯re going to celebrate it with him!¡±


    Zhou Yi looked up and found that it was none other than his vice-captain, Chen Chong. Looking around, he found that he was in his office. Everyone in his team was still there, they were chatting and joking around with each other. Meixi put down the document in her hand and reached up in a stretch. ¡°Phew, there¡¯s a big dinner planned for tonight! My weight-loss diet is doomed!¡±


    ¡°A-All of you are still¡­¡±


    This was a hallucination. They were all hallucinations!


    The last image of Chen Chong being killed by the Peryton was seared into his mind like a cattle brand. He would never forget that feeling of pain gushing forth from the depths of his heart!


    He remembered that he was still in the center of the tree-castle, confronting the spider overlord. Why did he suddenly return to his office? How could all of his dead teammates still be alive?


    He yanked out the gun around his waist and pointed it at the others.


    ¡°Boss! What are you doing? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chen Chong reached out both hands.


    ¡°Boss! Are you having a nightmare? Or did you wake up still muddleheaded?¡± Zhao Cheng also looked frightened.


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes while looking at the gun in his hands and suddenly realized that something¡­ wasn¡¯t right. If there was no ongoing mission, then why would he be carrying a gun? It should have been returned to the warehouse!


    All of this was fake, like a beautiful dream that soothed the heart. The spider overlord was using it to confuse him!


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and settled his mind, discarding all distractions from it and telling himself: I want to return to reality.


    He pushed the faint melody of the nocturne out of his mind, and when he opened his eyes again, all the lights were now far away. Only the giant cocoon of the spider overlord was before him.


    ¡°Die!¡± Zhou Yu hurled the grenade at the cocoon.


    The blast engulfed the place in flame. The whole tree-castle rumbled as if it was going to collapse. A large hole blew out the side of the cocoon, faintly revealing the silver spider overlord that was struggling inside. Its regeneration rate was astounding. When there was only one small hole left, Zhou Yu whipped out his gun and pressed it through the hole before pulling the trigger.


    A hissing sound came from inside the cocoon and silk strands shot out in all directions. Zhou Yu ran to cover Wu Yun with his body.


    He felt a blast of wind from displaced air rush over his back and his head. The silver spider overlord unfurled its legs as it stood up, as chilling as a demon climbing out of the depths of hell.


    It wobbled. Although it had been poisoned by the neurotoxin, it wouldn¡¯t die so quickly.


    Its eyes were a shocking blood-red. Zhou Yu pushed Wu Yun away just as the spider overlord leaped up. The tremors it caused almost threw Zhou Yu into the air.


    Its front legs were glinting with a cold light as they came down from above. Zhou Yu dodged to the side with a burst of fear as the leg stabbing downwards embedded itself about a foot underground. He would have been a goner if he took that blow!


    The colossal beast swayed a while before finally standing firm. Zhou Yu pulled out his gun and was about to invite it to eat his bullets again, but it started swinging its legs around. In order to avoid them, Zhou Yu dropped his gun as he was knocked flying.


    It kept pursuing Zhou Yu. Although the inside of the ancient tree was spacious, Zhou Yu still had to find a way to draw it away from Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu ran hard. As its claws flashed by him, Zhou Yu borrowed support from the wall of vines to leap over them. He retrieved his gun when he landed.


    It attacked again. Zhou Yu abruptly spun around and vaulted himself up. He took advantage of the momentum to grab onto one of its front claws as it was coming for him. He was bodily dragged away by it, his back almost breaking. The spider overlord punched its front claw into the inner wall of the ancient tree. At the last second, Zhou Yu used both feet to boost himself away from the wall, and with his arms open, he leaped forward and clung onto the upper end of its leg.


    The spider overlord shook itself in a desperate attempt to free its front leg from Zhou Yu. It raised up another leg to stab him in the back. Zhou Yu jumped again, this time onto its other leg. He quickly climbed up the claw and came to land on top of its head.


    There was one more bullet left in his gun. He aimed it into a crack on the spider overlord¡¯s shell and pulled the trigger.


    A loud whine rang throughout the tree-castle. Zhou Yu fell off the spider and used his hands to cover his ears tightly.


    After about a dozen seconds, the noise stopped.


    Zhou Yu slowly rolled over and saw that through the haze, the silver spider overlord was lying limp on the ground, appearing motionless.


    Zhou Yu stared at it coldly, watching it take its last breath.


    His heart was still beating wildly. Was it dead? Was it completely dead?


    The faint glimmer of light from the spider overlord gradually faded, and everything fell into a dead silence. Zhou Yu heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°All right! If you still won¡¯t die after taking two bullets, then I¡¯d wonder if you really were an organism. ¡°


    Zhou Yu got up and went to Wu Yun¡¯s side to hoist him up. He tried to look around, but could only continue walking forwards in the darkness to find a way out of the tree-castle.


    All of a sudden, something impaled Zhou Yu through his chest. His eyes widened in shock and he felt a sharp stab of pain in his heart. He could no longer support Wu Yun and let him slip off his shoulder.


    He turned his head back with difficulty and saw silk threads that came from the mouth of the silver spider overlord. The spider silk was condensed into strands, and with steel-like toughness, it pierced through the vine walls.


    Zhou Yu opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t say a single word from the immense pain.


    This time, the spider overlord truly passed away with its mouth still open. Blood flowed down along the strands of silk, drop by drop.


    Cold sweat trickled down Zhou Yu¡¯s temples and his body faintly trembled. He raised his hand to hold onto strands. He felt around his waist, but then remembered that his Swiss Army knife had been destroyed by Wu Yun.


    ¡°Wu Yun¡­ Wu Yun¡­ Wake up¡­ ¡°


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips had turned white and his body was growing cold.


    This time, the god of death was finally going to pay him a visit.


    He had used up all his luck.


    He knew that even if the base sent helicopters and rescue teams, it might not be enough to save his life.


    His only hope now was that Wu Yun would be able to safely return to the base after waking up. He knew that Wu Yun would protect Zhou Qing in his place.


    The pain was gradually paralyzing his nerves and his eyelids felt heavier and heavier. He couldn¡¯t keep up a clear train of thought and his body started to sway. Just as he was about to sink into formless chaos, a familiar voice sounded in his mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep, Zhou Yu! Whatever you do, don¡¯t sleep! Stay with me! Don¡¯t give up! ¡°


    The authoritative voice seemed to cross through the boundary of death and pull him back from the edge of the abyss.


    ¡°Who are you¡­?¡±


    Zhou Yu thought to himself: am I hallucinating again?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t let you disappear! As long as you can keep holding on, you must hold on! ¡°


    In his confusion, Zhou Yu seemed to detect something rapidly approaching him. From thousands of miles away, speeding against time, they left a trail of dust in their wake, carrying with them the momentum to overcome anything in their path.


    He heard the rustling of the vines. A window seemed to open up above him and allow the starlight to shine inside.


    A young man¡¯s figure leaped in through the gap and dropped down before him.


    All the light seemed to be drawn to him. His hair fluttered up in the air as his agile body landed in front of Zhou Yu, brightening up his dimming vision again.


    He had a fair, white face that Zhou Yu was familiar with. His eyes were as deep as a black-glazed sea, as if it could swallow up Zhou Yu¡¯s senses entirely.


    ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ How could it be you¡­? ¡°


    It was the boy who had saved him at Angel¡¯s Horns.


    He felt like he was dreaming. Was this one last, beautiful dream before death? As if an envoy of God was performing his duty to take him to another world.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. In life and death, I will be with you.¡±


    He reached out his hand and stroked Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek. The temperature of his palm made Zhou Yu feel safe. The warmth felt like it was protecting Zhou Yu.


    His other hand grasped the silk strands that were pierced through Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid¡­ It will hurt a little¡­ ¡°


    He turned to face Zhou Yu. When he leaned on his cheek against Zhou Yu, the warmth instantly revitalized Zhou Yu¡¯s dying cells.


    ¡°Stay here¡­ With me¡­ ¡°


    His voice seemed to drag Zhou Yu¡¯s soul back from Hell, and his hug crushed Zhou Yu. Being in a weakened state, Zhou Yu could not bear this kind of strength. The moment he fell backward, the young man reached out his other hand to hold and support Zhou Yu¡¯s back.


    His collapsed world was restored.


    Finally, he felt the strands being pulled out of his body by the youth.


    His heart also felt like it was being yanked out of the chest.


    Zhou Yu started trembling, but the young man held him tightly.


    He had a familiar scent, but Zhou Yu could not recall whose it was.


    The young man slowly laid down Zhou Yu in his embrace.


    Blood flowed out underneath Zhou Yu like a crimson lake.


    Zhou Yu knew that he would undoubtedly die at the rate he was losing blood. He merely looked up at the young man with wide eyes. He wanted to see his features clearly, as if he wanted to take this last memory with him onto the next world. If he were to die, then he wanted to remember good things.


    The young man smiled placidly at Zhou Yu.


    He brushed away the hair on Zhou Yu¡¯s face with his finger and lowered his forehead to place it against Zhou Yu¡¯s in an almost devout manner.


    ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    Zhou Yu was reluctant for the young man¡¯s fingers to leave him, but the youth raised his hand to pick up a pebble from the ground. He cut open his palm and let the blood drip down right over Zhou Yu¡¯s chest.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s body tensed up, his spine arching back. He felt a surge of vitality enter his heart via his wound and quickly close up his injuries. It flowed between his cells and eliminated all of his pain.


    Compared with his heart being punctured, this force went on a rampage in his blood vessels, causing him a great amount of pain that spread all over his body. His bones make a crackling sound as if they were reassembling again after being broken.


    His body was drenched in cold sweat.


    The young man¡¯s used a hand to cover his forehead and his eyes still wide with shock. He leaned down by Zhou Yu¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, endure it¡­ Everything will get better and I will always be by your side.¡±


    His voice was very light, but it contained a kind of power that compelled Zhou Yu to trust him completely.


    Gradually, the tumultuous energy dissipated as if it had wholly integrated with his body.


    His cold body slowly started warming up, and to his surprise, the young man remained sitting beside him.


    ¡°Am I still alive, or am I dead?¡± asked Zhou Yu, lying there. At that moment, he didn¡¯t want to keep alert, to use any strength, or to even think. He looked at those eyes like obsidian and let himself fall into them.


    The young man smiled and used his fingers to lightly touch upon Zhou Yu¡¯s lips.


    ¡°You were chosen by me, how could you die so easily?¡±


    All of a sudden, the words that Elpis had once said flooded into Zhou Yu¡¯s mind: You were chosen by him.


    This unnerved Zhou Yu. He reached out for his gun and aimed it at the young man.


    ¡°You¡¯re an S rank organism. What is your purpose in getting close to me?¡±


    The young man approached Zhou Yu without any trace of fear. With one hand supporting Zhou Yu¡¯s body, he pressed his face close to Zhou Yu. The muzzle of the gun was against his chest.


    His expression was slightly provocative. It aroused something in Zhou Yu, but it was not at all vulgar.


    ¡°Have you forgotten? Your gun is empty.¡± The young man¡¯s lips did not open or close, but his voice sounded in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    Zhou Yu still remembered the young man¡¯s embrace. There was a hint of possessiveness as he had pushed onwards without hesitation.

 CH 36

    Chapter 36: Red wine and canned beef


    ¡°If you want to eat me, then I won¡¯t refuse, but please let my companion go.¡±


    Zhou Yu put down his gun and looked into his eyes without any fear.


    ¡°You are being misled by the three laws of Nibelungen that you humans have set for us. Don¡¯t forget to see the world with your own eyes and listen to the voice of the creatures here with your heart. ¡°


    The young man took Zhou Yu¡¯s hand and pressed it against his chest.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heard the thumping of a heartbeat resonating as one with his own heart.


    The young man smiled with a touch of both innocence and sensuality.


    He blew a breath of air over to Zhou Yu, which lingered over his lips and seemed to enter into his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go. The silver spider overlord¡¯s mother is coming.¡±


    The boy looked up as if he had heard something.


    He stood and picked up Wu Yun, then tilted his head at Zhou Yu, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll see you off.¡±


    Zhou Yu found that the young man knew him better than he thought.


    From the moment he easily picked up Wu Yun, Zhou Yu knew that the young man understood who was important to him.


    Was it because he could enter into his mind?


    Or was it the way they could communicate with each other without speaking?


    Zhou Yu stared after his back. He seemed to have grown more mature from the time he saved Zhou Yu at Angel¡¯s Horns.


    They briskly walked down the long, winding passage made from the interweaving vines.


    The young man snapped and some small silver butterflies fluttered out from the gaps between the vines. They were the survivors of the fire Zhou Yu had set. The light they gave off illuminated Zhou Yu¡¯s path.


    What Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect was that no matter where they went, there were purple wisterias blooming on the vines. They hung downwards in a beautiful drop, and against the light of the silver butterflies, they created the scene a dream-like world.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing surprising about it. They want to please me¡­ Just like I want to please you. ¡°


    The young man turned to smile at Zhou Yu.


    Then, time seemed to twist and turn. Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts turned in a big circle before returning to their original place. In his mind, the youth¡¯s smile had frozen in place.


    Zhou Yu subconsciously traced over the curve of his lips to the corner of his mouth.


    He wrestled to control himself and force his thoughts back on track.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hold back too much. When you repress your true thoughts, it becomes self-deception.¡±


    The young man didn¡¯t look back. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know whether he was physically speaking or directly communicating with him through his mind.


    ¡°It sounds like you understand human beings very well.¡±


    ¡°We can make ourselves anything. Not just physically, but also here.¡± The young man pointed at his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting to hear you speak.¡± Zhou Yu suddenly thought of Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye was also an A rank organism. Could it also understand him through a spiritual connection?


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Just after Zhou Yu spoke, he remembered that names were labels that belong to human society, not Nibelungen.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you my name so easily. A name is a kind of mental control; once it is connected to me, I won¡¯t be able to ignore it when someone calls that name.¡±


    After they walked out of the passage of vines, Zhou Yu found that the snake-like vines twisted around ancient trees had formed a giant arch.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The boy turned and waved to Zhou Yu.


    The halo formed from the starlight that scattered onto his shoulders gave Zhou Yu an explicable feeling of reverence.


    Just as they passed the arch, two giant silver spiders scuttled out.


    A huge gust of wind swept in, easily crumpling the rotting tree-castle behind them.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t avoid it, but the young man held him at his shoulders and leaped up.


    Two wings seemed to extend from his back as he glided freely into the sky.


    The two silver spider overlords chased after them. They spit out countless silk strands that were strong enough to pierce through the ancient trees around them. The youth maneuvered between narrow gaps and speed away, carrying not only Zhou Yu but also Wu Yun. They seemed to weigh nothing to him.


    The trees, which had been growing for thousands of years, were easily crushed just like that. They fell behind them like dominoes, each one almost falling onto the back of the young man.


    But the young man only smiled widely, as if he was enjoying it. His hair was streaming back from the wind and he wore a devil-may-care grin.


    This was the most carefree state Zhou Yu had ever seen him in, and compared with his own self-discipline, they seemed like two untouchable extremes.


    These two spider overlords were extremely powerful. With a wave of their legs, they could split open the earth.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder tensed subconsciously.


    ¡°Your expression is so lovely, Zhou Yu, but have you forgotten that I¡¯m an S rank organism?¡±


    With that, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were suddenly dropped from the sky. The young man transformed into a giant, translucent and silver dragon in mid-air and caught them steadily.


    Like a proud king, he looked down contemptuously at the ants who had invaded his domain.


    The two spider overlords retreated, the silver light from their bodies slowly dimming. It was as if they were kneeling down before the king in a show of absolute submission.


    But the silver dragon raced past them and carried up all the ancient trees that had been knocked over in the process. It formed huge waves in the air more powerful than a tornado and he directed them at the two spider overlords. Zhou Yu¡¯s hair was whipped back from his face and the cells in his body trembling in resonance.


    When the wind settled down, the primeval forest was in ruins, and the two spider overlords had been completely destroyed.


    Carried by the gale, Zhou Yu stumbled forwards. He was near a small lake in the forest and in a moment of carelessness, he fell in with a splash. The gurgling of air bubbles sounded by ear.


    He struggled to swim up to the surface, but something in the water was wrapped around his legs and his torso, dragging him deeper into the water.


    Zhou Yu wanted to break from whatever was coiling around him, but they only wrapped around him tighter and tighter, until Zhou Yu could hardly breathe.


    Following a large splash, the young man dove into the lake like a sword, pulling in light with him to illuminate the dark depths of the bottom of the lake.


    Just when Zhou Yu was on the last of his breath, the arrival of the young man scattered the creatures in the water.


    The weeds that had been tangled around Zhou Yu¡¯s body suddenly let go.


    The young man held onto the back of Zhou Yu¡¯s head, and after passing him a breath of air, he pushed Zhou Yu out of the water.


    His strength was considerable, and Zhou Yu was sent directly to the shore.


    Zhou Yu flipped around and laid down on the bank, panting.


    The light of the stars fell onto the land and beyond the night, there was another world.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes. He was reborn from each breath he took.


    More than a dozen seconds later, Zhou Yu turned to look at the lake. He thought that the youth would appear in front of him again, but the lake was completely still. It seemed to contain all the stars in the sky.


    ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡± The voice of the young man rang out in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Zhou Yu asked without any strength.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to keep you alive. I can only send you up to here. I¡¯m tired¡­ Safe travels, Zhou Yu. ¡°


    The voice slowly drifted away from Zhou Yu¡¯s mind, until it finally disappeared.


    The young man in the lake closed his eyes and let himself sink down until he reached the bottom of the lake. He closed his eyes and entered into a long rest.


    Although his experiences throughout the night had exhausted Zhou Yu, he still got up. He heard Wu Yun¡¯s shout not far away: ¡°Zhou Yu! Where are you, Zhou Yu? Don¡¯t fucking scare me!¡±


    Zhou Yu weakly waved his arm: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Well fuck! We¡¯re still alive! ¡± Wu Yun ran over and squeezed Zhou Yu into a hug.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see if the Hummers or transport trucks are still operational.¡±


    Wu Yun walked while supporting Zhou Yu. They found that the two Hummers they came by had been crushed by ancient trees and were unusable.


    A transport truck was broken into two and food was scattered all over the place.


    Wu Yun bent down to pick up a can of beef. He pried it open with a military knife and started devouring it. At the same time, he handed over some compressed biscuits to Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu shook his head. He couldn¡¯t stomach it.


    Wu Yun searched around and found a bottle of nutrient fluid. He handed that to Zhou Yu and said, ¡°If you can¡¯t eat, then at least drink something.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Zhou Yu tilted his face up to down it all in one gulp.


    His weakened body seemed to stretch out a little more.


    Wu Yun found a bottle of red wine and excitedly came to sit down beside Zhou Yu, ¡°Christ! There¡¯s wine! This is something that normally only Song Zhi could enjoy! ¡°


    Zhou Yu raised his chin: ¡°Open it.¡±


    Wu Yun smiled. ¡°Of course!¡±


    There was not only red wine, but also cigarettes. Unfortunately, Wu Yun had given his lighter to Zhou Yu a while ago and it was dropped somewhere inside the tree-castle.


    ¡°Tell me, how did we make it out alive?¡± Wu Yun looked around and saw that there were collapsed ancient trees everywhere. This was not something that Zhou Yu was capable of.


    Zhou Yu grabbed the wine and took a swig: ¡°We came to the cocoon of the spider overlord. After I blasted open the cocoon, I shot it.¡±


    Wu Yun almost spat out the wine.


    ¡°Bro, way to go! I thought the silver spider that was controlling you was enough for me to handle, yet you went and took on an overlord-level one?¡±


    The two of them chatted on and off. They only wanted to relax after escaping with their lives from another calamity. They didn¡¯t want to care about how, at the moment, they were in an unfamiliar area of the dangerous primeval forest.


    ¡°Then how did this mess come about?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°How else? The spider overlord has parents. When they saw me kill their baby, they came for revenge and upturned the forest. ¡± Zhou Yu raised his head to gulp down large mouthfuls of wine. He had always so sober and alert, and he rarely indulged like so, but perhaps he was influenced by the infectious attitude of the young man.


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes were as round as saucers. ¡°You mean, not only was there a little spider overlord, but also two big ones? Good God, this is earth-shaking. What happened to the two adult spider overlords?


    Zhou Yu said in a quiet voice, ¡°Wu Yun, if I said that an S rank organism saved us¡­ Would you believe it? ¡°


    Wu Yun froze, then started laughing a few seconds later: ¡°I believe it! Of course I do! How could you have fought such a huge battle by yourself? ¡°


    ¡°Do you really believe me? I¡¯m not kidding. ¡°


    Wu Yun¡¯s expression grew somber: ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. The situation shows that it must have been at least an A rank organism that fought against the spider overlords. Are you a reincarnation of a mythical creature or something, Zhou Yu? It¡¯s not an unreasonable explanation for why an S rank organism would save us. You¡¯re special, Zhou Yu. You¡¯ve always been special¡­ It¡¯s not just that you can escape from dangerous situations; you can control your emotions and know what choice to make better than the rest of us. You have no fear. Some people are bold because they are ignorant, but you¡¯re different. You¡¯ve seen too much and lost too much, and you are fearless because of that. As such, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for you to attract the attention of an S rank organism!¡±


    ¡°Any advice?¡± Zhou asked again.


    Wu Yun smiled and shook his head: ¡°As your friend and partner, any advice is just one sentence¡ªNo matter what happens, live. Other than that, enjoy life. Don¡¯t be such a stickler for rules or for your own understanding of things, like Song Zhi. ¡°


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They sat for a while, then stood up shakily with the wine bottle. They opened the door of another transportation truck and got in.


    ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu! We¡¯ll have to thank your S rank friend! At least they left us a truck, or else we¡¯d have had to walk back across the 12 areas, which can be deadly in the primeval forest. ¡°


    ¡°Fasten your seat belt, you¡¯re driving under the influence right now.¡±


    Wu Yun smiled, then shouted, ¡°We¡¯re going back!¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips curved up into a smile. Wu Yun¡¯s optimism and open-mindedness made him feel at ease.


    ¡°When we get back to the base, don¡¯t mention the S rank organism to Song Zhi, or else he¡¯ll use you as bait and do something dangerous. ¡°


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that S rank organism will hurt us?¡±


    ¡°Haha, if he wanted to, then we¡¯d be dead already. Even if Song Zhi, who has fought against an S rank organism before, was here, he couldn¡¯t protect you. Since we¡¯re not his followers, then we should just treat him as a cheat in the system. You know what a cheat is, right? If anything happens to us in the primeval forest, we may have to rely on that big brother to take care of us! ¡°


    An unlit cigarette dangled from Wu Yun¡¯s mouth as he drove.


    Zhou Yu stared into the distance with his head supported by his hand. The vast forest was filled with all kinds of creatures. They were small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Why bother about the outcome of tomorrow? Why not enjoy the present? Zhou Yu had another drink from the bottle of wine, then casually tossed the empty bottle out of the window.


    Maybe because he had too much to drink, Wu Yun didn¡¯t drive in a very straight line. To their surprise, they drove straight into a mire, the resulting thud almost making Zhou Yu hit his head.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Wu Yun slapped the steering wheel hard, then opened the door and went out.


    Zhou Yu remained sitting in the car and looked out the window: ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re done for! Finished! The rear wheels are stuck in the mire! Between the two of us, we don¡¯t have the strength to lift it out! Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re going to have to give up a whole truck full of supplies and walk back?!¡±


    Wu Yun returned and opened the door to sit inside. He patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder and said, ¡°Are you tired? Get some rest if you are. It¡¯s not too far from the base anyway. Song Zhi might send someone out to find us in a few hours, then we can hand over the supplies in the car. ¡°


    Zhou Yu was indeed too tired to keep his eyes open. He nodded, then crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, asleep.


    ¡°Hey! You sure are at ease. ¡°


    Wu Yun locked up the car, closed his eyes, and started to sleep, too. He was actually quite worried; they had been in the primeval forest for a day and a night, and the suppressants in their bodies were going to fail soon, along with the effects of the other drugs. If Song Zhi still had not sent a party out by then, then they would really be in trouble. Just by walking on foot, they would never be able to make it out within half a day.


    However, after experiencing so much, Wu Yun felt that nothing that scary anymore. He copied Zhou Yu and went to sleep with his arms crossed.


    They slept for an unknown amount of time. The transport vehicle suddenly gave a violent jolt, startling Wu Yun and Zhou Yu awake.


    ¡°What happened?! Are we being attacked by an organism? ¡°


    Wu Yun looked back and was stunned. A thick vine was wrapped around the rear of their car. Diagonally in front of them, there was a black figure biting on the other end of the vine and dragging it forward with all its might, which forcefully lifted the rear wheel of the transport truck out from the mire.


    Zhou Yu immediately opened the window to poke his head out and shout, ¡°Mo Ye! Why are you here, Mo Ye? ¡°


    Wu Yun was flabbergasted. Who else could the thing pulling the truck be, other than Mo Ye?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mo Ye supposed to be at the base? Why is he here? ¡°


    Mo Ye continued clambering at the soil. He was struggling with so much effort that his little ears and wings were standing up. The roots of plants were uprooted by his paws. He made a ¡°hrrn¡± noise, which sounded like it was going to break its bones.


    ¡°Mo Ye! You can do it, you¡¯re almost there! ¡± Wu Yun slapped the car door and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re doing great, little guy! I didn¡¯t know you were so strong!¡±


    Zhou Yu stared at Mo Ye¡¯s figure. He didn¡¯t expect that Mo Ye would leave the base to look for him.


    Did he sense that Zhou Yu was in danger? How was he able to locate him?


    Mo Ye flapped his wings as he struggled to pull them out. The vines were close to cutting into his flesh. Zhou Yu¡¯s heart hurt when he saw it. Zhou Yu immediately got out of the car and came to Mo Ye¡¯s side to help him pull the vine.


    A powerful force beyond what Zhou Yu could conceive of was brewing in Mo Ye¡¯s body. Inch by inch, they were able to drag out the heavy transport vehicle from the mire. This seemed odd to Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Oh my God! Dear Lord! You¡¯re the best, Mo Ye, I love you so much!¡±


    Zhou Yu returned to his seat. He was still trying to understand¡­ Where did Mo Ye¡¯s amazing strength come from?


    Wu Yun opens his arms to capture Mo Ye in a hug, but Mo Ye jumped out from within the vines and rushed to Zhou Yu¡¯s window. The second Zhou Yu opened the door, he leaped into Zhou Yu¡¯s arms and curled into a ball.


    Its warm body temperature gave Zhou Yu an inexplicable sense of security, like it was telling him that the moment of danger had passed.


    Zhou Yu raised his hand and slowly stroked down the fluff on his back. Mo Ye was a little startled. Zhou Yu found fine grains of sand in his fluff and soil crusted on his claws. It was clear that he ran for a long time to arrive at this place.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t come here with permission from Zhou Qing or Mr. Song, did you? You little thing, be careful that they stop feeding you when we get back. ¡°


    Mo Ye simply turned his head halfway around to hold Zhou Yu¡¯s finger in his mouth. He first licked it with the tip of his tongue, as if he was asking for Zhou Yu¡¯s permission while telling Wu Yun that Zhou Yu was the one who fed him, not Song Zhi.


    Zhou Yu smiled and scratched Mo Ye¡¯s tongue. Mo Ye immediately bit into Zhou Yu¡¯s finger and sucked it hard. He squinted his eyes and made a gulping sound.


    He was starving. Mo Ye must have exhausted himself, running to find them from such a long distance away.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and could feel Mo Ye¡¯s impulse to chase after him running through his body. The vast sky and open plains were before him. He seemed to be able to see Mo Ye racing across the land. He gave up all of its freedom, just to find him again.


    Mo Ye fell asleep in Zhou Yu¡¯s lap with his finger still in his mouth.


    Wu Yun drove on, and Zhou Yu occasionally gave gentle strokes to the fluff on Mo Ye¡¯s back.


    After sleeping for more than an hour, Mo Ye uttered a ¡°hrrn¡ª¡± with his little wings fanned and his ears raised. He straightened out his back and put his head out the open window. His little ears and the fluff on his head blew back in the wind, looking innocent and untamed.


    By then, they had completely left the primeval forest and were streaking along in a barren desert.


    ¡°Hey! We¡¯re expected to be back at the base in over an hour.¡± Wu Yun pointed out while shooting a glance at Mo Ye.


    Zhou Yu rubbed his chin against Mo Ye¡¯s head and said softly, ¡°Mo Ye, now I will give you another choice: you can leave now and enjoy a free life in the primeval forest. I can¡¯t stay with you forever¡­ You know that. After you leave, I¡¯ll tell Mr. Song that I never saw you in the first place. Don¡¯t worry, if we meet again in the primeval forest, I won¡¯t act like I don¡¯t know you. We can still play together. ¡°

 CH 37

    translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 37: Eating Watermelon


    Zhou Yu thought that when his contract with Juli group expired, he would return to his original world and not be able to see Mo Ye again. He shouldn¡¯t allow Mo Ye to become too attached to him, so he would rather have him learn to be strong.


    Mo Ye, as if he didn¡¯t understand at all, kept his little head pressed against the window. The wind blew through his ears, fluffing up his fur. He squinted his eyes, looking content.


    ¡°Mo Ye, do you understand what I¡¯m talking about?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Mo Ye turned and licked Zhou Yu on the lips with the tip of his little tongue. He then looked at Zhou Yu with his crystal clear eyes.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu was flooded with feelings of guilt. He felt that he was selfish in wanting to make himself feel better by giving Mo Ye such a choice, because in Mo Ye¡¯s heart,there might be nothing left if he was gone.


    Zhou Yu folded Mo Ye into his lap, ¡°Forget it, just follow me.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes brightened and he rubbed himself against Zhou Yu¡¯s chest. He continued putting his face to the window and squinted to feel the wind and sand passing by his face.


    Wu Yun shook his head helplessly, ¡°You spoil him too much¡­ You¡¯ll spoil him rotten, yunno? ¡°


    Mo ye turned around and used his front paw to swat Wu Yun over the back of his head.


    ¡°Hey, you brat! I¡¯ll stuff you with green beans and carrots when we get back! ¡°


    Mo Ye hit Wu Yun on the head again.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, throw him out the window!¡±


    Zhou Yu merely held onto Mo Ye. He rolled down the window and smiled.


    They returned to the base and went through a series of examinations. Zhou Yu was worried about possible abnormalities in his body, but he passed all the tests. He thought that the blood of the S rank organism would alter his body in some way, but it didn¡¯t seem to. That caught him off guard.


    He and Wu Yun reported to Song Zhi about how Toby¡¯s entire team was killed.


    The corner of Song Zhi¡¯s lips twitched as he looked at Zhou Yu and said, ¡°So you got rid of the spider overlord by yourself? And Wu Yun just happened to pass out, so he knows nothing about it? ¡°


    There was speculation and doubt reflected in those eyes, but Zhou Yu only looked back into them calmly, without backing down.


    ¡°I was just lucky. It was still in the cocoon, but if it was an adult silver spider overlord, then I would have had a zero chance of success. ¡± Zhou Yu took out the recorder and pushed it in front of Song Zhi. ¡°This is what I recorded in the collapsed tree-castle. It seems like humans have been there before.¡±


    Song Zhi doubtfully took the recorder and turned on the screen. When he saw the engraving, his pupils suddenly contracted.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Song?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my fianc¨¦e. At the time, she had been missing in the primeval forest for a month. So she had been staying in that tree-castle for the whole month¡­ With an S rank organism. That S rank organism built the tree-castle in order to please her. He controlled the beautiful creatures of Nibelungen to court her romantically until it finally moved her. But once he received her affections, he was not so romantic anymore. When my fianc¨¦e became pregnant, the S rank organism left. He knew that my fianc¨¦e would die miserably, but he didn¡¯t care. What he had really wanted was an heir. I desperately looked for him everywhere, but the message he sent me was that my fianc¨¦e had chosen all of this willingly.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s lips curled as he said, ¡°And that she must bear the fall alone.¡±


    Zhou Yu stepped back and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, Zhou Yu. You¡¯re the most rational one among us, but when a rational person loses his reason, then he will become even crazier than the average person. I just want to remind you that you shouldn¡¯t forget the three rules of survival.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep them in mind.¡± Zhou Yu replied, ¡°Please answer me one more question: did you know the delivery team would be trapped in Zone 12, a long time ago? Did you send us out there to test the new drug¡¯s efficiency on preventing a parasitic invasion?¡±


    Song Zhi raised his eyebrows and said in a calm voice, ¡°All research results need to be tested through experimentation.¡±


    ¡°Then, did you expect Toby¡¯s entire team to die?¡± Zhou asked again.


    ¡°That was outside of my expectations.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll always remember what was ¡®outside of your expectations¡¯. Those were six lives, and you¡¯re not much more valuable than them. ¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ll always remember it.¡± Song Zhi lowered his gaze, ¡°But what¡¯s really ¡®outside of my expectations¡¯ is Mo Ye. He broke out of the base for you. Aren¡¯t you curious as to how he can sense that you¡¯re in danger? How he locates you? Why he keeps coming back with you without any intention of leaving? What does he want from you? ¡°


    ¡°When he makes a request of me, then we¡¯ll know.¡± Zhou Yu replied blandly.


    Song Zhi didn¡¯t order Mo Ye to be locked up and experimented on again, so Mo Ye was happy to continue following Zhou Yu.


    Sometimes, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but think of the S rank organism that saved him. He had a peculiar feeling about him, as if they had known each other for a long time.


    Where did that youth go?


    What is he doing now?


    What was his purpose in getting close to him?


    When he thought about how that young man¡¯s blood had healed his wounds, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but think: are there still traces of that blood in his body? How would it affect him?


    Zhou Yu took out the Swiss Army knife from his waist and drew a cut down the palm of his hand. Blood quickly flowed out, accompanied by a stinging pain.


    However, half a minute later, it didn¡¯t hurt anymore.


    He quickly wiped away the blood from the hand and found that not even a scar remained.


    Zhou Yu stared blankly. His Swiss Army knife fell and Mo Ye picked it up with his mouth.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu with his head askew. There was a trace of worry in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Zhou Yu took the knife out of Mo Ye¡¯s mouth.


    Mo Ye straightened his back and stretched out his neck to lick Zhou Yu¡¯s palm.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! It¡¯s really all right! ¡°


    Mo Ye¡¯s warm tongue slid over Zhou Yu¡¯s palm, and finding that there was no injury there, it showed its usual expression again.


    Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye and subconsciously thought: is his rapid healing ability a good thing or another imminent disaster?


    Song Zhi gave them three days off.


    Wu Yun got his hands on a boomerang from who-knows-where and said he wanted to take Mo Ye out to play.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t want Mo Ye to only be stuck with him, so he brought him out to an empty lot on base.


    Wu Yun pointed to the boomerang he had in his hand, ¡°Mo Ye, when this flies out, you have to go retrieve it, understand?¡±


    Mo Ye tilted his head, as if he was saying, ¡°How could that thing fly?¡±


    Wu Yun gave Mo Ye a pat, then threw out the boomerang.


    Mo Ye watched with wide eyes, staring after it with interest.


    Wu Yun picked up the boomerang then came back to Mo Ye¡¯s side, ¡°Do you understand now? Chase it back!¡±


    ¡°Hnn!¡± Mo Ye nodded.


    Wu Yun felt like he had finally found something interesting to do to pass the time. He glanced at Mo Ye, who had gotten ready to run. But the second Wu Yun tossed out the boomerang, Mo Ye sat back down on the ground and squinted up at Wu Yun.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Why aren¡¯t you chasing the boomerang? ¡± Wu Yun looked at Mo Ye.


    Zhou Yu was sitting not too far away with his arms crossed.


    It wasn¡¯t that Mo Ye refused to chase after it, but he had been toying with Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu came to realize more and more that Mo Ye shouldn¡¯t be regarded as any ordinary organism. The more time he spent with human beings, the more human-like his thoughts would become. At the very least, Zhou Yu shouldn¡¯t be treating Mo Ye like an infant; it might be smarter than any one of them.


    Wu Yun still hadn¡¯t given up and was determined to train Mo Ye as you would a Husky. He repeated the rules of the game to Mo Ye.


    He threw the boomerang again, and Mo Ye finally ran after it. To Wu Yun¡¯s surprise, he didn¡¯t run very fast.


    But Mo Ye¡¯s target wasn¡¯t the boomerang, but Wu Yun.


    He hit Wu Yun in the chest and bowled him over. Then Mo Ye narrowed his eyes and came to Wu Yun¡¯s side to tap him on the chest with a little paw, as if to say: Take care, bro.


    Wu Yun held down Mo Ye¡¯s head unhappily and looked at Zhou Yu. ¡°Zhou Yu! It¡¯s toying with me! Can¡¯t you control him? ¡°


    ¡°You were the one who wanted to play with him, so you¡¯ll have to take getting played by him.¡±


    After playing all day, Zhou Yu got a message from Song Zhi that he was sending people to Night Spirit Island.


    ¡°He really doesn¡¯t give up. He¡¯s still trying to find that S rank organism,¡± Zhou Yu said, with his hands in his pockets.


    Wu Yun begrudgingly hummed in agreement, ¡°Who knows if we¡¯re the hunters or hunted.¡±


    Zhou Yu turned around and saw Mo Ye playing with the boomerang in his claws. He suddenly threw out the boomerang. Zhou Yu quickly ducked down, the boomerang hitting Wu Yun squarely on his back.


    ¡°Jesus Chr¡ª¡±


    The night their vacation ended, Zhou Yu was called to Song Zhi¡¯s office.


    Song Zhi informed him that he would be leaving for Night Spirit Island tomorrow with Mo Ye.


    Zhou Yu looked at Song Zhi incredulously, ¡°Why are we going to Night Spirit Island?¡±


    ¡°To study them, of course. Team alpha will be going with you, and your partner Wu Yun. You two should be familiar with working together by now, correct?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before, the night spirit is a highly loyal species. Mo Ye chose you, so if you go there, then he will be sure to follow. Other than your blood, he won¡¯t eat anything else. If you want him to go with you, then he won¡¯t refuse. He escaped from base to look for you, then followed you back; this alone is sufficient to prove my point. Zhou Qing is here, so you will definitely return.¡± Song Zhi had seen through it all a long time ago.


    Night spirits were a loyal species. This was something Zhou Yu had seen among Elpis¡¯s memories.


    They guarded the island for generations, just for one owner. They had never been swayed by the temptations of the outside world.


    ¡°The island is the resting place of the night spirits¡¯ ancestors, as well as their burial ground. Just like how Elpis will pass down its memories to its descendants, maybe Mo Ye will also be able to inherit something when he meets his ancestors. We may find unexpected gains.¡±


    Zhou Yu knew that Song Zhi wouldn¡¯t change his mind once he decided on something.


    As for Mo Ye, it was impossible to always limit his world to being by Zhou Yu¡¯s side.


    ¡°You want to find that S rank organism that much?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Song Zhi.


    Zhou Yu took a deep breath, and as he was opening the door of Song Zhi¡¯s office, Mo Ye poked his head inside.


    Song Zhi smiled and waved to Mo Ye, who only tilted his head to the side before leaving with Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Take him to Carlos, Carlos will equip him with a tracking device.¡±


    Zhou Yu was sneering in his heart: As expected, there was no way Song Zhi would allow Mo Ye to leave so easily.


    Carlos¡¯s tracking device was designed like a bracelet, and it was fixed to Mo Ye¡¯s front paw.


    Mo Ye battered it, trying to get off the tightly fastened tracking device.


    Zhou Yu patted his back and comforted him, ¡°Let it be, Mo Ye. Compared to being in that glass room, what¡¯s the harm in wearing a bracelet? Just try and get used to it.¡±


    Mo Ye pawed it a few more times, then turned his head to the side, meaning: I¡¯ll wear it, but I won¡¯t like it.


    ¡°It seems like Mo Ye¡¯s been growing,¡± said Carlos.


    ¡°No way, it¡¯s only been a few days, how could he have grown?¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t think so based on his appearance, and when he picked him up, he didn¡¯t feel like Mo Ye was any heavier.


    ¡°Come, Mo Ye, let¡¯s measure how big you¡¯ve gotten, okay?¡±


    Carlos took out a measuring tape. Mo Ye didn¡¯t know what it was and tried to hide behind Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu reached out to hold him down over his abdomen as Carlos quickly took a reading of Mo Ye¡¯s height.


    ¡°With the tail, he¡¯s grown about five centimeters taller.¡±


    ¡°Five centimeters?¡± Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and sized up Mo Ye. Looking at him now, it does seem like he grew a bit. ¡°But why doesn¡¯t he feel any heavier?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll know once we weigh him.¡±


    Zhou Yu picked up Mo Ye and placed him on the scale.


    Doctor Carlos as astonished, ¡°Huh? He¡¯s clearly growing bigger, yet his weight hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    Zhou Yu recalled the memories Elpis had passed onto him and suddenly remembered something. ¡°Night spirits keep their weight constant throughout their lives from the time they are born.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ How did you know that? I need to write down such important information!¡± Carlos asked, shocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Other than Song Zhi, no one else should know that he had been chosen by Elpis.


    The afternoon of the day before they were to set off for Night Spirit Island, Zhou Yu visited Song Zhi¡¯s office.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I¡¯m here to request a watermelon,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu still remembered the promise he made to Mo Ye, that he would treat him to a watermelon once he returned from his mission in Zone 12. But because of the many complications of the mission, he had almost forgotten his promise.


    Song Zhi was slightly taken aback, ¡°Why¡­ do you want a watermelon?¡±


    ¡°Wu Yun and I risked our lives to retrieve the supplies from Zone 12, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an outrageous request to ask for an extra watermelon!¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not outrageous. I just didn¡¯t think that out of all the different foods, you would have a special fondness for watermelon. It looks like I¡¯ll have to ask Juli Corp to send over more watermelons for you.¡±


    Saying that, Song Zhi made a call to the ration allocation department to have them allow for Zhou Yu to collect an extra watermelon.


    Zhou Yu placed the watermelon on the dining table. Mo Ye hopped onto the chair, then table, and crouched down looking very curiously at a fruit he had never seen before.


    Zhou Yu reached out to tug on Mo Ye¡¯s little ear. Mo Ye looked up at him, his eyes narrowed to look like he was smiling happily, and like he was looking forward to something.


    Zhou Yu purposefully sat there without moving, only staring at Mo Ye with his head propped up by a hand. Gradually, Mo Ye stopped smiling, and he curiously extended his claws to poke the watermelon. The watermelon rolled away, and just as it was going to roll off the edge of the tale, Zhou Yu reached out to steady it, then put it back on the table.


    Mo Ye lowered his head and sniffed the watermelon. He lightly nudged it, then reached out to pat the watermelon while looking at Zhou Yu. The watermelon made a dull, muffled sound.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s a good one, it should be pretty sweet.¡± Zhou Yu continued looking at Mo Ye with his chin propped on his hand. For some reason, Mo Ye¡¯s gluttonous behavior was really way too cute for Zhou Yu.


    Seeing that Zhou Yu still wasn¡¯t budging, Mo Ye actually got a little angry. He raised his claws, about to swat the watermelon, but Zhou Yu was quick and deft enough to grab it.


    ¡°Bad boy, if you crushed it, then you can¡¯t eat it anymore!¡±Zhou Yu stopped tormenting Mo Ye and took out his Swiss Army knife from his waist. He cut open the watermelon, revealing its juicy red insides.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye lowered his head to sniff it. The sweet scent of watermelon was very distinct, Mo Ye had never experienced it before. He stuck out his tongue to lick at the very center of the red fruit, then narrowed his eyes, his wings fanning out. He seemed to really like the taste of it.


    Zhou Yu used a spoon to scoop out the inside of the watermelon. Mo Ye¡¯s head moved with the action of his scooping. Zhou Yu opened his mouth and made to send a large chunk of the watermelon into it. Mo Ye leaned out his head and anxiously stared at Zhou Yu, as if he was saying ¡°Give me some too!¡±


    In his mind, Zhou Yu was laughing hysterically. He lowered his hand to place the spoon close to Mo Ye¡¯s mouth, purposefully using the spoon to poke him on the nose.


    Just as Mo Ye was about to open his mouth and swallow the watermelon, Zhou Yu took it away. Mo Ye followed after the spoon, so Zhou Yu raised it up high. Mo Ye straighten out his back to reach, and Zhou Yu put his spoon lower again. As Mo Ye rushed to flatten himself again, Zhou Yu kept waving it around, left and right, until he really angered Mo Ye. Mo Ye used his paws to slap down on Zhou Yu¡¯s hand and hold him there. Then he swallowed the entire piece of watermelon.


    Zhou Yu was actually well aware of how strong and fast Mo Ye could be, but the reason why he was able to tease Mo Ye like this was that Mo Ye also liked playing with Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu scooped out another spoonful of watermelon and fed it to Mo Ye. Satisfied, Mo Ye ate it. When Zhou Yu brought over the other half of the watermelon and was about to feed that to Mo Ye too, Mo Ye shook his head and pushed the spoon back at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu knew that Mo Ye wanted to share the things he liked with him, so he ate the next spoonful of watermelon.


    Mo Ye remained sitting beside Zhou Yu, staring at him with those great big eyes of his. Those eyes were filled with curiosity, but not for the watermelon.


    Zhou Yu reached out to rub him on his head. ¡°Are you asking me what other delicious foods there are in my world, other than watermelon?¡±


    Mo Ye nodded. Deliberating over it carefully, Zhou Yu said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t care much for food, anything¡¯s fine as long as it can fill my stomach and isn¡¯t particularly unappetizing. But in my world, a little kid like you should like eating candy the most, as well as ice cream and those kinds of things. Candy can be made in all kinds of shapes and sizes, for example, like a jar of stars, or a rainbow you can hold in your hand. They also come in different flavors, like watermelon-flavored candy and milk chocolate. As for ice cream, they¡¯re icy treats that are usually only enjoyed in the summer. Imagine taking a bite of ice cream when you¡¯re feeling unbearably hot and how refreshing it would feel¡ªalthough I prefer drinking beer.¡±


    Mo Ye pressed his head in closer, his nose almost touching Zhou Yu¡¯s nose. He seemed especially interested in ice cream.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not too clear about it either, but ice-cream¡­ should be made from milk and cream. It¡¯s very sweet and comes in all kinds of flavors; some high-end ice-cream shops can even create different shapes with the ice cream. Ice cream melts on your tongue and the sweetness will fill your mouth, which is probably why children and girls really like it. After I complete my next assignment, I¡¯ll ask Song Zhi for some ice cream to let you have a taste.¡±


    Zhou Yu also put his head closer to Mo Ye and then rubbed his nose over Mo Ye¡¯s head. Mo Ye showed a happy expression and put his front paws over Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder as if to hug him.


    Mo Ye¡¯s wings flapping a few times¡ªit seemed to be filled with anticipation for ice cream!

 CH 38

    Chapter 38: Night Spirit Island


    ¡°That¡¯s not right, Mo Ye. You¡¯ve been following me the whole time, so you should like the foods that I like. For example, beer.¡± Zhou Yu wore a serious expression, as if he would get mad if Mo Ye didn¡¯t do as he said. He cracked open a can of beer and indicated for Mo Ye to come closer. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Like an obedient child, Mo Ye opened his mouth. Zhou Yu quickly poured the beer inside. Mo Ye face scrunched up and he spat out a mouthful of beer, spraying Zhou Yu all over his face.


    Zhou Yu wiped away the beer on his face and looked at Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye seemed to be afraid of angering Zhou Yu again, and he scooted back until he reached the edge of the table. He looked up at Zhou Yu with innocent and woeful eyes.


    Zhou Yu looked back at him coldly, appearing impassive. All the warmth he had from when he was feeding Mo Ye the watermelon disappeared in his icy countenance.


    A dozen seconds later, Zhou Yu was still expressionless.


    Mo Ye started to panic, and although he was afraid that Zhou Yu was angry, he slowly inched closer to him anyway, using his nose to nudge Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder. Zhou Yu ignored him. Mo Ye curled into a ball again, squeezing himself into Zhou Yu¡¯s lap, but Zhou Yu only turned his head to the side.


    Mo Ye whimpered in a way that sounded like he was crying.


    But Zhou Yu knew Mo Ye, and he knew that Mo Ye was acting pitiful instead of actually crying. Zhou Yu was about to stand up and leave on purpose, knowing that Mo Ye would definitely follow him. Then Mo Ye would rub against his legs, looking very funny.


    But he didn¡¯t expect that Mo Ye would pounce and bowl him over.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. For a moment he felt like he was being hunted by Mo Ye!


    Mo Ye¡¯s body was both graceful and brimming with strength, and as if he was breaking through the boundaries of the world, he charged into Zhou Yu¡¯s horizons.


    Zhou Yu thought he was prepared for it, as he had always had abnormally fast reaction times, but this time was different. Mo Ye was stronger than what Zhou Yu could withstand, and he was fiercely pinned down to the floor.


    Zhou Yu though his spine would break from the impact, but Mo Ye reached out a wing to wrap it around him so that when he fell, he didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    For the first time, Zhou Yu was stunned. He looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes until Mo Ye also looked down and used his little tongue to lick him on the lips.


    Zhou Yu had a feeling that Mo Ye was being possessive over him.


    ¡°Hey! All right, get up, Mo Ye! Get up!¡± He finally managed to raise a hand and pat Mo Ye on the back.


    He realized then that Mo Ye had truly grown up. When his body was fully extended, he looked like a little leopard that was not yet an adult, but no longer a baby.


    Mo Ye did not release Zhou Yu. He turned his face to the side and rubbed against Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek, as if he was saying, ¡°Are you still mad at me? If you¡¯re still mad, then I¡¯m not getting up!¡±


    Zhou Yu helplessly shook his head. He rubbed the soft fur on Mo Ye¡¯s back and whispered, ¡°You little dummy, I was teasing you. How could I be mad at you?¡±


    Finally, Mo Ye slowly got off of him. When Mo Ye sat crouching beside Zhou Yu with his wings folded again, Zhou Yu suddenly realized that he had once again formed another connection to this world.


    ¡°Okay, okay! Let¡¯s go back!¡±


    When Zhou Yu turned to leave for the dining hall, he found Wu Yun looking at them with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, have you realized that our little Mo Ye is all grown up? He¡¯s no longer the little kid that anyone could bully.¡± Wu Yun sighed sentimentally.


    ¡°As long as you know.¡±


    The implication of his words was that Wu Yun bullied Mo Ye much more often than Zhou Yu.


    That night, Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye as they laid down in his capsule room.


    ¡°Mo Ye, we¡¯re leaving for someplace else tomorrow¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu paused. A few seconds later, when Mo Ye did not hear him continue, he used his head to bump Zhou Yu¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Okay, okay, the place we¡¯re going to is Night Spirit Island.¡±


    That name didn¡¯t seem to mean anything special to Mo Ye; he merely wore an expression that said ¡°I¡¯m going to play at the park tomorrow¡± and looked at Zhou Yu with excited eyes. After all, the base was suffocating for Mo Ye.


    ¡°Do you know what Night Spirit Island is?¡±


    Mo Ye shook his head, then scratched his face with a paw.


    ¡°I¡¯m human, and you¡¯re a night spirit. You¡¯re part of the night spirit race, understand?¡±


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t nod or shake his head, as if he was asking, ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°A long time ago¡­ maybe a thousand or ten thousand years ago, the night spirits died out. But before that, the night spirits were the servants of a powerful S rank organism. Your race served that organism, and it cared for you in return. But for some reason, your entire race died out. We leave for Night Spirit Island tomorrow, and maybe when we get there, you¡¯ll be able to hear the words of your ancestors. They can pass onto you what they once experienced, and you¡­¡±


    What path will you take then?


    ¡°Hrrn?¡±


    Mo Ye was unhappy that Zhou Yu was spacing out again, so he used his paw to lightly pat him on the face.


    Snapping out of his daze, Zhou Yu pinched Mo Ye¡¯s face with his fingers. He looked like he was joking, but his tone was serious, ¡°No matter what you hear or see, you have to remember what you want to become. You decide your own fate, understand?¡±


    ¡°Hnn.¡± Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu with his large amber eyes.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye and laid down. Mo Ye reached out a paw and rested it on Zhou Yu¡¯s face, which Zhou Yu waved off. Mo Ye put his paw back on Zhou Yu¡¯s face and Zhou Yu laughingly brushed it off again. Finally, Mo Ye got mad and turned around to curl into a ball, ignoring Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Fine, fine, you¡¯re so cranky. I¡¯ll let you put your paw here, okay?¡±


    Zhou Yu searched for Mo Ye¡¯s little paw and put it on his face. Satisfied, Mo Ye finally turned back around.


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    On the morning of the next day, Zhou Yu and the others left the base in a helicopter.


    Wu Yun sat facing Zhou Yu.


    Wu Yun grimaced, ¡°What if, before we even get to the sea, something¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut your goddamn mouth.¡± Zhou Yu had to shut down Wu Yun first before his prophetic tongue could doom them again.


    ¡°The helicopter we¡¯re taking this time is different from the previous ones,¡± a researcher sitting beside Wu Yun said.


    ¡°What¡¯s different about it?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°It¡¯s equipped with sonar. If an airborne creature tries to attack us, then it will be hit with a sound wave capable of rupturing its organs.¡±


    ¡°How come I¡¯ve never heard of this technology before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still being tested.¡±


    ¡°What? Using trial tech during an important assignment like this¡­? I can only say that¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu cut him off again. ¡°Shut your goddamn mouth.¡±


    Wu Yun scowled then turned to the researcher beside him. ¡°Are you new? I¡¯ve never seen you around before, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°You can call me Xiao Chen.¡±


    Xiao Chen and Wu Yun shook hands, but Xiao Chen¡¯s hand paused as it was moving past Zhou Yu because Zhou Yu appeared somewhat serious-looking.


    However, Xiao Chen¡¯s eyes were glued to Mo Ye, who was crouched on Zhou Yu¡¯s legs. His eyes reflected both apprehension and curiosity.


    It was Mo Ye¡¯s first time riding in a helicopter, and he looked nervous. He kept his head buried the entire time.


    Wu Yun thought it was funny and poked Mo Ye¡¯s butt, ¡°Hey, brat, are you getting motion sickness?¡±


    Annoyed, Mo Ye turned to glare at Wu Yun.


    Xiao Chen showed an expression of surprise, ¡°T-That¡¯s a night spirit?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Isn¡¯t it ugly-cute?¡± laughed Wu Yun.


    ¡°That¡¯s an A rank organism! If it gets angry, then we¡¯ll all die!¡± Xiao Chen was terrified.


    ¡°What? That little thing¡¯s never been mad before, no matter how much you bully him!¡± Saying that, Wu Yun went to tug on Mo Ye¡¯s wings.


    That really pissed Mo Ye off and he sent a death glare at Wu Yun, posing like he was going to bite him, even though he didn¡¯t show any teeth.


    Wu Yun laughed, ¡°Haha! Are you a kitten? You don¡¯t even have teeth yet!¡±


    Zhou Yu was speechless. He was more clear than anyone about whether Mo Ye had teeth or not.


    ¡°Bite him,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    Mo Ye actually chomped down on him, and Wu Yun couldn¡¯t shake him off no matter how much it hurt.


    As they got deeper into the clouds, the mist slowly dispersed.


    Wu Yun glanced off to the side and out the window, trying to make out something outside.


    ¡°What is it, Wu Yun?¡±


    ¡°Look¡­ what is that?¡±


    Zhou Yu followed his line of sight and saw something enormous that spiraled upward into the heavens. A stream of water fell from the horizon, forming a huge screen that glistened under the sunlight.


    Because it was too far away, they couldn¡¯t see it clearly.


    But no matter what it was, it was a more spectacular sight than the tower of Babylon.


    ¡°Yeah, what is that?¡± Xiao Chen squinted to see better.


    Countless possibilities flashed by Zhou Yu¡¯s mind; he could feel an overwhelming sense of something holy and reverent from Elpis¡¯s memories.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first ancestor of all plants, Ymir. A land-based S rank organism,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°What did you say¡­ the first ancestor? How come I¡¯ve never heard of it in the research center?¡± Xiao Chen looked confused.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯ve never heard of it¡­ You¡¯ve never even seen it before.¡±


    Ymir went back hundreds of millions of years in the history of Nibelungen. It was certain that it was capable of mimicry.


    Since it could disguise itself, it didn¡¯t need to take on a form like the towering tree reaching into the skies. It could change itself into a leaf, or an unremarkable E rank organism. It could be hiding in some corner, secretly observing the humans trespassing in Nibelungen.


    When their helicopter turned at an angle, the colossal tree vanished.


    Xiao Chen shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not the progenitor of some organism. I bet that it was a natural phenomenon, like tornados. The organisms of Nibelungen are intelligent and long-lived, but it should be impossible for them to be as old as the sky.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t continue the topic because he knew that a normal human being who had not seen the world through Elpis¡¯s eyes would not believe his words.


    As for why the first ancestor Ymir would appear in front of them, that was another question.


    The helicopter left dry land and gradually, the dark blue hues of the sea replaced the space below them.


    The sound of the sea came in waves, exciting the researchers in the helicopter.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful sight before in our original world!¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head, ¡°Another noob.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xiao Chen was displeased with Wu Yun¡¯s description.


    ¡°The more beautiful something is, the more dangerous they are. The sea is the same,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    While they flew further out into the sea, the helicopter also increased its altitude.


    Suddenly, there was a disturbance on the surface of the water. A humongous creature with the head of a snake and the tail of a fish leaped out, straight at their helicopter.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Xiao Chen screamed in fear.


    In contrast, Wu Yun and Zhou Yu appeared calm, and Mo Ye was even perched against the window¡ªhis little face squished against the glass almost to the point of bursting¡ªwanting to take a good look at the organism.


    Its size left them speechless.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ almost the size of an aircraft carrier!¡±


    There were countless fins growing on both sides of the creature. It fell back down at an altitude a few dozen meters shy of the helicopter, creating a giant splash.


    ¡°I-Is it trying to eat us?¡± Xiao Chen was terrified, ¡°Can we go higher?¡±


    ¡°This is the highest the helicopter can go to. And that¡¯s only a D rank organism,¡± Zhou Yu calmly replied.


    ¡°D rank? You¡¯re kidding! It¡¯s huge!¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t jump out of the water to eat us, but to soak up sunlight,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Sunlight activates a vital chemical process in its body to help it absorb nutrients. In reality, as long as we don¡¯t fall into the sea, then the only danger we¡¯ll face here are from winged creatures,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Wait, how do you know all this information that I¡¯ve never even heard of before?¡± Xiao Chen was confused.


    ¡°You should read over Juli Corp¡¯s database on the organisms of Nibelungen carefully when we get back.¡±


    If we get a chance to make it back alive.


    The helicopter flew for a long time, and it really did encounter several attacks from winged predators during that time.


    Fortunately, the sonar system worked as well as it did in theory, and it protected them each time.


    After over an hour of flying, they were able to spot a verdant island far off in the distance. It looked like a piece of jade floating above the water¡¯s surface.


    ¡°That¡¯s Night Spirit Island,¡± said Zhou Yu. Mo Ye leaned against the window to see.


    The helicopter found a level surface on the island to land.


    While they were looking down from above, they noticed that vegetation on the island was especially lush, yet there were no night spirit remains to be found.


    Zhou Yu stepped out of the helicopter, and Mo Ye hopped out to follow him.


    The captain of team alpha was speaking to the escort team, ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous here, everyone must be careful¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his words, a giant insect on the tree behind him opened its mouth and bit down on him.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Xiao Chen had never seen anything like that before. Zhou Yu immediately covered his mouth.


    The other members of team alpha whipped out their guns, shooting it without any second thoughts.


    The insect¡¯s shell was quickly shattered, and a stream of pus oozed out all over the ground.


    When the insect stood up, it appeared exactly like a tree, which was why the captain of team alpha did not notice it.


    The team members wrenched open the giant insect¡¯s jaws and dragged out their captain from within, confirming that he had already died.


    Wu Yun had his face pressed in his palms: ¡°He was a seasoned veteran too¡­ And he died all because of a bug, what the hell?¡±


    Zhou Yu looked up and carefully observed his surroundings with narrowed eyes. The insect was known as the ¡°tree-shaped insect.¡±It hunted based on its prey¡¯s level of fear, but the only reason why it attacked the captain of team alpha so suddenly was that it had its larvae deposited nearby. During the period of time immediately after a mother tree-shaped insect laid its eggs, it will attack anything that invades its space.


    ¡°Be careful, everyone, there may be insect larvae nearby,¡± Zhou Yu cautioned them.


    Wu Yun walked up to Zhou Yu and they stood back-to-back, each protecting the other.


    ¡°Where are the remains of the night spirit that the researcher found here?¡± Wu Yun asked Xiao Chen.


    Xiao Chen pointed to the other side of the forest: ¡°It¡¯s buried under the sand at the center of the island.¡±


    ¡°Then get in the helicopter, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s head was swimming. The whole plan was a mess; they should have landed at the center of the island!


    To avoid being attacked by the tree-shaped insects, they quickly got back in the helicopter.


    Just as the helicopter rose into the air, it suddenly started shaking.


    Wu Yun helplessly knocked on the pilot¡¯s seat, ¡°Hey¡­ Are you asleep or what¡­?¡±


    Before Wu Yun could finish his words, the pilot collapsed to the side.


    There was a miniature tree-shaped insect on his neck, trying to drill its way inside.


    Researcher Xiao Chen was scared out of his wits.


    The helicopter was about to crash right before their eyes, but luckily, Zhou Yu stepped up to steady its path.


    ¡°Jesus! You know how to pilot a helicopter too?!¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu with worshipping eyes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry up and take care of the tree-shaped insect?!¡±Zhou Yu glared at him.


    Wu Yun immediately unsheathed the dagger at his waist and carefully flicked away the insect from the pilot¡¯s neck and out the window. He felt the pilot¡¯s pulse and found that he was still alive. However, the spot where he had been bitten by the insect did not stop bleeding. Wu Yun started wrapping him with the staunching bandages he carried on him.


    ¡°If only this assignment could be over sooner, then he might still be saved.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be that easy.¡± Zhou Yu glanced at the mass of pure white sand outside the window, then sent out an announcement to team alpha, ¡°Pay attention, team alpha, they may be string sandworms in the sand, please be careful!¡±


    ¡°String sandworms? How do you know they¡¯re in the sand?¡± Xiao Chen was dying of curiosity, and Zhou Yu seemed to know everything.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know more if you¡¯ve seen more.¡±


    What he had ¡°seen more¡± of were the things that Elpis had let him see.


    After the helicopter landed, Zhou Yu had Wu Yun and Xiao Chen wait inside the cabin instead of leaving. The string sandworm was very sensitive to vibrations, and they probably became aware of their presence the moment the helicopter arrived in the area.


    But the members of team alpha grew impatient. After all, if they could bring back the remains of a night spirit, then they would be able to gain unimaginable riches enough to trade their lives for.


    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you going to stop them?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already warned them, once they leave the cabin, I don¡¯t know what else I can do to stop them,¡± Zhou Yu coldly said.


    Just as four of the team members got out of the helicopter armed with guns, a sand dune suddenly started to undulate like a continuous wave.


    They fired their guns and the bullets sank into the sand, but the white sand was moving too quickly and came near them in the blink of an eye.


    Within the sand, a giant python-like organism slithered out, and with a sweep of its tail, two team members flew out. They fell somewhere far away, one right onto the glass window in front of Zhou Yu, causing a loud bang.


    The string sandworm opened its mouth wide enough to swallow half the helicopter.


    Mo Ye, who had been sticking his face out to watch, now shrunk his head back subconsciously.


    Xiao Chen paled in fear, ¡°T-That¡¯s a worm?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a string sandworm, they¡¯re a species that goes back to ancient times in Nibelungen. Even back in our world, the worms were also pretty large back then.¡±


    Xiao Chen was left speechless.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression grew grave, ¡°When you get back, tell Song Zhi to stop sending people who can¡¯t listen to orders with us!¡±


    ¡°What do we do? Give up the assignment and go back to base?¡±


    In Wu Yun¡¯s opinion, team alpha¡¯s complete annihilation was reasonable grounds for them to abandon the mission.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we still have the sonar strikes.¡±


    The sandworm sprang up to twist their way with its mouth wide open. Zhou Yu could even make out the anatomy of its oral cavity.


    Zhou Yu pressed a button, sending out the sound wave.


    An invisible vibration rippled out in the air, and a powerful force ruthlessly threw back the sandworm. It fell onto the white sand.


    Wu Yun let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Goddamn¡­ can you stop playing risky games, kid?!¡±


    Like opening the car door and shooting a two-headed wolf spider.


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, it¡¯s not risky,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    For a short while, everything was peaceful.


    Wu Yun asked, ¡°Can we get off now?¡±


    Just as he touched the cabin door, Mo Ye scampered down and bit his arm.


    ¡°Wait a bit longer¡­ As I recall, string sandworms live in family units.¡±


    Just then, Mo Ye¡¯s ears straightened up.


    Zhou Yu swiveled around the machine gun and let out a series of rapid gunfire.

 CH 39

    Chapter 39: The string sandworm


    Just as a string sandworm was about to attack their rear, it was hit by a bullet.


    The neurotoxin quickly felled the sandworm, its body narrowly missing the helicopter.


    Sweat nearly dripped down from Wu Yun¡¯s forehead. He patted Xiao Chen¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°When you get back alive, you can write a novel.¡±


    Xiao Chen was panting while his body trembled like a sieve, ¡°Is it¡­ is it over?¡±


    Zhou Yu let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s probably over. Let¡¯s get down.¡±


    When he opened the cabin door, Xiao Chen tightly gripped onto the safety handrail, unwilling to go outside.


    Actually, not even Wu Yun could be sure that it was completely safe. He walked out first with his gun, carefully searching for movement in the sand.


    On the contrary, Mo Ye jumped out from behind him, landing in the white sand. He jumped around for a bit, then looked at Wu Yun with his head askew, as if he didn¡¯t understand why Wu Yun was being so cautious.


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for Xiao Chen and hauled him off the helicopter.


    ¡°Mo Ye, come back.¡± Zhou Yu got out of the pilot¡¯s seat and shut the helicopter¡¯s door.


    Obediently, Mo Ye scampered up to Zhou Yu while flapping his wings.


    Zhou Yu also carried his gun with him and together with Wu Yun, they protected Xiao Chen by sandwiching him between them.


    ¡°Xiao Chen, where are the remains of the night spirits? There¡¯s so much sand here, don¡¯t tell me we¡¯ll have to dig it all up.¡±


    Xiao Chen gulped, scared that he would accidentally step on something.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s¡­ halfway down the sand¡­ the night spirits all died together.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± What a strange way to die, Wu Yun thought to himself.


    When they came to an approximate location, Wu Yun jabbed Xiao Chen with his elbow, ¡°Get working.¡±


    Xiao Chen was flustered, and after groping around for some time, he finally pulled out a gun.


    ¡°Hah? You have a gun, Xiao Chen? Did you pass your firearms test? I don¡¯t care if you shoot yourself, just don¡¯t shoot me!¡± Wu Yun asked, worried.


    It was actually a specially modified gun that had been turned into a sampling device.


    If he aimed at the target and pulled the trigger, then the sampling device would penetrate through the sand and dig down past its layers. Pressing another button would allow the device to automatically extract itself, eliminating the need to dig up the sand.


    ¡°Okay, Xiao Chen, don¡¯t listen to Wu Yun, just take the sample.¡±


    Xiao Chen didn¡¯t want to stay there for a minute longer than necessary so he aimed at the ground and pulled the trigger, making the device shoot out. When the sample was taken, Mo Ye, who had been beside Zhou Yu the whole time, suddenly started to tug on the corner of Zhou Yu¡¯s pants, forcing him to leave.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Yu worriedly asked.


    Xiao Chen had already deposited the sample into a sealed container and was taking more samples from different directions.


    Mo Ye vigorously shook his head, as if he didn¡¯t want them to take back the samples of the remains.


    ¡°Is there a problem with the sample?¡± Zhou Yu frowned.


    Mo Ye nodded.


    ¡°Do we need to take them again?¡± Xiao Chen looked dismayed.


    Just as Xiao Chen shifted his stance, the sand beneath their feet suddenly started to sink. Xiao Chen immediately started falling and he let out a shriek, ¡°Ahh¡ª¡±


    ¡°Xiao Chen!¡±


    Just when Wu Yun was about to pull him out, the radius of the sinkhole started to widened, also carrying Wu Yun along with it.


    Zhou Yu ran away from its edge, but he couldn¡¯t match up to the speed of the quicksand and also fell into it. Mo Ye leaped up and bit down on his shoulder, but he was also standing on the quicksand and couldn¡¯t use any strength. Both of them eventually sank in together.


    There was an empty space underneath the sand, and when Xiao Chen had taken the samples, it skewered the rock that had been supporting the layer of sand. It caved in and the sand had swept downwards, just in time for them to fall in with it.


    Wu Yun stood up with his mouth full of sand. Xiao Chen was not too far away, practically buried in the sand. Wu Yun quickly pulled him out and patted his cheeks, ¡°Hey! Idiot! Get up! Pronto, if you don¡¯t want to get buried in here!¡±


    A steady flow of sand was spilling in, soon about to engulf the entire place. The sand buried Zhou Yu completely, but luckily, Mo Ye was there to pull him out.


    Zhou Yu had almost suffocated. He supported himself up on the ground and took big, gasping breaths while coughing and spitting out the sand in his mouth.


    The sand was quickly overwhelming the space. Wu Yun hauled Zhou Yu up. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! We¡¯ll get stuck in the quicksand!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked up and saw that everything was dark. He couldn¡¯t make out how spacious the cavern was or if there was another exit.


    Zhou Yu took out an oxygen mask from his backpack and put it on.


    Wu Yun was quick to understand Zhou Yu¡¯s meaning; the underground cavern had been sealed for so long that it was sure to contain harmful gases, and the oxygen that got in with them from when the top layer had split open was far from enough to keep them going.


    Also, they were currently stepping on top of a vast expanse of skeletal remains, the eerie white bones stacked in a crisscrossing pattern. It was evident that they had experienced a brutal battle before their deaths¡ªnot against a foreign foe, but against other night spirits.


    Xiao Chen looked surprised. He was about to take a sample before Wu Yun tugged him back. ¡°Don¡¯t run around! You wanna fucking die?¡±


    The quicksand was slowly swallowing up the bones of the night spirits and had even reached up to Xiao Chen¡¯s knees.


    Xiao Chen came back to his senses and staggered back.


    After running a great distance away, the quicksand finally could not reach them anymore. Xiao Chen¡¯s heart almost couldn¡¯t take it and he was left gasping for air. Wu Yun and Zhou Yu stopped and took out light sticks from their backpacks. After giving them a shake, a shimmer of light finally appeared in the darkness.


    The place was bigger than they had thought.


    Wu Yun snorted, ¡°I hate caves. I hate caves the most. Ever since Elpis¡¯s cave, I started to really hate this kind of claustrophobic space!¡±


    Zhou Yu raised his light stick and found that there were also many night spirit skeletons in this cave. He looked down at Mo Ye, who was squatting beside him, and worried a little that he might be scared. After all, this was the first time he¡¯d seen the remains of his own race. It was also the first time he would come to realize that even with strong healing abilities, his race was not immortal.


    Xiao Chen took everything in with eyes as round as marbles. ¡°Why did the night spirits kill each other? Also, night spirits are organisms with strong healing abilities, it¡¯s inconceivable that they would all die out like this!¡±


    The place was too silent. It was as if they had entered into the mausoleum of the night spirits, where it was dry but dark. The departed souls of the night spirits resembled the gatekeepers of hell.


    Zhou Yu was suspicious, but Mo Ye didn¡¯t seem to care about anything around him. He only looked up at Zhou Yu. In the darkness, his round eyes appeared particularly bright, just like a weak flame in the dark that could burn up the entire place at any time.


    ¡°Xiao Chen, weren¡¯t you going to take a sample?¡±


    Chen jerked into action and put on his gloves. He half-kneeled in front of a night spirit¡¯s skeleton and put its bone fragments into the sampler.


    Wu Yun looked around forlornly. ¡°Who cares about the sample? The only way down here is through the cave entrance, and it¡¯s already been blocked by the quicksand. There aren¡¯t any other exits! If we don¡¯t suffocate in here, then we¡¯ll starve to death. ¡°


    Xiao Chen¡¯s eager face quickly fell.¡°What? We¡¯re going to starve in here? And suffocate? Let¡¯s hurry up and figure out how to get out of here!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Xiao Chen. The night spirits were able to come in here so there must exist another route other than the opening we fell through. There must be a second entrance for the night spirits to go through.¡±


    At Zhou Yu¡¯s words, Xiao Chen finally calmed down. ¡°Yeah! How did the night spirits get in? It couldn¡¯t be through that opening, that was an accident! So that means there must be another entrance here, I¡¯ll go look for it right now!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, Zhou Yu?! I just wanted to scare him a little, but you gave everything away,¡± Wu Yun shrugged regretfully.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to joke around. Although there should be another entrance here, the night spirits have been dead for tens of thousands of years; it would be a big problem if that entrance isn¡¯t here anymore.¡±


    Zhou Yu walked up to the cave¡¯s stone walls with his light stick, searching inch by inch for any cracks along the surface, as well as any clues on how they could get out.


    Mo Ye followed by his side, occasionally stepping over the remains of the other night spirits. He turned to avoid the sight of them, looking disinteresting.


    Every time someone stepped on a stone or a bone fragment, the sound it made would echo for a long time without quieting down, making it a hair-raising experience.


    Suddenly, Mo Ye bit down on a corner of Zhou Yu¡¯s pants and started to shake it wildly. Zhou Yu followed Mo Ye¡¯s line of sight and saw what appeared to be tiny bugs crawling on the ground. He half-kneeled down on the ground and shone his light stick over them.


    The bugs were normal, D rank organisms that did not pose a threat to them. They were crawling in from the cracks on the stone wall, and going around the night spirits¡¯ bones, they carried back a moss-like substance that grew in the crevices of the stone wall opposite to them.


    Zhou Yu stood up and carefully examined the rubble. All the other stone walls were in one piece, yet the rocks in this area were all broken up.


    ¡°Wu Yun! Wu Yun! Come here! I think I found a way out!¡±


    Wu Yun also examined the place with narrowed eyes. After circling the rubble once with the light stick, he sighed regretfully, ¡°Are you sure, Zhou Yu? This is the exit? Are we really that desperate to be reborn again?!¡±


    ¡°Why is this happening? It¡¯s blocked!¡± Xiao Chen circled around and was almost at the point of tears.


    ¡°Humans can conquer nature. We¡¯re just trying everything we¡¯ve got at this point, let¡¯s see if we can move away this bit of rubble.¡±


    Zhou Yu put down his light stick and stretched his hands and wrists. It seemed like he really was prepared to start moving the rocks.


    ¡°I think it wouldn¡¯t be a bad deal at all if the rocks collapsed and crushed us halfway through!¡±


    Although that¡¯s what Wu Yun said, he still intended to help out Zhou Yu. He also understood the same truth; only an idiot gave up without trying.


    Zhou Yu worked hard and used his Swiss Army knife to smash the rock. After he managed to knock out the first piece, a small crack appeared, making his work much easier.


    It took them more than two hours to dig out less than 10 centimeters.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, what¡¯s that on the other side? Is it a bright light? Or is it sea water that¡¯s pouring in? ¡°


    ¡°Shut your goddamn mouth!¡±


    Zhou Yu was tired and sweating buckets. He sat down to the side and took out a bottle of water from his backpack to gulp down a few mouthfuls.


    Mo Ye came to his side and stood up on his hind legs to lick off the sweat on Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead.


    Although Xiao Chen hadn¡¯t done much, he was already exhausted too. No one knew how much rubble there was; would they be able to see the sunlight again after they moved everything? They all clung onto that hope to keep working, because once it is crushed, then despair would follow.


    Xiao Chen saw Mo Ye stuck close to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and showed an envious expression.


    ¡°Why is everyone in the base so scared of Mo Ye? Mo Ye¡¯s so docile!¡±


    ¡°You think Mo Ye¡¯s docile because he¡¯s only docile in front of Zhou Yu, you haven¡¯t seen his temper tantrums yet, he¡¯ll blow off the roof.¡± Wu Yun had started joking again.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t drink all the water and brought the bottle to Mo Ye¡¯s lips. Mo Ye stuck out his tongue and licked Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, bringing it into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around Zhou Yu¡¯s finger and even lightly sucked on it. However, he did not bite into his flesh.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    Mo Ye shook his head, then circled around Zhou Yu once before lying down beside him.


    Zhou Yu understood why; Mo Ye believed that he had expended too much of his energy and didn¡¯t have the heart to drink his blood.


    ¡°What a good kid.¡±


    Zhou Yu rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head. Mo Ye looked displeased: I¡¯m already all grown up! I¡¯m not a good kid!


    Wu Yun dusted off his hands and stood up, ¡°Okay! Guys! Break¡¯s over, we still have a long, long way to go!¡±


    The three of them plus Mo Ye started their back-breaking labor again.


    Loose rocks tumbled down many times, nearly crushing Zhou Yu or Wu Yun. Mo Ye had extended his wings to catch them, making Zhou Yu¡¯s heart ache, as thought that Mo Ye¡¯s wings might have gotten injured because of it. No matter how quickly he healed, he would still feel pain.


    When they had dug up a few meters, they found one giant rock blocking their path. The rock was stuck so tightly that not even Zhou Yu and Wu Yun¡¯s combined effort could shift it away.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Wu Yun was about to angrily kick the rock, but Zhou Yu pulled him back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash, what if it collapses?¡±


    ¡°I know, I wasn¡¯t really going to kick it! I was just pretending to!¡±


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu stepped back.


    Zhou Yu tilted his head back to drink water. Xiao Chen was sitting alone in a corner, muttering to himself.


    Wu Yun fumbled all over his body for a cigarette, but unfortunately, all he had on him was half a bottle of vodka.


    ¡°Hah¡­ This vodka saved our lives last time, now I can only use it to numb myself.¡±


    Just then, Mo Ye dashed back inside the little cave they had dug out.


    ¡°Mo Ye, get back here! The cave might collapse!¡± Mo Ye quickly rushed after him.


    But Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect that with a burst of energy, Mo Ye would bolt straight at the rock.


    With a loud crash, smashed bits of rock came falling down.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart abruptly clenched so tightly that it stopped beating. He shouted, ¡°Mo Ye! Mo Ye! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Jesus! Is that little thing crazy?¡± Wu Yun ran up.


    The large rock embedded in the passageway had been completely knocked out by Mo Ye. It rolled away with a clunk, indicating that the way to the other side had opened up!


    Loose pebbles littered the passageway. Zhou Yu searched the place nervously. In the dark, he could barely make out Mo Ye¡¯s amber eyes.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Zhou Yu could see that Mo Ye had his head askew and was pushing around some pebbles with his forepaws.


    ¡°Mo Ye? Are you stuck under anything?¡± Zhou Yu anxiously picked up the light stick and stretched it out into the passageway. Mo Ye was lying down on the other side and seemed to be safe.


    Zhou Yu finally sighed in relief.


    ¡°That little guy sure has gotten a lot stronger!¡±


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu began to move aside the loose rocks in the passageway together, and Xiao Chen quickly came to help.


    The passageway was quite low; they would have to stoop to make it through.


    ¡°Why is it still dark?! We¡¯re just going from one cave into another! There must be a mistake! ¡± Wu Yun was extremely disappointed.


    They had worked hard for most of the day, yet the exit wasn¡¯t on the other side.


    When Zhou Yu was about to walk out of the passageway, Mo Ye suddenly pushed in front of him. He spread open his wings and blocked the people behind him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mo Ye?¡± Zhou Yu also became nervous.


    Wu Yun turned his head to the side and whispered, ¡°Zhou Yu, did you hear that?¡±


    Quieting down, Zhou Yu seemed to hear something moving on the other side of the cave. It wasn¡¯t just a single something, but many somethings moving all at once.


    It must be dangerous, or else Mo Ye wouldn¡¯t have stopped them.


    ¡°Wu Yun! The flares! ¡°


    Immediately following Zhou Yu¡¯s shout, Wu Yun took out a flare and threw it over Mo Ye¡¯s shoulder. The light from the flare illuminated the space around them. They were in a bigger cave than before, but the flare was too bright and Zhou Yu and Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help but look away.


    When the brightness of the flare gradually weakened, they could see that there were countless baby string sandworms crawling back and forth along the walls of the cave and on the ground. The smallest sandworms were only as long as the index finger, but the larger ones were as big as a cobra.


    They were watching them, and they seem to be waiting. The moment Zhou Yu and the rest stepped inside, the would have attacked en masse!


    There was also the skeleton of a creature inside the cave.


    Its frame was so massive that it practically supported the ceiling of the cave. It gave off an unearthly glint, and from a distance, it was a far more magnificent sight than the fossils of giant dinosaurs found in museums. It was twice as big as a fully grown silver spider overlord.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ What is that¡­?¡± It was the first time Xiao Chen had seen such an enormous creature since coming to Nibelungen.


    Hanging off the skeleton were numerous oval-shaped, egg-like things. There were what appeared to be blood vessels running across the surface, intertwining, crisscrossing and connecting with each other. It gave off an odor of rot.


    The history of this cave must date further back than the bones of the night spirits. The giant creature had died a long time ago, but what was that attached to its bones? Why did the eggs still seem to be alive, and why did Zhou Yu seem to be able to hear the sound of different hearts thumping?


    Zhou Yu had a very bad feeling about it.


    Fortunately, they were wearing oxygen masks, otherwise, Zhou Yu had no doubt that Xiao Chen would throw up behind them.


    ¡°Fuck! It¡¯s the offspring of those string sandworms! We just had to pick the harder way out! They must want to avenge their parents!¡± Wu Yun swore in a low voice.


    All of a sudden, the string sandworms all rushed towards them. Mo Ye unfolded his wings to block the entire cave entrance so that only a repeated battering sound could be heard from the other side. Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulders subconsciously stiffened.


    Xiao Chen was so scared that he crouched down and covered his head.


    Zhou Yu took out a tranquilizing projectile from his backpack and shouted: ¡°Mo Ye! Get down! ¡°


    Mo Ye instantly dropped down as Zhou Yu threw out the bomb. It burst open and released the tranquilizing gas. One by one, the sandworm larvae fell down in a faint after making contact with it. Some writhed on the ground, trying to gain consciousness.


    Fortunately, Mo Ye¡¯s metabolic capacity was stronger than that of ordinary organisms and the tranquilizing gas was not effective on him.


    ¡°Nnn¡­¡­¡± Mo Ye whimpered.


    Zhou Yu immediately went to Mo Ye¡¯s side and tried to flip him over, but Mo Ye only laid on the ground, refusing to turn over and show Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu picked up the light stick and checked Mo Ye¡¯s wings, only to find that they had been eaten away to make countless bloodied holes. Some sandworms were still embedded in his wings. Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes reddened after seeing this.


    ¡°Show me! Quick!¡±Zhou Yu was indignant; other than the time his team had been wiped out by the Perytons, he rarely felt so enraged. He wanted to crush all the sandworms into paste.


    Mo Ye licked the back of Zhou Yu¡¯s hand as if he was comforting him. It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll be fine soon, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all.


    Mo Ye¡¯s body was rapidly healing, and one by one, the worms that were embedded into his flesh were squeezed out by his regenerated muscle. Even after he watched all Mo Ye injuries disappear, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart still ached.


    Wu Yun angrily stomped on the string sandworms in front of them and turned a bunch of them into mush.

 CH 40

    Chapter 40: Bone-hanger fly


    ¡°Zhou Yu, we still need some time to find the exit, but those sandworms are a bit of a problem. Let¡¯s burn them all up! Or else they¡¯ll attack us again when the tranquilizer wears off.¡± Wu Yun picked up his bottle of vodka and shook it.


    Zhou Yu shook his head and said, ¡°That won¡¯t work. We don¡¯t know how much oxygen there is in the cave; this is different from the tree-castle. If we burn them then we¡¯ll suffocate too.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry up and find the exit.¡± As Wu Yun spoke, he continued to stomp on the string sandworms on the ground, thinking that the more he trampled to death, the less there would be to take care of when the tranquilizer wore off.


    Zhou Yu lit up a second flare to see the area better when it was bright.


    The large skeleton of the creature took up two-thirds of the cave. Zhou Yu took a quick look around but did not find any clues on the walls and roof of the cave.


    Xiao Chen and Wu Yun also searched around too.


    When the light finally dimmed, there was only disappointment left in their eyes. Xiao Chen shook his head at Zhou Yu; he had not found anything in the cave.


    The cave wall was in one whole piece.


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and looked up at the colossal skeleton. He looked up at it from different angles, searching for something.


    Its head and spine were connected, making it appear still alive.


    ¡°What is it, Zhou Yu, did you find something?¡± Wu Yun came over and peered up at the same angle.


    Xiao Chen also came over curiously, ¡°Hey¡­ that¡¯s right! Look, its spine isn¡¯t actually straight; it has a slight curve to it. Doesn¡¯t the skull look like it¡¯s embedded into the roof of the cave? Its body hasn¡¯t collapsed because it¡¯s lodged in there, allowing the skeleton to stay upright.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Wu Yun and gave him a firm nod.


    They all suspected that cave entrance was blocked the skeleton, its skull stuck right where the hole was to form the confined space.


    Zhou Yu took out some rope and threw it high into the cave. The other end happened to pass through the creature¡¯s eye socket before it fell back down and Wu Yun went up to grab it. The two of them worked together and pulled the rope downwards, trying to tug out the skull.


    But the creature¡¯s skull had been lodged in there for who knows how many years and had possibly already grown into the cave roof. Bringing it out with the strength of two humans was easier said than done.


    Xiao Chen rushed over to help when he understood what Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were doing, but unfortunately, he was pretty useless.


    The veins on Zhou Yu¡¯s arms were bursting and sweat soaked his back. The skull didn¡¯t move a single inch, not even pieces of rubble came loose.


    At this time, Mo Ye ran up and bit down on Zhou Yu¡¯s pant leg with his mouth.


    Zhou Yu stopped to look at him and Mo Ye stared back with his wide eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore, I¡¯m so tired! I¡¯m going to take a break. I¡¯d say we blow up that skull!¡± Xiao Chen sat down on the ground helplessly, it was already very impressive of him to have put in so much effort, as a researcher.


    ¡°Only if you want to bury yourself here too.¡± Wu Yun also sat down, truly too tired to pull anymore.


    All three of them sat down to rest, the two ends of the rope dangling onto the ground.


    Mo Ye went up to bite onto one end of the rope, then took the other end in his mouth too. Then he ran forward with a burst of energy.


    The moment the two ends of the rope stretched taut, Mo Ye¡¯s front and back paws scrabbled desperately at the ground, making noise as pebbles were being crushed. He closed his eyes and seemed to draw forth all the strength in his body, his wings even opening up to flap a few times. A cracking sound suddenly came from the skull and both sand and stone started to fall.


    Wu Yun grabbed Xiao Chen with one hand and pulled him back. Looking up, Zhou Yu was astonished to see just how strong Mo Ye was.


    ¡°My God, what did you feed Mo Ye? He¡¯s so brave today!¡±


    Although the skull was loosened, Mo Ye had exhausted his strength. He let go of the rope and panted with his mouth open, looking worn out.


    Zhou Yu went up to him and kneeled down to stroke his head, then hugged him in his arms. ¡°Not bad, Mo Ye! Have a good rest, Wu Yun and I will take care of the rest.¡±


    It was the first time Zhou Yu had seen Mo Ye try so hard to protect him and wear himself out for him like this.


    Mo Ye had been through a lot of hardships on their journey to Night Spirit Island and had even gotten hurt, which made Zhou Yu¡¯s heart ache.


    Mo Ye made a ¡°hnn hnn¡± sound and rubbed his head into Zhou Yu¡¯s embrace, acting cute.


    Then he left Zhou Yu¡¯s arms and bit down on the rope again, pulling it with all his might. He kept his unflinching gaze straight ahead, unwilling to rest without completing Zhou Yu¡¯s task.


    ¡°Hrrn¡ª¡±Mo Ye made a noise that sounded like it was made through the clenched teeth of a human who was enduring great pain.


    Zhou Yu glared at Wu Yun, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to lend a hand?¡±


    Wu Yun and Xiao Chen had been gaping, but they quickly snapped out of it to help Zhou Yu pull the rope.


    More and more loose rocks started to tumble down, and a small fissure finally appeared between the roof and the skull of the creature, allowing for a faint glimmer of light to peek in.


    Feeling hopeful, Wu Yun and Xiao Chen pulled the rope with renewed strength.


    Mo Ye let out a low hum, his spine drawn tight as he pulled with all his might. Following a loud crashing sound, the skull finally fell out along with more sand and stone.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Wu Yun pushed over Xiao Chen, who had almost been smashed by the skull.


    Zhou Yu and Mo Ye also quickly dodged away.


    The skull of the creature fell to the ground with a clang, rattling the entire cave. Sunlight fell inside and formed a halo of light on the cave floor, the dust dancing madly in its glow.


    ¡°Great! We¡¯re saved!¡± Xiao Chen was crying tears of joy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste any time! We need to leave now! Once the tranq gas leaves the cave, the sandworms will start waking up!¡± Zhou Yu warned them, reminding Xiao Chen of their grim situation.


    Just as Wu Yun was about to shoot the rope outside the cave, an egg that had been hanging from the skeleton of the massive creature suddenly fell off, hitting the ground with a splat. The outer shell of the egg split open and foul-smelling pus leaked out from inside. A certain creature that had not yet matured¡ªlooking like a giant house-fly¡ªstruggled for a while before quickly dying.


    Xiao Chen was dumbstruck and Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°Did I¡­ see that right? Those things in the egg sacs are still alive?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. We need to leave!¡±


    Just as Zhou Yu took a step forward, the enormous skeleton seemed to lose balance and it came tumbling down.


    Loud booms resounded in the cave one after the other. The egg sacs also dropped to the ground, sounding like eggs that were repeatedly smashed on the floor. The cracking sound was indescribably hair-raising.


    In the cavity formed by the creature¡¯s chest, eggs were still suspended as they swayed. A flurry of flapping came from within it and countless flies as large as a fist came darting out.


    ¡°Shit! Those are bone-hanger flies!¡±


    Zhou Yu took out the pistol at his hip and quickly fired a few rounds, knocking a few flies out of the air.


    Wu Yun also did not hesitate to take out his gun and fire. Mo Ye spread open his wings and swatted at nearby bone-hanger flies.


    The flies laid their eggs on the carcasses of dead animals. Part of the egg penetrated into the bone to suck out nutrients in the marrow, allowing for the embryo to grow.


    However, it was clear that the massive skeleton had been trapped in the cave for tens of thousands of years, so when had the flies attached themselves to the bones? If it had happened recently, then the marrow would have long dried out, but if it had happened thousands of years ago, then had the bone-hanger flies been lying dormant in the darkness, waiting for the day they would awaken?


    More and more of the flies hatched, the sound of their vibrating wings buzzing in their ears. Zhou Yu could feel gusts of wind sweeping across the cave that came from the wings of the bone-hanger flies.


    A single bite from one of them could take off a huge chunk of flesh.


    If this went on, then not only would they empty out their guns, but the unconscious string sandworms would awaken. They wouldn¡¯t be able to handle being attacked from both the front and the rear.


    In order to protect them, Mo Ye had already been bitten many times by the flies.


    ¡°Fuck, let¡¯s blow up the skeleton along with the bugs that haven¡¯t hatched yet!¡± Wu Yun was growing irate at the bone-hanger flies.


    Zhou Yu fired with one hand while taking off his jacket with the other. He waved his jacket around the cave to swat away the flies.


    A small swarm of bone-hanger flies was coming straight at Xiao Chen. The sound of their vibrations was a constant, tinny drone in their ears. There wasn¡¯t enough time for Wu Yun to protect him and Xiao Chen hugged himself, letting out a terrified scream.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡±


    At Xiao Chen¡¯s scream, the wings of the bone-hanger flies coming at him surprisingly broke apart and they fell to the ground.


    Without caring for what was going on, Xiao Chen rushed up to trample them randomly.


    Wu Yun was dumbfounded, ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    Zhou Yu recovered first, ¡°Keep screaming, Xiao Chen! Don¡¯t stop! The bone-hanger flies are scared of sound!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± When Xiao Chen had finally reacted, another swarm of flies was approaching from behind him.


    Without needing another reminder from Zhou Yu, Xiao Chen frantically started shrieking at an even higher decibel than before. The bone-hanger flies vibrated their wings as they split open, their brains bursting. They fell into pieces.


    ¡°What? If screaming works, then I¡¯ll try it too!¡±


    Wu Yun let out a bellow that sounded like a roar. It was very threatening, but the flies kept flying as if they hadn¡¯t heard it at all. They encircled them and got closer, just as Wu Yun was almost out of bullets.


    Xiao Chen screamed again and the flies backed away, either to rest on the cave walls or to hide back inside the carcass of the giant organism.


    Xiao Chen continued to scream, almost hoarse.


    Wu Yun quickly shot the rope out of the hole above them.


    He pulled the rope tight and waved Zhou Yu and Xiao Chen over, ¡°We need to get out, now!¡±


    Xiao Chen coughed, but seeing that the flies were about to take flight, he hurriedly started screaming again.


    Wu Yun quickly tied the end of the rope around Xiao Chen¡¯s waist. He first climbed up himself then pulled Xiao Chen up.


    Xiao Chen didn¡¯t leave after he got out, but continued to scream into the cave.


    Zhou Yu also climbed up, and said to Mo Ye as he was climbing, ¡°Bite onto the other end of the rope, Mo Ye, I¡¯ll pull you up!¡±


    Contrary to expectations, Mo Ye ran up to him to leap onto his shoulder, then with a kick, he flapped his wings to leave the cave a few steps ahead of Zhou Yu.


    He laid down at the entrance of the cave and looked down at Zhou Yu, looking quite proud of himself.


    The three of them plus Mo Ye had finally made it out of the cave, feeling like they had made yet another close call.


    Xiao Chen was scared that the flies would chase after them, so he continued to scream into the cave.


    Wu Yun picked his ears then took out some explosives from his backpack. ¡°Okay, okay, enough screaming! I¡¯m gonna go deaf!¡±


    Zhou Yu nodded, understanding what Wu Yun wanted to do.


    Wu Yun threw the explosives into the hole, then picked up Xiao Chen and ran away from the entrance.


    Zhou Yu and Mo Ye also picked up speed. There was a huge boom, then the cracking sound of rocks falling. It was as deafening as an earthquake.


    When the ground under Zhou Yu¡¯s feet began to drop, he jumped up and grabbed onto the edge of the rift with both hands. Mo Ye steadily landed on the ground, and he dragged Zhou Yu up by biting his shoulder.


    When they turned back around, they realized that the explosion had blasted open a huge hole. The skeleton of the massive creature had been blown into bits.


    ¡°Actually, I was wondering how that giant creature got in the cave through that tiny entrance hole.¡± Xiao Chen was puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah, how did that giant thing get inside?¡± Wu Yun dusted off his hands. His whole body was covered in dust, but Xiao Chen¡¯s question had aroused his curiosity.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a geological change that sealed the entrance, then I think there might be another explanation.¡± Zhou Yu stared at the giant skeleton for a long time before he said, ¡°it could have fallen into the cave in its youth. It was raised in there by the night spirits until it grew bigger. Then, as the night spirits died out, it could no longer leave the cave and passed away like so.¡±


    Wu Yun hugged himself and gave a shiver. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that that giant thing might be a pet the night spirits were keeping?¡±


    ¡°Maybe the night spirits raised it to guard the cave!¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°You mean that there used to be something in the cave¡­ that was extremely important to the night spirits?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°Most likely. The night spirits have been guarding an S rank organism for generations, so perhaps the unhatched embryo or young of an S rank organism was once here.¡± Zhou Yu turned to look at Mo Ye and found that he had been staring at the large creature¡¯s skeleton for a long time, as if he was reminiscing over something. He looked quite reluctant to part with it.


    ¡°Mo Ye, do you know what that organism was?¡±


    Mo Ye looked up at Zhou Yu, then tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°Okay! Okay! Stop thinking so much, Let¡¯s find the helicopter and head back! This mission is seriously bad luck! Speaking of that, why did Xiao Chen¡¯s screaming tear apart the flies? My roaring didn¡¯t work at all!¡±


    ¡°That probably has to do with the pitch. Xiao Chen¡¯s screaming was at the right pitch to kill the bone-hanger flies, but your roar¡ªwhile impressive¡ªwasn¡¯t the right match,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    The helicopter was lying crookedly in the sand.


    Wu Yun let out a sigh of relief, then covered his head with his hands. ¡°Thank God¡­ our helicopter¡¯s still here!¡±


    Suddenly, Mo Ye stopped in his tracks and looked up, showing a profound expression. He then turned and ran off in another direction.


    ¡°Mo Ye!¡± Zhou Yu called out his name, but he didn¡¯t respond at all.


    Zhou Yu had no choice but to chase after him. While running, he looked back as said, ¡°Wu Yun, take Xiao Chen back to the helicopter, now! Take the helicopter to come find us!¡±


    Wu Yun dumbly pointed at himself, then looked at Xiao Chen. ¡°Do I look like I know how to pilot a chopper?¡±


    Xiao Chen shook his head.


    Mo Ye was a fast runner, and before long, he was gone without a trace.


    It was dangerous there; other than the tree-shaped insects, there were also other threatening creatures.


    Zhou Yu lost his way in the forest. He recalled the tracking device Carlos had put on Mo Ye and quickly checked its location.


    A few minutes later, Zhou Yu finally found Mo Ye.


    He was standing on a cliff that faced the sea, the salty breeze hitting him head-on. Mo Ye had his head half-lifted and his ears pricked, as if he was listening to something. His wings were open, looking like he would turn into the winged Peng of myths at any moment.


    He looked focused, but also a little lonely.


    ¡°Mo Ye?¡± Zhou Yu slowly walked closer.


    Mo Ye was nimble and had easily hopped onto a reef floating over the sea. But for Zhou Yu, the distance was too great and he would fall into the sea if he slipped.


    Suddenly, far off in the distance, some kind of illusion seemed to materialize out of thin air. It swept towards them, imposing and majestic, both like a ferocious beast and a splintering mountain.


    The gust of air got closer and closer. Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes got wide and he waved his hands to shout, ¡°Mo Ye! Mo Ye, come back!¡±


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t seem to hear anything, and he concentrated solely on the ripples in the air.


    It was getting even closer, and the wind also blew harder.


    Zhou Yu instinctively crouched down and raised up an arm to block his face.


    The gust of air roared like a wild, galloping beast, about to crush everything on the island.


    Mo Ye had his tilted his head up; his body did not move at all.


    Finally, the rush of air came before Mo Ye. Then, instantly, all its energy deflated. It was like a dialogue from ancient times. Perhaps Mo Ye¡¯s ancestors had passed on something to him in this way.


    It was the first time Zhou Yu had seen such a strange sight.


    Mo Ye turned around and jumped back.


    He spread out his wings and glided in mid-air.


    The gesture was so smooth and easy.


    Zhou Yu felt as if Mo Ye¡¯s black body was shining with a silver light under the sun. There was an extra bit of sharpness to the ordinarily lovable and clingy Mo Ye.


    He landed and ran to Zhou Yu, jumping into his arms. When Zhou Yu caught him, he stumbled back.


    The little thing really was getting stronger by the day.


    But Mo Ye soon pulled him out of Zhou Yu¡¯s arms and jumped to his feet. He bit Zhou Yu¡¯s trouser leg and pulled him forward.


    Its expression was serious and anxious.


    ¡°Do you want us to leave now?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Mo Ye nodded.


    The vigilance and worry in Mo Ye¡¯s eyes roused Zhou Yu¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Is it very dangerous here?¡±


    Mo Ye nodded again, then ran back the way they came.


    Zhou Yu found that as long as he followed close to Mo Ye, then no other organisms got near them. They could have been cowed by Mo Ye¡¯s status as an A rank organism, or as night spirit. The inhabitants of the island were naturally in awe of him.


    Wu Yun had brought Xiao Chen into the helicopter with him. They were waiting for Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu swung into the cockpit and started up the aircraft.


    Mo Ye hopped in and laid down in the co-pilot¡¯s seat.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°We have to leave this place, now. Mo Ye thinks it¡¯s dangerous here.¡±


    ¡°Mo Ye thinks it¡¯s dangerous? Are you the only person on earth who can understand him?¡± Wu Yun joked.


    Xiao Chen had long wanted to leave, and now hearing that they would depart immediately, a glimmer of hope appeared in his fear-stricken eyes.


    They gained altitude, then looked down at the island. Illuminated by the sunlight, it was an image of peace.


    But it was in the midst of a peaceful scene just like that that had buried an entire bodyguard team.


    As they rose higher and higher, the horizon grew wider.


    The billowing of remote waves seemed to be brewing a tsunami.


    Wu Yun grew nervous; if it was really a tsunami, then their helicopter wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against it.


    ¡°T-That can¡¯t be a tsunami¡­ That¡¯s not what the warning signs of a tsunami look like¡­ ¡± Xiao Chen said in a trembling voice.


    There was neither the rapid ebbing of the tide nor beached fish lining the coast.


    As the wave drew closer, they saw a giant golden creature in the water. The exposed part of it looked like a giant insect dressed in gold-plated armor that was straight out of ancient Egyptian mythology. As it moved, it made a buzzing sound.


    Its mouth was round, with a full circle of teeth. Its eyes and nose were unable to be made out. There seemed to be another mouth inside of that mouth, and it puffed out a strong gust of air that was aimed straight at Night Spirit Island.

 CH 41

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 41: Golden sea bull


    The vegetation on the island was overwhelmed by the gale and the white sand at the center of the island blew away, revealing the remains of the night spirits.


    The many bones of the night spirits were crushed and mixed together.


    ¡°That¡¯s the protector of Night Spirit Island, the golden sea bull.¡±


    It was like a mythological beast; its dazzling colors reminded Zhou Yu of the second law: the more beautiful an organism was, the more dangerous they are.


    ¡°The golden sea bull? What¡¯s that? How come I¡¯ve never heard of it?¡± Xiao Chen asked. ¡°Are we going to make it back alive?¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he pushed the helicopter to leave the place as quickly as possible.


    Mo Ye put his front paws up against the window and stared at that giant golden monster.


    The gust of air that had resembled an illusion had been the breath of the golden sea bull. Mo Ye had warned Zhou Yu to leave because he felt its arrival.


    Zhou Yu had information on the golden sea bull in his memory. The night spirits had been extinct for so long that he thought the golden sea bull would be, too.


    Contrary to expectations, it was still guarding Night Spirit Island.


    Although he was flying at full speed, the golden sea bull bypassed Night Spirit Island to come straight at them.


    Amidst the turning tides, a huge wave overflowing into the skies came at them.


    Xiao Chen closed his eyes and screamed.


    Wu Yun stared nervously as the crest of the wave stopped only a mere dozen meters away from them before falling back down. It resounded loudly.


    If it came for them again, then their helicopter wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid it.


    ¡°Why did it keep chasing us?¡± Wu Yun couldn¡¯t understand. The golden sea bull was protecting Night Spirit Island, but they already left, so why was it still dead set on pursuing them?


    ¡°Because we took something that belonged to Night Spirit Island,¡± guessed Zhou Yu.


    Coming to a realization, Wu Yun looked at Xiao Chen.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s throw away the samples! It¡¯s more important that we survive!¡±


    Xiao Chen was scared for his life.


    ¡°If we throw away the samples we have, then even if we make it back to base, do you think that lunatic Song Zhi will let us go?¡± Wu Yun coldly asked him.


    The helicopter shook violently. The golden sea bull had blown a large breath of air at them with seawater mixed in, almost snapping off the tail of the helicopter.


    Zhou Yu flew with the wind while their aircraft continuously blared its alarm sirens.


    Xiao Chen¡¯s tears were about to start flowing. He muttered, ¡°We¡¯re going to die¡­ We¡¯re really going to die¡­¡±


    The golden sea bull opened its mouth wide, revealing rows of sharp and savage-looking teeth, about to swallow them at any moment.


    A wave slammed into the side of the helicopter, almost overturning them.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Xiao Chen screamed as he wept bitterly.


    The world started turning, and the helicopter was about to fall into the sea!


    Wu Yun looked at the surface of the sea that was almost within reach and thought to himself that his good luck had finally dried up. However, when he least expected it, just as their lives were hanging by a thread, Zhou Yu stabilized them and quickly climbed higher, rising back up into the skies.


    But this only delayed their visit from the grim reaper.


    Xiao Chen¡¯s legs were shaking badly.


    ¡°No way! Xiao Chen peed his pants!¡± astonished, Wu Yun looked at Xiao Chen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s throw out the bone samples¡­ Please, I really want to live¡­¡±


    Xiao Chen implored them.


    Wu Yun shouted at Zhou Yu, ¡°Zhou Yu! At this point, it¡¯s more important that we survive! Let¡¯s try throwing out the samples!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    Wu Yun opened the window and tossed out the samples.


    The golden sea bull paused, finally giving the helicopter some room to breathe. It continued to fly off into the distance.


    Wu Yun patted his chest, however, he didn¡¯t expect that the golden sea bull would still chase after them.


    It opened its mouth, about to puff out another breath of air.


    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± Wu Yun swore, ¡°Is it ever gonna end?!¡±


    The sea breeze came billowing out, mixed with seawater that the golden sea bull had sprayed.


    ¡°What rank is the golden sea bull?¡± Wu Yun kept talking to press down his fear, even if his chattiness annoyed others.


    ¡°A rank,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    Although he appeared calm, he knew in his heart that they weren¡¯t going to make it.


    ¡°What? That big guy is only A rank?¡± Wu Yun¡¯s face seemed to say ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°If it were S rank, then it could have turned into a beauty and seduced you.¡±


    ¡°Not funny! Mo Ye, you¡¯re A rank too! How come the levels are so different?¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye tilted his head at Wu Yun.


    ¡°If the golden sea bull goes on rampage again, then it might swallow up your Zhou Yu in one gulp!¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes got round. He started at Wu Yun, looking panicked.


    He abruptly jumped up and out a window that had been left open.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡ª¡± Wu Yun was dumbstruck, he reached out, wanting to grab Mo Ye¡¯s wings, but he only caught a fistful of air.


    ¡°Wu Yun! What nonsense did you tell him?! Don¡¯t you know that he can understand you?!¡±


    Zhou Yu turned the helicopter around to chase after Mo Ye.


    But the golden sea bull had stirred up a storm at sea, and if they got any closer, then the chances of them crashing would increase exponentially.


    Mo Ye¡¯s figure was like a black streak of lightning that zapped through the storm. Although he was small, he broke through the gale and charged at the golden sea bull.


    It was the first time Zhou Yu had seen him fly. Zhou Yu hadn¡¯t imagined that he could fly; wings weren¡¯t for grown for show in Nibelungen, but Mo Ye had been by his side since birth and no one of the same species had taught or demonstrated it to him. But as if it was mere instinct, Mo Ye had taught himself how to fly.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡ª¡± Zhou Yu had his heart in his mouth.


    Since arriving in Nibelungen, he had never once been so scared before.


    The golden sea bull only needed to open its mouth to swallow Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Come back! Mo Ye!¡± Wu Yun¡¯s shouts were drowned out by the waves.


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t seem afraid of the golden sea bull¡¯s enormous size, it uttered a resounding call at the golden sea bull.


    The call was special; it carried such haughtiness so that even the air trembled, as if an invisible force was headed at the golden sea bull.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ The power of a night spirit?¡± Wu Yun was stunned.


    The helicopter couldn¡¯t get closer, but Mo Ye could!


    Mo Ye¡¯s flapped his wings, and between him and the golden sea bull, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.


    The golden sea bull opened its mouth again.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡­¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was close to fracturing.


    ¡°Ah! He pissed off the golden sea bull! We¡¯re going to die! We¡¯re all going to die!¡±


    Xiao Chen had completely lost his mind.


    Wu Yun gave him a hard kick, ¡°If you keep shouting, I¡¯ll throw you down there!¡±


    Mo Ye made the same call again, as if he was ordering the golden sea bull to leave.


    The water in between the golden sea bull¡¯s teeth had been blasted away by Mo Ye¡¯s cry.


    It was a spectacular sight.


    The golden sea bull did not swallow Mo Ye. It retreated and seemed to submit itself to him. After turning in a wide circle, it lowered itself back into the sea.


    The sea surged as if something huge had sunk in.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun stupidly stared at it all.


    The sun shone down on them the same as before, and the sea was calm.


    Mo Ye flapped to the helicopter, then dived in through the window.


    The water vapor left behind in the atmosphere formed a rainbow in the sunlight, and Mo Ye looked like he was crossing over the rainbow from another world.


    Wu Yun and Xiao Chen looked at Mo Ye dumbly.


    A few seconds later, Wu Yun finally shook himself awake. He grabbed Mo Ye into his arms and gave him a good rubbing, ¡°My God! Mo Ye! You¡¯re so valiant! Do you know what you just looked like? A heroic knight battling an evil dragon!¡±


    Mo Ye was uncomfortable with Wu Yun¡¯s grabbing and grunted before squirming out. It shot Xiao Chen a look of disdain, then hopped into the cockpit to sit beside Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s hands were still shaking.


    He had almost lost Mo Ye.


    He was even suspecting that the Mo Ye that had returned was not real, but a hallucination.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye realized that Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t paying attention to him and immediately turned crestfallen.


    He reached out his forearm to catch Zhou Yu¡¯s sleeve with a claw.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t respond. But for him, that second of contact was real.


    Mo Ye pulled at Zhou Yu again, acting like a child who had done well but went unrewarded. He showed a wronged expression.


    They smoothly flew over the sea.


    Xiao Chen put his palms together and prayed that nothing dangerous would happen on their journey back.


    Wu Yun joked, ¡°This is Nibelungen, the Gods you¡¯re praying to are in another world.¡±


    When land drew near, Zhou Yu finally relaxed a little bit of the tension in him.


    He reached out and petted Mo Ye¡¯s head. Mo Ye closed his eyes and looked content.


    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t do something like that again¡­¡±


    Mo Ye laid on the seat and turned to look at Zhou Yu without making a sound.


    Wu Yun wasn¡¯t used to the silence in the cabin.


    He curiously asked Zhou Yu, ¡°Hey¡­ How did Mo Ye make such a giant organism like the golden sea bull back down¡­? Are night spirits really that incredible?¡±


    ¡°You were the one who said that Mo Ye was also A rank.¡± Scenes of ancient times appeared in his mind; the night spirits were still living on the island and the golden sea bull moved about in the area surrounding the island. Since they were old neighbors, then perhaps, for Mo Ye, it had been less of a battle and more of a request for his neighbor to make way for them.


    ¡°Now we¡¯ve done it. When we get back, Song Zhi will go crazy studying Mo Ye.¡± Wu Yun was worried.


    Song Zhi wanted to rely on Mo Ye to find that S rank organism, so he wouldn¡¯t hurt him. And if Mo Ye really was as powerful as he had been today, then Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t worried about him getting hurt. On the contrary, he might drag Mo Ye down.


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye and thought: if only you weren¡¯t so loyal. You could go anywhere you want and live the life you want.


    I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to protect you for much longer.


    As if Mo Ye heard what Zhou Yu was thinking, he gently put his paw on Zhou Yu¡¯s hand.


    It was light but powerful.


    They safely returned to the base.


    Zhou Yu saw Zhou Qing the moment he stepped off the helicopter. Not many words passed between the two of them, but Zhou Qing clearly breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was possible that he might never make it back on any one of the missions.


    As the only survivors of the mission, Zhou Yu, Wu Yun, and Xiao Chen had to report to Song Zhi.


    Zhou Yu clearly and concisely reported the deaths of team alpha, how they were attacked by the golden sea bull as they left, and their subsequent escape.


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t hide how Mo Ye had protected them. Even if he didn¡¯t say it, then Xiao Chen would.


    Song Zhi was very satisfied with Zhou Yu¡¯s confession.


    ¡°So your mission was a complete failure. Did you lose all the samples you took?¡± asked Song Zhi.


    Zhou Yu remained silent, but Wu Yun spoke up, ¡°No, I brought back the sole remaining sample.¡±


    Wu Yun took out a container from his pocket and placed it on Song Zhi¡¯s desk.


    Song Zhi paused. His lips curved into a hint of a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you throw all of them into the sea?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to throw this one out before Mo Ye flew out to save us.¡±


    Wu Yun was firm, Xiao Chen was shocked, and Zhou Yu only wanted to give Wu Yun a good punch.


    This guy had kept a surprise up his sleeve! No wonder the golden sea bull continued chasing them even after they threw out all those samples, it was because Wu Yun had one hidden on him!


    ¡°Excellent¡­ After all, with a creature like the golden sea bull protecting the area around Night Spirit Island, it would be very difficult for us to get any more samples.¡± Song Zhi was very satisfied with the results.


    Zhou Yu opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t say what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, it¡¯d be best if you spoke frankly, don¡¯t keep any reservations. Even if I don¡¯t follow your ideas, I can¡¯t guess what they are if you don¡¯t say them.¡±


    Zhou Yu turned it over in his mind. If he didn¡¯t say anything, then he might regret it if anything happened in the future. He sorted out his thoughts.


    ¡°First of all, when Mo Ye arrived at Night Spirit Island, he did not show any signs of nostalgia or curiosity towards his ancestors. But after Xiao Chen took the samples of the remains buried in the sand, Mo Ye got very nervous and wanted us to leave behind the samples. All of Mo Ye¡¯s actions were to protect us, so to him, those samples were dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that because Mo Ye had sensed the presence of the golden sea bull? Was he worried that the golden sea bull would attack you if you took the samples?¡± asked Song Zhi.


    ¡°From what I know, the golden sea bull is the protector of Night Spirit Island and the night spirits can communicate with it. If the object to be guarded no longer exists, then why would the golden sea bull still be protecting Night Spirit Island, after so many years? Is it a habit formed over time? Or, like Mo Ye, maybe it didn¡¯t want us to take the bones of the night spirits because there was something wrong with them and they could only stay there.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s doubts were completely illogical to Song Zhi. ¡°The organisms of Nibelungen are all connected in special ways. Like Elpis that lived with swordbone butterflies and bluelight fireflies. The golden sea bull might also have a special connection with the remains of the night spirits, one that we don¡¯t know about.¡± Song Zhi smiled, ¡°When we use the bones to breed a female night spirit, your Mo Ye might not need to be alone anymore.¡±


    Was that so?


    Zhou Yu felt like something was wrong.


    ¡°Also¡­ Now that we¡¯re aware of Mo Ye¡¯s power, we should carry out more studies. Don¡¯t worry, the studies will operate on the basis that they will not harm Mo Ye. Professor Carlos will be in charge of all of the testing and sampling, and it will have to be done under your supervision. Professor Carlos won¡¯t go ahead with anything you don¡¯t approve of, how does that sound?¡±


    Song Zhi seemed to be asking Zhou Yu for his permission, but Zhou Yu knew that he didn¡¯t have any room to refuse. It was only a cover to get Zhou Yu to agree to cooperate with Professor Carlos¡¯s research. Without Zhou Yu, Mo Ye wouldn¡¯t get close to anyone, allow them to take samples, or cooperate with tests.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate as long as it doesn¡¯t hurt Mo Ye,¡± answered Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be anticipating a big step forward in our research on night spirits.¡±


    After the three of them left the office, Xiao Chen returned to his research department, leaving Zhou Yu and Wu Yun in the corridor.


    ¡°Hey, do you blame me for keeping the sample?¡± Wu Yun patted Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I positively want to punch you. You kept a sample in such dangerous circumstances. If we had thrown out all the samples, then maybe Mo Ye wouldn¡¯t have needed to¡­¡± Zhou Yu sighed, ¡°But I know why you did it, so I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    Wu Yun needed Juli Corp to save his daughter. He would sacrifice anything for his own flesh and blood.


    ¡°Yes, if I hadn¡¯t done it, then we wouldn¡¯t have known how incredible Mo Ye is! Say, what other abilities do you think he¡¯s hiding that we don¡¯t know about?¡± Wu Yun turned back to look at Mo Ye, who was beside them.


    Mo Ye looked up at them. His eyes somehow looked even more beautiful than before.


    They were so deep they seemed to suck in Zhou Yu¡¯s soul.


    There was a fatal sense of mystery about Mo Ye; like a British gentleman in a suit, he might look conservative and old-fashioned at first glance, but after calming down, one might notice the elegance of a demeanor that belonged to nobility.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, what¡¯s wrong? What are you lost in thought staring at Mo Ye for?¡± Wu Yun asked him, amused.


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just thinking.¡±


    Zhou Yu beckoned to him and Mo Ye followed, looking up impatiently at him. Zhou Yu knew what he was thinking, so he picked him up. Zhou Yu reached out to poke Mo Ye¡¯s nose. Mo Ye opened his mouth to get ahold of his finger, but Zhou Yu moved it away on purpose. Mo Ye moved his mouth closer, and Zhou Yu took away his finger again on purpose.


    This joke was already routine procedure between Zhou Yu and Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye made a dragged out ¡°Hnnnn¡ª¡± sound, pretending to be mad. He reached out his front paws and grabbed Zhou Yu¡¯s finger, then stuck it into his mouth.


    There was a slight pain at the tip of his finger, but it was soon replaced by a strange sensation. That feeling winded up along his nerves, as if numerous feathers were flitting past his heart, making Zhou Yu throb inexplicably.


    He wasn¡¯t a person who was easily aroused, but at that moment, he felt his blood rush downwards. The uncontrollable feeling instantly jolted him awake.


    Wu Yun was teasing Mo Ye as he fed on Zhou Yu¡¯s finger.


    Zhou Yu gulped, he had to be careful not to let Wu Yun find out about his peculiarity. He crooked his finger, but Mo Ye simply wrapped his tongue around it. Mo Ye¡¯s cheeks were bulging. He had not yet had his fill and would absolutely not let go before he was satisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap in my room, see you at dinner.¡± Zhou Yu said with a natural expression.


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Wu Yun, Zhou Yu returned to his room with Mo Ye in his arms.


    He leaned on the headboard of the bed and Mo ye laid down on him.


    Mo Ye sucked harder, and the bewildering sensation grew even more intense. Zhou Yu tilted his head up and gulped. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Mo Ye looking at himself intently.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡­ What did you do? ¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s voice was hoarse. He raised a hand and patted Mo Ye¡¯s back, indicating for him to let go of his finger.


    But Mo Ye was unwilling to and he laid down without any intention of letting go.


    ¡°If you keep sucking, then I¡¯ll shrivel up into a mummy¡­¡± Zhou Yu wanted to break away from this strange, unknown feeling as soon as possible.


    Mo Ye kept Zhou Yu¡¯s finger in his mouth but did not continue to suck his blood. He rolled onto his side, appearing languid. It was the first time Zhou Yu had thought of something as erotic.


    ¡°Mo Ye, I¡¯m going to get angry.¡± Zhou Yu lowered his voice.


    Mo Ye unhappily let go of Zhou Yu¡¯s finger. When he did, he even used the tip of his tongue to push them.


    Zhou Yu patted his head. Then Mo Ye reached out his paws and touched Zhou Yu on his forehead too.


    As if Mo Ye was also doting on a child.


    Under Mo Ye¡¯s gaze, Zhou Yu inexplicably grew sleepy. His eyelids slowly closed together, and the last thing he saw was the way Mo Ye leaned in with his cheek facing himself.


    Lovingly, and tenderly.


    Zhou Yu, who had fallen asleep, heard the splashing sound of water. His body was being carried away by a current running in a direction beyond his control.


    Everything returned to the moment when he had fallen into the Angel¡¯s Horns.


    Countless sharp-billed fish rushed at him. Zhou Yu wanted to dodge, but they were too fast.


    A black figure quickly approached him and Zhou Yu hazily saw that it was Mo Ye swimming against the current. His wings were pushing against the flow, as if he was about to transform.


    Then, the sharp-billed fish impaled Zhou Yu and blood gushed out of his body. The reverse-scaled dragon was aggressively bearing down on them, but Mo Ye blocked in front of him. In the blink of an eye, Mo Ye turned into a huge translucent and silver creature. He folded his wings close to his body and charged at the reverse-scaled dragon.


    Then he made an unusual sound. The water vibrated as if it was about to be lifted away from the riverbed. He pierced through the reverse-scaled dragon, completely destroying it.


    Bubbles flooded the place and everything was in chaos.


    Zhou Yu reached out his hand and the translucent silver creature swam to him. Zhou Yu was only a tiny flash of life before him, the one who ruled everything around them.

 CH 42

    Chapter 42: Waking up feeling very much in love with you


    Just as Zhou Yu¡¯s fingertips touched upon him, he started to shrink, until he became human-shaped.


    He was a handsome youth whose looks were hard to forget. His deep, bottomless eyes stole away Zhou Yu¡¯s breath, and time seemed to stop.


    He hugged Zhou Yu and swam with him to the border of where light met the water.


    Zhou Yu suddenly opened his eyes and panted harshly, as if he had finally jumped out of the water. He saw the ceiling of his room above him.


    He reached up to cover his eyes.


    It was indeed an S ranked organism that had saved him, and it matched the description of the organism Song Zhi was searching for. It wasn¡¯t an illusion because he hadn¡¯t yet known the organism¡¯s description then, nor had he received Elpis¡¯s memories. There was nothing in his mind for the illusion to build itself upon. Aside from that, it had saved him again during the battle in the 12th zone of the primeval forest.


    But why did he dream of¡­ Mo Ye turning into that S rank organism?


    Zhou Yu turned his face to the side. Mo Ye was snuggled up beside him, sleeping soundly. His little wings rose and fell in time with his breathing¡ªhe didn¡¯t look like an S rank organism at all.


    Zhou Yu sighed and hugged Mo Ye, thoughts running through his mind. As a night spirit, Mo Ye shared a special connection with that silver creature. Had Mo Ye summoned it in a moment of desperation?


    Or maybe he was indeed saved by an S rank organism, but had imagined Mo Ye turning into the silver creature. Mo Ye faced off against the golden sea bull to save everyone despite how dangerous it was, so maybe that¡¯s why he had imagined that it was Mo Ye who saved him at the Angel¡¯s Horns?


    ¡°Mo Ye¡­ do you have a lot of secrets I don¡¯t know about?¡± Zhou Yu petted his back.


    Mo Ye opened his eyes at Zhou Yu¡¯s words and put his head on Zhou Yu¡¯s chest to look at him.


    Zhou Yu had always felt like Mo Ye could see right through him. His thoughts, his expectations of the world, and his deepest, darkest fears where all understood by him.


    Mo Ye poked Zhou Yu¡¯s chin with his nose, then jumped off the bed and waved his front paw at Zhou Yu, meaning ¡°let¡¯s go eat dinner!¡±


    Zhou Yu suddenly lost his smile.


    If Mo Ye really was S rank, then why was he staying by his side? Was it only to drink a little bit of his blood every day?


    The next morning, Zhou Yu brought Mo Ye to see Carlos.


    Zhou Yu had his hands crossed behind his head and unhurriedly walked through the passageways. It was rare for him to have such a pleasant morning. Zhou Yu looked down at Mo Ye, who was beside him. His pace was the same as Zhou Yu¡¯s, and he would occasionally swing his head to and fro as if he was even in the same mood as Zhou Yu.


    A team of researchers and guards carted a nutrient chamber past them.


    Zhou Yu looked over and saw that the nutrient chamber contained an almost translucent, golden creature in it. It was turning in the water gracefully as if dancing the waltz.


    It attracted Zhou Yu¡¯s attention. It¡­ seemed to be the Nibelungen jellyfish¡­


    It was beautiful¡­ but also possibly very dangerous.


    Less than a second later, Mo Ye unhappily bit at Zhou Yu¡¯s pant leg. Zhou Yu looked down and couldn¡¯t help but lose his smile when he met Mo Ye¡¯s eyes.


    Mo Ye large eyes were filled with discontent.


    In his understanding, other than the care he showed for Zhou Qing, Wu Yun, and a few other people, all of Zhou Yu¡¯s remaining attention should belong to him. Zhou Yu looking at the Nibelungen jellyfish for more than a second was too much for Mo Ye.


    Zhou Yu smiled and lowered himself down to put his chin on Mo Ye. ¡°Okay, Okay, let¡¯s go find Carlos!¡±


    Carlos¡¯s department was very busy and in the middle of doing a comparative study between samples.


    As soon as he saw Mo Ye, he walked out excitedly.


    ¡°My God, Mo Ye! You grew even bigger! Have you entered puberty yet? You¡¯re growing up so fast!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked down at Mo Ye and found that Mo Ye had¡­ really seemed to grow bigger again¡­


    Carlos wanted to measure Mo Ye, but Mo Ye kept moving around like he had ADHD. Carlos was sweaty and frustrated, but he couldn¡¯t get ahold of Mo Ye no matter how he tried. Of course, no one else could either.


    Zhou Yu felt sympathy for Carlos, so he said, ¡°Mo Ye, be good.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu, then unhappily looked away, finally staying still.


    Carlos finally managed to measure Mo Ye and said in surprise, ¡°He grew taller by three centimeters, isn¡¯t that way too fast?!¡±


    Not just Carlos, but even Zhou Yu was shocked.


    It hadn¡¯t been more than three days since the last time Mo Ye was measured, so how did he grow so much?


    What kind of growth rate was this?


    ¡°Mo Ye, you might be going through puberty! That¡¯s why you¡¯re growing so fast!¡± Carlos wanted to pet Mo Ye¡¯s head, but Mo Ye quickly ran away.


    ¡°Puberty? No way, it¡¯s only been a few months since he was born!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold the organisms of Nibelungen to human standards of growth. The creatures here have a short growth period but it can take several thousand to tens of thousands of years for them to mature,¡± said Carlos.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ that he¡¯ll soon be an adult?¡± Zhou Yu deliberately rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s chin with his toe, causing Mo Ye irritably run away. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll be an independent grown in a few days, you don¡¯t need to act cute with me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Other than his height, I want to take some of Mo Ye¡¯s saliva, blood and fur from his back.¡± Carlos looked at Zhou Yu imploringly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I don¡¯t think Mo Ye will be willing.¡± Zhou Yu waved Mo Ye over, but as if Mo Ye had understood what Carlos said, he stayed far away from them and refused to come close.


    When Zhou Yu approached Mo Ye, Mo Ye retreated someplace else. His refusal was clear.


    Zhou Yu could only sigh and he said to Carlos, ¡°Sorry¡­ he doesn¡¯t want to do it, so even I can¡¯t force him to¡­¡±


    Carlos nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to see a living night spirit in the first place. We can skip the sampling for now, but we do want to have a more comprehensive understanding of a night spirit¡¯s intelligence. Mo Ye can understand your words¡­ of course, he can understand many people¡¯s words, but I want to know his intelligence level and if he¡¯s really equipped with the capability to communicate with humans. It will all be like a game to Mo Ye.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye, and said in a placating tone, ¡°There won¡¯t be any blood drawn, or fur pulled, you only need to play some games, what do you think?¡±


    Mo Ye finally got a bit closer to them.


    Carlos waved his hand. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    There were many toys placed before Carlos.


    ¡°Since Mo Ye can understand us, then there¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s capable of a certain degree of logical reasoning. Let¡¯s play some more complicated games. See this, Mo Ye? This is a Rubik¡¯s cube. Can you turn this cube so that each side is of the same color?¡± Carlos held up a solved Rubik¡¯s cube with one color on each side to show Mo Ye an example.


    Zhou Yu thought that it was too complicated. Not even an adult may be able to solve it.


    But for Carlos, he didn¡¯t care if Mo Ye could complete the Rubik¡¯s cube or not. He wanted to test if Mo Ye had the same logical thinking process as human beings.


    Mo Ye looked intrigued. His two little claws took ahold of the cube and started to play with it. Because his claws were not as dexterous as human fingers, he would use his nose or hind legs to nudge it from time to time.


    But Carlos could see that Mo Ye really was trying to make all the sides one color.


    Thinking that Mo Ye would take a while to play with it, Carlos went to make two cups of coffee. Just as he handed one of the cups to Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu nodded at Mo Ye and said, ¡°Mo Ye¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Done¡­ what?¡± When Carlos looked back, his jaw dropped to the floor.


    Mo Ye yawned and laid down. The Rubik¡¯s cube had been tossed aside and each side had been solved.


    ¡°He¡¯s smarter than me,¡± Zhou Yu said, pointing to himself with a smile.


    As he smiled, he felt surprised by Mo Ye¡¯s intelligence.


    Carlos gave him some more high-difficulty tests, including Harvard¡¯s picture IQ test.


    Mo Ye renewed Carlos¡¯s understanding of his intelligence to new heights; he¡¯d practically gotten all of the questions correct.


    Carlos was overjoyed. He had already mentally categorized Mo Ye as a highly intelligent being.


    ¡°What about words? Maybe Mo Ye can understand words!¡±


    Saying that, Carlos went and brought back a few whiteboards.


    He had Zhou Yu write down his own Chinese name on the whiteboard, then pointed to the words and said, ¡°Mo Ye, this is Zhou Yu¡¯s name, can you see it clearly?¡±


    Mo Ye stretched out his neck and carefully studied it, then nodded.


    Carlos was very excited. He erased the words on the whiteboard and had Zhou Yu write down a bunch of other words on paper, such as the characters for ¡°Wei,¡± ¡°Xie,¡± [1] and others that looked similar to Zhou Yu¡¯s name. Carlos mixed up the papers and then spread them out in front of Mo Ye. ¡°Mo Ye, can you find Zhou Yu¡¯s name?¡±


    Mo Ye tilted his head to the side and looked at Carlos. Carlos thought he didn¡¯t understand him, but Mo Ye walked into the middle of the papers and, without hesitating, first took the page with ¡°Zhou¡± on it, then the page with ¡°Yu.¡±


    Carlos grabbed Zhou Yu in a hug. ¡°Oh my God, night spirits can learn characters! And they can learn them faster than the average person!¡±


    Chinese was complex and had many characters that looked similar, yet Mo Ye was able to tell them apart.


    Zhou Yu was dumbfounded. He looked at Mo Ye. Does that mean¡­ that he could teach Mo Ye to read and thus find out what Mo Ye was thinking?


    Carlos planned on devising more complex testing methods. Before Zhou Yu left, he borrowed a few cooks from Carlos.


    Along the way, Zhou Yu¡¯s expression remained calm, but he abuzz with emotion on the inside.


    He felt excited that he could finally communicate with Mo Ye in a human way.


    Back in his room, Mo Ye hopped onto the bed and curled up beside Zhou Yu¡¯s pillow, like usual.


    ¡°Mo Ye, which book do you like?¡± Zhou Yu reached up to pet Mo Ye¡¯s head. Even though it was a familiar action, Zhou Yu could really feel that Mo Ye had grown up.


    This gave Zhou Yu a feeling of having aged rapidly in comparison.


    Mo Ye used his front paws to flip through each of the books. He studied them carefully with his head askew, as if he could understand them.


    In the end, he put his paw on a book with a black cover and slightly yellowed pages.


    ¡°This one?¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect Mo Ye to pick such an old book.


    He thought that Mo Ye would choose another, more colorful book.


    Mo Ye patted it with his paw, meaning that he was sure.


    ¡°Good choice, ¡®Zhu Shenghao¡¯s collected works.¡¯ [2] Do you know who Zhu Shenghao is?¡±


    Mo Ye shook his head, but rubbed against Zhou Yu with his head expectantly.


    Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye and opened the book in front of him. The inscription on the first page made Zhou Yu pause because the signature said ¡°Song Zhi.¡±


    The handwriting was well-disciplined, yet also brimming with emotion. It was completely different from the handwriting Zhou Yu imaged that Song Zhi would have.


    He thought Song Zhi¡¯s words would have the frigidity of a machine, yet they weren¡¯t like that at all.


    Zhou Yu flipped open the first page and suddenly felt like he was taking a journey into the depths of Song Zhi¡¯s inner world


    Mo Ye patted Zhou Yu¡¯s hand as if he was saying, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you reading it to me?¡±


    Zhou Yu cleared his throat, and read in a voice void of emotional fluctuations, ¡°Do not worry about the advent of old age, you will surely be lovely when you are old. And if you were to age ten years, then I will also age ten years, the world will age ten years, and God will age ten years. Everything is the same.¡±


    This was the first time Zhou Yu had read Zhu Shenghao¡¯s writing, but somehow, he felt like Mo Ye had deliberately chosen this book.


    Mo Ye seemed to know exactly what Zhou Yu was thinking.


    It looked like he was reading to Mo Ye, but seemed more so that Mo Ye was telling Zhou Yu that he didn¡¯t care about the difference between his long life and Zhou Yu¡¯s brief one. He was willing to grow old with him.


    Zhou Yu suddenly felt that his cool-headed and rational self was very laughable.


    Mo Ye¡­ how could¡­? He wasn¡¯t human. He came from another world, and he belonged to that world¡ªNibelungen.


    Mo Ye saw that Zhou Yu had stopped, so he turned his head back to lick Zhou Yu¡¯s chin, as if comforting him. Zhou Yu came back to his senses.


    ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s continue.¡± Zhou Yu petted Mo Ye¡¯s head then put his chin on Mo Ye.


    ¡°I am willing, based solely on our interlinked inspiration, to be each other¡¯s constant source of solace, like the radiance of a shooting star illuminating my exhausted dreams. Forever storing this comfort¡­ so that even when we part¡­¡± [3]


    Zhou Yu suddenly wondered that when his contract of employment ended and it came time for him to go back, would he be able to peacefully say goodbye to Mo Ye?


    ¡°¡­I will wake up feeling very much in love with you.¡±


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help covering his eyes and smiling.


    He poked at Mo Ye¡¯s folded wings. ¡°Do you know what love is? What¡¯s the point of reading this to you¡­?¡±


    Love was an abstract concept. Mo Ye could understand what a bed, a book, or even Zhou Yu was from the daily conversations between Zhou Yu and the other humans, but love was something that could neither be touched nor described. How was Mo Ye supposed to understand love?


    When Zhou Yu turned back to meet Mo Ye¡¯s gaze, he was stunned.


    He¡¯d always thought that Mo Ye¡¯s eyes were beautiful and crystal clear¡­ but now, his eyes looked like amber seas, deep and profound, drowning everything within them.


    Mo Ye leaned out and lightly touched upon Zhou Yu¡¯s lips. As if he was answering Zhou Yu, that he actually knew everything.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s world started to softly tremble.


    ¡°You little thing, you keep following bad examples! I already told you not to kiss people so easily!¡± Zhou Yu forced Mo Ye¡¯s head under the blanket.


    Mo Ye started to struggle.


    Zhou Yu knew that he couldn¡¯t match up to Mo Ye in terms of strength and that Mo Ye enjoyed play-fighting with him.


    Suddenly, Mo Ye¡¯s wings opened up like a hug and wrapped around Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s hands were supported on either side of Mo Ye, and he was completely frozen.


    Since when did Mo Ye¡¯s wings grow so big?


    Mo Ye squinted his eyes like he was smiling. Zhou Yu understood his meaning: Usually you¡¯re the one hugging me, but now I can finally hug you!


    Amused, Zhou Yu sat up and looked at Mo Ye, ¡°If you grow any bigger, you won¡¯t be able to fit in this room anymore and will have to sleep outside in the hallway.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu and seemed to take his words seriously. He immediately curled up to prove that he didn¡¯t take up much space.


    Zhou Yu was grinning widely in his heart.


    But it also inexplicably made him sad. He could feel the special bond he shared with Mo Ye and wished that he and Zhou Qing could also laugh and joke around like that.


    He and Zhou Qing understood and respected each other, but since Zhou Qing had become a university professor, devoting himself to research, and he¡¯d gone off on dangerous missions, the conversations between them dwindled.


    ¡°Say, how am I supposed to communicate with someone who can¡¯t even talk?¡± Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye, impulsively asking a question he found curious.


    Mo Ye opened one eye and lazily looked at Zhou Yu. He seemed to scoff at the question.


    The next day, there were no missions for the time being, so Zhou Yu brought Mo Ye on a walk with him in the area they could move about in. When the others saw Mo Ye now, they were no longer as quick to start any conflicts or show fear.


    Zhou Yu came to Zhou Qing¡¯s research department. He had originally been planning on going inside to see him, but found that he didn¡¯t have fingerprint access to enter. Either Zhou Qing had not set him up as a regular visitor, or it was because of Juli Corp¡¯s confidentiality policy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go visit Carlos.¡±


    When he mentioned Carlos, Mo Ye showed an unhappy expression.


    Zhou Yu squatted down in front of Mo Ye and stroked his head.


    ¡°Mo Ye, Carlos is actually pretty good to you.¡±


    Mo Ye turned his head away as if he was saying: It¡¯s his stupid tests that I hate.


    Despite Mo Ye¡¯s reluctance, Zhou Yu still wanted to know how far Carlos had gotten into studying the bones of the night spirits. Although, by all rights, he shouldn¡¯t care about such matters.


    Carlos was happy to see Mo Ye. He lowered himself down to smile at him, ¡°You¡¯ll soon be able to meet another night spirit. Do you want them to be a boy or a pretty girl?¡±


    Mo Ye wasn¡¯t interested in the question and was even a little disgusted by it. He turned back behind Zhou Yu and laid down.


    ¡°Mo Ye didn¡¯t seem to want us to bring back a sample. That¡¯s why, Doctor Carlos, you should be careful during your research. I¡¯m worried that something may happen.¡±


    Carlos smiled, ¡°We¡¯ve now confirmed that Mo Ye has a high IQ, so maybe he¡¯s unhappy because he doesn¡¯t want there to be another night spirit to replace him. He always wants to be first in Zhou Yu¡¯s heart, just like a child clearly stating to their parents that they don¡¯t want a younger sibling to share the attention shown to them.¡±


    Zhou Yu stopped smiling.


    Carlos beckoned at Zhou Yu, who leaned down. Carlos whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to go see our current research progress.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡± Zhou Yu asked, surprised.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Carlos shot a glance at Mo Ye. ¡°But Mo Ye can¡¯t go inside. I¡¯m afraid he might damage it if he gets too excited.¡±


    He said the latter part in an almost joking manner.


    Mo Ye unhappily laid down outside the room while Zhou Yu followed Carlos inside.


    In a completed sealed glassed room, there was an embryo. It was very, very small, and its eyes were still closed, as if it was still enveloped in the amniotic fluid in its mother¡¯s womb. It was slightly transparent and looked like it could rupture with a poke. If you looked carefully, although it wasn¡¯t too clear, it very closely resembled Mo Ye.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart unexpectedly started to thump like crazy. It wasn¡¯t from the joy of seeing their research progress, but a mysterious sense of abhorrence, so that not even Zhou Yu himself knew where his conflicting feelings came from.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it interesting¡­? Life is so wonderful. And we¡¯ve created it¡­¡±


    There was expectation in Carlos¡¯s eyes.


    Zhou Yu gave him a tight smile and changed the topic. ¡°Are there any more tests for Mo Ye today?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course.¡± Carlos snapped out of his reverie and said, ¡°It¡¯s a test of strength. You said that not even the helicopter could cross through the golden sea bull¡¯s storm, but Mo Ye could. We want to know just how strong Mo Ye is.¡±


    ¡°Just that?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Yes. Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°If you want to take a sample from him to compare it to the organism you¡¯ve created, then Mo Ye won¡¯t agree to it,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Carlos revealed an awkward expression of having his plans seen through.


    When Mo Ye first arrived there, he had been very hostile, and the sedatives were ineffective on him. Carlos had been unable to take a sample the whole time.


    Now, when Mo Ye was in a good mood, he would regard Carlos¡¯s series of intelligence or logic tests as a game and play with him, but he still refused to give up even the smallest bit of fluff on his body.


    ¡°I swear that today will only be a strength test,¡± Carlos promised.


    It was only ¡°today¡± anyway.


    When Zhou Yu opened the door again, he saw Mo Ye lying on the ground, bored stiff. Hearing Zhou Yu¡¯s footsteps, Mo Ye straightened up and followed him.


    [1] ÖÜ(Zhou) vs Χ(Wai) and Óù(Yu) vs ж(Xie). Are you smarter than a fifth grader Mo Ye??

 CH 43

    Chapter 43: A test of strength


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, why is Mo Ye so attached to you?¡± Carlos found it funny.


    Zhou Yu raised up a finger and half-jokingly replied, ¡°Because he depends on me for food?¡±


    Mo Ye seemed to be very displeased with what Zhou Yu said. He bumped into Zhou Yu from behind, causing him to stumble. Looking back, Zhou Yu saw Mo Ye glaring at him while turned to the side.


    That was his angry expression.


    Zhou Yu smiled helplessly. To Mo Ye, Zhou Yu was not just someone who fed him his blood. There was a certain bond between them that had started from the moment they first made eye contact with each other.


    When they came to the testing room, Carlos handed a special rope to Zhou Yu. ¡°Tie this rope around Mo Ye and have him pull it forwards. The instrument will test his strength.¡±


    ¡°This?¡± Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t sure if Mo Ye would cooperate, because in his opinion, it seemed a bit too much like a chain for a pet.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way to test it¡­¡± Carlos replied helplessly.


    Zhou Yu also wanted to know how strong Mo Ye was, so he lowered himself down and opened the loop of the rope over the top of Mo Ye¡¯s head with both hands.


    ¡°Mo Ye, I¡¯m not trying to catch you or restrain you, I just want to see how strong you are. If you really don¡¯t like it, then turn your head away. ¡± Zhou Yu looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes as he spoke. Zhou Yu carefully observed Mo Ye¡¯s attitude; if he showed the slightest hint of unwillingness, then Zhou Yu would not continue.


    Mo Ye did not refuse and he looked up at Zhou Yu.


    His gaze was faithful and focused, as if he was leaving his freedom up to Zhou Yu¡¯s decision.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s hands hovered in the air.


    He was someone who never hesitated. But somehow, he always hesitated when it came to dealing with Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mo Ye, it¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯ll take it off for you later.¡±


    Zhou Yu knew that as long as he stayed in the base, then the research on Mo Ye would not stop. If Mo Ye found it unbearable, then Zhou Yu hoped that Mo Ye would be able to let go of his attachment to him and return to the outside world as soon as possible.


    As if he knew what Zhou Yu was thinking, Mo Ye straightened out and got into the rope.


    ¡°Great!¡± Carlos went back inside the monitoring room, ready to read the data.


    ¡°Mo Ye, come here.¡± Zhou Yu stepped back.


    Mo Ye pulled on the rope and approached Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu retreated farther, and Mo Ye continued forwards.


    The rope stretched taut when they got to the center of the test room, but Mo Ye didn¡¯t look like he was struggling.


    Carlos opened his eyes wide as he saw the readings.¡± Oh my God! Twelve thousand Newtons! That¡¯s the equivalent of a 4575kg animal!¡±


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t hear Carlos¡¯s exclamation. He simply continued to walk backwards.


    The test seemed to bore Mo Ye.


    All of a sudden, he plopped down with the rope and yawned.


    Carlos was anxious. He knew that Mo Ye was still far from showing his true strength.


    Amused, Zhou Yu clapped his hands. ¡°Mo Ye, let¡¯s finish this test quickly and go back to read together, okay?¡±


    Mo Ye slanted his head, meaning: No matter how you try and coax me, I¡¯m still going to throw a tantrum.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you have some watermelon?¡±


    Mo Ye still didn¡¯t move, but the expression on his face was obvious: Keep going!


    Zhou Yu shook his head, finding it entertaining.


    Growing up, he¡¯d never coaxed anyone before except for the time Zhou Qing had been bullied to tears by his classmates.


    ¡°What do I do now?!¡± Carlos wanted to rush out of the monitoring room, but when he remembered that Mo Ye only listened to Zhou Yu, he realized that it would only please Mo Ye to see him anxious. Carlos had no choice but to sit back down.


    He was like a kid throwing a fit. The more the adults tried to sweet-talk him, the more he acted out. But once the adults ignored him, then he¡¯d start to behave.


    The door of the monitoring room opened.


    Carlos turned around and saw Song Zhi come in with his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Zhi looked at the data and frowned.


    ¡°I want to test how strong Mo Ye is, but Mo Ye is throwing a fit and Zhou Yu is coaxing him.¡±


    ¡°Coaxing him? Zhou Yu will spoil him. Why do you think an almost fully grown night spirit is having a temper tantrum like a child?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    Carlos hadn¡¯t thought about that question.


    Without saying another word, Song Zhi turned around and walked out.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± asked Carlos, puzzled.


    Song Zhi didn¡¯t answer him.


    When he came to the testing room, he pushed open the door and called out from the entranceway, ¡°Zhou Yu.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Mr. Song?¡± Zhou Yu turned around.


    Song Zhi beckoned him over.


    Zhou Yu had walked up to about an arm¡¯s length away from Song Zhi when Song Zhi suddenly pulled out his gun and aimed it at Zhou Yu. ¡°Stop!¡±


    Zhou Yu was shocked; he hadn¡¯t expected that at all.


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression was absolutely glacial. His hand that was holding the gun did not tremble in the slightest.


    ¡°Stop right there, Zhou Yu. I know you can snatch the gun away from me, so this is my safety distance. If you step even a millimeter closer, I¡¯ll shoot.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice was steady and he sounded entirely rational.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong.¡± Zhou Yu motionlessly watched Song Zhi.


    But Mo Ye, who had been lying on the ground just now, stood up and was tensed for action. His eyes were fixed on Zhou Yu¡¯s back, but his gaze seemed to pass through Zhou Yu¡¯s body and lock onto Song Zhi.


    Song Zhi shifted slightly to the side to let Mo Ye see him.


    ¡°Mo Ye, I¡¯ll count to three. Either you come here and stop me, or I¡¯ll¡­ shoot Zhou Yu¡¯s head off. The neurotoxin in this bullet will come to effect very quickly, not allowing any time for first aid.¡±


    Zhou Yu finally understood Song Zhi¡¯s goal.


    ¡°Mr. Song! Is this all to force Mo Ye to perform the strength test? Are you crazy?¡± Zhou Yu looked into Song Zhi¡¯s eyes. He wanted to understand the reason for his persistence, but he couldn¡¯t comprehend it.


    Song Zhi was a complete lunatic. In order to achieve his own goals, there was nothing he wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this game fun, Mo Ye?¡± Song Zhi completely ignored Zhou Yu, turning it into a duel between him and Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mo Ye, ignore him! He won¡¯t shoot,¡± Zhou Yu said while looking into Song Zhi¡¯s eyes.


    Song Zhi wanted him alive so that he could control Mo Ye. Why would he shoot?


    An icy, cruel smile appeared on Song Zhi¡¯s face. ¡°Feel free to take a gamble on whether I¡¯ll really shoot or not.¡±


    Saying that, a bullet swiped past Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek and into the wall behind him, resounding violently.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Carlos immediately jumped off his chair and rushed to the door.


    He had to stop this madness.


    But he found that he couldn¡¯t open the door. Song Zhi had locked the monitoring room with his authority override.


    Mo Ye¡¯s body was leaned forwards, his eyes firmly fixed on Song Zhi.


    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ ¡°


    Before the last number could be uttered, a blazing comet came hurtling in and sucked away the air in the room. Song Zhi was knocked down by a powerful force.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Zhou Yu shouted.


    Song Zhi fell to the ground. Mo Ye was on top of him, his wings open and ready to stab Song Zhi.


    The rope used for the strength test that was wrapped around Mo Ye had been broken. It sprung back and hit the wall.


    Then came the sound of metal cracking and the whole wall behind them collapsed, as if an earthquake had taken place. It revealed Carlos looking at them stupidly from outside.


    Song Zhi was surprised. Under normal circumstances, he should have been pulverized to dust when Mo Ye rushed at him at such a speed, but the force that knocked him over had felt no different than from being given a hard push. How did Mo Ye control his strength and speed?


    The eyes that glared down at Song Zhi were cold and arrogant, as if Song Zhi¡¯s threats were nothing more than the prancings of a clown.


    I am the king of this world.


    And you are merely an ant beneath my feet.


    Only those who are chosen and recognized by me have the right to survive.


    After a short half-second of silence, Song Zhi felt like he had just experienced a long conversation.


    Zhou Yu bent down and picked up the pistol that Song Zhi had dropped to the side. Its weight gave away the fact that there were no bullets in its chambers.


    ¡°Let him up, Mo Ye.¡± Zhou Yu said coldly.


    Mo Ye did not move, still pressing down on Song Zhi.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t planning to kill me. There aren¡¯t any bullets in the gun.¡± Zhou Yu added.


    Mo Ye was still motionless.


    Song Zhi¡¯s rimless glasses fell to one side, already broken.


    He wore an impassive expression. ¡°Carlos, what¡¯s the reading?¡±


    Carlos had been shocked silly and stood there without moving.


    Song Zhi raised his voice. ¡°Carlos¡ªthe reading!¡±


    Carlos woke up and rushed to the computer.


    The number made his pupils dilate and he couldn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    He rubbed his eyes, then responded after a long pause. ¡°O-Over half a million Newtons.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s lips slowly turned up in a smile. He looked at Zhou Yu and said, ¡°Your Mo Ye really is special. Half a million newtons. Such a small body was hiding such great strength, are you really not afraid at all?¡±


    Zhou Yu looked down at Song Zhi indifferently. ¡°Is there anything more terrible than the desires of humans?¡±


    Mo Ye slowly stepped back, giving him space.


    Song Zhi sat up and smiled with his hands pressed up against his eyes.


    Zhou Yu nodded at Mo Ye. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Mo Ye followed behind Zhou Yu. He turned to look back at Song Zhi one last time before he left. Song Zhi waved at Mo Ye.


    A few minutes later, Song Zhi stood up and straightened out the hem of his suit. He crossed over the cracked wall and came to Carlos.


    ¡°M-Mr. Song¡­ Are you okay? ¡°


    It was a miracle that Song Zhi was still alive after being knocked down by such a strong force.


    ¡°Do I look like a ghost?¡± Song Zhi said.


    Carlos gulped. Song Zhi put his clenched hand out in front of Carlos and slowly opened it. There were tufts of fur in his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s Mo Ye¡¯s!¡± Carlos looked surprised.


    Before that, Mo Ye hadn¡¯t allowed them to take samples. In a fortunate turn of events, Song Zhi had got the samples in his own way.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the sample container!¡±


    At that moment, the black fur that came in contact with the air rapidly turned white, transforming into a nearly translucent silver scale.


    Song Zhi¡¯s fingers trembled, his eyes opening wide.


    In the blink of an eye, the silver scale crumbled into powder.


    ¡°Wha.. What happened? ¡± Carlos was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Like this, the gene is destroyed. Unless we get a bone or blood sample, this is what will happen to skin and fur.¡±


    Song Zhi flipped his hand over was about to drop the ashes. Carlos quickly caught the sample with a container.


    ¡°Even if the gene is destroyed, maybe we can work something out!¡± Carlos¡¯s heart ached.


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t get anything out of it.¡± Song Zhi dusted off his hands and turned away.


    As he walked, his brow furrowed even more intensely.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­ are you¡­? Just don¡¯t end up like me and become unable to pull yourself out¡­ ¡°


    Song Zhi scoffed mirthlessly and returned to his office. He took out a syringe and stabbed it into a vein on his left arm to draw blood. Then he opened the hidden safe under his table, containing another, low-temperature safe, and put the bag of blood inside.


    ¡°¡­You can live for a long time, but what I leave behind for you may never be enough.¡± Song Zhi tilted his head up and leaned back against his chair, showing a weary expression.


    Mo Ye, who followed Zhou Yu back to his room, was a little nervous, as if he was worried that Zhou Yu would suddenly disappear. He wanted to stick by Zhou Yu at all times.


    Zhou Yu held up Mo Ye¡¯s forepaws and carried him up. Mo Ye¡¯s legs were still on tiptoe. Zhou Yu could confirm that Mo Ye had indeed grown up a lot.


    ¡°Actually, Mo Ye, Song Zhi was only using me to threaten you today, he didn¡¯t really want to kill me. He wasn¡¯t just testing your strength, but also my importance to you, do you understand?¡± Zhou Yu looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes and asked.


    Mo Ye nodded.


    Zhou Yu said, ¡°Mo Ye, you¡¯re already very strong. Beyond the base, there aren¡¯t many creatures that can hurt you. In the outside world, you can live a free life.¡±


    Mo Ye didn¡¯t seem to like this topic. He turned his head to face the side.


    Zhou Yu sighed.


    ¡°Now, Song Zhi is treating me like your leash. As long as he can control me, he can control you too. He wants to catch a certain S rank organism, but in my opinion, we don¡¯t have the ability to go up against one and it would be a sure death if we do. I don¡¯t want you to be a stepping stone on his path of self-destruction. Do you understand that?¡±


    Zhou Yu shook Mo Ye, meaning for Mo Ye to look at him.


    Mo Ye reluctantly looked at Zhou Yu and nodded.


    ¡°So leave this place if you find a chance to. Don¡¯t worry about me, even if you are not around, you¡¯re still my friend. Do you understand? My wish has always been for you to be like the other creatures of Nibelungen and live life in your own way.¡±


    There was a layer of mist in Mo Ye¡¯s eyes, which softened his bright gaze.


    He nodded to show that he understood Zhou Yu¡¯s meaning. Then he shook his head hard, meaning that he wouldn¡¯t do that.


    Zhou Yu felt helpless.


    He found Mo Ye to be even more stubborn than humans, and in front of what he believed in, things like his freedom were not worth mentioning at all.


    Mo Ye pushed ¡°Zhu Shenghao¡¯s Collected Works¡± in front of Zhou Yu. When Zhou Yu flipped it open to the first page, Mo Ye pointed his paw at a certain sentence, as if he wanted Zhou Yu to read it out.


    ¡°I am willing to give up everything, to long for you all my life¡­¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s breath was stuck in his throat. He stroked down Mo Ye¡¯s back. ¡°I know what you mean, Mo Ye¡­ but this is a love letter. A love letter is written for someone you love. Do you understand the meaning of love?¡±


    Mo Ye nodded.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that. In a sense, he also loved Mo Ye. But his love was different from the kind found in the love letter. Abstract concepts were the most difficult to explain to Mo Ye.


    In the next half month, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun received almost no new tasks, largely because the base focused their research on the night spirit that was soon about to mature.


    When Wu Yun wasn¡¯t training newcomers, then he was chatting and feasting in the dining hall with Li Qian and Zhou Yu. Li Qian had upgraded the system in the base. Although he was neither a field worker nor a researcher, Song Zhi had started to value him more because he made the base ¡°safer.¡±


    That day, Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were sitting in the dining hall, looking up at the TV with the field workers who were on break.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were sitting at the table closest to the TV. Except for Li Qian, who was munching on chips, everyone else sat two or three tables away from them.


    It was because Mo Ye was crouched in front of Zhou Yu¡¯s table.


    Today¡¯s movie was ¡°King Kong.¡±


    Different from the previous ¡°action movie,¡± this one showed many things from the human world.


    Mo Ye was fascinated, especially by the towering skyscrapers, the vehicles in transit, and the various details of human life.


    Wu Yun knocked on the tabletop beside Mo Ye and evilly said, ¡°See that, Mo Ye? That¡¯s the world of your beloved Zhou Yu.¡±


    Before Zhou Yu could speak up, Li Qian rolled his eyes at Wu Yun. ¡°Mo Ye, don¡¯t listen to this guy¡¯s nonsense. That¡¯s America. Zhou Yu grew up in China.¡±


    ¡°Is there any difference between China and America? Aren¡¯t they both in the human world?¡± Wu Yun pursed his lips.


    Li Qian ignored Wu Yun and patiently explained to Mo Ye what a car was, different car brands, the general principle behind an engine, and so on.


    Mo Ye was very interested and laid down beside Li Qian.


    It was the first time Li Qian had felt this close to Mo Ye, so he was even more excited to explain to Mo Ye in detail about movies, the development of the film industry, and world-famous movie stars.


    When Wu Yun reached for Li Qian¡¯s chips, Li Qian didn¡¯t notice him. However, Mo Ye raised a paw and smacked the chips bag.


    ¡°Wu Yun! How dare you steal my chips!¡± Li Qian glared at Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun took his hand back. ¡°You¡¯re so stingy, Li Qian! Don¡¯t you remember that we¡¯re friends for life?¡±


    Li Qian took back the chips and angrily replied, ¡°Since when did we become friends?¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head. ¡°Alas¡­ Mo Ye, I¡¯ll teach you a little something about one of the inherent flaws of human beings: it¡¯s easy to share sorrows but difficult to share joy.¡±


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± Mo Ye looked at Wu Yun with his head askew, as if he didn¡¯t understand him.


    Li Qian turned Mo Ye¡¯s little head back his way and solemnly said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to anything Wu Yun teaches you. He¡¯s a perfect example of the negative side of humanity. Not only does he have a bad character, but he¡¯s also bad luck! ¡°


    ¡°Mm!¡± Mo Ye nodded vigorously, making Zhou Yu laugh.


    At the end of the movie, King Kong fell from a tall building. Even in his last moments, he still protected his beautiful lady.


    The despair in its eyes unexpectedly stabbed at Zhou Yu¡¯s heart.


    As if King Kong had turned into Mo Ye in that scene.


    After the movie ended, many people stood up to stretch themselves out, but Mo Ye remained there, looking up, even though there were only subtitles rolling.


    ¡°These beauty and the beast movies are seriously so overdone. Can we play something more exciting?¡± Wu sighed.


    Li Qian snorted. He knew what kind of movies Wu Yun would call exciting.


    The movies here played on rotation. They couldn¡¯t be requested, so they could only watch what was on.


    The next movie was ¡°Black Hawk Down.¡± Wu Yun nodded and said, ¡°Although it¡¯s not my first choice, it beats watching a gorilla and lady fall in love.¡±


    ¡°Hey, gorillas and ladies can¡¯t fall in love! Don¡¯t mislead Mo Ye!¡± Li Qian said.


    ¡°Hahaha, alright.¡± Wu Yun looked at Mo Ye. ¡°So, Mo Ye, you and Zhou Yu can¡¯t fall in love. You¡¯re just like the lady and the gorilla in the movie. The gorilla could hold the lady in his hands, but they won¡¯t have an ending together.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Wu Yun¡¯s fingers waving around in the air, then suddenly lunged out to bite them.


    Wu Yun opened his mouth wide and swallowed back his scream with great difficulty.


    Zhou Yu sat in place and didn¡¯t move. He actually had thought about taking Mo Ye with him; he was worried that the more Mo Ye learned about the human world, the more reluctant he would be to leave him.


    Li Qian automatically started up his commentary function and began to explain to Mo Ye about the background of the movie, who the Rangers and Delta Force were, and the cause of the urban firefight.


    Mo Ye listened carefully.


    He seemed to have gotten addicted to watching movies.


    Li Qian became sleepy as he was watching the movie. He didn¡¯t respond even to the crackling of gunfire.


    In the movie, a group of soldiers was hiding in a civilian house. One of the soldiers was seriously injured. The medic had tried desperately to carry out one last attempt to save him, however, it still failed.


    Mo didn¡¯t understand, so he pushed Li Qian with his paw.


    Li Qian rubbed his eyes, but he was still sleepy.


    Zhou Yu carried Mo Ye over and explained it to him, ¡°The soldier was hit in the femoral artery and lost a lot of blood. The medic tried to clamp down on the artery to stop the bleeding, but failed, so he died.¡±


    Mo Ye gave a slight shudder.

 CH 44

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 44: Infection


    Zhou Yu stroked Mo Ye¡¯s head and said, ¡°That¡¯s how humans are¡ªextremely fragile. For example, if I get shot in the head, I¡¯ll die instantly. If I get shot in the heart, I¡¯ll also die very quickly. In the femoral artery¡­ even with an experienced surgeon around, my chances of survival are slim. That¡¯s the difference between humans and you.¡±


    Even though his healing ability had improved beyond that of an ordinary person¡¯s because of the S rank organism, the ability may not exist forever and could disappear with the metabolic processes of his body. In any case, he was still far too fragile compared to Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye stepped back and withdrew into Zhou Yu¡¯s arms.


    Mo Ye, do you know what it means to be ¡°heartbroken¡±?


    Being ¡°heartbroken¡± and ¡°hurting¡± were different.


    Mo Ye, like many creatures in Nibelungen, you have a strong healing ability, and nothing can really ¡®hurt¡¯ you.


    But if something you cared about disappeared right now, you¡¯d be heartbroken.


    A broken heart can¡¯t be healed.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye hummed softly.


    Zhou Yu paused. Why did he feel like Mo Ye heard what he was thinking?


    In the following days, Zhou Yu didn¡¯t go on any missions. He frequently took Mo Ye out for in a spin around the base in a Hummer. The expanse of the desert stretched on everywhere they went, but Mo Ye was quite content just playing with the sand.


    Only until the sun rose completely and it became too hot did Zhou Yu wave his hat to signal for Mo Ye to go back with him.


    Mo Ye¡¯s wings and ears, which had been wiggling before, would droop in response.


    Zhou Yu drove the car and laughed while rubbing Mo Ye¡¯s head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯ll feed you some watermelon when we get back?¡±


    Mo Ye continued to stay there and ignore Zhou Yu.


    It was because Zhou Yu had promised to teach Han Li how to shoot.


    Once they were in the shooting range, Zhou Yu concentrated on teaching Han Li step-by-step. Behind them, Mo Ye was given the cold shoulder.


    He sat there in a bad mood and stared at Zhou Yu¡¯s back.


    ¡°Han Li, pay attention to your center of gravity.¡±


    Although Zhou Yu got close to Han Li, he never touched her except during demonstrations. That was why Han Li had chosen Zhou Yu as her shooting instructor. In a base with more men than women, it was unavoidable for female doctors like Han Li to stir up trouble if they got too close to the opposite sex.


    But Zhou Yu was different. He possessed restraint and the principles of a real gentleman.


    That was where Han Li trusted him the most.


    Han Li fired several shots. They weren¡¯t very good in the beginning. Mo Ye yawned from behind them and even grabbed at Zhou Yu¡¯s calf with his claws. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t turn back, but he raised his heel and rubbed it against Mo Ye¡¯s chin.


    Han Li looked down and couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°Zhou Yu, if you keep staying with Mo Ye all the time, I think you can forget about getting a wife.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mo Ye bumped into Zhou Yu¡¯s back with his head. Zhou Yu knew that it would be impossible for him to continue teaching Han Li how to shoot today.


    ¡°You class wrecker.¡± Zhou Yu lowered himself down to pick up Mo Ye by his ear.


    Mo Ye pretended to be in pain and whimpered, scratching at Zhou Yu¡¯s arm with his front paws.


    ¡°Keep pretending! Let¡¯s see how long you can keep it up!¡±


    It was easy for Mo Ye to break away from Zhou Yu with his strength.


    Just then, the intercom in Zhou Qing¡¯s lab sounded.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Chen Ruoshui from the marine biology research department. I have some ideas regarding Nibelungen¡¯s marine vegetation that I would like to discuss with Professor Zhou.¡±


    Zhou Qing had long heard of the renowned Professor Chen Ruoshui before, and a feeling of surprise welled up in his heart. He immediately opened the first set of doors and went to greet him together with his research assistant, Xiao Wen.


    Just as the second set of doors opened, and before Zhou Qing could say hello, Professor Chen slumped onto Xiao Wen and started convulsing, his body temperature running very high.


    ¡°Professor Chen! What¡¯s wrong, Professor Chen?!¡±


    Xiao Wen touched Professor Chen¡¯s forehead and was appalled by the temperature. ¡°Professor Zhou! Professor Chen has a fever! It¡¯s serious!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Qing was shocked. Professor Chen¡¯s voice had sounded perfectly normal through the intercom. How could he have a fever?


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    Zhou Qing immediately contacted the medical team and sent Professor Chen away.


    He stood there with a foreboding feeling of what had yet to come.


    In the shooting range, Han Li¡¯s intercom buzzed. The medical team required her to rush to the emergency room, immediately.


    ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be able to catch a break today.¡± Han Li returned the gun to Zhou Yu and left in a hurry.


    Professor Chen¡¯s treatment did not go well. At first, the medical team thought that it was just a simple fever, but with the rapid deterioration of his condition, Professor Chen developed visceral hemorrhaging as well as muscular atrophy and decay.


    Han Li, who was in charge of the emergency resuscitation, was on alert. ¡°It can¡¯t be a simple fever! This is symptomatic of a hemorrhagic fever! ¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Ebola exists in Nibelungen too?¡±


    ¡°Everything is possible!¡±


    Professor Chen¡¯s blood samples were sent to the laboratory for virus testing. After testing, it was found that Professor Chen¡¯s blood actually did contain a certain virus. But more importantly, its infectivity was unknown and its replication rate was very high.


    The test results had not yet been sent to Han Li. Professor Chen suffered from respiratory failure and passed away under extreme pain. His entire body seemed to melt into a pool of blood, creating a grisly scene.


    Han Li¡¯s back was soaked with sweat and her heart pounded heavily. She made a snap decision. ¡°All medical staff involved in the rescue and those who had contact with Professor Chen will be isolated!¡±


    The base issued a red alarm, requiring all personnel to stay in their own rooms and forbidding anyone to walk around.


    Li Qian closed down all the nodes in the base and placed the departments in lockdown mode.


    Zhou Qing was trapped in his lab and his researchers were all very nervous because they had gone up to take care of Professor Chen when he collapsed. No one could be sure when Professor Chen had been infected and who had been in contact with him before the infection. Because of that, the researchers were all sitting in their own corners, neither speaking nor communicating with each other, especially since there was no way to determine how the virus had spread.


    Zhou Yu and Mo Ye had just returned to their room. Mo Ye was hearing the red alarm for the first time. He straightened out his back and nudged the flashing alarm with his nose, looking curious.


    Currently, most people were still unaware of what was happening in the base.


    Zhou Yu called Song Zhi¡¯s room. ¡°Mr. Song, excuse me, but what happened? Are dangerous organisms invading the base? ¡°


    Song Zhi didn¡¯t hide anything from Zhou Yu and replied honestly, ¡°It¡¯s worse than that. The researchers in the base have been infected by an unknown virus. We are now testing the virus in an attempt to identify the pathogen. We will prepare antibodies if possible, but in the short term, the situation is not looking optimistic.¡±


    Everything had happened too suddenly. For Zhou Yu, he had been playing in the base with Mo Ye one moment, and then everything changed the next.


    ¡°Is my brother Zhou Qing okay?¡±


    ¡°Professor Zhou has not shown any signs of infection yet.¡±


    Zhou Yu was somewhat relieved upon hearing Song Zhi¡¯s answer. He didn¡¯t know how long it would take to wait. And when will they lift the lockdown? It didn¡¯t matter if they were shut in for just one day, but if it stretched on to two or three days, then they would all die without food or water supplies.


    Zhou Yu turned Mo Ye around and shook him while holding him. ¡°Do you know what a virus is?¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu with his large eyes, the same as usual. Suddenly, he pushed Zhou Yu down, forcing him to fall onto the bed. Two small claws grasped Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulders and Mo Ye rubbed the tip of Zhou Yu¡¯s nose with his own. He stuck out his tongue to lick Zhou Yu¡¯s mouth, but Zhou Yu quickly turned his face away to avoid it.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s carefree at this time, you little thing.¡± Zhou Yu shook his head helplessly.


    Mo Ye had grown a lot. His two hind legs were clinging onto both sides of Zhou Yu¡¯s waist and he was half-sitting on Zhou Yu¡¯s body.


    Zhou Yu patted his back and said in a low voice, ¡°Okay, okay, get up. You¡¯re heavy.¡±


    Mo Ye instantly became unhappy. He didn¡¯t move and even deliberately increased his weight on Zhou Yu, as if to say: You¡¯re lying, I¡¯m not heavy at all, I¡¯m going to punish you.


    Zhou Yu simply stopped moving and let Mo Ye rest on himself. He sighed, ¡°It seems like viruses aren¡¯t something exclusive to my world¡­¡±


    Mo Ye leaned down and stuck his face to Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek.


    Such warmth and intimacy made Zhou Yu, who was worried about Zhou Qing, feel a little more relaxed.


    At this time, Song Zhi received a report from Han Li. The situation was critical. The two medical staff members involved in rescuing Professor Chen had symptoms of high fever, body ulceration, and internal bleeding.


    Han Li¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke to Song Zhi, ¡°Mr. Song, I also had direct contact with Professor Chen. I don¡¯t think I can make it through this time¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be overly pessimistic. Even in the worst-case scenario, if something really happened to you in here, then Juli Corp will fulfill all the promises made to you.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice sounded calm, but his head was halfway tilted up as he tried to suppress his nervous breathing.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Han Li¡¯s tears fell.


    When their connection broke off, Song Zhi pulled opened a drawer with his eyes closed and put his hand inside as if he wanted to touch something. But in the end, he took his hand back.


    Meanwhile, Li Qian, who was trapped in the control room, witnessed everything from the surveillance footage. He saw how Professor Chen had died and how the infected medical staff had struggled in pain.


    But even so, Han Li stood strong as she put on protective clothing to treat the infected medical staff as best as she could and accompany them in their final moments before death.


    During this period, Han Li was prepared to hear news of the worst possible outcome. Her recent health had not been very good. She has a cough and a cold, as well as a weakened immune system. Although she had been far away from the researcher being saved, she knew that the virus was most likely airborne. The chance that she wasn¡¯t affected already was low.


    The infected medical staff died one after another until Han Li was the only one left in the department. She simply took off her isolation suit, retrieved a bottle of nutrient drink from the refrigerator, and gulped down two mouthfuls before sliding down against the wall.


    There was dead silence in the emergency room. Except for Li Qian, who accompanied Han Li through the surveillance camera, there was no one else present.


    ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s have Li Qian sing a song!¡± Han Li shouted as she closed her eyes and slapped the ground wearily with her hands.


    Soon, Li Qian¡¯s tone-deaf voice came through the broadcast.


    Han Li laughed, ¡°Good Heavens, I can¡¯t remember what the original tune of that song sounds like anymore after you sang it!¡±


    When Li Qian finished singing, Han Li hugged her knees and started to cry.


    ¡°I want to live, I really want to live!¡±


    Li Qian couldn¡¯t say a single word of comfort. He could only share her misery from the control room.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Wen, the research assistant who had been in the same room with Zhou Qing, was lying on the table, moaning. His body looked scaldingly hot, his white lab coat was drenched in sweat, and his ears were bleeding.


    The researchers fell into a panic. They all pressed against the wall, far away from Xiao Wen.


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one among us who had direct contact with Professor Chen! He must be infected!¡±


    Zhou Qing gulped. Just as he was about to step forward, another researcher said, ¡°Professor Zhou, be careful!¡±


    At that moment, Xiao Wen fell to the ground, his body paralyzed like a pool of stagnant water. There was a faint odor of decay in the air. His eyes, nose, and ears were all bleeding, and his pale face was twisted in pain.


    The researchers were fell into a state of uncontrollable turmoil, the desire to survive compelling them to rush up to the double doors and furiously pound on them while shouting, ¡°Let us out! Let us out!¡±


    But Li Qian, who controlled the system, was currently tracking what Professor Chen, the first to have a disease, had touched throughout the day.


    According to Han Li¡¯s calculations, no more than three hours had passed from the onset of high fever symptoms to Professor Chen¡¯s death. The medical staff who rescued him had only two hours of contact with him before experiencing high fevers, which meant that the incubation period of the virus from infection to onset was not that long.


    Professor Chen seemed normal going to breakfast and entering his lab, so Li Qian pulled out the footage of the inside of his lab.


    In his lab, there was a marine organism that resembled a jellyfish, but with a different appearance than a common jellyfish. It was in the shape of a golden veil, and it danced gracefully in the nutrient solution, with some kind of synapse running along its surface. The synapse was emitting a strange biological electric transmission that made those who touched it feel happy and gratified.


    This jellyfish had a very simple name¡ªthe Nibelungen jellyfish. It could survive in freshwater and saltwater. But more importantly, in the absence of water, it could still stretch its body out like an umbrella in anticipation of its prey. But its usual prey were small insects or aquatic creatures, which were not deadly at all.


    Li Qian saw Professor Chen put his finger into a vessel containing the Nibelungen jellyfish. When the jellyfish gently stroked him with an electric pulse, his face looked like he was yearning for something, as if he¡¯d become addicted.


    After more than a dozen seconds, he finally took his finger back, then subconsciously put it in his mouth. He continued his observation and research. Then he left the lab and took some materials with him to Zhou Qing¡¯s lab.


    Li Qian reported the news to Song Zhi as if he¡¯d discovered a new continent.


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    The base¡¯s virology team quickly headed into the lab, fully equipped, and took samples of the Nibelungen jellyfish. On the same day, they found that the jellyfish was carrying a virus. The virus was first transmitted through contact, but after entering the human body, it could quickly mutate and adapt to its new environment, until it was able to spread through the air.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qing watched as all the researchers around him began to show signs of a fever, and thus a viral infection. They fell down around him and struggled to open the doors. Only Zhou Qing was still standing; the hellish scene seemed very much removed from him.


    His thoughts were a mess and he didn¡¯t know where to put his feet.


    When will he fall too?


    When will his fever begin?


    What would it feel like to experience visceral hemorrhaging?


    Fear slowly bubbled up in Zhou Qing¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± A voice that seeped through the dust and mist emerged in his mind.


    Zhou Qing instinctively looked around.


    ¡°You will not be infected with the virus.¡±


    The gentle voice soothed Zhou Qing¡¯s tensed nerves.


    ¡°Then¡­ Help them¡­ Please help them¡­ ¡± Zhou Qing prayed.


    He knew the S rank organism who had saved him was somewhere out there. They knew everything, and understood everything.


    ¡°I cannot. You will not be infected because you are special, not because of me.¡±


    ¡°Special? What¡¯s special about me?¡±


    More than a dozen seconds passed, but Zhou Qing did not receive an answer.


    Li Qian watched Zhou Qing on the screen as he stood in the center of the lab talking to himself. He looked like he was about to have a mental breakdown. He begged Song Zhi anxiously, ¡°Mr. Song, please let Professor Zhou out, before he gets infected!¡±


    Song Zhi frowned. ¡°Do you mean Professor Zhou is still unaffected? What about the others who were in the same lab as him?¡±


    ¡°T-They¡¯ve all collapsed!¡±


    Song Zhi clasped his hands together and showed a puzzled expression. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! If everyone else is dead, then why is Zhou Qing still alive? And Han Li? How is Han Li doing?¡±


    ¡°Han Li is fine for the time being. She drank a few bottles of nutrient drink and cried a lot. Now she is asleep.¡±


    Song Zhi narrowed his eyes and thought it over for a moment. ¡°Send the medical team to take them out and observe them in isolation.¡±


    Hearing this, Li Qian could finally be at ease. He really couldn¡¯t bear to let Han Li and Professor Zhou be trapped in such an environment where their spirit and willpower were completely whittled away.


    Just as Zhou Yu and Mo Ye grew bored and were lying on the bed playing together, Song Zhi¡¯s voice rang out from the communication device above his head. ¡°Open your door and put on the isolation suit outside, then come to Zone 9.¡±


    Zhou Yu instantly got up without a word. Following Song Zhi¡¯s instructions, he put on the suit. Mo Ye wanted to go with him, but Zhou Yu reached out and pressed Mo Ye¡¯s head back into the room.


    Zhou Yu knelt down in front of him and said to him in a very serious voice, ¡°Mo Ye, I don¡¯t know if the virus will affect you, so you can¡¯t go out. Be good and stay in my room, okay?¡±


    Mo Ye had thought that he could go out with Zhou Yu. Instantly, his excited expression became a lonely one. He looked at Zhou Yu with imploring eyes, but Zhou Yu shook his head.


    Mo Ye had no choice but to lower his head and step back a little. Zhou Yu looked at him, then closed the door. He put his palm on the door and whispered, ¡°Good boy, I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Zhou Yu turned and walked away quickly. When he got to Zone 9, he saw Song Zhi standing in front of the isolation ward in protective clothing and stopped before him.


    It was because it was none other than his brother, Zhou Qing, in the isolation ward. Zhou Qing was clearly panicked and disoriented. He sat on the bed waiting for the medical staff in protective clothing to take his blood for various tests.


    ¡°Mr. Song, didn¡¯t you just say that my brother wasn¡¯t infected?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t collapsed, even though all his research assistants were infected with the virus and have died. Should I have answered you that he was infected? What we want to know the most right now is that how, in the same enclosed area, were all his research assistants infected with the same virus while Professor Zhou remained unharmed. Does he already have antibodies against the virus in his blood? If so, then our entire base will be saved.¡±


    Zhou Qing seemed to catch sight of Zhou Yu. He looked over and gave him a hard smile. Zhou Yu knew that Zhou Qing was much stronger than he imagined.


    But the results of the blood test were baffling; Zhou Qing did not have any antibodies of the virus in his body, nor did he have the virus. The same went for Han Li, who was also being kept in isolation.


    And was near impossible for the virologists in the base to decode the virus in such a short period of time.


    Song Zhi put everything they knew about the virus together in a package and sent the information off to another world. ¡°If only Jiang Jinghang was here.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jinghang?¡± Zhou Yu thought the name sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall from where.


    ¡°Juli Corp¡¯s top-ranking virologist.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°Right now, I suddenly feel like it might be safer outside.¡± Li Qian exclaimed, sitting in front of his computer.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, the organism carrying the virus is the Nibelung jellyfish, the same one that you¡¯ve seen before. I want to know if you have any information on this organism from Elpis.¡± Song Zhi looked at Zhou Yu.

 CH 45

    Chapter 45: The giant desert whale


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes in concentration and searched through his mind. It suddenly came to him that the digestive organs of the Nibelungen jellyfish were found throughout its body, and Professor Chen had been infected by the virus only after touching the jellyfish. He had a bold conjecture. ¡°Mr. Song, do you think it¡¯s possible that the virus may have evolved with the jellyfish over time? Jellyfish absorb their food directly through their bodies and those who were infected had deteriorated very quickly. Maybe the atrophying helps the jellyfish save decomposition time and absorb larger quantities of food more easily.¡±


    Song Zhi looked up in thought and nodded as he paced. ¡°A very interesting idea. I¡¯ll send it back to Juli Corp headquarters for Jiang Jinghang and his team to review.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t say anything else unnecessary. He simply stood outside the isolation room, keeping watch over his brother.


    That night, Juli Corp sent them a message from the distinguished virologist, Jiang Jinghang.


    Doctor Jiang¡¯s report was written in casual language, unlike other virologists who used too many technical terms. He gave Song Zhi two choices.


    The first option was to give up the base and evacuate everyone. But in order to avoid bringing the virus back to the human world, Juli Corp will not allow them to use the shuttle on their return.


    The second option was to find the maternal lineage of Nibelungen jellyfish. The Nibelungen jellyfish was different from the common jellyfish; they were sexually dimorphic. In most cases, the male jellyfish did not grow to be very big, just like the one observed by Professor Chen. But their maternal line was able to live longer and grow larger by absorbing more nutrients. In theory, it was possible for them to grow large enough to swallow a person whole. The virus was born from its maternal lineage, so the only possible way to develop antibodies for the virus is if they worked starting from its maternal side.


    ¡°What do you think, Zhou Yu, what should we choose? ¡± Song asked.


    ¡°If we evacuated, then where would we transfer to?¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t expect Song Zhi to ask for his opinion, but for him, all he wanted to do was to try his best to save Zhou Qing¡¯s life.


    ¡°The first base established here by Juli Corp has been remodeled into an observation station because of its outdated equipment. There are enough supplies there for all of us to survive on for a month. After a month, when we can be sure that none of the rest of us are infected with the virus, we can apply to go to the nearest base, Base 2, then take the magnetic shuttle back to our original world.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like the most appropriate decision. But Mr. Song, if you still need to ask me for advice, then it shows that things are not as simple as they appear. ¡°


    ¡°Juli Corp focuses most of its studies on the strong healing abilities and long lifespans of the organisms here, and viruses were not included as part of our research focus for a long time. In my impression, very few of Nibelungen¡¯s creatures die from disease. But it is clear that the jellyfish¡¯s virus not only affects humans, but also the other creatures here. It can cause great damage to the regeneration system of organisms. Juli Corp hopes to conduct in-depth research on it and find a way to counter the virus.¡±


    ¡°Besides countering the virus, are you also planning on using it as a biological weapon to attack other organisms here?¡± Zhou Yu asked coldly.


    Song Zhi let his silence answer the question.


    If Wu Yun were here, he would have looked up into the sky and let out a long sigh while mentally cursing at Juli Corp for wanting to control two worlds.


    Song Zhi looked into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking. Zhou Yu was calmer than he anticipated, as if he¡¯d been expecting of all this for a long time. He said calmly, ¡°So the question is, how are we going to find the maternal lineage of the Nibelungen jellyfish, and do you want the field workers to go out and capture it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a Nibelungen jellyfish specimen at Base 2. But virology research at Base 2 is not as advanced, so I¡¯ll need you to take a team of field workers out and escort our virologists to Base 2. Of course, you can also take people important to you along the way to the observation station¡­ such as Zhou Qing, Li Qian, and even Han Li.¡±


    ¡°So your deal is, I take the risk, and also the reward. Is the reward Zhou Qing¡¯s safety? To keep him away from the virus for a while? Besides Zhou Qing, you must also want me to escort other important personnel from the base there, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have a list of names. We will take blood samples for all the people on the list before departure to make sure they are not infected by the virus before they enter into your team.¡±


    ¡°And you? Are you leaving? ¡°


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave. Someone has to stay here.¡±


    Song Zhi gave the list to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu opened it and found that Zhou Qing, Han Li, and Li Qian were all on the list, as well as Doctor Carlos.


    ¡°And Doctor Daniel?¡±


    ¡°He volunteered to stay behind and study the damage and other effects of the virus on the human brain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll respect his choice, but I want to take Mo Ye with me.¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Song Zhi chuckled. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t agree, we can¡¯t keep Mo Ye behind.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go prepare. Goodbye, Mr. Song.¡±


    When Zhou Yu and Wu Yun met again in the machinery warehouse, Wu Yun whistled, ¡°So we¡¯re going to flee this time? Are we running away someplace far away or are we going to go down with a fight?¡±


    Zhou Yu threw an ammunition clip at Wu Yun. The two men sorted out their equipment tacitly, with a mutual understanding.


    ¡°What are you doing with so many tranquilizer bullets?¡±


    ¡°If we encounter anything like silver spider overlords along the way, then I¡¯ll just feed ¡®em 17 or 18 tranq bullets and see how they like the smell of that!¡±


    ¡°In that case, shall I help you request another vehicle just for packing the tranquilizer bullets?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Oh, could you? Of course, that¡¯d be great! If we have a car full of tranquilizers, then we¡¯ll be safe even if an S rank shows up!¡±


    Zhou Yu shot a look at Wu Yun then turned away.


    After arranging all the vehicles and supplies, Zhou Yu took attendance with the names on the list, but there was no Dr. Carlos.


    ¡°Does anyone know where Dr. Carlos went?¡± Zhou Yu asked loudly.


    ¡°Dr. Carlos¡¯s research reached a very critical stage. He closed himself up in the lab and said that he probably won¡¯t have a chance to be infected with the virus. He wants to wait for the result of his research here,¡± said a doctor in the same lab as Carlos.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes. He knew that Carlos¡¯s so-called research result was the revived night spirit.


    The madness of an academic was beyond his comprehension, so he could not stop it.


    Before leaving, Zhou Yu confirmed the physical conditions of all the researchers.


    ¡°If you have a fever, muscle spasms, abdominal pain, or other symptoms, please raise your hand right now and tell me. Once we leave the base, you won¡¯t be able to receive any medical attention, which means that if you¡¯re ill, then you¡¯ll probably die on the way.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s expression was serious and his voice was ice-cold.


    No one raised their hand. Zhou Yu nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s head out.¡±


    As usual, Wu Yun was in the driver¡¯s seat. Zhou Yu opened the door to get in shotgun, but he didn¡¯t close it. Instead, he whistled.


    From close by, a black figure came dashing out from the gates like lightning, suddenly charging into Zhou Yu¡¯s seat. Because of the strong force, the Hummer shook on impact.


    The researchers in the vehicles behind them were startled.


    Zhou Yu patted Mo Ye¡¯s back and Mo Ye turned around to lean over the back of the car seat with his paws, popping his head up to look behind them.


    Although they were in different cars, the researchers instinctively leaned back as much as they could into their seats. Deep down, they were still afraid of the A rank organism from Nibelungen. Only Zhou Qing reached out to lightly tap Mo Ye of the tip of his nose.


    Mo Ye¡¯s amber eyes lit up and he licked Zhou Qing¡¯s fingernail with his tongue.


    ¡°Alright! Everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s go.¡± Wu Yun started up the vehicle. The other Hummers followed behind him.


    This time, almost all the elite field workers in the base were sent out.


    Their fleet sped across the desert, raising a cloud of dust. With a hand on the window, Zhou Yu could feel the hot weather outside the vehicle. The whole desert seemed to stretch on boundlessly to the ends of the sky.


    ¡°I wonder how those staying behind in the base will fare. I wish Doctor Carlos had come with us¡­¡± Zhou Qing said.


    ¡°And Mr. Song. Although he¡¯s usually pretty horrible, I didn¡¯t expect him to stay behind in the base instead of leaving.¡± Li Qian added.


    ¡°Actually, don¡¯t you think that Mr. Song is kind of strange? He¡¯s not a man without integrity and principle, so I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s working so hard for Juli Corp. He always puts Juli Corp first before all other considerations. Even though there¡¯s a rumor that he was adopted by the chairman of the corporation, this is a still little extreme¡­ It¡¯s like he¡¯s brainwashed.¡± Han Li chipped in.


    ¡°Stop, stop! Don¡¯t say anything nice about Song Zhi to me! Zhou Yu and I nearly died a bunch of times outside already. His missions are life-threatening.¡± Wu Yun had long been itching to shoot Song Zhi.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not talk about Mr. Song¡­ My biggest concern is the virus. Our vehicles are limited and not everyone can leave. Anyone who hasn¡¯t been evacuated from the base is staying in the isolation ward, but it¡¯s unclear how the disease spreads. By the time we bring back the antibody from Base 2, our base might already be a ghost town¡­¡± Han Li frowned. There were too many concerns running through her mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much. Even if this isn¡¯t a world for humans, there¡¯s a saying that¡¯s still relevant. That is, everything happens according to fate,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Han Li couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡°No way, Zhou Yu, you¡¯re our role model at the base when it comes to going against fate!¡±


    After driving for two to three hours, they officially entered the outback of the desert. The fleet of more than a dozen cars was like a line of ants in the vast desert, on the verge of being completely engulfed at any time.


    ¡°Hah, besides the sand I¡¯m driving through, there¡¯s only more sand to be seen. There isn¡¯t even a bug in sight. I really want a cig to keep awake.¡± Wu Yun gave a big yawn.


    But everyone knew that even if it looked like there was nothing outside, they absolutely should not roll down the windows.


    ¡°Coffee?¡± Zhou Yu has held up the thermos that he¡¯d prepared.


    ¡°Nah. I can¡¯t stand that foreign stuff that tastes like traditional medicine. Only Song Zhi likes it.¡± Wu Yun shook his head.


    Taking a look at Zhou Qing and Li Qian in the back seat, he found them sleeping leaned onto each other.


    Even Mo Ye, who had been lying on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees, yawned widely and pushed his head into Zhou Yu¡¯s chest to sleep.


    From time to time, he made soft, murmuring sounds, as if he was having a sweet dream.


    Wu Yun looked at him enviously then joked, ¡°Zhou Yu, what do you think he¡¯s dreaming about? An action movie? Or watermelon? Or returning to the human world with you?¡±


    Zhou Yu chuckled, ¡°Is there any research showing that Nibelungen¡¯s organisms can dream?¡±


    ¡°You really have no sense of humor, this is putting me to sleep. Hey! Why don¡¯t these cars have autopilot settings? That way, all I¡¯d need to do is to go in one direction, close my eyes, and snooze off with the rest of you. In any case, I won¡¯t bump into anything in this endless desert.¡±


    ¡°Stop dreaming, there aren¡¯t any human satellites in Nibelungen, how could there be autopilot?¡±


    Even so, Wu Yun was still drowsy after he drank all the coffee, which seemed to be useless.


    Just when Wu Yun was close to nodding off, Zhou Yu suddenly gave him a hard push. ¡°Wu Yun, what¡¯s that in front of us?¡±


    Mo Ye, who had been curled up on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees, suddenly straightened out and pricked up his ears, on alert for something.


    Wu Yun was abruptly woken up. He squinted to concentrate on making out what was in front of them, only to find that the sand dunes a few hundred meters ahead of them seemed to be moving, as if something was flying in and out of the sand. The entire desert was like a sea, and there was a giant creature roaming that sea.


    As the moving sand dunes got closer and closer, they found that it was a massive creature the size of a whale with the wings of a roc. It would glide in the air for a short distance, then plunge into the sand as if swimming, before bursting out of the sand again.


    In mid-glid with its mouth wide open, it looked as if it could swallow up their entire fleet.


    The people in their vehicles had their eyes opened wide. They got a clear view of the creature¡¯s larynx when it opened its mouth, as well as the serrated teeth before it.


    ¡°What¡­ the hell? ¡± Li Qian, who rarely went out for fieldwork, had eyes as round as marbles and almost dared not to breathe.


    The massive creature got faster and faster, and would soon be right in front of Wu Yun. The grains of sand from its giant mouth fell onto the windows of Wu Yun¡¯s vehicle at the very front when it breathed, almost enough to blow them away.


    Zhou Yu instantly shouted, ¡°Turn around!¡±


    Wu Yun quickly turned the steering wheel and hit the gas pedal to try and bypass the behemoth. He used his handheld transceiver to notify the team behind him. ¡°Turn around! Now! Immediately!¡±


    Sand sprayed into the air from their wheels. Their vehicle whipped around and almost threw them out. Li Qian¡¯s face hit the glass, but he couldn¡¯t even shout. Zhou Qing frowned, then raised his hand to take a tight grip to the handrail on the roof. His body was pressed under Li Qian, and Han Li was on him.


    The rest of the fleet followed suit and made a U-turn, drawing an arc in the desert sand.


    The large creature lifted up its flank and blocked out the sun, leaving behind a huge shadow in the desert. Sand came plummeting down like a waterfall. It appeared as if the sky was going to collapse. The visual impression it left behind was inexpressible.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh my God!¡± Han Li sat on the side that was closer to the creature. It almost felt like she was about to be crushed underneath it.


    Wu Yun steered the vehicle to narrowly avoid the giant monster¡¯s flank. The wave of dust that surged up almost overturned the car.


    If they had been a second too late, then they would have gotten crushed underneath, with unimaginable consequences.


    ¡°That¡¯s a giant desert whale. Its attacking power isn¡¯t too strong, but it¡¯s huge. When spring turns into summer, it will migrate through the desert. In the spring, they like places where there is plenty of sunlight, which aids their digestion, and their young are born stronger under the intense light. But in the summer, they need to travel to an oasis in the desert to find water and survive, or else they¡¯ll die of dehydration,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in their habits and names! I just want to know, does it want to eat us?¡± Wu Yun asked in a loud voice. No one was sleepy anymore.


    ¡°No. The only reason we¡¯d die is if we cross their migration path and get crushed to death. By the way, they¡¯re only B rank organism.¡±


    ¡°What. A creature that size is only B Rank? Are you kidding me, Zhou Yu?¡±


    Just then, they saw about a dozen smaller giant sand whales coasting along in the desert behind the larger one. It was a spectacular sight to behold.


    Not only Wu Yun¡¯s vehicle, but everyone in the rest of the fleet was also looking at them. In comparison, the wildebeest migration as seen on the Discovery Channel was nothing. It may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it was also a deadly one.


    Mo Ye, who had been resting on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees, suddenly butted the side of Zhou Yu¡¯s face with his head, as if to remind him of something.


    Zhou Yu frowned. He petted Mo Ye with one hand while thinking. ¡°Why do I think the desert whales don¡¯t just look like they¡¯re migrating, but also hiding from something?¡±


    ¡°Stop! Stop! Don¡¯t scare me again. If the giant desert whale is B rank, then the thing that can scare them into fleeing must be A rank or above. How are we going to make it out alive then?¡± Wu Yun took a look at Mo Ye then reached out to pinch his little face. ¡°But we still have Mo Ye. Mo Ye is also really strong, right?¡±


    Mo Ye seemed to enjoy Wu Yun¡¯s praise. For the first time, Wu Yun was allowed to pinch his face.


    When he looked up again, Wu Yun peered into the distance. There seemed to be something connecting the skies and the earth together, but because it was too far away to make out. ¡°What¡¯s that in front?¡±


    Zhou Qing picked up his binoculars and looked out into the distance, then shouted, ¡°Shit, it¡¯s a giant tornado! The desert whales must be running from the tornado!¡±


    ¡°Fuck, there¡¯re tornados in Nibelungen, too? What¡¯s Juli Corp saying about the weather forecast?¡±


    Wu Yun shouted while stepping on the gas pedal. He turned the car around almost parallel to the direction the giant desert whales were migrating to.


    ¡°It¡¯s already been said there aren¡¯t any satellites in Nibelungen. What are they going to use for the weather forecast?!¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    Li Qian was close to tears. They¡¯d just managed to avoid the giant desert whales, yet now there was also a tornado: ¡°I have a farmer¡¯s almanac on my computer! I just forgot to check it before leaving today!¡±


    ¡°It would have been safer to suffocate in the base than to come out here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be crushed to death by some organism than be infected with a virus!¡± Li Qian had witnessed too many tragedies with those who had been infected with the virus. If he could choose, he¡¯d rather have a quick death.


    The entire fleet turned around again, drawing a horseshoe in the desert.


    But the tornado behind them was pressing closer.


    The fleet was already at full throttle, but they still felt like they were about to be swept away by the sandstorm.


    ¡°It¡¯s over! We can¡¯t match up to the speed of the tornado!¡± Han Li turned to look at the tornado that was getting closer. It was a whirling mass between heaven and earth, constantly gaining power as if it would take everything in the desert to the sky.


    The pod of giant desert whales got farther and farther away.


    Just then, Mo Ye tapped his paw on the window.


    ¡°What are you doing, Mo Ye? You can¡¯t go outside now, you¡¯ll get swept away! ¡°


    But Mo Ye only glanced at Zhou Yu before continuing to dig at the window. He was determined to get out.


    ¡°Does Mo Ye have a solution?¡± After having experienced so much, Wu Yun no longer regarded Mo Ye as a newborn pet.


    Zhou Yu looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes and tried to understand what he was feeling. Mo Ye was determined and confident. Zhou Yu knew that Mo Ye was faster than ordinary organisms. It was possible for him to escape from a tornado alone.


    If possible, Zhou Yu hoped that Mo Ye could live a good life, no matter what the cost was.


    Zhou Yu quickly opened the window and pushed Mo Ye out. Before he could be seen clearly in the all-encompassing yellow sandstorm, Mo Ye had already disappeared from view.


    A large amount of sand poured in and blew all over Zhou Yu¡¯s face. He had to quickly roll up the window again.


    ¡°How¡¯s Mo Ye? Has he escaped?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    Zhou Yu knew that it was impossible for Mo Ye to abandon them based on his character and loyalty, but what was he going outside for?

 CH 46

    Chapter 46: The observation station


    A dozen seconds later, the desert whale, which had been far away from them, suddenly sped in their direction. The desert sand billowed outwards and a huge, golden wave surged towards them.


    ¡°My God! What is it doing?¡± Wu Yun immediately stepped on the brakes. Now he really had no idea which direction to head in. There was a tornado behind them and a giant desert whale in front. They were trapped with no room to retreat.


    The entire fleet stopped, only to be pushed forward by the sandstorm.


    ¡°Look, Mo Ye seems to be on top of it!¡± Li Qian shouted as he pointed to the giant desert whale at the very front.


    There was a creature standing on its head. The shape of its wings closely resembled Mo Ye¡¯s.


    He was like a proud king riding on his mount, making rounds in his country.


    Zhou Yu could barely open his eyes against the wind, but seeing Mo Ye like that gave him an inexplicable sense of awe.


    ¡°Did Mo Ye call them back?¡± Zhou Qing was stunned.


    ¡°He must have. Did you forget? Mo Ye is A rank, while the giant desert whale is B rank. According to Nibelungen¡¯s hierarchy, Mo Ye should be able to have control over them. Just like how Mo Ye helped us drive away the golden sea bull, there must be a way for them to communicate with each other!¡± Wu Yun was overjoyed.


    The pod of giant desert whales got closer and closer to them. The sand they stirred up felt like an enormous wave that covered the skies, striking fear into everyone present.


    A baby desert whale suddenly dived into the sand underneath Wu Yun¡¯s vehicle, then leaped out again, carrying their Hummer on its back and soaring into the skies


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Li Qian had a hand clutched over his heart while his other hand maintained a tight grip on the handle on the roof of the car.


    His heart flew up high with the baby desert whale, then suddenly plummeted.


    ¡°Woo¡ªHoo¡ªThis is so exciting!¡± Wu Yun banged on the steering wheel.


    Zhou Qing suddenly clutched at his chest and knocked hard on the window with his other hand. His face had turned white.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zhou Qing?¡± Zhou Yu immediately tensed up.


    ¡°He wants to vomit!¡± Han Li replied.


    As the young whales flew, their vehicles also underwent their rising and falling motions, like an endless cycle. Zhou Qing¡¯s looked increasingly unwell.


    Wu Yun quickly rolled down the window and Zhou Qing threw up out the side of the car. As he vomited, he waved his hand to signal that he was alright.


    ¡°It¡¯s like taking a ride on a pirate ship, but it¡¯s even faster and more intense than a pirate ship. Not just Zhou Qing, but the researchers in the other vehicles are probably all in pretty bad shape. These things should come equipped with vomit bags! But then again, this is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience!¡± Wu Yun turned off the engine and looked out of the window with his hands off the steering wheel.


    The whole desert seemed to be stirred up.


    The giant desert whales carried them in the direction of the observation station. They traveled much quicker than the speed their Hummers had been driving at. They soon distanced themselves farther away from the tornado.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like flying!¡± Li Qian adapted to the feeling faster than Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Yu gazed towards the desert whale that was in the lead and saw that Mo Ye is still perched on its head. The seemingly small figure contained more power than Zhou Yu could imagine.


    They suffered being jolted up and down the entire way, like riding on a pirate ship for more than an hour. Many of the researchers had vomited messily inside the Hummers, but they came to the border of the desert earlier than scheduled.


    At the size giant desert whales were, they could no longer dive into the sand to take off into the sky anymore. They stopped and plodded quietly along in the sand, looking very obedient.


    Wu Yun blinked, then stepped on the gas pedal to slowly drive the car down from the body of the calf.


    Li Qian made an extremely regretful expression. ¡°Is that it? I wish that part of the journey had been longer!¡±


    Wu Yun smiled at Zhou Qing. ¡°If it were any longer, our Professor Zhou would have to puke out his stomach and intestines.¡±


    Zhou Qing smiled sheepishly. ¡°It was truly a special experience. Although the process wasn¡¯t perfect, looking back now I can say that it was very enjoyable.¡±


    The desert stretched out behind them.


    Wu Yun used his handheld radio to instruct the fleet to gather close and leave the desert together.


    Mo Ye slipped down from the top of the desert whale¡¯s head, spreading his wings and gliding in the breeze for about a dozen meters before landing at Zhou Yu¡¯s window. He reached out to tap the window and even stuck his face on the glass. He looked so comical that even Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t help laughing.


    But Zhou Yu didn¡¯t open the window. Mo Ye was so strong, for what reason did he remain by his side?


    Zhou Yu looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes for a long time. He suddenly really wanted Mo Ye to leave right then. He hoped that Mo Ye could be free. The longer he stayed there, the more he could feel that Juli Corp¡¯s research goals were not as simple as they seemed. It was like another, invisible tornado, and it could sweep Mo Ye in at any time.


    Mo Ye seemed to have realized something. He stared at Zhou Yu, his little paws hitting the window even harder.


    But Zhou Yu seemed to have no intention of opening the window.


    Wu Yun only needed to glance over to catch onto Zhou Yu¡¯s intentions. He did not press the button to roll down the window either.


    ¡°Hey! Zhou Yu! Wu Yun! Why aren¡¯t you letting Mo Ye in?¡± Li Qian asked in complete confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s to give Mo Ye another chance to choose. It¡¯s obvious that even without Zhou Yu¡¯s care, Mo Ye can live freely in Nibelungen. If things continue as is, then Zhou Yu will just be like Mo Ye¡¯s drug addiction. The older he grows, the more difficult it will be to quit.¡± Zhou Qing answered for him because he understood Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts better than the others. No matter what kinds of decisions Zhou Yu made, he had always supported him, but this time was different. ¡°Zhou Yu, you should know that sometimes when you feel like you¡¯re doing something good for Mo Ye¡¯s sake, it won¡¯t necessarily make Mo Ye happy. For Mo Ye, his happiness is more important than his freedom. You¡¯re the source of his happiness, so don¡¯t give him up so easily.¡±


    Zhou Yu clenched his fists. Actually, he was even more reluctant to part with Mo Ye than he had been last time, but he wasn¡¯t sure if the reason Mo Ye had chosen to stay with him was because he was the first person Mo Ye had laid eyes on. Because he was the starting point of Mo Ye¡¯s life, Mo Ye regarded him as a pillar in his world. If Zhou Yu were to take advantage of that and bind Mo Ye to his side, or to even make him into a weapon to attack and control the other organisms in Nibelungen, then he would truly be despicable.


    Mo Ye knocked on the window even harder. In reality, it would be very easy for him to break the glass, but he didn¡¯t do that. He insisted that Zhou Yu open the window himself to let him in.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes reddened. He felt as if his heart was being strangled. He never knew that separation was such a painful thing and he found that he couldn¡¯t be cruel to the end. Zhou Qing had said that Mo Ye was addicted to him, but did he not indulge in Mo Ye¡¯s company as well?


    ¡°Actually, Zhou Yu, I wish you¡¯d be a bit more selfish. If this choice can make you and Mo Ye happy, then don¡¯t be too focused on the rules you set for yourself. And besides, I believe that the future can be changed.¡± Wu Yun turned to look at Zhou Yu. He put his finger on the button, ready to open the window and let Mo Ye in at any time.


    But Zhou Yu sat there, motionless, and the team behind them was trying to reach Wu Yun.


    ¡°Why did you stop all of a sudden? Is there something wrong with your vehicle?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡±


    ¡°What happened? Is it dangerous? ¡°


    Wu Yun simply replied, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Zhou Yu was still in thought. His happiness may bring great pain to Mo Ye in the future. Even if he doesn¡¯t become a weapon for Juli Corp, Mo Ye may become a specimen for their research; that¡¯s what he was afraid of the most. In his heart, Mo Ye was a noble being, so how could he be destroyed by the desires of human interests?


    Wu Yun couldn¡¯t bear to keep watching. He pressed the button to roll down the window. Wind and sand came pouring in, both tickling and stinging their faces to the point where they weren¡¯t able to open their eyes.


    Zhou Yu did not look out the window at Mo Ye and kept his gaze locked to the front.


    Be firm¡­ Zhou Yu.


    Don¡¯t look at him¡­ Don¡¯t look at him¡­


    If you look into his eyes, then your heart will soften!


    Although the window was rolled down, Mo Ye didn¡¯t try to go inside at all. He merely kept his front paws on the window and stared at Zhou Yu with rounded eyes. They seemed to be filled with water on the verge of overflowing and flooding the entire world.


    Mo Ye also had times when he was stubborn. He insisted on getting Zhou Yu¡¯s affirmation, and he needed Zhou Yu to also need him. Without a nod from Zhou Yu, he would rather stay outside the vehicle than come in, but he did so without leaving.


    Even though Zhou Yu did not communicate with Mo Ye, he could still sense how sad Mo Ye was feeling. His heart was filled with shards of ice, both freezing and painful from the pricking of its fragments.


    It was quiet in the vehicle. Everyone was waiting for Zhou Yu¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Hrrn¡­¡± Mo Ye made a crying sound. It was a soft, aggrieved, and sorrowful tone, and countless emotions rushed into Zhou Yu¡¯s mind, instantly tearing down the walls he¡¯d built.


    He reached out and rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s, then pulled him inside.


    Mo Ye made a whimpering sound and curled up, squeezing himself into Zhou Yu¡¯s arms.


    Zhou Yu encircled him with both arms as if something he lost had been found again.


    This is the first time that he¡¯d hugged Mo Ye so tightly. He suddenly found that starting from some time ago, he really couldn¡¯t part from the little thing anymore.


    The little thing was growing more and more powerful day by day. Now, it was no longer Zhou Yu who took care of him. Instead, Mo Ye was the one who risked his life to protect Zhou Yu in Nibelungen.


    Protecting Zhou Yu had become instinct to Mo Ye.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Zhou Yu¡¯s sake, then no one would really know how powerful Mo Ye was.


    Wu Yun smiled and started up the car. He shouted, ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go to the observation station!¡±


    In the back row, Li Qian patted his chest and breathed out a sigh of relief. After all, he¡¯d watched Mo Ye grow up too. Although wild animals raised from its infancy should be released back into nature once they grow up, he was also reluctant to say goodbye to Mo Ye.


    While still being held by Zhou Yu, Mo Ye leaned his head on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder to stare back at Li Qian. He winked at Li Qian. His naughty smile made Li Qian realize that the little thing had been pretending to be pitiful; he already knew that there was no way Zhou Yu would actually be cruel enough to drive him away.


    ¡°What a bad little thing!¡± Li Qian shook his head, amused.


    ¡°What bad thing?¡± Zhou Qing asked in bewilderment beside him.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I¡¯m talking about the compressed biscuits! They¡¯re too dry! I can¡¯t swallow it!¡± Li Qian was feeling a little sour. Maybe he didn¡¯t even count as a friend to Mo Ye!


    But he didn¡¯t think that Mo Ye would blink at him again, as if to say: What nonsense are you thinking?! Of course I think of you as a friend!


    Li Qian¡¯s injured heart was suddenly not so painful anymore.


    Wu Yun petted Mo Ye¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°Luckily, you didn¡¯t leave. You should know that there are a lot of watermelons at the observation station. You can eat them to your heart¡¯s content! If you¡¯d left, you¡¯ll never get to eat watermelon again for the rest of your life!¡±


    Zhou Yu was left speechless. He knew that not only was there no vodka at the observation station, there were also no fruits like watermelon.


    He reached out and slapped the back of Wu Yun¡¯s head. At the same time, Mo Ye stretched out his paw and hit Wu Yun on the shoulder. Wu Yun almost hit his head on the steering wheel. He wordlessly looked at Mo Ye and Zhou Yu, who both stared straight ahead, completely ignoring Wu Yun¡¯s expression.


    Zhou Yu hugged Mo Ye the entire way. He said to himself that since Mo Ye had chosen him without any hesitation, he wouldn¡¯t give up Mo Ye so easily again from now on.


    Mo Ye seemed to sense Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts. He rubbed his head gently against Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek. In that moment of tenderness, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and let go of all his worries.


    They drove all the way to the observation station. It was on the edge of a primeval forest without any tall trees nearby.


    It is only a quarter of the size of their base. There were six scientists and twelve guards living there. Their arrival would liven up the station.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu, as the two in charge of the convoy, input their IDs. The gates of the observation station slowly opened, and their fleet drove in one after another.


    At the end of the passage stood a middle-aged man in a white lab coat and rimless glasses. He was Professor Lu Zhenlu, the director of the observation station.


    He looked somewhat nervous and he was clenching his fingers. Behind him were three guards.


    ¡°He¡¯s wearing a suit under his lab coat and he has rimless glasses. Why do I think he has Song Zhi¡¯s style?¡± Wu Yun said half-jokingly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so at all. Professor Lu is a timid man and not good at conversing with others.¡± Zhou Qing said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether Professor Lu is like Mr. Song or if he¡¯s timid or not¡­ I just want to know if my bed here is at least the same size it was in the base. Otherwise, I¡¯m not sure if I can fall asleep.¡± Li Qian said.


    Professor Lu had walked up to Wu Yun¡¯s window, and Wu Yun quickly rolled it down. ¡°Hello, Professor Lu, we¡¯ll have to trouble you this time. I¡¯ll leave these valuable researchers in your hands. Please send a message to notify Mr. Song Zhi of our base that we¡¯ve completed the first task.¡±


    Professor Lu nodded, looking nervous. ¡°O-Of course¡­ You must be tired from traveling, I have lunch prepared for you.¡±


    Mo Ye, who had been lying on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees, suddenly straightened out. He tilted his head and stared at Professor Lu, who turned away as if he was afraid of looking at Mo Ye.


    Wu Yun also noticed this. He smiled and reached out to rub Mo Ye¡¯s head. ¡°Although he¡¯s a creature from Nibelungen, he¡¯s also our friend. It was he who protected us so that we were able to successfully complete the escort mission. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of him, Professor Lu, he won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so¡­ Of course. Let me show you around the observation station.¡± Professor Lu forced himself to looked up at Mo Ye.


    Li Qian reached out to pat Wu Yun on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to go to Base 2 to get the matrilineal specimen of Nibelungen jellyfish? You can leave us here with some guards. Hurry up and carry out your next task, there are a lot of people in the base waiting for the virus to be decrypted!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I almost forgot that you still have other tasks to carry out. What a pity, we made some vegetable bacon rice with gravy. It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Professor Lu smiled regretfully.


    Wu Yun dangled his arm out the window and smiled lazily. ¡°No way, of course we¡¯ll have the vegetable bacon rice with gravy. We had compressed biscuits the entire way here. How can we carry out our next task before we eat something new and recharge?! Also, do you have any vodka?¡±


    Professor Lu revealed an awkward expression. ¡°We don¡¯t have any vodka¡­ But we have beer.¡±


    ¡°Beer is great too!¡±


    Wu Yun opened the door and got out. Li Qian was about to comment that Wu Yun was shirking his duties and slacking off when Zhou Yu also got out of the vehicle with Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mo Ye, you can try some vegetable bacon rice with gravy in a moment.¡± Zhou Yu raised his hand and Mo Ye reached out his paw to touch Zhou Yu¡¯s finger before following him.


    Li Qian didn¡¯t expect that Zhou Yu would also ignore an important task like Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun took out his handheld radio and spoke into it. ¡°CODE BLUE.¡±


    This usually meant that the field personnel could relax their guards, but Li Qian grew nervous because he remembered that Song Zhi had specifically informed everyone of their altered warnings codes before leaving the base. If a CODE BLUE was issued, then it meant that all the guards should be on alert.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s expression also became serious. Li Qian could faintly discern that there was something wrong with the observation station, and the problem seemed to be very serious. Zhou Yu, Zhou Qing, and Wu Yun had all realized it.


    Professor Lu introduced the layout of the observation station as he walked, but Li Qian found that there were not as many people in the observation station as he expected. Juli Corp had sent a team of five researchers and twelve guards to stay here, but so far, the only people he saw were Professor Lu and two researchers in the lab. However, the researchers were not carrying out any research and they simply sat there. Other than the three guards following Professor Lu, the rest of the people were nowhere to be found.


    Li Qian couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where are the other researchers and guards?¡±


    Professor Lu didn¡¯t answer immediately but went on talking about the weather in the last two days.


    Wu Yun crossed his arms, he wasn¡¯t interested in Professor Lu¡¯s tour of the station. He also asked, ¡°Huh? Yeah, where are the others? This is just an observation station, you don¡¯t need to go out into the field, do you? All the guards need to do is to protect the observation station. How come everyone¡¯s gone?¡±


    This observation station was not very big, but hearing their own footsteps echo down the halls under the cold hue of the lighting gave off a chilling sensation.


    ¡°Um¡­ Well, we¡¯re also researchers here, so we want to study the biology of Nibelungen as much as possible. After hearing that you were coming with at least 20 guards to be stationed here, several of my colleagues became impatient and were accompanied outside by nine guards to collect samples nearby.¡± Professor Lu readjusted his glasses and replied.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what happened! You sure have some guts.¡± Wu Yun shot a look at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Nine people to protect three researchers should be more than enough, right? And they won¡¯t go far. They¡¯ll be back in an hour or two.¡±


    ¡°Did you report your actions to Mr. Song? Did you get his permission?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Professor Lu stopped. ¡°This is the dining hall. Enjoy your meal.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating with us? What about the other workers in the observation station?!¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Professor Lu waved his hands and said, ¡°Lunch was specially prepared for you. We¡¯ve already eaten.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªwell, thank you so much, Professor Lu.¡± Wu Yun smiled.


    Before Professor Lu could turn around and leave, Mo Ye ran up to him and looked up. Although he was looking up from below, there was still an indescribable sense of oppression. Professor Lu stumbled back a little then stood steady again and patted his chest. He said to Zhou Yu, ¡°This little guy gave me a scare.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Professor Lu and said nothing.


    Professor Lu nodded stiffly and left with his guards.


    Sitting at the table, Li Qian gulped upon seeing the vegetable bacon rice with gravy. The scent of the bacon was tantalizing.


    But Wu Yun and Zhou never picked up their chopsticks. Without further instructions from the two of them, the guards and researchers sitting around the table did not move to eat either.

 CH 47

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 47: The bone gnawing worms


    Mo Ye was on a corner of the table. He lowered his head to sniff the plate in front of Zhou Yu. Then he raised his paw to hold a spoon and bring it to Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Does Mo Ye think there¡¯s no problem with the food?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Yu nodded and leaned down to eat the spoonful of food. When the others saw it, they began to lift their chopsticks to eat, too.


    ¡°Shit, why does it taste like something poured out of a can then mashed into pulp?¡± Wu Yun shook his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a cook in the observation station?¡±


    Gradually, voices started to grow louder around them. It wasn¡¯t as cold as before, but there was still a strange atmosphere in the base, which Li Qian could vaguely feel.


    He kicked Wu Yun under the table.


    ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Wu Yun sighed, then whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you find Professor Lu¡¯s reactions strange? Professor Lu is a researcher. Any researcher here should be very surprised and curious to see Mo Ye, like Dr. Carlos. Even if they were afraid of an A rank organism like Mo Ye, they would still want to steal some glances at him. But Professor Lu isn¡¯t like that. It¡¯s like he¡¯s afraid of being seen through by Mo Ye.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a botanist like Professor Lu. But when Professor Lu saw me, he didn¡¯t come up to exchange greetings or any research discoveries with me, as if he didn¡¯t know me at all. This is not normal.¡± Zhou Qing said.


    ¡°And even if they did go outside for sampling purposes, how could he send out more than two-thirds of the guards protecting the observation station? Doesn¡¯t Professor Lu have any basic common sense?¡± Zhou Yu looked at Li Qian coldly. ¡°Li Qian, I need you to find a way to hack into the surveillance system and check what happened here recently. If we don¡¯t clear up these uncertainties, Wu Yun and I will not be able to leave you here at the observation station.¡±


    Han Li nodded. ¡°I also think it¡¯s not normal for there to be only three guards in the entire observation station.¡±


    Li Qian grew nervous. When everyone else explained their thoughts, he also felt that there were many points of suspicion.


    ¡°I understand. If I want to hack into their surveillance cameras, I¡¯ll be under suspicion, so I need to be in a place where I can connect to a computer.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll at least need a laboratory. How about this: after dinner, I¡¯ll tell Professor Lu that I have research I need to conduct and I want Li Qian to accompany me to the lab.¡± Zhou Qing said.


    ¡°I want everyone to gather together, especially the guards. No matter what happens, Professor Lu¡¯s side doesn¡¯t have much manpower, while we have the advantage in numbers. If we¡¯re scattered, it¡¯ll be easier to be attacked separately.¡± Wu Yun said.


    Zhou Yu nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Han Li, you stay here. You have the radio for medical staff, we¡¯ll contact you through that.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Han Li nodded.


    After lunch, Zhou Qing asked Professor Lu to borrow one of the labs here.


    ¡°Li Qian and I designed a system to study plant samples. When we left the base, the designs for the system were only half complete. As we were having our meal just now, Li Qian and I had another discussion and we thought up of several new ideas that we want to implement right away.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! Such a system exists? How interesting! I¡¯ll take you to the lab!¡±


    Professor Lu led Zhou Qing and Li Qian out of the dining hall. Wu Yun and Zhou Yu followed behind them. Mo Ye stayed behind in the dining area to look after the others.


    When they got to Professor Lu¡¯s lab, Professor Lu opened the first set of doors through a fingerprint lock. He turned to face Wu Yun and Zhou Yu and said, ¡°Are you going inside the lab too? This doesn¡¯t seem to be in compliance with Juli Corp¡¯s rules¡­¡±


    Professor Lu was right in that regard. In general, guards were not allowed to enter the laboratories, which contained classified research.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, we were just curious.¡± Wu Yun waved his hands and blocked in front of Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu smoothly stuffed his gun into Zhou Qing¡¯s hands.


    As Li Qian walked up to the second door, he looked back in Wu Yun¡¯s direction. Wu Yun spread out his hands, meaning that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to give him his gun.


    When both doors closed, trapping only Zhou Qing, Li Qian and Professor Lu in the laboratory, Li Qian started to grow nervous.


    Li Qian sat down and tensely started up the computer. He typed in the code as fast as he could. While tapping on the keyboard, he nervously watched Professor Lu¡¯s every move. At the same time, Zhou Qing deliberately stood in front of Professor Lu¡¯s line of sight and leaned over the lab bench, as if he was casually discussing some research ideas with him.


    Professor Lu smiled and listened to him carefully with interest. But Li Qian knew that he wasn¡¯t actually listening at all and that Zhou Qing was deliberately making himself look very excited. What was funnier was that Zhou Qing had recited a foreign botany paper word-for-word, yet Professor Lu was completely unresponsive.


    This further confirmed Zhou Qing¡¯s suspicions that there was something wrong with Professor Lu.


    At this time, Li Qian had cracked into the surveillance system and was accessing the surveillance footage from a few days ago. He put it in fast forward mode, only looking for places were something went wrong.


    The time was yesterday at 3:45 in the afternoon, and the location was that very lab. What Li Qian saw made his pupils shrink and his fingers freeze over the keyboard.


    Professor Lu was looking at something very carefully through the microscope. Another researcher in a white lab coat came in from behind him. Although his expression couldn¡¯t be seen clearly, he had a stooped back and a lowered head. His posture looked abnormal, but Professor Lu was entirely unaware of it.


    The researcher patted Professor Lu on the back. Just as Professor Lu turned around, the researcher suddenly spat out a creature with segmented limbs, similar to a worm.


    In abject horror, Professor Lu tried to avoid it, but the worm had already clung onto his face and it quickly forced itself into his body!


    Professor Lu started to struggle, but the researcher pressed down on Professor Lu¡¯s shoulders with extraordinary strength. Professor Lu fell to the ground and fought to pull out the worm with both hands. His face turned red as he resisted it with all he had. Meanwhile, the researcher seemed to lose all strength and he collapsed to the ground, both hands supporting himself on the floor as he stared unwaveringly at Professor Lu.


    He stared until the worm completely crawled into Professor Lu¡¯s mouth and squirmed down his throat. Professor Lu¡¯s body shook violently, his limbs were twisting as if something was traveling through his body and breaking the bones that held him together.


    Then the researcher¡¯s skin came peeling off as if his flesh and blood had been torn apart. The ground was dyed red.


    Li Qian resisted the urge to vomit. He sliced out that portion of the video and sent it to Zhou Yu¡¯s communication device.


    Ten minutes later in the video, Professor Lu stood up and methodically cleaned up the researcher¡¯s corpse and the blood on the ground. There was a slight smile on his face, disconcerting enough to send shudders down one¡¯s spine.


    Right then, the communication device around Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist beeped outside the lab. He received a video clip, and although the screen was tiny, what had transpired was obvious. His expression clouded.


    ¡°Shit! It¡¯s the bone gnawing worm!¡±


    ¡°What worm?¡± Seeing Zhou Yu¡¯s expression, Wu Yun knew that the situation was serious. He immediately ordered the other guards to protect the researchers in the dining hall, and to under no circumstances allow anyone else in the observation station to approach them.


    If they wanted to enter the lab, then they would have to wait until Li Qian hacked into the system and opened the two doors.


    Zhou Yu quickly assembled his carry-on gun. Together with Wu Yun, they held up their weapons and pointed them to the door of the laboratory.


    Li Qian was nervously inputting codes to take control of the guarded entranceway. He glanced up at Professor Lu and found that he was slightly bending down. His face was getting closer and closer to Zhou Qing, just like when he had been attacked by his own researcher, but Zhou Qing didn¡¯t know about the impending crisis. Li Qian had no time to input the rest of the code, he abruptly stood up and pulled Zhou Qing over.


    Just then, a large worm with thick segments suddenly burst out of Professor Lu¡¯s mouth!


    Zhou Qing eyes opened wide in shock. He narrowly avoided it and fell on top of Li Qian.


    Li Qian¡¯s internal organs were being squeezed out as he shouted, ¡°Shoot! Zhou Qing, shoot it!¡±


    The worm Professor Lu had spat out quickly shrank back inside. Professor Lu¡¯s smile became menacing.


    He walked up to Zhou Qing then lowered his head with his mouth open, looking as if he was about to spit out the worm again.


    Zhou Qing took out his gun but found that he hadn¡¯t unlocked the safety. It was too late!


    Li Qian pushed Zhou Qing off of him. The worm was now coming straight at Li Qian!


    Zhou Qing, who fell to the side, could only stare, wide-eyed, at what was about to happen. A voice in his mind rang out, ¡°Don¡¯t reject me.¡±


    At that moment, a force came rushing out of his brain and along his line of sight like a rushing torrent. The world became still in his eyes and time slowed. The giant worm seemed to explode from the inside, its guts splattering everywhere.


    ¡°Ah¡ªAh¡ª¡± Li Qian closed his eyes tight and waved his hands around while screaming.


    Zhou Qing sat down to the side blankly, his hands still wrapped around the gun.


    The mess of flesh and blood seemed to have been deliberately arranged so that it did not touch Zhou Qing and Li Qian at all.


    ¡°Next time, remember to learn how to use a gun from your brother.¡± The familiar yet elegant and gentle voice in Zhou Qing¡¯s mind rang out.


    Was he the S rank organism that Zhou Qing had met when he first entered Nibelungen? Had he been following Zhou Qing and watching him all this time? Or did he only come to him starting from the first time he left the base? Where was he hiding?


    Zhou Qing was expecting that voice to call out to him again, but it seemed to disappear completely from his life. Everything was quiet, except for Li Qian¡¯s panicked cry.


    Zhou Qing quieted his heart and came to Li Qian¡¯s side. He pressed down on Li Qian¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Li Qian! Li Qian! Open your eyes! It¡¯s fine now, let¡¯s get the two doors open, quickly!¡±


    Li Qian snapped out of it. He realized that he had been screaming for a while already. If he had been attacked, then it would have been over by now.


    He looked at Professor Lu, who had fallen to the ground, and was totally dumbfounded. ¡°What¡­ What happened?¡±


    ¡°Probably when he attacked me the first time and didn¡¯t succeed, he self-destructed the second time!¡± Zhou Qing squeezed out such an explanation.


    Of course, Li Qian didn¡¯t want to stay there for a second longer, so he immediately entered code into the computer to open both doors.


    When the doors opened, both Wu Yun and Zhou Yu barged in with guns blazing. Seeing Professor Lu on the ground, Wu Yun asked, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ dead? ¡°


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°We¡¯re leaving, now. Don¡¯t forget that there were three guards and two researchers with Professor Lu. It¡¯s very likely that there¡¯s something wrong with them too!¡±


    This strangeness of the observation station was so obvious that newcomers like Wu Yun and Zhou Yu could feel it. As for the original employees, there was sure to be something wrong with most of them, too. They had to quickly hurry back and tell the others to leave as soon as possible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Wu Yun did not put down his gun but raised it up to defend Zhou Qing and Li Qian in the front. After Zhou Yu followed up behind them and the group of four walked out of the lab.


    But as soon as they got out, they saw the three guards coming towards them. Both ends of the hallway were sealed. Unless Li Qian returned to the lab and opened them using the computer, they couldn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°Hey! What happened? Where is Professor Lu?¡± Asked the captain of the guards.


    ¡°In the lab.¡± Wu Yun replied indifferently, but he didn¡¯t lower his gun.


    Although the guards all look like they don¡¯t know what had happened, the more time dragged on, the stranger their attitude seemed. After all, Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were holding guns, which showed how dangerous the situation was. But even so, they did not draw their guns, as if they wanted to ease the tension. This was not in line with a normal reaction from the guards.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on him. What did you do to him?¡± The team leader saw that Wu Yun and Zhou Yu had no intention of relaxing their guards, so he finally pulled out his gun and inched up to the lab.


    Although there were four of them, Zhou Qing and Li Qian had no combat abilities to speak of, while there are three guards opposing them, making it three verses two. The other two would drag them down, so Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Wu Yun pointed his gun at the captain of the guards.


    As a seasoned veteran, Wu Yun knew that if the captain entered the lab, and if his teammates were to split up and face him and Zhou Yu from the two opposite sides, then they would be able to attack them on three separate fronts. Wu Yun and Zhou Yu can¡¯t win with just the two of them, so they had to keep the guards at bay at the left and right ends of the hallway, which was the most favorable position for them.


    ¡°What are you trying to do? Did you kill Professor Lu?¡± The captain also loaded up his gun.


    Three guns were aimed at them. The atmosphere was so tense that it was suffocating. Li Qian gulped and Zhou Qing¡¯s back was sweating.


    The air was chilly yet also dry enough to crack. However, Wu Yun and Zhou Yu both looked calm.


    Wu Yun was only facing the captain, while Zhou Yu faced two of the guards. He mentally played out how to hit them both in the shortest time possible.


    The captain of the guards slowly moved towards Wu Yun, step by step.


    Wu Yun instantly fired a shot. The bullet swiped the captain¡¯s cheek and echoed as it hit the entrance of the hallway junction. Li Qian¡¯s shoulders hunched in.


    Wu Yun wasn¡¯t sure if there was something wrong with the guards, so he didn¡¯t dare risk killing them rashly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll really shoot you if you come any closer. I think I can shoot faster than you.¡± Wu Yun said coldly.


    The captain of the guards was frozen in place and did not move forward again.


    ¡°Even if you want to shoot me, please tell me what you did to Professor Lu and why.¡± The captain¡¯s finger was also on the trigger. The outcome of this confrontation was likely to hurt both sides.


    ¡°Did you really not find anything abnormal about Professor Lu? There are bone gnawing worms in his body.¡± Zhou replied.


    ¡°What? What is that?¡± The captain showed a lifeless expression.


    ¡°Are you still going to keep pretending? Have the other people in the observation station already become food for the bone gnawers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I really didn¡¯t know. Professor Lu told us that they all went outside the observation station to take samples. He¡¯s the director of the observation station, how could he lie to us?!¡± The captain of the guards slowly put down his gun and turned to face his two team members, signaling to them to put down their guns as well.


    He raised up both hands and walked in Wu Yun¡¯s direction, but Wu Yun kept the muzzle of his gun aimed at him.


    The captain¡¯s eyes expressed that he didn¡¯t really hadn¡¯t known about it.


    Just when Wu Yun was also starting to doubt him, the captain bowed down and covered his chest, as if in pain.


    Wu Yun turned his head to see what was wrong with him. Behind him, Li Qian shouted, ¡°Watch out¡ª¡±


    Wu Yun barely had time to respond. From the captain¡¯s mouth, a huge bone gnawer was being dislodged. The slimy sound was sickening. Wu Yun¡¯s eyes were wide open, clearly reflected in the gaping mouth of the bone gnawer, even down to its larynx. He was about to be swallowed up.


    But the body moved faster than the brain, and he pulled the trigger, the bullet going down the bone gnawer¡¯s throat and ripping into its interior.


    The ejected bone gnawer abruptly fell down less than a centimeter away from the tip of Wu Yun¡¯s nose.


    Wu Yun¡¯s heart was about to leap out of his chest.


    But the problem Zhou faced was even more serious. The two guards bent down at the same time and spit out the bone gnawers.


    Zhou Qing, who was behind Zhou Yu, was currently hoping that the S rank organism that had helped him before would use his miraculous powers again, but it remained empty in his mind. He wanted to knock aside Zhou Yu and block in front of him.


    Zhou Yu fired and hit one of them, but he was clearly out of time.


    Just as Zhou Yu was about to be hit by the other bone gnawer, he entertained the thought that he would finish himself with one shot when it entered his body.


    But he didn¡¯t expect his body would act outside of his control as if it was being manipulated by an outside force. His actions were several times faster than before. It was completely beyond his brain¡¯s capabilities to react to himself moving his gun. He simply pulled the trigger at the bone gnawer who came at him with perfect timing.


    Zhou Yu leaned back just enough so that the bone gnawer was a mere hair¡¯s breadth away from touching his skin before it suddenly burst open.


    Zhou Yu kept his gun up. He hadn¡¯t expected that to happen at all.


    Zhou Qing was already frozen in shock, because for a moment, the speed Zhou Yu displayed did not belong to human beings.


    Wu Yun and Li Qian turn around together to stare at the two guards that had fallen to the ground and the splattered bone gnawing worms. They were both left flabbergasted.


    ¡°Oh my God, Zhou Yu, how did you do that?¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s admiration for Zhou Yu reached new heights.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s gentle call returned Zhou Yu to his senses. He knew that whoever had just pulled the trigger for him was not himself.


    He gulped and a familiar voice sounded in his mind.


    ¡°How can you think about committing suicide? No matter what happens, under no circumstances should you consider hurting yourself.¡±


    It was the voice of that youth.


    Did this mean that the S rank organism was nearby?


    Different from the previously playful and lazy tone, this time it was full of oppression, with a hint of sullenness.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers trembled inexplicably. He could acutely feel the anger of that S rank organism, as well an emotion that was hard to describe¡­ Fear.


    It was as if his mind and that organism¡¯s mind were linked together. They were able to know what Zhou Yu was thinking, and Zhou Yu could also feel their mood at that moment. The tight feeling in his heart and in each cell in his body was constantly exceeding his limits, making him want to drown in the insanity. It was close to overwhelming Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong with you, Zhou Yu? Were you shocked senseless?¡± Wu Yun noticed the sweat running down Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead. Although his expression was still calm, Wu Yun could sense something off about Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu took a deep breath and lowered his gun.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go back to the dining hall, the others are still there!¡±


    Li Qian promptly returned to the lab and used the computer to open up all the nodes in the hallway.


    At this time, Han Li and other researchers were sitting together. She had no appetite for the food. Suddenly, all their communication devices received the same message: ¡°Do not let anyone in the observation station approach you! Shoot those who don¡¯t listen to the warning!¡±


    Han Li immediately spoke into the transceiver, ¡°Zhou Yu! What happened?!¡±


    ¡°This observation station has been infected by bone gnawing worms!¡± Zhou Yu replied.

 CH 48

    Chapter 48: The main culprit


    All at once, the guards in the dining hall uniformly stood up and loaded their guns. The previously relaxed atmosphere instantly grew tense again.


    Mo Ye, who has been accompanying Han Li, turned around and rushed to the exit of the dining area. Then he turned back to look at Han Li as if he remembered something.


    Han Li nodded to him. ¡°Go!¡±


    Mo Ye dashed away.


    As Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were leading Li Qian and Zhou Qing back to the dining hall, they heard hurried footsteps and a shrill scream.


    ¡°Help¡ªHelp!¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s research assistant, Xiao Zhao, was running crazily with panic written all over his face. He was being pursued by two researchers in white lab coats. The two researchers lowered their heads as if there was something that was about to burst out of their mouths.


    Xiao Zhao was near tears when he saw Zhou Qing, Wu Yun, and the rest. It was like he¡¯d been thrown a lifeline. ¡°Professor Zhou! Helpmehelpme!¡±


    Xiao Zhao threw himself into Zhou Qing¡¯s arms.


    The two researchers simultaneously spat out the bone gnawers from their mouths. Without a second thought, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun both fired and hit them straight on their foreheads. They fell to the ground.


    ¡°Xiao Zhao! Why are you here? Why didn¡¯t you stay in the dining hall with everyone else?¡± Zhou Qing asked sternly.


    ¡°We sat in the cars for a long time and I wanted to use the washroom! There were two guards who accompanied me into the washroom, but when I came out, they both fell to the ground! I realized that something wasn¡¯t right, so I immediately shouted for help and rushed out of the washroom, but I found that the hallway leading back to the dining area had been sealed! Then, all of a sudden, those two researchers came out of nowhere. I thought something looked off, so I tried to avoid them. But the more I hid, the further they chased me. One of them also threw up that disgusting worm, but I happened to trip and avoid it! Then I started running again until I met you!¡± The panic on Xiao Zhao¡¯s face had not yet receded.


    But Zhou Yu pulled Zhou Qing behind him.


    ¡°Who are you? Are you saying that even when Wu Yun and I aren¡¯t able to perfectly dodge the bone gnawing worm, you were able to run all this way while staying perfectly fine?¡±


    Xiao Zhao could barely lift his head up against the intensity of Zhou Yu¡¯s stare.


    ¡°I really did dodge it¡­ Or are you just trying to kill me?¡± Xiao Zhao shook his head as he walked backwards while crying.


    Li Qian was more soft-hearted. He was just about to take a step forward when Zhou Qing grabbed him. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Along with Xiao Zhao¡¯s retreat, the lights behind him suddenly dimmed, and Xiao Zhao disappeared into the darkness.


    Zhou Yu alerted everyone through the radio transceiver. ¡°Be careful of Professor Zhou¡¯s research assistant Zhao Xiaotian! [1] He¡¯s been infected by a bone gnawer!¡±


    ¡°What should we do? Go after Xiao Zhao? Or go back to the dining hall?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Go back to the dining hall, of course, and get everyone out of here.¡±


    They continued in their previous formation, with Wu Yun taking the lead with a gun, Zhou Qing and Li Qian in the center, and Zhou Yu behind them covering their rear while aiming his gun in the direction Xiao Zhao had left in.


    But when Wu Yun was taking Li Qian and Zhou Qing through a node in the passageway, its doors suddenly closed. Seeing that Li Qian was about to be hit on the shoulder, Zhou Yu reacted by kicking him away, leaving himself locked behind the other side of the corridor.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu!¡± Wu Yun banged on the door.


    Zhou Yu spoke into the radio, ¡°The door closed because someone is monitoring us and controlling the system! Wu Yun, take Li Qian somewhere he can go on a computer and take back control of the system!¡±


    Wu Yun gritted his teeth. He knew that it was impossible to open the door with their strength. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll take Li Qian to a computer! Stay on the line!¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Yu turned around and stared into the darkness.


    Zhou Yu was almost sure that someone was behind the bone gnawing worms infecting the observation station, and not only that, but that the perpetrator was the person currently sitting in front of the computer, watching their ongoings through a screen.


    Wu Yun led Li Qian and Zhou Qing forward. Every single laboratory was locked. They couldn¡¯t enter any of the rooms.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Wu Yun gnashed his teeth. He was worried about Zhou Yu¡¯s safety. The longer he stayed in that dark corridor, the more dangerous it was.


    Wu Yun picked up his radio and instructed the people in the dining hall. ¡°Evacuate everyone from the observation station.¡±


    But the response he got back was that the exit of the observation station was locked.


    ¡°Are we going to be trapped in here as food for the bone gnawers?¡± Li Qian asked.


    The darkness had a terrifying effect, especially when nothing could be seen. Concentrating all his attention, Zhou Yu could sense something moving towards him.


    All of a sudden, he took out his spare flashlight, which had been pinned to his thigh. The light beam shone right on Xiao Zhao¡¯s pale face.


    He grinned at Zhou Yu, looking eerily like the late Professor Lu.


    Before he could bend down, Zhou Yu dodged to the side and turned off his flashlight. He fired his gun and the bullet went whizzing into the wall.


    Zhou Yu kept his breathing under control and moved cautiously. Where was Xiao Zhao now? Which direction was he in? Zhou Yu pricked up his ears to listen.


    Suddenly, he felt a disturbance in the air as an attacking force came right at him. Zhou Yu crouched down, brought up his gun and shot in that direction, then quickly changed positions.


    In the dark, he heard something drop and the sound of blood and muscles tearing apart.


    He turned on the flashlight again, which happened to shine on Xiao Zhao¡¯s face. His eyes were bugged and his mouth was almost split open. A bone gnawing worm was outside of it, already dead.


    Zhou Yu calmed down his breathing. He knew that this was not the end, but the beginning.


    When he stood up, the node of the passageway in front of him suddenly opened and the darkness was abruptly replaced by light. Zhou Yu almost couldn¡¯t open his eyes.


    But the light was cold. The brighter it shone, the colder his heart became.


    Only the passageway in front of him opened up, which meant that Zhou Yu¡¯s sole choice was to advance, not retreat.


    Meanwhile, Wu Yun was extremely anxious. He came to the door of a laboratory, raised his gun at it, and fired several shots.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. If the door of a lab can be opened that easily with a gun, then it wouldn¡¯t belong to Juli Corp.¡±


    Zhou Qing replied.


    ¡°Wait! We still have Mo Ye! Mo Ye is strong! Maybe he can break down the node doors! And as an A rank organism, he might be able to manipulate those worms like he controlled the sand whales!¡± Wu Yun immediately contacted Han Li.


    ¡°Mo Ye seemed to sense that you were in danger, he already went to look for you!¡± Han Li¡¯s answer made everyone feel relieved.


    ¡°But¡­ where did Mo Ye go? ¡± Wu Yun frowned. ¡°Should we equip Mo Ye with a radio in the future?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rely on Mo Ye for everything! Is there anything we can do for the time being? What if we blow up the access door with Wu Yun¡¯s explosives, will that work, Professor Zhou?¡± Li Qian asked Zhou Qing.


    ¡°How many explosives do you have, Wu Yun?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    ¡°Three. We can try blowing up the door of a lab!¡±


    Zhou sighed. ¡°That¡¯s our only option, although I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much hope for it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was holding up his gun, frozen in place.


    He knew that even if he didn¡¯t step forward, the hidden enemy would come to him.


    More than ten seconds later, the passageway remained as silent as if the whole world was asleep. Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was pounding. He told himself: Even the worst outcome won¡¯t be anything new to him.


    It was like a test of his patience, but nothing unusual happened.


    Zhou Yu kept an alert posture at all times. The arm he used to hold the gun did not tremble even once.


    He knew that in this battle, either he will grow impatient and advance first or the other side will lose their patience.


    In the middle of a breath Zhou Yu was taking, there was a crash in the hallway ahead, and something fell from above.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulders instantly tensed. It was a team of guards that had been eroded by the bone gnawing worms to the point where their muscles had begun to fester!


    So they were still in the base!


    Zhou Yu opened his eyes wide and watched one of them sway about with an unfocused gaze that was directed straight at himself.


    Without any hesitation, Zhou Yu immediately pulled the trigger. But his body was far more agile than Zhou Yu had anticipated. He suddenly moved to one side and the other guards scattered out. The bullet swiped past one of the guards¡¯ shoulders and hit the passageway door.


    The entire hallway seemed to vibrate.


    A total of eight people came running at Zhou Yu, all at the same time.


    Fortunately, Zhou Yu had not rushed ahead recklessly. Otherwise, in such close quarters, there would have been no way for him to act!


    The guards¡¯ crazed eyes had long lost their humanity. Some of their faces had rotted to the point where their facial features were no longer recognizable. A few limbs were only hanging on by the bone. As if they saw Zhou Yu as their last source of nourishment, they shot out the bone gnawing worms like limp, ineffective arrows.


    Time seemed to compress a century into a second.


    Zhou Yu fired the first shot, which hit one of them. The bone gnawer in his mouth burst apart an arm¡¯s length away from Zhou Yu. The other seven rushed to be the first to reach Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu had to make a snap decision on whom to shoot first, then second, as well as how to shoot them!


    The bullets seemed to fly out of the chamber without any time to think. Zhou Yu sidestepped to avoid a bone gnawer, then dropped down. He felt something slice through the air above him at high speed so he shot up at it. Jump back up on one hand, he kicked a guy who had gotten close to him, then quickly retreated, opening up the distance between them. He determined his location through instinct and fired again.


    Zhou Yu replaced the clip as quickly as possible. Just when he raised up his gun, a guard came up close to Zhou Yu¡¯s face and was stared at him with murky eyes. Seeing that the bone gnawer in his mouth was about to be disgorged, time slowed down in Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes. Zhou Yu raised the muzzle of the gun and shot him in his knee. The neurotoxin spread instantly. The bone gnawing worm immediately fell to the ground, but not before Zhou Yu got close enough to feel the disgustingly warm temperature of the creature.


    When the guard fell, Zhou Yu sensed that the remaining two had arrived in front of him. One was on the left and the other, on the right. It was too late.


    Zhou Yu gripped his gun and told himself that even dowing one of them meant one less to deal with!


    Just when he hit the one on the left and was about to be bitten by the bone gnawer on the right, it burst open too.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened as he dodged purely on instinct, but it looked like it was too late to avoid the splash of blood and pus.


    Then, a hand stretched out from behind Zhou Yu and covered his face. Zhou Yu moved back and knocked into someone¡¯s chest.


    His heart suddenly constricted.


    There was someone else here besides him!


    Was it an infected guard?


    Zhou Yu drove his elbow back, but the other person simply retreated. Then, he felt something warm sweep by his earlobe.


    It was a familiar temperature that made him feel safe¡­ Zhou Yu turned with his gun raised. He saw a familiar face.


    He had pale skin and elegant but not feminine features. The shape of his brows and eyes betrayed a languid demeanor, but he also had a young and pure face.


    ¡°You dodged too fast. I wanted to hold you for a little longer.¡±


    He took a step forward and stood boldly against Zhou Yu¡¯s gun.


    ¡°There are neurotoxins in my bullets.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    But the young man only pressed even closer. He slightly leaned down and tilted his head, as if to see Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes more clearly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it? See if you can really kill me.¡±


    His eyes were extremely beautiful, but also brimming with power, as if the two round orbs could slowly draw away Zhou Yu¡¯s ability to think.


    For the first time, Zhou Yu found that even his usual, self-regulated breaths seemed to lose their proper frequency.


    ¡°How did you get in?!¡± Zhou Yu stared at him.


    The young man pointed above them and Zhou Yu saw that the ventilation duct was open and the duct booster fan had been removed.


    The young man pursed his lips and smiled. There was a sly glint in his eyes. He pushed back with more force against the muzzle of Zhou Yu¡¯s gun, forcing him to retreat.


    The young man knew Zhou Yu¡¯s bottom line better than anyone, but with a willful attitude, he tested it again and again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find out who¡¯s raising so many bone gnawing worms?¡± When the young man spoke, his face was too close to Zhou Yu¡¯s, causing his breath to pass by Zhou Yu¡¯s lips with a gentle force that was hard to ignore.


    ¡°They were raised?¡±


    Zhou Yu had not expected that.


    The young man touched the finger Zhou Yu still had on the trigger, and with a light nudge, he removed the gun.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened; it had all happened so naturally that he didn¡¯t even have time to react.


    The young man went up to Zhou Yu and stepped past the bodies of the guards. Turning around, he found that Zhou Yu was still standing there.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± The young man smiled. The light that had been so cold before now pooled in the crease of his smile, creating an air of mystery.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s expression darkened as he followed him.


    Zhou Yu did not know where to start his questions.


    The path in front of them was blocked by the closed nodes. The young man simply smiled and placed his hand on the door. With a little force behind his shoulder, the whole thing gave.


    It fell haughtily, and the sound of its impact with the ground lingered in the hallway.


    Zhou Yu gasped, but the young man turned to look at him as if he was waiting for him to approach. When Zhou Yu walked up to him, he dangled the gun on his finger and extended it out to Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m here and you won¡¯t need to use it, I think¡­ You¡¯ll want to kill that guy yourself.¡±


    Zhou Yu took the gun. At the same time, the young man suddenly leaned in. His eyes were so clear that they seemed to reflect sunlight hitting the surface of a lake. It gave off a sense of familiarity.


    His lips inched closer and closer to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu subconsciously began to imagine the temperature and sensation of those lips. Just when Zhou Yu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, the young man straightened up again and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He turned and left, leaving Zhou Yu to look after his back. He didn¡¯t understand why he had momentarily been so distracted.


    It was silence in the corridor, only the sound of their footsteps echoed around them. As they got closer, the sound gradually blended into one.


    It gave off the illusion that Zhou Yu was the only person left in the world. The young man in front of him was a hallucination born of despair.


    Had he already been devoured by the bone gnawer?


    The young man¡¯s footsteps suddenly stopped and he beckoned to Zhou Yu with a smile. Zhou Yu came to his side, and following his line of sight, he saw a laboratory.


    Through the double-layered windows of the lab, Zhou Yu saw a female researcher sitting in front of a computer. She watched Zhou Yu in horror, her body trembling yet frozen stiff.


    Zhou Yu looked to the side and found that a gun was pressed against the researcher¡¯s head. The face of the gun¡¯s wielder was blocked by the door and could not be seen.


    ¡°Someone forced her to control the surveillance system?¡± Zhou Yu frowned.


    The young man smiled indifferently and placed his hand on the first door. With a strong force, the door was unhinged.


    Zhou Yu once again witnessed the power of that S rank organism. If even Mo Ye could break through the hallway barriers, then it must be a piece of cake for S rank organisms like him.


    The young man walked through the first door, raised his foot, and effortlessly kicked the second door open. It hit the researcher¡¯s desk straight on and scared her into squeezing her eyes shut and screaming.


    Zhou Yu went in and saw that beside her, a member of the guard team was holding a gun and pointing it to the researcher¡¯s head.


    His face had begun to fester, and his nose bled on and off. When Zhou Yu came in, he immediately stood behind the researcher.


    He didn¡¯t say a word, but when Zhou Yu also held up his gun and stepped forward, he pushed the back of the female researcher¡¯s head with the muzzle of his gun, warning them that he would kill her if Zhou Yu got any closer.


    The female researcher cowered in fear with tears staining her face. She dared not open her eyes, fearing that her heart would stop beating.


    She closed her eyes and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ Help me¡­ Help me¡­¡±


    Behind her, the man who had been parasitized by the bone gnawing worm lowered his head from time to time, as if he was struggling to contain the worm in his body.


    Zhou Yu slightly loosened his fingers and moved his feet in parallel, looking for the right opportunity and angle to strike.


    ¡°If I were you, I would shoot the woman.¡± The young man¡¯s lips pulled up in a smile that contained a hint of ridicule. He did not value the life of the female researcher at all.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his gaze swept past the young man in his peripheral vision. ¡°With your strength, you can kill the bone gnawing worm even without any bullets.¡±


    ¡°But I like seeing her look so terrified.¡± The young man cheerfully pointed his finger in the direction of the female researcher.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression was cold. He looked back at the female researcher with indifference. Her name was written on a nametag over her chest. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, I will shoot, Doctor Lin.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What¡­?¡± Doctor Lin looked stunned.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple; the length of time a bone gnawing worm can parasitize a body for is limited. When the nutrients in a body are exhausted, it must choose another body for its nutritional intake. The host behind you is clearly in no shape to meet the needs of the bone gnawer, so why are the bone gnawers still trying to hold him together, instead of moving on to you? The organisms here possess a certain degree of intelligence, especially B rank organisms such as the bone gnawing worm. I can think of two reasons why they are holding back from attacking you. One, your insides have already been consumed by bone gnawers, or two, you have a special connection with the bone gnawers. You¡¯re more useful to them alive than parasitized.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re only keeping me alive to operate the system¡­ They¡¯re keeping you trapped here so that they can obtain more food¡­ With just me here, they¡¯ll run out of nourishment!¡± Doctor Lin explained as she choked on her sobs.


    Zhou Yu did not waver in the slightest. Although Doctor Lin looked terrified, her eyes revealed that she was still guarded. Not against the bone gnawers, but against Zhou Yu.


    Even so, Zhou Yu was unsure of whether he would shoot a person who had not been parasitized.


    Just then, the young man nonchalantly walked up to them, completely disregarding the parasitized guard standing behind Doctor Lin.


    He put his hands on the table and inclined his body forward. Doctor Lin subconsciously shrank back, causing her head to knock into the gun.


    ¡°There are no bullets in the gun, correct? You must have been worried that it might accidentally go off and hit you.¡±

 CH 49

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 49: Breaking out


    The young man smiled. His smile was the most beautiful thing Doctor Lin had ever seen in Nibelungen, but it contained a hint of something fatal and dangerous.


    She couldn¡¯t look away. His amber eyes were all-encompassing waves of crystal clear seawater that blotted out the sky before falling back down.


    Doctor Lin opened her mouth, but she was speechless.


    The guard behind her whimpered and could barely hold back from ejecting the bone gnawer.


    Zhou Yu took this time to quickly move to the other side of the guard. Even at such a precarious angle, he shot and hit the guard with a loud bang.


    When the gunshot sounded, Doctor Lin whipped around. She stared, wide-eyed, as her tears started to well up.


    In that second, her grief was real.


    The guard fell to the ground with a bullet hole through his head. His eyes and mouth were wide open; the bone gnawer had managed to extend itself outside by two centimeters before rupturing.


    The young man snapped and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re sad¡­ because those worms are the ¡®children¡¯ you worked hard to raise, am I right?¡±


    What¡­? They had been raised by Doctor Lin?


    Zhou Yu frowned and turned to point the gun at Doctor Lin.


    Doctor Lin stared unflinchingly at Zhou Yu, her gaze seething with hate. She bit down on her lips as if she was tearing him apart.


    ¡°You killed them¡­ You killed them¡­¡±


    Doctor Lin completely ignored the gun in Zhou Yu¡¯s hands and started to stand up. However, the young man casually leaned over to sit on her desk and press her back into the chair with one hand.


    ¡°Doctor Lin¡­ They¡¯re just bone gnawing worms. Even though you raised them, they¡¯re not your children. They only see you as a source of food.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think of the bone gnawing worms as your children?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s voice was even more frigid, his gaze almost enough to freeze Doctor Lin¡¯s breaths.


    They were in a special environment that was both dangerous and lonely. It could force the mind into desperate places.


    If Doctor Lin had really thought of the worms as her own children, then Zhou Yu would find it surprising, but not inconceivable.


    ¡°Life in the observation station is boring, isn¡¯t it? You started off observing dangerous organisms with the other researchers.¡± The young man left the table and came to a corner of the lab. He pressed a button on the wall and it slowly sank down, revealing another organism breeding room.


    Through the glass, the translucent eggs of countless bone gnawing worms could be seen. Some larvae that had not yet been incubated were sluggishly twitching in the eggs, soon to break out from within them.


    In the organism breeding room, there were also the remains of many other creatures, most likely having once been used for nourishment for the newly hatched larvae.


    With his gun in hand, Zhou Yu drew in a breath. There were so many bone gnawing worms; this was not something that had developed over the span of just a day or two, or even months!


    ¡°What are you planning on doing?!¡± Doctor Lin got up nervously, but Zhou Yu fired at her desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move! The first shot is a warning, the next one will blow your head off!¡± Zhou Yu said icily.


    The young man went back to Doctor Lin¡¯s desk and fiddled with the teacup that was on it. ¡°From simple observation, to watching them hatch from their eggs like newborns, one by one, searching for food¡­ The other researchers would perfunctorily drop off the creatures they caught in Nibelungen, record the incubation time, study their habits, food consumption, and maturity cycle, but you developed different feelings. You feel as if you¡¯re raising them, like a mother bringing food to her children.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how it feels¡­ They need me¡­ They call out to me when they¡¯re hungry! I¡¯m connected to them!¡± Doctor Lin¡¯s face warped to show a deranged and obsessed expression.


    ¡°They need you because they sensed your abnormal feelings for them. The so-called ¡®connection¡¯ you share is being used by them.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°What are you talking about?! People like you don¡¯t understand!¡± Doctor Lin reached out to pull Zhou Yu¡¯s arm, but the young man pushed her back.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to touch him.¡± The young man¡¯s expression was ice cold.


    Doctor Lin started struggling, but the young man easily crushed her wrist with his hand.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Doctor Lin cried out in pain.


    ¡°Your colleagues thought that further research on the bone gnawing worms was no longer meaningful. They reported to Juli Corp that they wanted to stop the research on the bone gnawing worms and ¡®clean¡¯ them up. That¡¯s when you went crazy. One by one, you lured them into traps you set and made them into nourishment for the bone gnawing worms. Just when you started worrying about the lack of food, you received notice from Mr. Song that a large party of people was to be transferred here. You were overjoyed because you¡¯d found plenty of food for your children. What a pity¡ªto the worms, you¡¯re no different from their food.¡±


    The young man sneered.


    Zhou Yu knew that as an S rank organism of Nibelungen, he had abilities beyond that of an ordinary organism, for example¡­ he may have figured out everything about Doctor Lin a long time ago.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! You don¡¯t understand!¡± Doctor Lin cried out hysterically. She charged at the young man.


    The young man easily grabbed her by the neck, but Doctor Lin flailed her hands around and slapped him on the shoulder.


    Instantly, those eyes that had once mesmerized Doctor Lin became obscured in the gloom of death.


    ¡°If they really loved you, then they wouldn¡¯t have let you do anything dangerous for them. When your life was at stake, they should have stood in front of you, not behind you.¡±


    The young man chuckled and forced Doctor Lin to walk backwards, each step bringing her closer to the glass wall of the breeding room. Doctor Lin struggled every step of the way.


    Zhou Yu was frozen in shock¡­ The young man spoke as if he fully understood why human beings protected the ones they loved. How was that possible?


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! They love me! They wouldn¡¯t be here without me! They love me!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s test it out to see if they truly love you.¡±


    With a smile, the young man used his left hand to lightly tap a finger on the glass wall, which formed a crack.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes got wide as it clicked for him.


    But just as he took the first step forward, the young man pushed Doctor Lin into the breeding room from the crack in the glass wall.


    Instantly, the bone gnawing worms that had been curled up in their egg sacs came swarming out. Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils dilated at the horrific scene.


    They were so ravenous that they bore into Doctor Lin¡¯s body and crushed her bones then crunched on them.


    Just when Doctor Lin was about to scream from the agony, Zhou Yu found that he could not hear anything and that his eyes had been covered by the young man¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Why do you do that?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°To have her stop lying to herself and face reality.¡± The young man¡¯s voice rang out in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    It was like they were in an imaginary world just between the two of them. In reality, Doctor Lin was being eaten alive by the bone gnawers and struggling in torment.


    Zhou Yu knew that it was too late to help her. There was no need to try and save Doctor Lin, who was already beyond saving.


    The cruelty of the young man reminded Zhou Yu of the last of the three laws.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, just like humans, I have no need to be kind and compassionate to the whole world. Zhou Yu, remember¡ªfocus on the people who are important to you, but be ruthless to those who hurt you. That is the real law of survival in Nibelungen.¡±


    When the young man moved his hands away, what Zhou Yu was looking into his eyes that seemed to encompass the whole world.


    When the isolated world faded away, he heard movement from the bone gnawing worms.


    A large mass of bone gnawing worms rushed out of the breeding room and at the young man¡¯s back.


    They were unsatisfied. They wanted more subsistence.


    The young man was still smiling carelessly. He gently tapped Zhou Yu¡¯s nose. Thinking of when he had shattered the glass wall, Zhou Yu instinctively flinched. But when the young man¡¯s fingertip touched him, he felt fervent passion flare up inside of him, almost swallowing him whole yet also restraining him to his limit.


    Time became static, then all the bone gnawing worms behind the young man burst open, splattering everywhere without leaving a single drop of blood on Zhou Yu.


    An alarm suddenly sounded in the observation station, breaking Zhou Yu out of his trance.


    Turning around, he saw a red warning sign on the computer screen Doctor Lin had been using. He immediately pulled the young man closer to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡ªDoctor Lin linked the station¡¯s self-destruct code to her own vital signs! A tracker on her body transmitted her heart rate and pulse data to the station¡¯s system. Once her heart rate falls to zero, the station will start to self destruct!¡±


    The young man was brought into a run by Zhou Yu. He looked after the back of Zhou Yu¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°Doctor Lin really did make up her mind to live and die with her babies¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Wu Yun had blasted open the door to a laboratory. Li Qian successfully hacked into the system and opened the exit of the observation station. The others in the dining hall were in an emergency evacuation.


    Wu Yun picked up the radio transceiver. ¡°Zhou Yu! Where are you, Zhou Yu?! I¡¯ll go find you!¡±


    Suddenly, there was an explosion, and the whole station starting shaking violently.


    Zhou Yu almost fell down, but he managed to stabilize his body. ¡°I¡¯m almost out! Don¡¯t come back to look back for me! Take Zhou Qing and Li Qian and leave¡ª¡±


    Li Qian quickly opened up all the hallway nodes.


    ¡°Brother¡ªI¡¯m not going anywhere without you!¡± Zhou Qing grabbed Wu Yun¡¯s radio transceiver and shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make more trouble for me!¡± Zhou Yu roared. ¡°Wu Yun, take him away even if you have to hit his head! Otherwise I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±


    Wu Yun clenched his teeth, then raised his hand and chopped down on Zhou Qing¡¯s nape. Zhou Qing crumpled and was caught by Li Qian.


    Li Qian looked at Wu Yu, who replied, ¡°You know how important Zhou Qing is to Zhou Yu.¡±


    Li Qian could see how pained he was through his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Li Qian felt guilty.


    Wu Yun hauled Zhou Qing up over his shoulder. ¡°What are you sorry for? We would have all died without you!¡±


    ¡°If we weren¡¯t here¡­ you could have gone back for Zhou Yu¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah right! Just focus on running faster¡ªmaybe then I¡¯ll have time left over to go back for Zhou Yu!¡±


    Just then, a series of explosions went off and their surroundings started to collapse, making their ears buzz.


    Li Qian was almost hit by objects several times, but Wu Yun dragged him away. Carrying Zhou Qing and leading Li Qian, Wu Yun clenched his jaw and kept running.


    Zhou Yu was running while avoiding the falling pieces. There was another explosion and the ground protruded up, then collapsed back down.


    Zhou Yu felt something give him a hard push on the back. Then everything behind him sank into the ground.


    ¡°Goodbye, Zhou Yu.¡±


    When Zhou Yu turned back around, he found that everything behind him was now blocked up. Did the young man get trapped? Or¡­


    His brain instantly blanked out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back, keep running.¡±


    The voice echoed again in his mind and Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts returned to him in a flash. He was an S rank organism; it was impossible for him to die that easily.


    Zhou Yu recovered his composure and kept running hard.


    Before he could reach the outside extension of the observation station, the entire area above his head collapsed!


    Zhou Yu experienced what it was like to have the whole world topple over, but he was too small and powerless in front of it all.


    After falling and climbing back up again many times, Zhou Yu squeezed out of a space that was nearly impossible to pass through with the wreckage fallen on top.


    He wanted to live¡­ He couldn¡¯t die here!


    Seeing that the entire passageway was about to collapse on top of him and drown out the last bit of light, Zhou Yu could no longer support himself and was about to fall. Then he heard a boom as something broke through the collapsed wall to come to Zhou Yu.


    Something opened up and shielded Zhou Yu¡¯s head, propping up the remaining space that was rapidly shrinking from the added weight.


    Zhou Yu looked up straight into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye shook his head, throwing off dust.


    The destruction and explosions continued; they were in danger of being buried alive at any given moment.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡­ Why are you here¡­?¡± Zhou Yu felt like he was dreaming.


    Mo Ye rubbed Zhou Yu with the tip of his nose and continued supporting their cover. He turned around and faced Zhou Yu with his back.


    Zhou Yu immediately understood his meaning and climbed up to hug his neck. He knew that Mo Ye was really strong, but he wasn¡¯t sure how Mo Ye was going to get them outside.


    When Zhou Yu pressed his face into Mo Ye¡¯s back, he felt its softness and warmth. It didn¡¯t seem like the impending doom of the outside world mattered anymore.


    He could almost feel the blood flowing through Mo Ye¡¯s body, the rhythm of his breathing, and how he tensed his muscles.


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re here¡­¡± Zhou Yu said softly.


    He thought he would be trapped under there, alone, but Mo Ye had arrived.


    Just as the entire observation station was about to fall to ruins, Wu Yun came charging out in their very last Hummer.


    Even sitting in the car, they could feel the magnitude of the destructive power behind them. They had been a mere fraction of a second away from being crushed inside.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Li Qian turned back to look at the ruins, his heart pounding wildly as if he had just descended from the top of a roller coaster.


    The others who had also escaped looked to the direction of the observation station. Some of them were crying out in alarm while others wept and covered their faces. A few were hugging each other.


    They had survived to live another day.


    Wu Yun¡¯s hands were pressed on the steering wheel. He lowered his head and shut his eyes. ¡°What about Zhou Yu? Did you see him come out¡­?¡±


    Li Qian¡¯s rejoiceful mood of having survived another day abruptly froze over. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go find him¡­ Even if I have to keep digging, I¡¯ll dig him out!¡± Wu Yun slammed the door shut and strode out of the car.


    Li Qian glanced at Zhou Qing, who was sitting in the backseat and not yet fully awake. He also got out of the car. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him with you!¡± Wu Yun gritted his teeth and shoved away the broken wall. Everyone else stood nearby, unsure of what was happening.


    Even knowing that Zhou Yu could not have lived, Wu Yun refused to give up.


    He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he cried, not could he tell whether it was tears or sweat that ran down his face.


    Han Li came running out of another car. ¡°Is Zhou Yu¡­ still in there? I didn¡¯t see him come out¡­¡±


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t speak. Li Qian nodded.


    Han Li looked away, teardrops plopping to the ground. The others starting urging Wu Yun to decide on whether they were to head for base 2 or not. If they delayed things any longer, night would soon fall and things would become much more dangerous for them.


    Wu Yun was about to roar out in rage when a loud sound came from the rubble like a volcano eruption. Countless pieces of debris and metal fragments were sent flying out into the sky by the strong force. The sunlight slanting down from the West scattered about countless shining light spots, those particles of dust reaching a summit before falling back down, accompanied by a loud bang. Everyone looked up to see a blur of a figure shoot towards the sky, shadowed against the sun.


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes widened. His mouth was agape, but he couldn¡¯t say a word.


    Wings were suddenly unfurled in mid-air. Gliding in the sky, there was an unimpeded sense of freedom in such a display of raw absolute power.


    At the moment of landing, the audience that been held captive was finally released, and everyone breathed out in relief.


    Zhou Yu opened his eyes. His heart was hammering so fast it might leap out of his chest.


    He still remembered the feeling of rushing out together with Mo Ye. Brushing past the debris had scratched up his body and his hands were only barely holding onto Mo Ye. Every joint in his body seemed to creak. The breeze ruffled past his hair and down his back. It was the sprint of a beast breaking through the dawn.


    Mo Ye quietly came to a stop on the ground. Then he spread out his winds and wrapped up Zhou Yu, who was lying on his back, waiting until his breathing evened out.


    Wu Yun snapped out of his daze. He still wasn¡¯t sure if what he was seeing was real. He walked up to them, a step at a time, until he saw the side of Zhou Yu¡¯s face from a gap in Mo Ye¡¯s wings.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ You¡¯re still alive! You¡¯re still alive! You fucking¡­ If you had really died, then I have no doubt Zhou Qing would shoot me!¡±


    Zhou Yu jumped off of Mo Ye and hit Wu Yun lightly on his shoulder. ¡°If you don¡¯t bring Zhou Qing out, I¡¯ll shoot you right now.¡±


    Wu Yun smiled helplessly. They gave each other a hug and Wu Yun slapped Zhou Yu¡¯s back twice.


    Zhou Yu looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. ¡°We should go.¡±


    As soon as Zhou Yu turned around, Mo Ye came up to his leg, closed his eyes, and put his head against Zhou Yu¡¯s knee, as if he was sensing and making sure of Zhou Yu¡¯s body temperature.


    ¡°When he was carrying you¡­ He wasn¡¯t that small¡­¡± Wu Yun reached out to measure the air.


    Zhou Yu realized that Mo Ye had been growing all this time. His rate of growth was not the same as Doctor Carlos¡¯ estimates, but even more accelerated¡­ Zhou Yu has always regarded Mo Ye as a child, but perhaps the current Mo Ye was no longer one.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye opened his eyes and peered up, looking like he was expecting something.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Yu bent down and put his forehead against the top of Mo Ye¡¯s head.


    Without Mo Ye, he would have died countless times over already.


    ¡°It¡¯s time we left. There¡¯s still a long way to go to get to base 2¡­ Our base is waiting for us to find the key to controlling the virus in the maternal Nibelungen jellyfish.¡± Han Li reminded them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zhou Yu patted Wu Yun and their group returned to their vehicles.


    Zhou Yu settled down in his seat, and before he could close the door, Mo Ye scrambled in and laid down on Zhou Yu¡¯s legs.


    Zhou Yu spread out his arms, helpless but unsure if he should hold him or not. He was actually a pretty big fellow; it was surely against the rules to deliberately make himself look smaller for the sake of acting cute.


    But for Wu Yun, nothing else mattered as long as Zhou Yu was alive.


    He was ecstatic. It was written all over his face. He drew out a crumpled cigarette from somewhere on him, put it between his lips, and put on the song ¡°It¡¯s a heartache¡± which gave Li Qian a headache. [1]


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye deliberately rubbed the top of his head against Zhou Yu¡¯s chin. Being brushed by the soft fluff, Zhou Yu sighed and held him tight.


    Then, even tighter.


    It would have been painful for an ordinary person to be hugged by Zhou Yu like that, but Mo Ye wasn¡¯t hurt. He obediently let Zhou Yu hold him tightly.


    When the ruins of the observation station disappeared completely from the rearview mirror, Zhou Yu sighed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°The observation station was destroyed so I have no way of watching the surveillance footage now.¡± Zhou Yu told everyone about Doctor Lin.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯d like to see what happened too¡­ Juli Corp should bring over some psychologists. Nibelungen drives people crazy¡­¡± Wu Yun lamented.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Looking out the window where the sunset had dyed everything crimson, transforming it into a bloodstained world, Han Li said, ¡°It¡¯s loneliness that drives people crazy.¡±

 CH 50

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 50: Roadtrip of Terror


    Zhou Yu silently looked back at Zhou Qing, who was leaning on Li Qian and had yet to wake up. What he really wanted to see in the surveillance videos was how the S rank organism had entered the observation station and whether he¡¯d left safely.


    Now, of course, none of that mattered anymore.


    He¡¯d come out from it unscathed, and some secrets could be left buried.


    Peering into the primeval forest before them, Wu Yun sighed and instructed the rest of the group through the radio transceiver, ¡°Make sure that everyone has injected the suppressant!¡±


    ¡°Roger!¡±


    ¡°Confirmed!¡±


    When all the teams had replied, Wu Yun led the way into the primeval forest.


    ¡°We will have to drive through the night in the primeval forest to reach our destination. The original plan was to leave the researchers at the observation station and escort a few virologists to base 2, but now, with so many people, the difficulty level is doubled.¡± Wu Yun clenched his teeth.


    Sitting in Zhou Yu¡¯s lap, Mo Ye reached out a forepaw and patted Wu Yun on the shoulder. He seemed to be comforting him, or saying, don¡¯t be scared, bro, I¡¯ll cover you!


    The tense atmosphere dissolved, Li Qian and Han Li even quietly chuckled.


    Then Zhou Qing woke up. He went to press on his nape when his eyes flickered open, then he abruptedly realized something. ¡°My brother¡ªSave my brother!¡±


    He suddenly straightened up and grabbed Wu Yun¡¯s collar from behind. Wu Yun was yanked back and having his airway cut off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Zhou Qing, I¡¯m still alive!¡± Zhou Yu grasped Zhou Qing¡¯s wrist.


    Zhou Qing came back to his senses and looked at Zhou Yu¡¯s side profile dumbly. ¡°A-Am I seeing things right¡­? Did you really make it out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Professor Zhou, we¡¯re all safe! We¡¯re on the way to base 2!¡± Han Li comforted Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing finally let go and looked out of the window into the primeval forest. He finally leaned back into his seat and exhaled. ¡°Thank goodness¡­ we¡¯re still alive. What about the observation station?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been blown up. The culprit¡­ Dr. Lin is dead, too. We¡¯re lucky we were able to leave safely.¡± Li Qian replied, ¡°Are you okay, Professor Zhou? Did Wu Yun beat you silly?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Wu Yun said disgruntledly.


    Their convoy drove beneath ancient trees that reached to the sky. Even the moonlight was concealed by a dense layer of foliage. They had no choice but to turn on the headlights and let the shadows fall around them like ferocious, nefarious claws.


    Wu Yun suddenly stopped the car and pricked up his ears to listen carefully at something. Only the calls of some wild animals could be heard.


    ¡°There are organisms hunting¡­¡± At Wu Yun¡¯s words, Li Qian¡¯s eyes widened and any hint of drowsiness disappeared from him.


    ¡°What¡­? Could we be¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve all been injected with the suppressants. As long as we don¡¯t encounter anything above A rank, we won¡¯t be identified as prey¡­ Assuming we aren¡¯t intruding upon their breeding grounds or lair to aggravate them any further.¡±


    In spite of this, Zhou Yu let Wu Yun take out the machine gun equipped on the Humvee and put the whole group on alert mode.


    Wu Yun blew out from his nose. He knew that crossing the primeval forest would not be as simple as they thought.


    The sound of sprinting got closer and closer, followed by the loud cracking and snapping of the ancient tree branches.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ No matter how you look at it, they won¡¯t be easy to get rid of!¡± Wu Yun immediately instructed their fleet to change directions, even when he wasn¡¯t sure they would make it out on time.


    But the running sound was getting closer and closer. Wu Yun¡¯s eyes widened when he saw a pack of white ferocities rushing at them.


    In total, there were about a dozen of them. They were stampeding through the forest in a disordered fashion and seemed to be panicking. Sometimes they bumped into the ancient trees on the side.


    It wasn¡¯t yet clear what was chasing them. But something that could make the white ferocities so afraid would certainly not be easy to deal with.


    Seeing that the pack of white ferocities was about to run into their vehicles, it was too late to avoid them. They heard loud clunks as the white ferocities clambered onto their windows and over the roofs. Li Qian and Zhou Qing pressed each other¡¯s backs down and lowered their bodies, their shoulders shaking with the impact of the white ferocities trampling over them. The Humvee bounced up and down as if the earth was splitting open.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Li Qian could not help exclaiming.


    A white ferocity smashed into Wu Yun¡¯s car, almost whipping their heads off. Their vehicle was pushed back several dozen meters, setting off a chain reaction. Several other cars also suffered through a series of collisions with the impact.


    ¡°Are we going to die?¡± Han Li hugged her head and looked down, not daring to peek.


    The roof of the car had recessed, and some vehicles in the back had fearfully pulled out their machine guns to prepare to start firing.


    Zhou Yu immediately contacted them via radio. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot! Absolutely do not shoot! As long as we don¡¯t shoot, we won¡¯t attract their attention! Once we open fire, we¡¯ll become the white ferocities¡¯ enemy! They¡¯re running away, we just have to wait for them to pass by quietly!¡±


    Finally, most of the white ferocities fled past them. Just when everyone was about to let out their breaths thinking that it had all passed, a cluster of fully grown two-headed wolf spiders came at them!


    Their sharp limbs smashed into the windows, making an even more violent sound than before. Each strike sounded like they were going to shatter the windows and roof, and the sound of tires bursting repeated again and again.


    Han Li and Li Qian, who had come across two-headed wolf spiders before, were scared out of their wits.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! They¡¯re just hunting for food. We¡¯ve all been injected with suppressants and they can¡¯t sense our fear, so we¡¯re in a safer position than the white ferocities.¡± Wu Yun turned to comfort Han Li and Li Qian.


    A two-headed wolf spider suddenly jumped onto the front hood of their vehicle. Its eyes were fixed on the people through the glass. Head slightly tilted, it seemed to be evaluating the ¡°food¡± in the vehicle.


    Its blood-red eyes turned around and around. The people in the backseat lowered their heads to avoid eye contact, the air so tense it was suffocating. The two-headed wolf spider appeared eerily like an alien creature in the shadows cast by the headlights.


    Zhou Yu readied himself to open fire at any given moment.


    The two-headed wolf spider suddenly raised its leg and struck the window.


    The three people in the backseat all shuddered at it. Only Zhou Yu looked up straight at the two-headed wolf spider. There was no evasion or fear in his gaze.


    In his arms, Mo Ye straightened up and stared back at it with his head crooked.


    It inexplicably took a half-step back and slid down the window. The rear of the vehicle tilted up because of it and Li Qian and the others in the back were almost upended.


    With a clang, the vehicle landed back on the ground. Li Qian and Zhou Qing almost hit their heads in the resulting thud.


    The two-headed wolf spider retreated a little. Zhou Yu could sense its fear.


    It wasn¡¯t afraid of the machine gun on the car, but of Mo Ye, an organism of higher rank. The two-headed wolf spider crawled down, as if in apology. It passed by Wu Yun and Zhou Yu¡¯s vehicle and continued to chase after the fleeing white ferocities.


    Behind it, there was still a flood of about a dozen two-headed wolf spiders running their way, spitting out strong silk threads that would allow them to shuttle between the ancient trees and drop onto their roof.


    In two or three more hits, their Hummer would cave in.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it to base 2 at this rate.¡±


    But what they didn¡¯t expect was that none of the two-headed wolf spiders landed on their vehicles. Instead, they climbed up the ancient trees and scuttled away.  They watched as one giant creature after another passed over their heads. Wu Yun and Zhou Yu didn¡¯t realize that they were looking up, bearing witness to the thrilling yet spectacular scene.


    A two-headed wolf spider suddenly spat out a thick fluid from its mouth, freezing in place a white ferocity that had tripped while running. Then it jumped down and inserted a thorn-like appendage from its mouth into the coagulated pus, stabbing it into the white ferocity¡¯s body and sucking. Soon, the pus shriveled, leaving behind only the bones of the white ferocity, until they too, disintegrated.


    The scene before them was truly horrific. Many of them from the base had never seen anything like it before. Zhou Yu was worried that they were going to act irrationally under impulse. He reminded them again through the radio transceiver. ¡°Absolutely do not shoot! Remember, don¡¯t shoot! Once we shoot, we¡¯ll really anger those organisms!¡±


    What was comforting was that this time, the field personnel remained calm as they carried out Wu Yun and Zhou Yu¡¯s orders. Although they¡¯d moved out the machine guns, no one fired a single shot the whole time, until all the organisms left.


    The primeval forest was quiet once again.


    Wu Yun asked everyone to evaluate the damages through the radio transceiver.


    There were three cars that needed to have their tires changed, and one that was completely out of service. Fortunately, the delivery vehicle used for replacing oil and provisions was still intact.


    Wu Yun sighed and said, ¡°Actually, compared with the last time we came across the silver spider overlords, we got lucky.¡±


    Some of the field personnel got out of their vehicles and began to change the tires. Wu Yun also got out of the Hummer to help check the engine of another car that could not be started.


    Opening up the hood of the car, a cloud of black smoke came puffing out. Wu Yun scratched his head and sighed, ¡°Not even Jesus would be able to start this!¡±


    He could only arrange with Zhou Yu to reassign the passengers to other vehicles. After the adjustments, the fleet set out again.


    As Wu Yun drove, he mentally tallied up all the dangerous organisms he¡¯d met.


    For example, the swordbone butterfly, the three-eyed giant bird, the devil vine¡­ It seemed like the perytons were nothing in comparison. Then he subconsciously glanced at Mo Ye. Mo Ye was capable of eclipsing them all.


    Not even ten minutes later, they discovered another major problem; the entire patch of the primeval forest before them had been destroyed by the white ferocities and two-headed wolf spiders that had stampeded past. Although the damages the forest itself sustained were not serious, the fallen branches and tree trunks completely blocked their path.


    ¡°This is just fucking fantastic! By the time we clear the trees away, we¡¯ll be just in time for our suppressants to lose effect.¡± Wu Yun took a look at the road ahead. It could be said to be in a complete disarray, and was, in no way, suitable for their Hummers.


    ¡°Should we go around?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    Li Qian took out the portable computer he was carrying, opened it, and pointed to the electronic map on it, saying, ¡°Our current road is the safest path through the primeval forest. If we want to make a detour, whether it¡¯s westward or southward, there are very dangerous creatures that habit those areas. The two-headed wolf spiders and white ferocities just now were more than enough for us, if we have to face other dangerous organisms¡­ Han Li and I, as well as Professor Zhou, can at least say that it won¡¯t be our first experience with them, and we all believe in both of your judgments, so if nothing else, we can prepare to keep our heads down, or we can die together. But I¡¯m afraid that the others don¡¯t have the same experiences and won¡¯t be able to handle doing anything more dangerous.¡±


    Wu Yun nodded and said, ¡°Li Qian¡¯s worries are reasonable. If we can, we¡¯re better off following this road. And the trees here have all been destroyed, which means that the road is also more open than the dense virgin forest.¡±


    Next, everyone looked at Mo Ye, who was still sitting on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees.


    Mo Ye seems to be totally unaware of the intentions of everyone looking at him. He yawned and lowered his head like he wanted to sleep. He laid down and rubbed up against Zhou Yu¡¯s stomach with his head.


    Zhou Yu pleasantly stroked his back; the satin-like fluff down his back seemed to feel even better than before. Mo Ye lazily made a rumbling purr, his entire body curled up.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Zhou Yu, don¡¯t let the little guy fall asleep, I¡¯m counting on him to clear the road!¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled. ¡°He¡¯s milking it!¡±


    Li Qian quickly reached out and rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head. He pleaded, ¡°What a good Mo Ye! A well-behaved Mo Ye! If you clear away all those tree trunks and branches, we can get to base 2 earlier. Then Zhou Yu can rest and play with you. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±


    Mo Ye buried his head even deeper and opened up his little wings to cover his ears.


    ¡°This little thing sure picked the right time to be stubborn!¡± Wu Yun found the affair both laughable and exasperating.


    Zhou Qing also leaned down close to Mo Ye and said, ¡°Mo Ye, we have very important things to do at base 2. Mr. Song and the rest are waiting for us to crack the virus in the Nibelungen jellyfish and save the rest of the base. If we¡¯re one minute late, everyone will be in one more minute of danger. So, Mo Ye, please help us clear away the obstacles on the road!¡±


    Hearing Zhou Qing¡¯s words, Mo Ye moved away his wings and stared up at Zhou Yu with his beautiful eyes. Zhou Yu nodded to him.


    ¡°Hey! Mo Ye, listen to me, if you clean up those things, then when we get to base 2, I¡¯ll have Zhou Yu give you a striptease! Do you know what a striptease is? It¡¯s super sexy! And super exciting!¡± Wu Yun said in a serious tone.


    Such a jarring shift in the atmosphere made Li Qian and Han Li look at him with surprise. Li Qian couldn¡¯t help reaching out to swat Wu Yun over the head. ¡°Can you not make such an indecent promise just like that?!¡±


    But unexpectedly, Mo Ye hummed, looking to be very interested. He even looked at Zhou Yu expectantly.


    Zhou Yu lightly tapped the tip of Mo Ye¡¯s nose. There was a gentle indulgence in his gaze which Zhou Qing had never seen before. It made Zhou Yu¡¯s perpetually cold countenance soften up.


    ¡°Do you know what a striptease is? Little thing? ¡°


    Unexpectedly, Mo Ye nodded.


    Li Qian said angrily, ¡°He must have learned it from Wu Yun¡¯s inappropriate movies. How annoying!¡±


    ¡°But I won¡¯t show you a striptease.¡± Zhou Yu replied with a shallow smile.


    ¡°Hrrn¡­¡± Mo Ye looked disappointed and lowered his head.


    But Zhou Yu put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in towards him. ¡°But I hope you can clean them up and help us move on, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Although disappointed, Mo Ye got up to jump out of the vehicle.


    Zhou Yu reached out and touched Mo Ye¡¯s back. When he was leaving, Zhou Yu kissed him on the back.


    Mo Ye¡¯s body slightly stiffened. He turned to look at Zhou Yu, his big amber eyes filled with surprise and unspeakable joy.


    ¡°Go!¡± Zhou Yu said with a smile.


    Mo Ye ran off without a second glance back. He spread open his wings to glide in the night sky, then suddenly dove down, like a meteor hurtling towards the earth. His front claws pressed against a broken stump, and with a kick from his hind legs and the flapping of his wings, he stirred up strong drafts of air. He made a drawn out call, then forced the stump away. In the blink of an eye, a flat, even road appeared before them.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Li Qian was completely dumbfounded.


    ¡°We¡¯re so lucky that Mo Ye was brought up by Zhou Yu¡­¡± Han Li also exclaimed.


    But Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu with sympathetic eyes and said, ¡°My goodness, what is Zhou Yu supposed to do? You¡¯re not a match for Mo Ye at all, he can easily do anything he wants to you! That little guy probably hasn¡¯t reached puberty yet, so he can only fantasize about you for now¡­ But when he grows into his rebellious phase where emotions trump reason, coupled with the power to realize his fantasies, you¡¯re done for, Zhou Yu!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?! Wu Yun!¡±


    This time, before Li Qian could hit Wu Yun, Zhou Yu already slapped him on the back of his head.


    ¡°Hey! Only friends will tell you the truth to warn you, okay?!¡±


    As soon as Wu Yun spoke, Mo Ye dashed back, jumped into the vehicle happily, and shrunk his body down to sit on Zhou Yu¡¯s knees. He curled up into a ball as if to say: please give me hugs and kisses.


    ¡°Look! Look! Zhou Yu, it¡¯s so obvious that you can¡¯t say no to him anymore.¡± Wu Yun said discontentedly.


    ¡°Just drive the car!¡± Han Li couldn¡¯t help but want to hit Wu Yun too.


    With Mo Ye¡¯s help, the whole fleet passed through the primeval forest safely. When the first light of the morning sun fell onto Wu Yun¡¯s car window, they could already see the outline of base 2.


    ¡°God forbid that there will be more bone gnawing worms or other dangerous organisms in base 2. We just want to take the sample and study the virus.¡± Li Qian silently prayed with his palms put together.


    Base 2 was one of the earliest bases established by Juli Corp in Nibelungen. Although it was founded early, the research equipment and projects there were no worse than those at base 5, where Song Zhi was located. Some of the research being conducted there was even at the forefront of all the bases, such as its virology department.


    The current head of base 2 was an outstanding and talented ecologist, Dr. Ron. Dr. Ron was about the same age as Song Zhi, but he looked much younger.


    He frowned as he watched the team led by Wu Yun and Zhou Yu enter his base, showing a very irritated expression.


    ¡°I remember Song Zhi told me that he would arrange for most of your researchers and field personnel to stay at the observation station, but now all of you are here. I had no time to prepare for it and space is limited at all the bases. You¡¯ll have to stay in the dining hall until we can squeeze out more room.¡±


    Dr. Ron¡¯s displeasure was reasonable, and he was not unwilling to help Wu Yun and Zhou Yu. It was purely because of their limited capacity.


    For the researchers who had been running about all day and all night, it was already a godsend that they were no longer exposed to a dangerous environment. Many people fell asleep on the tables as soon as they arrived in the dining hall.


    Zhou Qing was extremely sleepy, so Li Qian very magnanimously patted himself on the shoulder and said, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can lean on me and sleep!¡±


    Some of the field personnel went straight to sleep on the floor of the dining hall, while a few remained in the Hummers. For them, sleep was their top priority. They had to keep up their energy levels to continue their assignment.


    Dr. Ron came to Zhou Qing¡¯s side and leaned down closer to him. ¡°Professor Zhou, you must be tired. You should go rest in my room.¡±


    Zhou Qing was surprised. Dr. Ron had been tight-lipped since they¡¯d arrived at the base. Zhou Qing thought that they had brought a great deal of trouble to Dr. Ron, so he didn¡¯t expect Dr. Ron to come to meet him in person.


    ¡°You¡¯re an excellent and outstanding researcher, but as far as I know, your health has been poor. As the head of base 2, it¡¯s my duty to provide you with a comfortable place to rest in. Please don¡¯t refuse, come with me. Our base has already agreed to sleep in turns. When the other workers in the base are carrying out tasks or research work, you can use their rooms to rest. When their research is finished, you can come back to the dining hall, watch TV, and play chess.¡±

 CH 51

    Chapter 51: Sleeping Beauty


    ¡°That is indeed a good solution, thank you very much. However, I want to see the Nibelungen jellyfish first to take a good look at the culprit.¡±


    ¡°Of course, please follow me.¡± Dr. Ron nodded.


    Zhou Qing got up, patted Li Qian on the shoulder and said, ¡°You and Han Li are tired from traveling. Go rest up!¡±


    As Zhou Qing walked, he and Dr. Ron discussed their research progress.


    Dr. Ron suddenly stopped and said to Zhou Qing, ¡°Professor Zhou, I have a rather presumptuous favor to ask of you.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Zhou Qing could see that it must be something very important to Dr. Ron for him to ask someone for a ¡°presumptuous favor¡±.


    ¡°I noticed that your brother, Zhou Yu, brought a night spirit. It is said that this night spirit grew up with him and only obeys his orders. We want to do some very simple research on the night spirit, and I hope you can help us persuade Zhou Yu. We promise we won¡¯t hurt the night spirit.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but even if you wanted to hurt him, it probably wouldn¡¯t be possible. The potential of the night spirit is limitless. Up to now, Mo Ye¡¯s power has been far stronger than any A rank organism we know of.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. We heard that Dr. Carlos has been studying the night spirit¡¯s intelligence and that their learning ability was found to be much faster than humans. We are curious if it could adapt to human society.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a question of whether it could adapt to human society, but if it can be accepted by human society.¡±


    Dr. Ron showed a rare smile. ¡°It¡¯s true that Nibelungen¡¯s creatures look terrifying, but they are much simpler than human beings.¡±


    Zhou Qing followed Dr. Ron to the place where the Nibelungen jellyfish specimen was being kept, then he was completely floored by what he saw.


    A giant Nibelungen jellyfish was immersed within a transparent vessel the size of a swimming pool. It looked quiet and peaceful; it did not spin or float, as if it was asleep in the water.


    It reminded Zhou Qing of the fairytale of sleeping beauty, waiting for a kiss to awaken it from its slumber.


    Its translucent body reflected the light in the storage room, like a hemline of a flowing skirt, it seemed to cast a veil over the entire room. The walls of the room were dyed with a light layer of transparent gold.


    ¡°In order to preserve it, our base used up our yearly supply of formalin.¡± Dr. Ron said.


    ¡°Heavens¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    It was like a nymph, a masterpiece of the gods, one you couldn¡¯t look away from.


    Zhou Qing tilted his head up, mouth agape.


    ¡°The more beautiful it is, the more dangerous it is. Don¡¯t forget the virus it carries.¡± Dr. Ron reminded him with his arms behind him.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I was just thinking, why can¡¯t any of Nibelungen¡¯s organisms simply be beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Because pure beauty is too easily destroyed. If we want the beauty to last forever, we must be cruel.¡± Dr. Ron replied.


    ¡°Who said that? Or did you come to that conclusion yourself?¡± Zhou Qing turned to face him.


    Dr. Ron shook his head and said, ¡°I did not come to that conclusion, but those are the words of my predecessor, Dr. Jiang. He is a genius in the field of viral research, but because of a new epidemic in our human world, he went back. If he were still here, I bet he wouldn¡¯t even need a day to work out a vaccine for you. Before he left, he left behind a lot of information about virus research on the Nibelungen jellyfish. I¡¯ll transfer them to you for reference.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Zhou Qing looked up at the enormous jellyfish and suddenly felt curious about Dr. Jiang.


    At this time, the workers taking a sample of the virus slowly moved aside the cover on top of the huge storage container to create a small gap and extended the sampler down.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s heart clenched. He watched as the sampler lightly poked the jellyfish. The jellyfish suddenly trembled as if it had been electrified. The light beams in the room rippled outwards in zigzagging waves.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s because the static electricity on the sampler reacts with the jellyfish.¡± Dr. Ron explained.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s impossible for any creature to remain alive for such a long time immersed in formalin solution.¡± Zhou Qing smiled.


    At this time, all the researchers and field workers in the base were having a meal in the dining hall. The side dishes were very simple; there was only bread and milk, but it was very delicious for them.


    Mo Ye lay on a corner of the table and focused his concentration on the food on Zhou Yu¡¯s plate, lowering himself to sniff it from time to time. It was the first time he¡¯d smelled bread and butter before. Although there was only bread, the treatment provided to them by Base 2 was pretty good.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I smelled butter. The last time was when I went to Area 12 with you to bring back the supply truck. I ate two slices of bread with butter.¡± Wu Yun sighed.


    Zhou Yu broke off the bread and tore out the softest part at the center, reaching it out to Mo Ye¡¯s mouth as Mo Ye lay down beside him.


    ¡°Try it. It¡¯s better than green beans and carrots.¡± A faint smile appeared at Zhou Yu¡¯s lips.


    Han Li said, ¡°How rare, I¡¯ve never seen you smile before, Zhou Yu.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes narrowed into happy crescents. He stuck out his tongue and gave the bread a small lick, then drew his shoulders in and squinted his eyes, sampling the aftertaste.


    ¡°Do you like it? Eat it if you like it. ¡°


    But Mo Ye stretched out his front paw and pushed the bread back to Zhou Yu¡¯s lips. He raised his chin as if to say: I¡¯m not hungry, I¡¯ll give you all of it.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Is it really okay for you to show PDA like this? ¡± Wu Yun expressed his dissatisfaction.


    Mo Ye looked over and seemed to say: I¡¯ll kick your ass!


    Zhou Yu raised his hand and rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head.


    And just like that, night soon fell. Research on the Nibelungen jellyfish¡¯s virus also began.


    Several researchers were observing samples of the virus in the laboratory.


    ¡°Look at this, it¡¯s shaped differently than an ordinary virus; it¡¯s not spherical, coronal, brick-shaped or tadpole-shaped. It¡¯s smaller and more flexible than an ordinary virus¡­¡±


    ¡°And you can see that this part is a bit like influenza A virus, which would enable it to carry out gene recombination in a short period of time and evolve new disease strains to effectively multiply its infectivity rate. And this section is highly similar to Ebola, dengue fever, and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, except that this virus acts even faster than Ebola¡­ This truly is the most terrible virus I¡¯ve ever seen. I heard that Dr. Jiang is currently working on decoding the virus and is only a step away from developing an antiviral drug.¡±


    ¡°If only he were here¡­ Then maybe we¡¯d have already returned to the base with the antiviral drug by now.¡±


    After researching for most of the night, the researchers soon grew sleepy.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired, Dr. Yao¡­ I¡¯m going to close my eyes and rest for five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Dr. Shen, go to sleep. I¡¯ll keep checking the research reports left behind by Dr. Jiang.¡± Dr. Yao replied.


    But less than a minute later, Dr. Yao, who was looking over the materials, also grew drowsy. He rubbed his eyes, but eventually gave in to it and fell asleep sprawled over the table.


    Sometime later, the tinkling of a bell sounded by his ear, altogether seeming to come from another world.


    Dr. Yao opened his eyes and was surprised to see a woman in white sitting on the corner of his desk.


    Her eyes and brows were poignant like the washes of ink in a landscape painting and the curve of a smile at the corner of her lips sent tremors through Dr. Yao. A curtain of long black hair came cascading down as she leaned over Dr. Yao, lightly flitting over his cheek with a touch of intoxicating molten gold.


    ¡°W-Who are you? Are you a researcher at the base?¡± Dr. Yao foolishly asked.


    The woman kissed Dr. Yao¡¯s lips, each moment of the wonderful feeling taking Dr. Yao¡¯s breath away.


    Time came to a standstill.


    On the morning of the next day, Zhou Yu was awakened by Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Brother¡ªBrother¡ªcome, quick! Something happened to Dr. Yao!¡±


    Zhou Yu was shocked. He hadn¡¯t been expecting to sleep so well. Because there were not enough rooms, he, Wu Yun, and the other field personnel slept directly on the floor of the dining hall.


    Mo Ye had ignored Wu Yun¡¯s jeering and was determined to stick to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu slept pillowed on Mo Ye¡¯s body and Mo Ye spread his wings open to cover Zhou Yu. His whole body had been kept warm by Mo Ye, which was probably the reason why Zhou Yu was lax enough to sleep so deeply.


    ¡°What happened to Dr. Yao?¡±


    ¡°W-We don¡¯t know what happened, but he fell into the storage vessel of Nibelungen jellyfish and drowned¡­¡± Zhou Qing looked sorrowful. He and Dr. Yao had been alumni of the same high school.


    ¡°What? Drowned? Wasn¡¯t he studying the virus? What was he doing at the place where the specimen was being stored?¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t think it was as simple as merely drowning.


    Wu Yun also got up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯ll take a look!¡±


    Since Dr. Yao had been escorted over by Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, Dr. Ron was unable to prevent them from going to the scene of the crime for confirmation.


    When they saw the giant jellyfish specimen, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    In the formalin solution, Dr. Yao was floating, suspended between the tentacles of the jellyfish. He wore a serene expression as if he was merely asleep, but even a fool would know that it was impossible for him to still be alive.


    Wu Yun gulped, then pointed to Dr. Yao. ¡°How¡­ did he fall in?¡±


    Dr. Ron sighed, ¡°Please follow me. You can see the full account through the surveillance tapes. ¡°


    While they were following Dr. Ron to the monitoring room, Zhou Yu turned around on impulse and found that the bell of the jellyfish was slightly raised, as if it was rotating slowly. But because it was so large, it looked like the effect of light refraction.


    Mo Ye did not leave and continued looking up silently.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mo Ye? Is there a problem?¡± Zhou Yu came to his side. Mo Ye bit down on Zhou Yu¡¯s pant leg, urging him to leave.


    At this time, a worker in a diving suit slipped in from the top through a gap in the cover and retrieved Dr. Yao¡¯s body from the formalin.


    He was placed in a sealed body bag, awaiting an autopsy.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun came to the monitoring room and watched what happened last night.


    Dr. Yao left the lab in the base at 3 a.m. and went to the storage room of Nibelungen jellyfish. He opened the lid of the storage vessel with a sampler in hand, but just as he leaned down to take a sample, he suddenly tipped over and fell into the formalin.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Wu Yun covered his eyes.


    As if Dr. Yao¡¯s fall had broken the peace within the storage vessel, the Nibelungen jellyfish started to slowly twirl and glide in the liquid. Although Dr. Yao had struggled, he was gradually enveloped by the giant jellyfish until he stopped fighting, having finally drowned.


    Dr. Shen, who had been in the same lab as Dr. Yao, was overcome with guilt. He covered his face and cried, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I was just so tired I wanted to sleep for a while¡­ I told him I only wanted to nap for five minutes! He must have found something in the research materials left behind by Dr. Jiang, so he went to take samples for confirmation! If I hadn¡¯t fallen asleep, I could have gone with him! I could have pulled him back and stopped him from falling in!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It was just an accident¡­¡± Dr. Ron put a hand on Dr. Shen¡¯s shoulder and comforted him.


    Ron turned to meet Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes, both of them giving each other a nod of understanding.


    Dr. Ron went back to the storage room for the Nibelungen jellyfish and gave orders to scan the specimen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the way Dr. Yao was walking is strange?¡± Zhou Qing went up to Dr. Ron and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t look like excessive fatigue, he appeared almost drunken.¡± Dr. Ron looked coldly at the Nibelungen jellyfish specimen. ¡°We can¡¯t hold the organisms here to the same standards as creatures of the human world. I now suspect that this jellyfish was merely in a state of dormancy before, perhaps the previous sampling touched on its nerves and woke it up. Maybe it lured Dr. Yao here in some way, or maybe Dr. Yao was getting too close to its secret, so the jellyfish had to kill Dr. Yao before the virus could be decoded.¡±


    ¡°Any idea that might sound like it¡¯s completely in the realm of fantasy is a reasonable doubt here.¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    But even after a whole-body biological scan, no signs of life were detected in the Nibelungen jellyfish. Its cell activity index was zero.


    ¡°So it really is just a specimen?¡± Zhou Qing didn¡¯t ask for sure. [1]


    ¡°I will have someone monitor its biological activity 24 hours a day.¡± Dr. Ron replied. This was their best solution at the moment.


    Zhou Yu and Mo Ye had been staying in the dining hall the entire time. A few researchers stared at Mo Ye from afar, wanting to observe him up close yet too timid to approach him. Mo Ye deliberately spread open his wings and faced them with a ferocious expression. The researchers instantly turned pale and ran away.


    Wu Yun, who is also stewing in boredom, started laughing loudly.


    Zhou Yu rubbed Mo Ye¡¯s head. ¡°You little rascal, watch out or Dr. Ron might stop feeding you.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu with round eyes. Zhou Yu knew that the little guy was pretending to be innocent again to win his sympathy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s useless.¡±


    Mo Ye stuck to him and intentionally used the tip of his nose to nudge the back of Zhou Yu¡¯s hand. Zhou Yu pulled his hand away, but Mo Ye chased after it and quickly caught Zhou Yu¡¯s finger in his mouth.


    He twined around Zhou Yu¡¯s finger with the tip of his tongue, but he didn¡¯t rush to bite it. Instead, he looked into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes with a very obedient expression. He wouldn¡¯t bite down without Zhou Yu¡¯s permission. But Zhou Yu knew well that if he didn¡¯t let Mo Ye eat his fill, then Mo Ye would cling to him and make sure he got nothing done.


    At this time, Dr. Yao¡¯s body was being dissected.


    There were three anatomists at the scene. They all turned on the video recorder. When the first cut was made into Dr. Yao¡¯s abdominal cavity, a number of translucent Nibelungen jellyfish of a pale golden color came bursting out of his abdomen.


    The main dissector recoiled in a fright, and in only an instant, Dr. Yao¡¯s body seemed to melt into a mess of blood and flesh, forming a puddle on the operation table. Only his gleaming white bones were left behind.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    At that moment, the jellyfish on the ground suddenly started to move and climb up the bodies of the three anatomists.


    ¡°Go away! Go away!¡± The dissector swung his scalpel at the jellyfish, but he could not penetrate into their bodies.


    Very quickly, the bodies of the three anatomists were covered in jellyfish. They fell to the ground, twisting and trying to rip off the jellyfish, but their hands were also swallowed up. Their bodies seemed to melt as the jellyfish squeezed beneath their skin to crazily absorb their nutrients.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Dr. Yao¡¯s autopsy report come through yet?¡± A few hours later, Dr. Ron felt that something was strange and buzzed the intercom in the dissection room. He called several times without anyone answering.


    He immediately opened up the surveillance cameras in the dissection room and found that all three anatomists had turned into pools of blood. The scene was unbearably horrific.


    ¡°It¡¯s like they were infected with the virus from the Nibelungen jellyfish¡­¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s gaze darkened. Things were more complicated than they¡¯d thought.


    Dr. Ron immediately closed off the dissection room and isolated everyone who had come into contact with it.


    ¡°Was Dr. Yao the one to spread the Nibelungen jellyfish¡¯s virus?¡± Dr. Ron pursed his lips in thought.


    Zhou Qing suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s watch the entire dissection, quick!¡±


    When they saw the swarm of palm-sized Nibelungen jellyfish kill the anatomists in the video, Zhou Qing finally understood.


    ¡°The giant jellyfish didn¡¯t die, it had been asleep the whole time.¡±


    Dr. Ron clenched his teeth. ¡°It could be that the formalin isn¡¯t a suitable environment to live in, so it paused all cell activity and waited for the right conditions. We were all deceived by it! It¡¯s been here since I took over the base! It not only deceived me, but also Dr. Jiang, the one who has been studying the virus!¡±


    Zhou Qing looked at him. ¡°Now¡­ Dr. Yao has become nourishment for its offspring¡­¡±


    Dr. Ron immediately sent out orders. ¡°Inject neurotoxins into the storage vessel where the Nibelungen jellyfish is being kept! Send some people into the dissection room to look for the jellyfish offspring! They must be hiding somewhere!¡±


    An entire squadron entered the dissection room. They opened up their biological scanners to comb over every inch of the room. When the Nibelungen jellyfish is spread out flat over the ground, it was only subtly translucent and overall very hard to detect.


    They finally found the transparent jellyfish spread over the bottom of the dissection table.


    ¡°Those little things are cunning. They hid in our blind spot, out of sight.¡± Zhou Qing realized that the intelligence level of Nibelungen jellyfish might be very high.


    ¡°Be careful¡­ You must make sure not to be touched by them¡­¡± Dr. Ron watched them through the surveillance camera. He was worried that one of them would accidentally repeat the mistakes made in Base 5, where Song Zhi was located.


    They were finally able to retrieve the jellyfish. The jellyfish were mercilessly put into a solution containing neurotoxins, where they soon dissolved.


    But Ron soon received another message: the storage vessel containing the giant Nibelungen jellyfish had not been designed with the tubing to inject neurotoxins. After all, who would have thought of injecting toxins into a lifeless specimen?


    The base then sent an executioner to inject the neurotoxin manually, however, when the executioner went up to the jellyfish, he looked up at it with an obsessed expression. No matter how much his colleagues tried calling out to him to perform his task, he did not respond.


    He wore the look of a devout pilgrim. His gaze seemed to pass through the giant transparent jellyfish and into another world.


    In the midst of the repeated shouts of his colleagues, he took out his handgun, held it against his head, then pulled the trigger with a hopeful smile.


    When he heard the gunshot in the surveillance video, Ron shuddered.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on¡­?¡±


    Zhou Qing was watching the surveillance video with him. It was no longer Zhou Qing¡¯s first time dealing with this situation. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that the jellyfish has the ability to influence a person¡¯s mental state and produce hallucinations. Do you remember how Dr. Yao walked into the jellyfish storage room? You said he looked drunk. My guess is that he was already under the spell of the jellyfish.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t administer the neurotoxin through the system and no one would dare go in there now even if I ordered them!¡± Ron massaged his temples, feeling a headache come up.


    ¡°Should we bomb the entire area?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    ¡°The explosion would just free the jellyfish from the storage vessel, the large amount of formalin solution is enough to act as a buffer force for the explosion. I suspect it only took action now because the formalin restrains it to some extent. To blow it up is to give it its freedom. And it has been proven to be highly mobile, as demonstrated by its offspring.¡±

 CH 52

    Chapter 52: Dreams and lucidity


    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Zhou Qing found them caught between a rock and a hard place.


    Just then, Zhou Yu¡¯s voice came from the radio transceiver. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Mo Ye. I believe that Mo Ye will be able to intimidate the Nibelungen jellyfish, as a higher ranking organism. He can help us resist its influence.¡±


    ¡°Brother! You can¡¯t go!¡± Zhou Qing started panicking. The scene of the worker putting the gun to his head and committing suicide was still fresh in his mind. Zhou Qing was unable to keep his cool.


    ¡°The jellyfish is only just starting to move. Once it familiarizes itself with the situation in the base and adapts to it, we could all become nourishment for its offspring. This must be taken care of as soon as possible.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s voice was very calm.


    Dr. Ron stroked his chin in contemplation. ¡°Professor Zhou, maybe your brother has the right idea. The night spirit is the only one that can resist the Nibelungen jellyfish in this entire base. Let him go with your brother to carry out this task, perhaps he may give us our greatest chance of success.¡±


    Zhou Qing knew that once Zhou Yu set his mind to something, then it would be very hard to stop him. Zhou Qing sighed, his head sagging.


    ¡°We have to go back together.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Zhou Yu brought Mo Ye with him to collect the neurotoxin from the lab workers, who told him that as long as he opened the vial and threw it into the formalin solution, everything would be over.


    When Zhou Yu entered the specimen room, he looked up at the giant jellyfish. Although he was wary of it, he could not help but appreciate the miracles of God, deep in his heart.


    Zhou Yu felt a bite on his calf and looked down to see Mo Ye¡¯s eyes showing dissatisfaction.


    Zhou Yu smiled. ¡°Keep watch for me, Mo Ye.¡±


    ¡°Hnn.¡± Mo Ye nodded.


    Some of the tension in him also eased.


    As Zhou Yu climbed up to the top of the storage vessel, time seemed to drag on in slow motion. He thought to himself that the giant jellyfish wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight. How will it choose to defend itself and strike back?


    Zhou Qing was nervously standing in front of the monitor. He subconsciously clenched at his chest. It was not Zhou Yu¡¯s most dangerous moment in Nibelungen, but it may be the most deadly.


    Zhou Yu took out some rope and tied it around his waist, then draped it outside the storage vessel to prevent himself from falling into the formalin like Dr. Yao. Next, Zhou Yu pressed a button to slowly open the top cover of the storage vessel. The moment Zhou Yu was about to pour in the toxin, he heard a splash, and a slender hand reached out of the liquid, clamping around his wrist. The strength behind the grip felt strong enough to crush his bones.


    ¡°Do you want to kill me?¡±


    An ethereal voice sounded. Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the black-haired young man who had once saved him rise out of the water.


    His smile was laced with temptation and provocation, just like the first time Zhou Yu had seen him. Rather than appearing vulgar, he looked graceful.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils instantly dilated.


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± The young man¡¯s other hand was propped up on the edge of the storage vessel. He turned to look at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu opened his mouth but did not speak.


    Why was he here?


    Was it because he sensed danger, so he came to protect him again, like he had each time before this one?


    ¡°Did you miss me¡­?¡±


    His lips opened and closed with a certain allure. It quietly penetrated through Zhou Yu¡¯s defenses, destroying his seemingly unwavering resistance.


    He turned his head to the side, his slightly drooping eyes seemed to bring all of Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts into a dreamland.


    Zhou Yu subconsciously leaned into him, an inexplicable desire surging up in his heart. He wanted to touch the young man and possess his everything.


    But at the moment Zhou Yu¡¯s lips were about to meet his, a voice echoed deep in his mind.


    ¡°I will never ask you if you want to kill me because I¡¯d press my chest to the muzzle of your gun first.¡±


    Zhou Yu instantly tensed up, abruptly pulled away from all the beautiful thoughts in his mind. Through his earpiece, Zhou Qing was shouting at him at full strength.


    ¡°Brother¡ªWatch out!¡±


    Behind him, Mo Ye jumped up to grab onto his belt and pull him away.


    The situation suddenly reminded him of that day at Angel¡¯s Horns where he was almost swallowed whole by the reverse-scale dragon.


    The giant jellyfish churned up waves as it sprang up.


    Sometime before, it had turned in a big circle in the storage vessel, its umbrella-shaped bell surfacing from the water like a giant, transparent flower.


    Zhou Yu had been only a millisecond away from being engulfed by it!


    The formalin solution almost splashed on Zhou Yu, but Mo Ye shielded him with his wings. He fell off and was caught by the rope around his waist, dangling about halfway down the storage vessel. Mo Ye wrapped around him then looked up at the jellyfish that had attached to a surface somewhere above their heads. It spread out rapidly and extended in all directions, its body leaving the formalin completely!


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Zhou Yu hadn¡¯t expected the jellyfish¡¯s projected illusion to be so realistic.


    His vial of neurotoxin had fallen into the storage vessel.


    ¡°It wants to envelop the entire room so that you can¡¯t leave, then swallow you up!¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s voice came from the communication device.


    Zhou Yu looked up at the jellyfish. Sticky, strip-shaped things were dribbling down from its body and wriggling like digestive organs.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips curved up. ¡°That¡¯s not the only source of toxin.¡±


    With that, Zhou Yu took out the pistol at his waist and shot it in the head.


    Two shots rang out. The bullets pierced into the body of the Nibelungen jellyfish and melted.


    The jellyfish that had been attached to the ceiling seemed to lose its strength as it made sticky sounds. It oozed down, about to envelop Zhou Yu!


    Mo Ye¡¯s wings sliced past Zhou Yu¡¯s back, cutting the rope tied to him loose. He took Zhou Yu with him and smashed through a wall in the specimen room to rush outside.


    At the same time, the jellyfish fell off with a splash, its hood dropping back into the storage vessel. The resulting splatter sent liquid formalin sloshing all over the floor like a flood.


    Some tentacles that were not retracted in time fell over the outside of the storage dish.


    Everything was quiet.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s clenched fists finally relaxed in front of the monitor. He breathed out in relief and found that his back was soaked with sweat.


    Ron¡¯s mouth was agape. ¡°The night spirit¡­ He was actually that strong¡­ He broke down a wall in the base so easily! We humans can¡¯t restrain him at all¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s on our side by his own volition, not because we are stronger than him.¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    This was not the first time Mo Ye had broken out from behind enemy lines with Zhou Yu.


    Mo Ye slipped a short distance into the passageway then landed, Zhou Yu still lying on top of him.


    Mo Ye wasn¡¯t in a hurry to let Zhou Yu down. He cutely lay down, lifted his wings, then wrapped up Zhou Yu on his back.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡­ I fell into the Nibelungen jellyfish¡¯s illusion.¡± Zhou Yu pressed his forehead against the back of Mo Ye¡¯s head.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye answered softly.


    ¡°In the illusion¡­ There was a person I should not have imagined.¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know when the young man had started to occupy his thoughts.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled and stroked Mo Ye¡¯s head. ¡°You saved me again. Without you¡­ I probably would have died many times over.¡±


    ¡°Hnn.¡± Mo Ye nodded seriously.


    Zhou Yu suddenly realized was he was thinking about and thumped him on the head. ¡°What are you thinking of?! There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll show you a striptease! Have Wu Yun dance for you!¡±


    ¡°Hrrn¡­¡± Mo Ye carried Zhou Yu for a few more steps before straightening up angrily, letting Zhou Yu slide down to the floor.


    This time, Ron was able to confirm that the Nibelungen jellyfish was truly dead.


    Zhou Yu walked forward and saw Zhou Qing standing at the end of the passageway, waiting for him.


    ¡°I say to myself every time, I can¡¯t let you do anything risky again¡­ But I couldn¡¯t be strong enough to stop you each time. I¡¯m the worst brother in the world.¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s expression was as clean and handsome as always, as if he simply had no worldly desires.


    But his eyes were quivering.


    Zhou Yu came forward and hugged Zhou Qing.


    ¡°You idiot. Some are fit to make decisions, and others, to carry them out. I¡¯m obviously the second type, and I hope you can be the first.¡±


    ¡°I know. I will become more confident and stronger.¡±


    According to Wu Yun, they should have a party to celebrate what little joy they could find in their situation.


    Originally, Wu Yun had thought that his idea would be laughed off, so he hadn¡¯t expected Dr. Ron to take him seriously. He sent Zhou Yu a whole barrel of red wine.


    With his hands on his hips, Wu Yun complained, ¡°Why didn¡¯t we get assigned to Base 2? Ron is much more generous than Song Zhi!¡±


    Zhou Yu petted the fluff on Mo Ye¡¯s back while propping up his chin in his other hand. ¡°I prefer beer to wine.¡±


    But Mo Ye was very curious. He left Zhou Yu¡¯s side and went up to the barrel to sniff its scent while circling it.


    Wu Yun started laughing. ¡°Hahaha, even if you don¡¯t want a drink, Mo Ye wants to try it!¡±


    Zhou Yu smiled and accepted a small glass of red wine, which he brought up to Mo Ye. Mo Ye immediately thrust his face close and stuck his tongue into the glass and lick it.


    Mo Ye¡¯s tongue withdrew just as it made contact with the wine. He looked at Zhou Yu, countless stars seeming to tremble in his eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t like it? ¡± Zhou Yu was going to take the glass back, but Mo Ye stopped him with his front paws. He tipped over the glass and took a gulp.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡± Mo Ye sighed with his eyes closed. He looked like he was savoring it.


    It was the first time he¡¯d made a sound other than ¡°hrrn¡± or ¡°hmm.¡± Even Wu Yun was surprised and wanted to feed more wine to Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye happily circled around Zhou Yu, swaying.


    ¡°Is Mo Ye drunk? Stop giving him wine, he¡¯s not even fully grown yet!¡± Li Qian was somewhat concerned.


    But Zhou Yu smiled. ¡°He¡¯s not drunk. A night spirit¡¯s metabolism works fast, how could he get drunk? He must have seen it from a movie and copied their drunken mannerisms.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes narrowed into crescents as he smiled. He returned to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and flopped down lazily.


    After three rounds of drinks, everyone was sleepy.


    Zhou Yu lay down right on the floor of the dining hall, pillowed on Mo Ye¡¯s back.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, have you ever wondered¡­ If Juli Corp, Nibelungen, and everything, is just a dream?¡± Wu Yun exclaimed.


    ¡°Between hopes and reality, I¡¯d still choose to do what I can do and change the status quo.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Wu Yun chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯m more grateful than anyone that this is all real. Otherwise¡­ how depressing would it be to watch my daughter die in the so-called real world?¡±


    Zhou Yu patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Maybe when we wake up tomorrow, the virus will be decoded and we can safely make it back to our original base. Your contract with Juli Corp expires in less than a month, you¡¯ll be able to see your daughter and stay with her.¡±


    ¡°And you? What¡¯s your wish¡­ Zhou Yu?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Zhou Yu paused.


    Yes, what was his wish?


    From when the peryton had killed all his teammates, to when he crossed over to protect Zhou Qing, those reasons no longer seemed to be as important.


    The peryton, an absolute creature of nightmares in the human world, was nothing in the world of Nibelungen.


    And to Nibelungen, Zhou Yu¡¯s strength was insignificant. Without Mo Ye¡¯s protection, he would not be able to protect Zhou Qing at all.


    So¡­ What was the meaning of all of this?


    Zhou Yu lifted up a hand to touch Mo Ye. Mo Ye tilted his head over to him and rubbed against his face.


    At present, all his wishes had to do with Mo Ye.


    He hoped that Mo Ye was happy, that he could become strong, that he could find happiness even without his existence.


    Zhou Yu was sleepy, so he closed his eyes.


    Sometime later, a soft hum drifted by his ear.


    Someone was humming a tune. His voice was unique; it was elegant and bright, as if it were particles of dust colliding in the air.


    Zhou Yu abruptly opened his eyes to find the young man sitting on the table. His long legs were gently swinging to and fro and both his hands were placed on the edge of the table, just so that his head was angled down to look straight at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu gasped in surprise and sat up, only to find that there wasn¡¯t another soul in sight in the dining hall.


    Wu Yun, Li Qian, Han Li, and all the other more distantly familiar researchers were gone.


    Zhou Yu looked into the young man¡¯s eyes. His eyes revealed that he was smiling gently at him.


    The last time Zhou Yu had seen the young man sitting on the edge of a table was when they¡¯d confronted Dr. Lin. At that time, his smile also had a captivating curve to it, but it was different from now, which Zhou Yu could feel had pure intentions.


    ¡°I¡¯m dreaming. I¡¯m asleep, and you¡¯re an illusion.¡± Zhou Yu said confidently.


    The young man¡¯s smile only deepened. He leaned in towards Zhou Yu, stopping only when his center of balance was about to tip over.


    Such a perfect distance allowed Zhou Yu to feel his temperature but was not too close so that  Zhou Yu could not see him clearly.


    His eyes were the most beautiful pair Zhou Yu had ever seen. They were delicate but also possessed the strength to break through the bounds of his vision.


    ¡°Then you know that if I am an illusion, and all of this is merely a dream¡­ It means you miss me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible that you¡¯re in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Fine, say I built this dreamland for you, would you like for it to last a little longer, or will you wake up now?¡±


    Zhou Yu chuckled and was about to answer, but the young man put a finger against his lips, the touch of which felt entirely real.


    ¡°Think before answering me.¡± The young man¡¯s smile vanished and his expression turned serious.


    In this world, he stood at the top of the pyramid. He didn¡¯t need to be serious about anything because everything was in the palm of his hand.


    His fingertip grazed past Zhou Yu¡¯s lips.


    ¡°This does not exist in the objective world, but to you and me, this is 100% true.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ What is the purpose of your ¡®visit¡¯?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    The boy hopped off the table. He was very light on his feet and didn¡¯t make a sound.


    Zhou Yu was about to stand up, but the young man pressed his hands down on his shoulders. Zhou Yu fell back down again, and the young man stepped over to straddle him across his waist.


    ¡°Did you know that the illusion the Nibelungen jellyfish casts onto its prey is not determined by it, but rather, by the prey themselves?¡±


    The young man leaned into Zhou Yu, practically sticking to him. Zhou Yu tilted back to find his balance and said in a cold voice, ¡°You should get up.¡±


    ¡°When the jellyfish was stalking its prey, you saw me because I am what¡¯s the most attractive to you.¡±


    ¡°I said, you should get up.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s gaze and voice started to grow frosty.


    Those eyes were far too deep. Zhou Yu felt as if he was about to drown in them.


    The young man bowed his head and smiled, his hair softly quivering. He let go of his hand.


    But when Zhou Yu felt him loosen his grip and was about to push the young man away, he suddenly looked up at him, the overbearing power of his gaze colliding with Zhou Yu¡¯s. Zhou Yu was knocked down again and as he was about to struggle, the young man captured Zhou Yu¡¯s wrists and held them down beside his ears.


    Zhou Yu looked back at him with wide eyes.


    ¡°Look at your gaze. You¡¯re imagining yourself as my prey.¡±


    ¡°At this moment, am I not your prey?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°This is only a dream. If you want to get rid of me, just wake up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t understand, but the young man suddenly pressed down and captured his lips. His tongue squeezed in with an irresistible force, sending waves of shock to Zhou Yu¡¯s brain, just like a viral invasion that occupied all of Zhou Yu¡¯s cells.


    Zhou Yu went to strike him with his knee, but he was pressed back down with just one hand. With a crushing force, Zhou Yu felt acute pain in his knee as if it had shattered.


    Wake up¡­ Zhou Yu, wake up!


    The moment Zhou Yu opened his eyes, he took hard, breathless gasps, his heart beating violently. The aroma of wine was suffused in the air and it lingered in his nose.


    The young man¡¯s parting words echoed in his ears: You know I¡¯m dangerous, but you didn¡¯t wake up right away because you wanted to be with me.


    Those bewitching eyes were more terrible than the Nibelungen jellyfish that could devour space.


    It was an irresistible force that lurked in every nerve on Zhou Yu¡¯s body, hidden beneath his every thought.


    ¡°Hrrn?¡± An intimate voice sounded.


    Zhou Yu gulped and turned to see Mo Ye.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡± Mo Ye rubbed Zhou Yu with the tip of his nose, the soft touch relaxing Zhou Yu¡¯s tensed nerves.


    Zhou Yu opens his arms and embraced Mo Ye. He looked into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes for a long time.


    Mo Ye probably thought that it was weird to be looked at for so long, and just as he was about to turn away, Zhou Yu said, ¡°Look at me¡­ Mo Ye¡­ Let me look at you for a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Hnn.¡± Mo Ye seemed to sense Zhou Yu¡¯s mood and he stuck out his tongue to lick Zhou Yu¡¯s upper lip.


    ¡°You little rascal.¡± Zhou Yu touched Mo Ye¡¯s head then stuffed him into his arms.


    Gradually, sleepiness washed over him.


    This time, Zhou Yu slept until dawn.


    When he opened his eyes, he found Dr. Ron sitting on a chair in the dining hall, looking down at him.


    Zhou Yu sat up abruptly. He wasn¡¯t expecting anyone to be near him or to be sitting in front of him. He hadn¡¯t noticed at all.


    ¡°Dr. Ron¡­ Is the Nibelungen jellyfish still alive? ¡°


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Dr. Ron shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s been completely dissolved. Its cells and the virus it carried were sent to Dr. Shen for research.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Then¡­ Are you here to study Mo Ye? ¡°


    ¡°Then, can I dissect him?¡± asked Dr. Ron.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Zhou Yu looked at him coldly.


    ¡°Can I take a blood sample from him?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°Can I test him behaviorally?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Carlos tried that and ended up with a destroyed monitoring room.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Nevermind then. What I want to study has already come to a conclusion. ¡°


    ¡°What did you want to study?¡±


    ¡°Can night spirits with superior intellect adapt to human society?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ What¡¯s the conclusion?¡± Zhou Yu found that there was a generation gap between his train of thought and Dr. Ron¡¯s.


    ¡°The conclusion is that if humans can trust night spirits, then it¡¯s certainly possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Mo Ye also woke up, making a murmuring sound. He studied Dr. Ron with his head askew. He found that Dr. Ron was wearing the same white lab coat as the researchers who had previously come running to see him. He instantly felt mischievous and he wore a ferocious expression on purpose, looking like he was about to run up and bite Dr. Ron.


    ¡°Hey! Mo Ye!¡±


    Just as Zhou Yu went to press down Mo Ye¡¯s head, Dr. Ron unexpectedly reached out to flick Mo Ye¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t hurt a single person since coming here, so don¡¯t think your little trick will scare me.¡±


    Mo Ye wasn¡¯t expecting him to react that way and subconsciously shrank back.


    ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ Dr. Shen has made some progress in research on the virus. Do you want to know why Professor Zhou and Dr. Han Li could be exposed to environments where the virus was being transmitted without getting infected?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because they were both ill. Professor Zhou had glioma, and Dr. Han Li had a bad cold that day. They were both in an unhealthy state. The virus is produced within the jellyfish, and their role through millions of years of evolution is to help the jellyfish digest food. Professor Zhou and Dr. Han Li were not ¡°healthy food.¡±

 CH 53

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 53: The out-of-control night spirit


    With that, Dr. Ron left.


    ¡°Dr. Ron is actually¡­ kind of cute?¡± Wu Yun, who had been sleeping near Zhou Yu, got up and commented.


    ¡°Anyone compared with Mr. Song would be pretty cute, no?¡± Li Qian also sat up, looking depressed. ¡°When can we go back to our base? My waist can¡¯t take sleeping on the floor every day¡­¡±


    At this time, Base 5 was still under quarantine.


    Song Zhi was carrying a small suitcase and walking along an empty passageway.


    The only sound was the echo of his footsteps. Passing through several nodes, he came to the garage, where he started up a Humvee and left the base.


    The car entered into a world of all-encompassing yellow sand.


    After nearly an hour¡¯s drive, Song Zhi got out of the car and used a shovel to throw aside the sand until a black metal door could be seen. Song Zhi opened the door using fingerprint recognition then carried the suitcase inside.


    Through the sand that was tossed about in the wind from time to time, another car stopped not too far away from Song Zhi¡¯s vehicle. A dozen seconds later, the car drove away, and the wind and sand soon covered up traces of its tracks.


    The team led by Dr. Shen finally made a breakthrough in the development of the antiviral drug and vaccine.


    ¡°Dr. Shen, you¡¯re amazing! We can finally go back to our base.¡± Wu Yun patted Dr. Shen on the shoulder, almost knocking him over.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ I can¡¯t take all the credit for it, it¡¯s also Dr. Yao¡¯s¡­ He was very close to figuring out the virus the night that he¡­¡± Dr. Shen covered his face and thought of his former lab partner with mixed feelings.


    ¡°But in any case, your research is moving along very quickly. You were able to create such a complex antiviral compound and perform gene decryption in such a short time frame. Compared to you, I seem to be useless.¡± Zhou Qing said with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s because when we were stuck in place, Dr. Jiang came in. He has a very open-minded way of thinking, unlike those of us who are trapped by convention. A problem we couldn¡¯t figure out after many days and nights of work only took Dr. Jiang only a few minutes to come up with a new approach; he¡¯s truly a pioneer in his field.¡±


    ¡°What? Dr. Jiang¡¯s here? Where is he?¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°He came by shuttle and left after staying for only a few hours,¡± Ron replied.


    ¡°Oh, heavens! You should have introduced me to him! I have so many questions about plant viruses that I¡¯d wanted to ask him!¡± Zhou Qing looked extremely regretful.


    ¡°But you were already asleep. And¡­ I imagine when the problems in our world are resolved, Dr. Jiang will return, so you can keep thinking up any questions you have for him.¡± Ron answered.


    Zhou Qing lowered his head and smiled helplessly. Who knew if he¡¯d still be alive by the time Dr. Jiang returned?


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about things you shouldn¡¯t think about,¡± said Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Qing blanked out for a second, then smiled. ¡°Yes, I should concentrate my thoughts on more meaningful concerns. But Dr. Shen, why do you say that you¡¯re an ¡°older fellow¡± compared to Dr. Jiang? How young is Dr. Jiang?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ The first time I saw him, I thought he was a high school student.¡± Dr. Shen replied.


    ¡°Heh, I hate those young Ph.D. types. Younger means more talented, and that means even bigger egos.¡± Wu Yun covered his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to meeting him.¡±


    Everyone laughed in response.


    ¡°I just got a call from Song Zhi. Since there¡¯s been a breakthrough in the research here, he hopes that you can escort the virologists back to Base 5 with the research results. If we drag it on any longer, Base 5 will soon become a ghost town. Those who stayed behind will grow desperate, and Song Zhi could soon lose control of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Yu nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back with you, too.¡± Li Qian said.


    ¡°You? Life here is pretty good, you won¡¯t have to worry about getting infected by the virus and you have plenty of bread and butter. Are you sure you want to go back?¡± Wu Yun asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course. I designed the system at Base 5. When they need someone to hold down the entire base, I¡¯m the expert they¡¯re looking for. If the people in Base 5 really are panicking, then Mr. Song will need my help. If it¡¯s me, then I can lock you in a room until you starve to death while sitting in front of a computer.¡± Li Qian stuck up his middle finger at Wu Yun.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you, too.¡± Without waiting for Zhou Yu to speak, Zhou Qing continued, ¡°I have very important research to complete. I¡¯m going back to my lab.¡±


    Moreover, no matter where Zhou Yu goes or what happens to him, he hoped to be the first to hear of it.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll prepare the Humvees for you. Also, it has been very pleasant to work with you in the past few days, I hope we¡¯ll have another chance to cooperate again in the future.¡± Ron shook hands with Zhou Qing and Dr. Shen in goodbye.


    The procession of three Humvees drove back to the base.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were protecting Dr. Shen, Zhou Qing, and Li Qian. This time, there were no major accidents along the way.


    Zhou Yu propped up his chin in one hand and lowered his gaze to watch Mo Ye, who was sleeping soundly in his lap and making light, snoring sounds. He had a nagging feeling that their peaceful journey had to do with Mo Ye.


    Is that you who¡¯s keeping us safe?


    Zhou Yu raised his hand and smoothed it gently from the top of Mo Ye¡¯s head down along his neck then back.


    Mo Ye seemed to be enjoying it, his small wings gently rising and falling along with Zhou Yu¡¯s touch.


    When the sun was setting, they finally made it back to Base 5.


    Wu Yun sighed in relief the moment the main gates opened for them.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°It seemed like a lifetime ago.¡± Wu Yun replied.


    The Humvees entered the base, the gate falling shut behind them. Everything around them appeared cold and desolate and the air was suffused with the smell of disinfectant.


    At the end of the passage stood Song Zhi, who was wearing a suit and looking as meticulous as ever.


    Behind him were two guards in protective equipment.


    DO NOT REPOST!


    Wu Yun whistled. ¡°Evening, Mr. Song. You didn¡¯t put on any protective gear, don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because you were infected, so there¡¯s no need to wear any.¡±


    Song Zhi ignored Wu Yun and his gaze fell directly on Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Welcome back. We¡¯ve been waiting for quite a long time.¡± Song Zhi said.


    The antiviral drugs developed by Dr. Shen were quickly put to use and two medical staff who had just developed symptoms were saved. The gloom of death that had been looming over the whole base finally started to disperse, and the pestilence would soon pass.


    That night, Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t in a rush to sleep so he accompanied Mo Ye to watch ¡°Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles¡± in the dining hall.


    Instead of perching on the table and looking up to watch the movie, Mo Ye had learned to nest in Zhou Yu¡¯s arms and lean the back of his head on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder, pretty much treating him like a human-shaped sofa, leaving Zhou Yu with no room to refuse.


    ¡°You¡¯re really spoiling him.¡±


    Sometime unbeknownst to him, Song Zhi had come to Zhou Yu¡¯s side. He placed a bottle of beer down in front of him.


    Song Zhi¡¯s arrival made Mo Ye slightly unhappy. He pretended not to see Song Zhi and continued watching the movie.


    ¡°He saved me many times, and he¡¯s more trustworthy than other humans.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    Zhou Yun saw the sarcastic quirk of Song Zhi¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you, have you been deliberately sending me out to do the most dangerous and near-impossible tasks?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± Song Zhi answered frankly and without hesitation.


    ¡°Why? Do you want me to die?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because those tasks are very important to me, but they are not ones that ordinary people can accomplish, so my only choice was to put my hope in you. If you couldn¡¯t accomplish them, then nobody would.¡±


    ¡°What good would it do you for me to complete those tasks?¡± Zhou asked again.


    ¡°In order to make Juli Corp believe that I have the ability to sit in this position, I will always make the choice that is most favorable for Juli Corp.¡± Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°And then? If you continue occupying the same position, will Juli group pay you a higher salary? You can¡¯t be short of money, Mr. Song.¡±


    ¡°Because only in this position can I protect what is most important to me. If someone else were to take this spot, then I can guarantee you that they¡¯d be doing everything they could to destroy what I care about.¡± Song Zhi cracked open the beer for Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Are you bribing me?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Kind of.¡± Song Zhi smiled.


    ¡°What if, one day, you can¡¯t keep your position anymore?¡±


    ¡°Then so be it¡­ Because I grow weary too, and even in Nibelungen, there¡¯s no such thing as an eternal reign. There will always be an end to everything, be it sooner or later.¡±


    With that, Song Zhi got up.


    Before leaving, he asked, ¡°Zhou Yu, do you have any opinions?¡±


    ¡°Nibelungen has viruses too, so we need to be careful. Does that count as a suggestion?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Good night.¡± Song Zhi left.


    Zhou Yu went to rub Mo Ye¡¯s belly, which was soft like a marshmallow.


    ¡°Is it fun to eavesdrop on adults?¡±


    Mo Ye tried to lick Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek, but Zhou Yu was faster and shoved something in him.


    Mo Ye chewed for a while, then showed a puzzled expression. He opened his mouth to reveal chewing gum stuck to his teeth.


    Zhou Yu started laughing.


    A month later, the virus spread by the Nibelungen jellyfish was finally eradicated from the base.


    They had a celebratory party in the dining hall, even though Song Zhi just gave everyone an extra beer and a cigarette.


    A bright and joyous atmosphere spread over the base.


    Wu Yun even took Li Qian¡¯s hand and started ballroom dancing, although Li Qian was annoyed to be in the female role.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Professor Zhou? Why didn¡¯t he come out to have fun?¡± Wu Yun asked when he sauntered past Zhou Yu with Li Qian.


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to catch up on the research he left behind.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°Hah, how boring.¡±


    But Mo Ye was eager to give it a try. He really wanted to dance with Zhou Yu. As if he was placating a young child, Zhou Yu took hold of Mo Ye¡¯s front paws and led him around in a few circles. Now there were not as many people who took issue with Mo Ye¡¯s presence, they were all used to seeing him wander around the dining hall.


    As they turned around and around, Zhou Yu found that nothing else around them mattered except Mo Ye¡¯s eyes.


    His happiness was so simple and real.


    The party lasted past midnight, after which everyone either went back to their dormitories or posts.


    Meanwhile, Carlos was in his lab, focusing on the night spirit in the transparent growth tank.


    While the virus had been wreaking havoc in the base, he stood guard there the entire time, not stepping one foot outside nor communicating with anyone. Besides intaking food and water from a stockpile, he chatted with the night spirit.


    He hoped that it would trust him, just like how Mo Ye clung to Zhou Yu.


    It was close to maturity and it shared a very similar appearance with Mo Ye. With its eyes closed, Carlos couldn¡¯t help but imagine what they would look like when opened.


    Were they the same amber color as Mo Ye?


    Would they share Mo Ye¡¯s high intellect and his curiosity and yearning for the human world?


    DO NOT REPOST!


    Carlos¡¯s hand was placed on the glass, imagining its temperature and touch.


    ¡°What should I name you? If you were to match with Mo Ye¡­ maybe Bai Zhou? Sorry, I¡¯m not good at naming, maybe Zhou Yu can give you a good name.¡±


    T/N: Baizhou means ¡°daytime¡± while Moye means ¡°ink night¡±.


    Just then, the night spirit in the tank suddenly opened its eyes. It wasn¡¯t a clear amber color, but blood-red!


    Carlos stepped back in surprise.


    He thought he was hallucinating so he rubbed his eyes, but the night spirit¡¯s eyes remained open. Although it wasn¡¯t was displaying any obvious emotions, Carlos saw hunger and killing intent in those eyes.


    This night spirit and Mo Ye were like two sides of the same mirror: one crazy and one calm.


    Carlos gulped, he suddenly had a foreboding feeling that the creature he¡¯d been raising was not a lovable and reasonable individual like Mo Ye!


    No! Something must have gone wrong!


    Carlos suddenly had a premonition of danger.


    He wanted to avoid the night spirit¡¯s gaze, but when he went to the left, its line of sight followed him to the left.


    He went to the right, and that pair of eyes also moved to the right.


    Those eyes never left him.


    This intensified the feeling of danger Carlos was sensing; it was as if he¡¯d become its prey.


    He thought of Zhou Yu¡¯s hesitance to speak, and of Mo Ye¡¯s dislike for this night spirit. Maybe they were all for good reason, and not merely a coincidence!


    Carlos told himself that he had to resolve this issue before it got any more serious! It didn¡¯t matter if Song Zhi would question his decision, Carlos knew what he had to!


    He gulped, clenched his fists, and made a decision: He would go to his computer and input a command to inject neurotoxins into the growth tank!


    He must not let it leave the tank alive!


    Just when he¡¯d made up his mind, the sound of broken glass came from behind him. Carlos¡¯s heart clenched, and turning around, he saw that the tank had been broken, the growth liquid inside leaking everywhere. It made a dripping sound, but the night spirit was gone.


    In a corner of the laboratory, the night spirit was plastered there, with all four limbs hooked in the ceiling. When he turned, the wings on his back fell and then slowly open again, like a hellhound.


    Those strange, blood-red eyes stared at Carlos, making his hair stand on end. They seemed to know what Carlos was thinking and looked at him with sneering disdain for the weak.


    Carlos took a step back. The only thing he could think of at the moment was to lock up the laboratory to prevent it from leaving.


    He raced to his computer in desperation, but before he could touch the fingerprint sensor, he was struck by a powerful force and fell to the ground.


    The moment he made contact with the ground, his brain registered severe pain and he knew that his ribs had been crushed.


    Carlos struggled to get up with the night spirit on top of him. When he saw the shadow that was cast on the floor, he knew that the night spirit was opening its wings. It only took a moment for its wings to stab into Carlos¡¯s body.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Carlos produced a blood-curdling scream, but soon, he could no longer make any sounds.


    The night spirit ruthlessly bit down on Carlos¡¯s neck and sucked hard.


    Carlos¡¯s eyes widened; his voice seemed to be stuck in his throat and his blood was rapidly draining from his body.


    The feelings that accompanied him were unparalleled pain and the dread of dying.


    The night spirit slurped up his fear.


    Was this really a night spirit?


    Why was it like this?


    He didn¡¯t want to die¡­ He really didn¡¯t want to die¡­


    The heavy beating of a heart sounded in his ear, gradually slowing down.


    It was finally over. Carlos died there with his eyes still open.


    The night spirit slowly came to one side and quietly looked down Carlos¡¯ body with a strange smile.


    Its bones crackled as it arched its neck and stretched its body out taut, as if it had been reborn from the cracking.


    When it lowered its head and turned it from side to side, its body suddenly grew by a third.


    Ten minutes later, Carlos¡¯s research assistant came to the double doors. He entered the first door then opened the second door. The moment he opened the inner door, he was attacked by a flash of a black shadow. A few seconds later, the black figure closed the second door and patiently lay in wait in the vestibule. It waited quietly; there was sure to be another person to come open the door.


    That night at the very same base, several researchers and field personnel were scheduled to be sent back to their original world.


    The magnetic shuttle was having its readings checked. The workers bustled about while Song Zhi stood before a multitude of monitors that were all on the wall with his arms crossed. Bright flickers of light from the ever-changing data scrolled past his face.


    Li Qian was sitting in front of a computer. There were dark circles under his eyes. As the systems designer, he had to ensure that the system could handle the shuttle operation without any ¡°accidents¡± happening.


    Although virtually no accidents had occurred over the past two years, the risk level was still much higher than that of a manned spaceship. A single data error could lead to unpredictable consequences.


    At this time, Li Qian, who had snoozed off for a few seconds due to a lack of sleep, opened his eyes and saw, through the screen, a researcher delivering samples who opened the outer door of Carlos¡¯s lab and was then pounced on and attacked by a black night spirit.


    Li Qian¡¯s shoulders jolted up, causing the coffee on the table to spill all over his pants. Fortunately, the coffee had long gone cold.


    Li Qian didn¡¯t move to wipe himself. He gawked at the screen, then blinked.


    ¡°Is that Mo Ye? No way¡­ How could Mo Ye hurt a researcher?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice rang in Li Qian¡¯s ear.


    Li Qian sucked in a deep breath, then pointed to the night spirit that was leisurely walking down a hallway on the monitor and asked, ¡°M-Mr. Song¡­ Is that Mo Ye?¡±


    Song Zhi leaned down and squinted at the screen. The night spirit seemed to feel something watching it and suddenly turned in the direction of the security camera.


    Those eyes that were a shocking blood-red color almost made Li Qian almost fall off his seat.


    Song Zhi immediately connected to Carlos¡¯s lab. ¡°Carlos! Are you in there?! Reply immediately!¡±


    There was no response.


    ¡°Turn on the monitoring devices in the Carlos¡¯s lab! Quickly!¡±


    The mess of a scene abruptly appeared before Song Zhi. Carlos lay on the ground, his head almost twisted to the back.


    Two researchers had died in the space between the two doors.


    Li Qian covered his mouth, holding back his urge to vomit.


    ¡°It¡¯s the night spirit¡­ Carlos was nurturing¡­¡±


    Song Zhi turned back around and clapped his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Today¡¯s shuttle mission is temporarily on hold! All combat personnel on standby!¡±


    The announcement caused an uproar.


    Everyone was discussing what had happened.


    ¡°All combat personnel, stand on alert! All researchers are to lock their rooms or laboratories. Do NOT come out no matter what!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Song!¡± Li Qian quickly started typing.


    ¡°Can neurotoxins be dispersed in Carlos¡¯s lab?¡± Song asked.


    ¡°Let me check!¡± Li Qian input some numbers through the keyboard, then nodded and replied, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll input the command to open both doors in Carlos¡¯s lab then release the neurotoxin. I just don¡¯t know if it will work for the night spirit in low concentrations when the toxin diffuses into the hallway outside of the lab.¡±


    ¡°Just try it and see.¡±


    When the neurotoxin spread to the night spirit, it coolly looked back, allowing the toxin to wash over itself.


    A few seconds later, Li Qian and Song Zhi watched as it came strolling out of the mist.


    ¡°How could this happen? It wasn¡¯t affected at all!¡± Li Qian couldn¡¯t comprehend it.


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ It held its breath.¡± Song Zhi clenched his fists.


    ¡°How long can it hold it for?¡±


    ¡°It looks calm so it should be a long time.¡± Song Zhi pressed down on his throbbing temples.


    A special combat team was currently heading in the direction of Carlos¡¯s lab. Before they opened the door, they received a warning from Li Qian: the night spirit was waiting for them on the other side.


    Song Zhi took over the radio transceiver and instructed, ¡°After you open the door, don¡¯t hesitate to empty out your guns!¡±


    The special combat team waited for Li Qian to prompt the system to open the door, after which they let out an all-or-nothing burst of frenzied gunfire.


    The author has something to say:


    Mo Ye: For the sake of my family¡¯s Zhou Yu, I¡¯ll have to go all out even if it¡¯d blow my cover!

 CH 54

    Chapter 54: Complete evacuation


    Only the sound of bullets crackling into the wall could be heard, nearly shattering their eardrums.


    The smoke of gunpowder dispersed as a figure nonchalantly walked out from within.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Li Qian saw this and immediately wanted to seal the passageway between the special combat team and the night spirit, but he was too late.


    It quickly took down the captain, broke his neck, and drank from him.


    The others all pulled out their guns and rained a flurry of bullets upon it.


    But it moved in a flash, and through the bullets, it knocked down a second person, then a third, a fourth, and so on, so fast that it surpassed a human being¡¯s speed of reaction. The entire team was completely taken out in the span of a few seconds.


    It lazily sucked up their blood. Then it opened its wings, already more than twice the size of when it had first rushed out of the hallway.


    ¡°W-What do we do¡­?¡± Li Qian had never been witness to such a scene before and he was scared to death.


    ¡°Block all channels! Don¡¯t let it touch anyone! It will treat them as food! The more it sucks in, the faster it evolves!¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s order brought Li Qian back to his senses.


    All the passageways were closed, but Li Qian was just a tad late. The night spirit was able to keep a special combat team member behind. He cowered in a corner and watched as it ate until it was satisfied. It slowly walked up to him and indicated ¡°that way¡± with its head, meaning for him to open the passageway with his access privileges.


    Li Qian wanted to shut down his authorized access, but he momentarily could not find his name. The second Li Qian hesitated, he already opened the door!


    The night spirit revealed an evil smile as it went inside the field workers¡¯ resting area!


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Song Zhi clenched his teeth and banged his fist on the table.


    Zhou Yu, who was sleeping, felt Mo Ye suddenly sit up in his arms. He opened his eyes and touched Mo Ye¡¯s front paw. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Mo Ye turned to the side, as if he was listening for something.


    At the same time, the alarm sounded in Zhou Yu¡¯s room. Zhou Yu got up quickly and was about to turn on the light, but Mo Ye held back Zhou Yu¡¯s hand.


    Then Song Zhi¡¯s voice rang out in each room. ¡°All field workers, stand on alert, you are not allowed to open your doors! Do not open the door!¡±


    Just outside in the corridor, the night spirit forced the special combat team member to knock on the room opposite Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu pricked up his ears.


    ¡°Amo, it¡¯s me, Mikey¡­ Could you open the door for me?¡± Mikey¡¯s voice trembled.


    Li Qian and Song Zhi watched them through the surveillance camera in the corridor.


    ¡°You heard the announcement too¡­ I didn¡¯t make it back to the dormitories in time, so please let me in!¡± Mikey was pushed by the night spirit behind him. He was so scared that he could only continue to lie.


    ¡°It¡¯s not relying on instinct to hunt; it¡¯s very cunning, as intelligent as a human being or even more so.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s expression turned grim.


    Li Qian connected to Amo¡¯s room and instructed him not to open the door no matter what.


    The night spirit was very patient. It pushed Mikey from behind and made him knock on the other rooms, but no one opened their door.


    Then they came to the innermost bedroom, which belonged to Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu tensed as they went up to his door, ready to rush out at any time.


    Mikey called out Wu Yun¡¯s name, but there was no response. They walked past his door.


    Zhou Yu sighed out in relief.


    This was all a game to the night spirit, but as no one was responding, it soon grew boring.


    They came next door to Zhou Yu¡¯s room next, and Mikey knocked again. He was afraid that if no one opened their door, then the night spirit would kill him!


    No one came to open the door. The night spirit put its claws up to the door, then with a sharp slash, a deep scar marred the surface.


    ¡°Can it push the door open?¡± Li Qian, looking at the monitor, asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Mo Ye can travel through storms. They¡¯re both night spirits¡­ What do you think?¡± Song Zhi shot back.


    Li Qian said, ¡°But Mo Ye has never killed anyone, and he doesn¡¯t drink anything except for Zhou Yu¡¯s blood¡­ And he prioritizes protecting Zhou Yu at all costs. It¡¯s not similar to Mo Ye at all¡­ Maybe Mo Ye can beat it?¡±


    ¡°Watch its growth rate¡­ It¡¯s already bigger than Mo Ye! The situation isn¡¯t so clear right now¡­ Mo Ye shouldn¡¯t recklessly confront it¡­¡±


    By this time, the night spirit had pushed open the bedroom door. Then came a terrified shriek.


    Zhou Yu heard it clearly in his room. The only thing he was worried about then was where Zhou Qing was. Was he safe?


    Zhou Yu had already taken out his pistol and loaded it, waiting for Mikey to knock on his door.


    Mo Ye lowered himself to the ground. When the night spirit tries to come in, he¡¯ll rush out before Zhou Yu.


    The night spirit slowly walked out of the room and threw down Mikey, who had tried to escape.


    ¡°Please, let me go! Let me go!¡± Mikey panicked and begged for mercy. In order to survive, there was nothing else in his brain.


    It merely looked at him with a smile, those apathetic and malevolent blood-red eyes causing Mikey to almost forget how to breathe.


    It lifted up one wing, signaling for Mikey to continue their game.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression turned cold. He closed his eyes and sensed the vibrations of their approaching footsteps. His thoughts grew calm and he became more clear-headed than before. Even his heart, which had sped up because he was worried about Zhou Qing, quieted down.


    At that moment, he was a hunter lying in ambush. His surroundings were crystal-clear in his mind¡¯s eye.


    Just as Mikey was about to knock on Zhou Yu¡¯s door, the night spirit shook its head and motioned for him to knock on another room.


    The game continued. If it was later in a good mood, then it will skip that door, but if it was feeling playful, then it will rush in and eat its fill.


    ¡°We have to get them out of there¡­¡± Li Qian said.


    ¡°That will also depend on their courage to leave. Zhou Yu and Mo Ye are there, aren¡¯t they?¡± Song Zhi said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why didn¡¯t they knock on Zhou Yu¡¯s door?¡±


    ¡°Because Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t afraid.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°But I¡­ don¡¯t understand, Zhou Yu¡¯s head is fine, so why isn¡¯t he afraid?¡±


    ¡°Because there was a time when his anger overwhelmed his fear. It was just once, but that was enough for him to learn how to be fearless. He has forgotten death, and death has forgotten him.¡±


    The field workers who were in the resting area had not injected fear inhibitors. If they were scared, then the night spirit would be able to feel their presence from the outside.


    ¡°Only Zhou Yu and Mo Ye can save them now. Where¡¯s Professor Zhou? And the other researchers too, while the night spirit is still wandering in that area, have them evacuate and  come here!¡± Song Zhi said calmly.


    ¡°Are you ordering an evacuation?¡± Li Qian asked.


    ¡°Yes, using the shuttle, we can get them all out of here. We¡¯ll have to abandon this base temporarily.¡± Song Zhi replied. ¡°Where there is life, there is hope.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Li Qian immediately began calculating evacuation routes for researchers in each area.


    Zhou Qing, who was in his lab and didn¡¯t know what had happened, was very nervous. He tightly gripped the fruit of Elpis in his hand until news of the evacuation was announced.


    All the researchers left quickly. Zhou Qing took advantage of the chaos to take the liquid sample of Elpis brought back by team alpha before leaving with everyone else.


    His heart was pounding. He wanted to see the seeds of Elpis sprout more than anyone, but he was worried about being caught taking the samples.


    When all the researchers were safely evacuated to Song Zhi¡¯s side, Song Zhi set out arranging for them to enter the shuttle cabin.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, please¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. Where¡¯s my brother?¡± Zhou Qing noticed that there wasn¡¯t a single field worker taking part in the evacuation. He realized that things were more serious than he¡¯d thought.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, please¡­¡± Song Zhi tried to persuade him, but he was interrupted by Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Mr. Song, he¡¯s my older brother. I don¡¯t want to waste everyone¡¯s time arguing about this with you so please respect my choice. Dr. Shen, you go first! ¡± Zhou Qing looked directly into Song Zhi¡¯s eyes, unexpectedly imposing.


    Dr. Shen looked at Song Zhi, who nodded.


    The first group of researchers entered the shuttle, then the magnetic field.


    At this time, Zhou Yu, who was by the door, was listening for sounds of movement in the corridor. The night spirit seemed to have taken Mikey to the other end of the hallway.


    Just then, the PA system in the corridor and in each room sounded, making sounds that varied in length.


    Zhou Yu instantly recognized it as Morse code!


    Mo Ye could understand human language, so Song Zhi and Li Qian were not sure if that night spirit could also understand. What if he¡¯d been taught it by Carlos? They could only send out instructions using a different method.


    The contents of the coded message directed them to evacuate the area as soon as possible, and asked Mo Ye to cover for them. Li Qian gave them five seconds, tops. If they didn¡¯t have the courage to open the door and run or if they weren¡¯t fast enough to escape the hallway, then they would be locked in the area.


    Zhou Yu stared blankly, then he looked down at Mo Ye.


    They didn¡¯t know how strong the monster outside was¡­ What if Mo Ye couldn¡¯t overpower it?


    Please don¡¯t repost this anywhere else, just Google ¡°coffeetoobitter¡± and read it there. It¡¯s that easy.


    Mo Ye suddenly stood up and patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder with his right wing, as if to say: I will protect you.


    Zhou Yu breathed out. He put his palm on top of Mo Ye¡¯s head and said, ¡°The point is not to protect me, but to survive.¡±


    Mo Ye nodded, then stretched out his back and pushed it to Zhou Yu¡¯s face.


    His temperature and touch further reassured Zhou Yu that they would not die.


    He and Mo Ye must live on till the end!


    Zhou Yu put his fingers on the door lock, waiting for Li Qian¡¯s signal.


    When there came a ¡°ding¡ª¡±, Zhou Yu opened the door, and without a single glance at the night spirit, he made a dash for the channel Li Qian had opened up.


    Other than him and Wu Yun, no one else dared to open the door and run!


    The night spirit at the end of the corridor suddenly turned around and looked after Zhou Yu¡¯s back. Its blood-red eyes glinted with bloodthirsty excitement!


    Wu Yun was closest to the passageway. He has stepped into the channel but did not leave immediately. Instead, he turned around and aimed his gun at the night spirit that was charging at him.


    In the past, Zhou Yu had given up everything to save him. This time, he wouldn¡¯t give up on Zhou Yu!


    In less than a second, he¡¯d emptied out his magazine on the night spirit that whirled through the passageway like a black tornado. It swept in close and avoided each shot, aiming at Zhou Yu¡¯s back.


    The speed of a human being was incomparable to that of a night spirit.


    At the moment Wu Yun¡¯s heart was about to split open, Mo Ye came rushing out and knocked the night spirit flying! It fell in the middle of the corridor, splitting the floor open beneath it. Mo Ye was exceedingly strong; the night spirit slid back to the end of the hallway, and with a ¡°bang¡ª¡±, it crashed. Even the door at the end of the hallway caved in on impact.


    Its bones seemed to crack and its wings were broken.


    Looking at the scene, Li Qian was dumbstruck. ¡°Is that really Mo Ye? He¡¯s so strong¡­¡±


    If it played out like this, then they wouldn¡¯t need to evacuate at all. Mo Ye could definitely handle that night spirit!


    ¡°What are you gawking at?!¡± Song Zhi pressed a key on Li Qian¡¯s keyboard and the access doors immediately closed.


    Mo Ye turned around and spread open his wings. Wu Yun only felt the force of a strong gale as he and Zhou Yu were carried by Mo Ye¡¯s wings until they glided over to the other end of the hallway.


    Li Qian quickly opened the passageway to let Mo Ye take Wu Yun and Zhou Yu through, unhindered.


    At this time, the injured night spirit slowly raised its head.


    Mikey ran to the entranceway and pounded on the door. ¡°Let me out! Please, let me leave! ¡°


    Li Qian was about to open the access door, but he was stopped by Song Zhi.


    ¡°Mr. Song?¡± Li Qian wanted to ask why they weren¡¯t going to save him when Mikey screamed.


    In the blink of an eye, the injured night spirit appeared behind Mikey and bit down on him.


    Li Qian was so frightened that he almost fell off his seat.


    ¡°It grows and evolves every time it eats. Mo Ye just showed it his strength so now it sees Mo Ye as its opponent. Zhou Yu and the others will need to hurry! We can¡¯t save everyone. When you sent out the Morse code, only Zhou Yu and Wu Yun left, meaning we can only save the two of them. If we hesitate, we may lose even them.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t cold, but resolute.


    Standing behind Song Zhi, Zhou Qing was worried sick. He thought that what he¡¯d been through when he first came to Nibelungen had been cruel enough, but he hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Yu to experience even crueler battles.


    Mo Ye was very fast. Within a minute, he¡¯d sped through the periphery of the base and come to its core.


    Meanwhile, the night spirit cleaned out everyone that had not been evacuated. Soon, a dozen bodies were piled up under the security camera. It was truly a ghastly sight.


    Li Qian didn¡¯t want to watch any of it, but he had to monitor the movements of the night spirit.


    It looked up as if it had sensed something. Its body was still expanding, and its wings stabbed into the metal walls of the passageway.


    ¡°It¡­ It evolved again!¡±


    ¡°Where are Zhou Yu and the others?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re almost here¡­¡±


    At that moment, the night spirit hurtled forward violently. With a loud crash, it rammed open the passageway door in front of it. Without any intention of slowing down, it broke through several layers of closed access nodes in pursuit of Mo Ye.


    ¡°Oh shit oh shit! Hurry, Mo Ye! Hurry!¡±


    Li Qian opened up each channel, one by one, then closed them, one by one. The night spirit was getting closer to Mo Ye.


    Suddenly, Mo Ye threw Zhou Yu and Wu Yun to the ground, then turned around and shielded in front of them. He opened his wings, completely blocking out Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.


    ¡°Mo Ye! What are you doing?!¡±


    Zhou Yu went forward, but the sound of the night spirit breaking through each access door got closer and closer.


    Li Qian opened up the last door behind Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.


    Mo Ye did not turn back, instead, with a flap of his wings, he flung Zhou Yu and Wu Yun back.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun fell before the shuttle cabin. Zhou Yu wanted to go forward but was grabbed by Wu Yun.


    ¡°Listen, Zhou Yu. This is not a fight we can intervene in!¡±


    Song Zhi opened the shuttle hatch and said, ¡°Zhou Yu, if you stay here, you will become nourishment for the night spirit to evolve. Are you going to help it defeat Mo Ye?¡±


    ¡°Brother, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but we have to evacuate!¡± Zhou Qing also grabbed Zhou Yu¡¯s arm.


    At this time, the night spirit had caught up to Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye¡¯s amber eyes darkened. He opened his mouth to emit a sound, the invisible force reverberating through the air, powerful and unshakable.


    The night spirit¡¯s claws were tightly sunken into the ground, but it was almost overturned by that force.


    Song Zhi said coldly, ¡°You are the last group of evacuees. Zhou Yu, believe me, that night spirit isn¡¯t Mo Ye¡¯s opponent. Or would you rather that Wu Yun, Li Qian and Professor Zhou be buried with you?¡±


    Zhou Yu clenched his jaw. Just then, Mo Ye¡¯s cry came again.


    It wasn¡¯t a sound of resistance or suffering, but one to have Zhou Yu believe that he could handle the night spirit.


    It penetrated deep into Zhou Yu¡¯s brain and smashed apart his doubts.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu found that his body was completely out of his control. He went forward, step by step, into the shuttle cabin.


    This situation led Zhou Yu to remember when he had been controlled by that S rank organism.


    Is that you? Are you controlling everything?


    If so, save Mo Ye! He can¡¯t die!


    Zhou Yu wanted to resist the force that was controlling him, but he was too weak in the face of that power.


    ¡°Goodbye, Zhou Yu. Next time you see me, please don¡¯t be so stingy with your kisses.¡±


    This is the first time that the young man, who had always appeared languid as if he didn¡¯t have a care in the world, carried a trace of fond attachment in his voice.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was already seated in his position.


    Zhou Qing and Wu Yun also stepped in.


    Song Zhi came to Li Qian, patted him on the shoulder, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll execute the command instead.¡±


    ¡°What, Mr. Song¡­? You¡­¡± Li Qian looked surprised.


    ¡°The base¡¯s self-destruct command is set for half an hour from now. That should be enough time for Mo Ye and the night spirit to end their battle. If Mo Ye wins, I will terminate the self-destruct command. If Mo Ye fails, then, tough luck.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song¡­¡±


    ¡°Li Qian, you aren¡¯t staying behind out of loyalty to Juli Corp, but to your friends. You are the last one to stay for Zhou Yu and the others. I admire you, but I don¡¯t like to have the people I admire die. That¡¯s why you should board the shuttle, now. I built up this base up single-handedly, so it should also be my hand that destroys it.¡± Song Zhi spoke calmly.


    Li Qian clenched his teeth and went to the hatch.


    He looked back at Song Zhi, who waved and said, ¡°Have a safe journey.¡±


    The hatch closed and the safety system was activated. Just like how they¡¯d arrived, their bodies were first suspended before the shuttle module zipped into the magnetic field.


    At this time, the door was blown open, and the night spirit pressing down on Mo Ye rushed in.


    Song Zhi acted as if he hadn¡¯t seen the intense scene before him. He leaned down, picked up a pack of smokes that had been lying on the ground, and shook out a cigarette that he placed between his lips. He lit it up and sucked in a breath.


    Each second of the battle between them was a moment of life and death. The space around them was on the verge of collapsing.


    Song Zhi sat in a chair and, like he had nothing to do with them, remarked, ¡°How long are you going to put on your act for? Zhou Yu isn¡¯t here anymore. Or are you going to let that night spirit destroy all the computer equipment here? I must remind you that these installations are very important; Zhou Yu hasn¡¯t reached the other side safely yet.¡±


    Suddenly, Mo Ye flipped over and stepped on the other night spirit with the clear, overwhelming advantage. Despite the ferocious expression it showed, Mo Ye remained lofty and unperturbed.


    He looked down at the other night spirit as if heaven and earth were crumbling in his gaze. That night spirit¡¯s arrogant expression dropped away, finally realizing something before fear rushed in.


    Mo Ye¡¯s wings slowly unfurled, and from his head to all the way to the tip of his wings, he was slowly plated with a layer of transparent silver. He resembled a beautiful illusion.


    Song Zhi puffed out a ring of smoke and seemed to gaze through Mo Ye at something in the distance.


    Mo Ye was like a formless yet constantly shifting cloud; he swooped down, and with unstoppable momentum, completely disintegrated the other night spirit into dust, like the explosion of a ticking time bomb.


    That invisible force blasted through the air in all directions.


    The computers made a buzzing sound, Song Zhi¡¯s cigarette started to crackle, and his hair was tossed into the air.


    Then, a young man slowly emerged from the rubble.


    He had short black hair like Zhou Yu, with well-defined facial features. His handsome appearance was enough to take one¡¯s breath away. Each step he took was like the fall of an entire century.


    Song Zhi casually grabbed a researcher¡¯s white lab coat and threw it to him.


    The young man easily caught the long garment and draped it over his shoulders, the hemline drawing out a semicircle in the air. There was a leisurely sense of omniscience to his elegance.


    ¡°How should I address you?¡± Song Zhi put out the remaining half of the cigarette. He remained sitting in the same place, looking at him.


    The young man¡¯s legs were straight and slender outside his long gown. He carelessly sat down opposite Song Zhi and grabbed the potato chips that were left behind on Li Qian¡¯s desk.


    ¡°My name is Mo Ye, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°It sounds like you really took the name Zhou Yu gave you seriously.¡± Song Zhi showed a half-ironic smile.

 CH 55

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 55: Two worlds


    ¡°This is my only name.¡± Mo Ye opened the bag of potato chips, picked up a piece with his slender and beautiful fingers, and put it into his mouth. ¡°Hmm¡­ I have no idea why so many children and Li Qian like such foods. It¡¯s not healthy at all.¡±


    ¡°You know quite a lot about the human world.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Actually, I really want to know what ice cream tastes like.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s expression held a touch of naivety that was inexplicably endearing.


    ¡°I can take you to look for some later. Maybe there¡¯s some in the dining hall.¡± Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. You already knew, in your heart, that the night spirit wasn¡¯t strong enough to be my opponent. You didn¡¯t have to work so hard to evacuate everyone here. In fact, you only wanted to separate Zhou Yu from me, correct? Because Zhou Yu will definitely try to put a stop to whatever it is that you want to do. Now that he¡¯s gone, you can tell me what is it that you want.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Song Zhi, his eyes thoroughly penetrating.


    His beauty transcended gender, and the longer one looked at him, the more they are engulfed by that invisible temptation.


    Song Zhi drew out the pistol from his waist and put it on the table.


    ¡°These bullets are made from Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid. You grew up sucking Zhou Yu¡¯s blood, so using Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid is the only way I can think of to control you.¡±


    ¡°How characteristic of Nibelungen¡¯s higher life forms. But if you want me to shoot myself¡ªare you crazy?¡± Mo Ye¡¯s lips curved up with a sense of mockery.


    He got closer to Song Zhi, wanting to look into his eyes clearly.


    Song Zhi leaned back, unperturbed. ¡°You should save your charm for captivating Zhou Yu, especially when he finds out what you are.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! But you still haven¡¯t told me why I would shoot myself yet.¡± Mo Ye said.


    His voice was neither light nor heavy, just like the moonlight falling into a goblet, steady yet airy. A mix of two entirely different characteristics, just like the two inseparable sides of a coin.


    ¡°Because I input disassembly instructions in Zhou Yu¡¯s shuttle cabin. You¡¯re smart, you can grasp knowledge that humans take years to learn, but a computer program is still very complex. By the time you can master how to crack it, Zhou Yu will have already disappeared into the magnetic field.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? As what you¡¯ve defined as an S rank organism, I don¡¯t need to learn anything; all I need to do is look inside your brain. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve been learning about Zhou Yu.¡±


    ¡°Is it? So try it then. What¡¯s in my brain?¡±


    Song Zhi looked indifferent.


    Mo Ye¡¯s smile slowly disappeared, and as time ticked by, everything fell into a deathly silence.


    He looked at Song Zhi, his gaze cold. ¡°You¡¯re the property of another S rank organism.¡±


    Song Zhi raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes, although I don¡¯t like how you said that, you can¡¯t penetrate my mind because it is protecting me. There¡¯s one minute left, Mo Ye. You decide whether to kill me and let Zhou Yu die, or we get along with each other like humans and eat ice cream, watch movies¡­¡±


    Before Song Zhi could finish speaking, Mo Ye picked up the gun on the table and shot his own shoulder.


    With a bang, the contents of the bullet spread rapidly through his body.


    He tilted back his head, frowning. He felt every cell in his body being locked into place.


    ¡°Is it painful?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid, I¡¯m happy for it to integrate into my body.¡± Mo Ye carelessly threw the gun down in front of Song Zhi.


    His shoulder was gush out bright scarlet blood, like a butterfly on the brink of taking flight.


    The wound healed quickly.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ll have to be in human form for quite a while.¡± Song Zhi said.


    ¡°Revoke the disassembly order.¡± Mo Ye said coldly.


    Song Zhi spread his hands open and shook his head apologetically. ¡°Sorry, but that order didn¡¯t exist in the first place.¡±


    ¡°So you lied to me?¡± Mo Ye raised his eyebrows, but his true emotions seemed to be submerged at the bottom of a gentle river, unable to be discerned.


    ¡°Yes. I know you must want to kill me right now, but I advise you not to. If you want to see Zhou Yu again, you need me.¡±


    ¡°That sounds reasonable. Am I the first S rank organism you¡¯ve cheated?¡± Mo Ye asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course not. But I do want to know¡ªif you really were a night spirit, would you save Zhou Yu, even at the cost of your own life?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? If I can¡¯t interact with him on equal footing in my human form, then I¡¯d rather eat him and make him a part of me forever.¡± Mo Ye said with a very serious expression.


    Song Zhi chuckled and slowly got up. As usual, he straightened out his cuffs and shirt. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡± Mo Ye followed Song Zhi.


    ¡°The dining hall, to look for ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you paralyzed my nerves and weakened my abilities with Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid. Don¡¯t tell me that was all just for me to stay here with you?¡± Mo Ye¡¯s hands were behind his head, showing a bored expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s to study you, of course.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°Oh¡ªso through me, you want to find the weakness of that S rank organism you¡¯re suppressing and being controlled by at the same time, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Song Zhi made no secret of his purpose.


    ¡°But are you certain you want to break free from it?¡± Mo Ye drew out his words as if he wanted to tear apart Song Zhi¡¯s facade to reveal something raw.


    ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡±


    They really went to the dining hall. The power hadn¡¯t been cut there, but the chef and other staff had not been able to evacuate in time.


    At first, they thought that some kind of dangerous creature had come in. The chef even took out a kitchen knife for self-defense. When they saw that it was Song Zhi, the chef slowly put down the knife.


    ¡°M-Mr. Song ¡­Why are you still here?¡±


    Song Zhi sat down at a table, Mo Ye sitting opposite him.


    When the chef and others saw Mo Ye, they were stunned.


    Song Zhi¡¯s fingers tapped the table. ¡°How much longer can we last on the food supply reserve?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s only us, then we manage for a year.¡±


    ¡°Very good. Within a year, the people on that side will surely come to pick us up.¡± Song Zhi turned to look at the chef and said, ¡°Fry me a steak. Prepare gourmet ice cream for the gentleman opposite me.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Mr. Song!¡± Even when agreeing, the chef¡¯s eyes never strayed from Mo Ye¡¯s body.


    Song Zhi snapped his fingers. Mo Ye looked at the chef and said, ¡°I want to eat ice cream.¡±


    The chef snapped out of his daze and went into the kitchen to prepare. A series of crashes came from within, possibly from something falling or breaking.


    ¡°Why choose the form of a night spirit?¡± Song Zhi asked with one hand on his cheek.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s because, out of all the various biological life forms, the appearance and characteristics of a night spirit are the most likely to attract Zhou Yu.¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°Oh? What appearance and characteristics?¡± Song Zhi propped up his chin while looking at Mo Ye.


    ¡°Not too beautiful, but with a loyal and unwavering heart. Just like Zhou Yu himself.¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d chosen Zhou Yu right from the beginning.¡± Song Zhi smiled and shook his head. ¡°So what do you want from him? You show him your special dependence on him. Apart from his blood, you won¡¯t eat from anyone else. In this world where danger lurks behind every corner, you protect him like his knight in shining armor. You take great pains to hide your true self and try and understand his world. If you only see him as your prey or as nutrition for your offspring, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of effort to act with so much deliberation?¡±


    The chef brought out the gourmet ice cream for Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye merely smiled at Song Zhi. As the world slowed, the chef couldn¡¯t move his eyes away.


    Mo Ye scooped up the ice cream, put it into his mouth, then narrowed his eyes, as if he was appreciating its creamy taste, sweetness, and chilled sensation. Then he showed a disappointed expression. ¡°Zhou Yu still tastes better.¡±


    Song Zhi crossed his arm and looked at Mo Ye without saying a word. His eyes were saying to Mo Ye: answer my question.


    ¡°Fine, fine, Mr. Song, you¡¯re quite the impatient guy. For you, in order to survive in Nibelungen, there are three great rules. First, never show fear. Fear is the sign of the hunted. Second, do not be charmed by beautiful organisms. The more beautiful they are, the more dangerous. Third, don¡¯t be misled by the mimicry of S rank organisms. The organisms in this world don¡¯t have love. I can reluctantly accept the first two, but the third one is terrible.¡± Mo Ye shook the spoon in his hand. ¡°You humans are egoists, through and through. S rank organisms are not without love. We also yearn to establish a special connection with other creatures. But our connection is absolute, pure, and can¡¯t tolerate any hesitance or betrayal. Humans, by nature, are not perfectly committed; their so-called love comes and goes as they please. And you¡¯ve betrayed the one who trusted and relied on you the most.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s eyes glimmered a little, but there was no fluctuation in his mood.


    ¡°For most S rank organisms, there are three rules of survival we needed to follow ever since you humans arrived¡­ First, do not yearn for human beings, because you are selfish. Second, do not think that human beings are beautiful, because you are hypocritical. Third, don¡¯t believe in human beings, because you are thoroughly egotistical.¡± Mo Ye leaned in to Song Zhi. His eyes were like lakes in the sky, encompassing the sun, moon, and stars.


    ¡°You have a good command of human language.¡± Song Zhi said.


    Mo Ye smiled. ¡°It¡¯s because of Zhou Yu.¡±


    ¡°He speaks very little.¡±


    ¡°He said a lot to me. And what he says is the same as what he thinks in his mind. This is my favorite place.¡± Mo Ye pointed to his own head with a finger.


    ¡°You just said those were the rules of survival for most S rank organisms. What about you?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    Mo Ye¡¯s gaze dropped, and he continued to stir the ice cream with his spoon.


    Song Zhi turned to the side. ¡°Although the food supply here is enough to last us for a long time, there¡¯s not much ice cream.¡±


    Meaning, try not to waste it.


    ¡°I want stewed beef and potatoes with rice.¡± Mo Ye suddenly spoke.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get used to it. No matter how much you want to feel what Zhou Yu has felt, your sense of touch is different. No matter how you try the food Zhou Yu eats, your sense of taste is different. Now that Zhou Yu has gone back, and you can only remain here. Your worlds are different.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not going to let Zhou Yu come back.¡± Mo Ye raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°He¡¯s very outstanding, so of course not. And you¡¯re here. Knowing his personality, he¡¯ll be willing to go through hell to come back for you. ¡°


    Mo Ye closed his eyes and smiled. His smile was gentle. ¡°Your words make me happy.¡±


    Song Zhi turned to the chef and said, ¡°Make a serving of stewed beef and potatoes with rice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mo Ye smiled.


    ¡°Then, for today¡¯s last question, what was the problem with the sample of the night spirit¡¯s remains we brought back? Why was the night spirit so bloodthirsty? Is it its nature, or was there something wrong with our research and technology that caused genetic defects?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than just one question. You claim that it¡¯s the last question, but it¡¯s not the last one.¡± Mo Ye sighed. ¡°What were your conjectures on why the night spirits died out in the first place?¡±


    ¡°They were attacked by other, more powerful enemies. It¡¯s the most probable explanation.¡±


    ¡°Well, disease is a powerful enemy.¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°Disease? What kind of disease? Night spirits are creatures with a strong healing ability¡­¡± Song Zhi was very surprised.


    Mo Ye beckoned to several staff members who were watching them not too far away.


    One of them came over.


    Mo Ye closed his eyes and the staff member immediately appeared as if possessed. When he came to Mo Ye, he also closed his eyes.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Song Zhi frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m studying your human knowledge so that I can explain it in a way that you can understand. I can¡¯t read your thoughts, so I can only read from others.¡±


    A few minutes later, Mo Ye suddenly opened his eyes again. The worker sat down on the ground as if he¡¯d lost his strength. He panted hard, looking worn out.


    ¡°The night spirits were infected by a virus, their regeneration systems were destroyed, and their genes evolved due to the virus. Sometimes evolution makes a species more adapted to their environment, while other times, it can cause the species to perish. The night spirits slaughtered each other on that island, and so, the species disappeared. The night spirit sample you brought back for breeding was problematic in the first place. So from a technical point of view, your breeding technology is superb, but unfortunately, the foundation was wrong.¡± Mo Ye leaned back in his chair and looked at Song Zhi with an easygoing smile.¡± Zhou Yu reminded you many times about the sample problem, but the desire for the unknown made you blind to the risks.¡±


    Song Zhi bowed his head in contemplation.


    At this time, the chef brought Mo Ye his potato and beef stew. Mo Ye raises his chopsticks, his long, slender fingers skillfully picking up vegetables.


    ¡°You can use chopsticks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve observed them so many times, how could I not learn?¡±


    ¡°How does the stewed beef and potatoes taste?¡±


    Mo Ye closed his eyes to chew, then nodded. ¡°Mmm¡­ It¡¯s super delicious!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Mo Ye seemed to have an appetite. ¡°I bet Zhou Yu must hate ice cream, so I didn¡¯t like it that much.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll be together for quite some time. I hope we can get along well.¡± Song Zhi extended a hand to Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye smiled and shook his hand. ¡°The premise of getting along well is that my Zhou Yu will come back.¡±


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu¡¯s shuttle cabin had successfully landed at Juli Corp¡¯s magnetic field terminal. As it jolted to a stop, Li Qian¡¯s heart almost leaped out of his chest.


    The hatch slowly opened, everyone staring outside. Had they arrived in their original world safely, or would there be more carnage?


    When the light shone in, Li Qian and Zhou Qing both let out sighs of relief.


    They felt as if they¡¯d be taken back to a lifetime ago as they walked out of the shuttle cabin.


    Standing in front of them was a woman in a black suit and skirt, her long blonde hair pulled to the back. She looked like a capable and efficient woman.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dr. Amanda Cook. I¡¯ll be in charge of your return.¡±


    Li Qian was relieved and hugged Wu Yun, who was next to him.


    ¡°Excellent! Wonderful! We¡¯re all still alive! ¡°


    Wu Yun patted Li Qian on the back and said with a smile, ¡°This has been my luckiest time yet.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Cook, what is the situation in the base on the other side? Is Mr. Song still alive?¡± Zhou Yu asked immediately.


    Time seemed to crawl forward at a snail¡¯s pace for Zhou Yu in the shuttle. His palms were still sweaty.


    As long as Song Zhi was still alive, it meant that Mo Ye had defeated the other night spirit.


    Dr. Cook looked at Zhou Yu and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we haven¡¯t been able to contact Mr. Song yet. From what we know, the base sustained substantial damage. If Mr. Song is still alive, he will definitely find a way to contact us. We will also actively confirm the situation of Mr. Song¡¯s base through the other bases, but it will take some time to determine this information.¡±


    Zhou Yu heaved a sigh.


    Throughout the journey, he had been worried about Mo Ye.


    Would they ever see each other again?


    If Mo Ye survived, then Zhou Yu wished not to see him again, so that he could at least be sure that Mo Ye was finally free.


    No, no, no¡­ He wanted to see him again, no matter what it would take¡­ The connection they shared reached deep down to their blood and cells and could not be severed so easily.


    ¡°The corporation will arrange a vacation for everyone, although you will still be on standby. Professor Zhou, you can go back to your institution for now and continue your research.¡± Dr. Cook said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Qing nodded.


    ¡°Everyone else, please comply with the confidentiality terms you signed off on in your daily life. For those who violate the terms, I trust that you all know what Juli Corp is capable of¡­ The consequences will not be as simple as monetary compensation.¡± Dr. Cook¡¯s warning was grim.


    ¡°Come on, really? I have to listen to Dr. Cook repeat the confidentiality terms every time I come back. Why don¡¯t you record your speech and play it on loop in the shuttle cabin every time we come back? It can work for brainwashing.¡± Wu Yun waved.


    Dr. Cook threw him a glance, then turned away.


    Zhou Yu and Zhou Qing took a private car arranged by Juli Corp to return to their city, Wu Yun went to the hospital to see his daughter, and Li Qian stayed behind at Juli Corp as a systems tester.


    As the urban landscape flew by the windows on both sides, Zhou Yu felt as if everything had happened a lifetime ago.


    There were no dangerous organisms, no primeval forests, and the scent of the air was more complex. The world was filled with noise, advertisements, and car horns.


    Tall buildings in a steel garden.


    There was no Mo Ye in here.


    Everything in Nibelungen had been like a movie.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Mo Ye.¡± Zhou Qing looked at Zhou Yu and said.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much left I have to worry about.¡± Zhou Yu replied. He had lost all his teammates, and maybe even as soon as tomorrow, he could also lose Zhou Qing.


    They got out of the car and Zhou Qing went back to his living quarters at the school.


    ¡°Brother, are you going back to your original city?¡± Zhou Qing said with his head bowed as he sorted out the bed sheets and covers.


    ¡°Where would I go? I¡¯ll stay here. You¡¯re not well and I don¡¯t want you to be alone without any family when you¡¯re feeling ill.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Even though he didn¡¯t know whether it was important to Zhou Qing that he stayed.


    Since they didn¡¯t know when they would return to Nibelungen, Zhou Yu had planned to rent a place near Zhou Qing¡¯s school.


    ¡°Then¡­ stay here with me.¡± Zhou Qing suddenly said.


    ¡°If I live with you¡­ I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t be used to it¡­¡± Zhou Yu was surprised.


    ¡°How could I not be, we¡¯re family! Let¡¯s have hotpot tonight!¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Zhou Yu was reminded of his childhood, when he and Zhou Qing had sat around a hotpot. Their family wasn¡¯t well-off and their parents bought very little meat, all of it gone after being put into the pot. Every time their parents picked some out for the two children, Zhou Qing could give his share to Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Yu nodded.


    Although Zhou Qing¡¯s wasn¡¯t smiling widely, the happiness in his eyes could not be concealed.


    In the evening, the two brothers went to the supermarket to buy vegetables. Zhou Yu called Song Zhi when Zhou Qing wasn¡¯t paying attention. His display showed that no one picked up. It looked like Song Zhi had not returned from Nibelungen yet. Zhou Yu knew that he wasn¡¯t a core member of Juli Corp and that it would be difficult for him to find out about the situation in that world.


    That night over hotpot, Zhou Qing cracked open two beers. The two brothers talked about their childhood while drinking.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t bully you anymore after that, did they?¡± Zhou Yu and Zhou Qing clinked cans.


    ¡°I told them that if they bullied me again, then my brother would break their teeth.¡± Zhou Qing replied with a smile.

 CH 56

    Chapter 56: A reason to go back


    This surprised Zhou Yu. Zhou Qing had been stuffy as a kid, but even he would have moments where he could speak so fiercely. It wasn¡¯t like Zhou Qing at all, who was usually well-mannered and proud.


    After they¡¯d stuffed themselves full, Zhou Yu watched TV for a while. Zhou Qing continued reading over some files. He eventually fell asleep hunched over the table.


    Zhou Yu got a coat to cover Zhou Qing with, but when he glanced over at the files Zhou Qing had been reading, he found that it all had to do with how to grow soilless plants. He patted Zhou Qing on the shoulder. Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes and arched his back, but he didn¡¯t wake up completely.


    ¡°Sleep in your room if you¡¯re drowsy. You shouldn¡¯t be staying up late in the first place.¡±


    Zhou Yu was worried about Zhou Qing¡¯s brain tumor. He hadn¡¯t had a detailed examination since coming back.


    After Zhou Qing went to bed, Zhou Yu also went to sleep in the room next door.


    Pillowing his head in his arms, he stared at the ceiling.


    He found that although he¡¯d returned to his original world, the most important thing was left behind on the other side.


    Every time he went to bed, Mo Ye would snuggle up beside him. Before sleeping, he was used to stroking the fluff on his back. Now, the bed was several times wider than the sleep capsule in the base, but Zhou Yu felt empty.


    In a state of half-wakefulness, he saw something pass through the ceiling and come to him. Its elegant and elongated lines formed an inscrutable black streak¡­ It was Mo Ye!


    Zhou Yu suddenly woke up to stare right into Mo Ye¡¯s amber eyes.


    He was like a messenger of the night, mysterious and noble. His wings slowly opened and enveloped Zhou Yu¡¯s world, as if he would take him away.


    He lowered his head, the tip of his nose gently touching Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead in the most tender way Zhou Yu knew of.


    Warmth surged into his heart. Zhou Yu reached out to embrace Mo Ye.


    At that moment, Mo Ye¡¯s pure black body turned a transparent silver-white color. Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened, and as he was about to push him away, Zhou Yu was controlled by his absolute power.


    ¡°Come back to me¡­ I¡¯m thinking about you¡­¡±


    The ethereal voice sounded as if it came from millions and millions of lightyears away.


    They were so close, yet so far away.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°I am your Mo Ye.¡±


    It suddenly turned into a young man. Zhou Yu still remembered that elegant and striking face; it was the S rank organism that showed up before him from time to time.


    He was getting closer and closer to Zhou Yu, just like a miracle that could not be possessed.


    His breaths were so real that they brushed past Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes. The world and all its things quickly vanished, leaving behind only the two of them.


    This was not reality. This was an illusion.


    Zhou Yu said to himself.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m real, Zhou Yu. I live for you, I exist for you, I do not fear death. This is my law¡­¡±


    He held Zhou Yu¡¯s hand and gently covered his own cheek with it. It was the warm touch of flesh.


    ¡°I can be anything you want, just to be acknowledged by you.¡±


    He kissed Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes reverently.


    The pounding of a heartbeat could be heard. Zhou Yu¡¯s peaceful world seemed to come alive all of a sudden.


    When he opened his eyes, the young man disappeared.


    ¡°Mo Ye¡ª¡± Zhou Yu raised his hand and tried to catch that moment that belonged solely to him, but he ended up empty-handed.


    Zhou Yu instantly sat up in bed, only to find that it had all been a dream.


    The sky had already begun to marble white in the approaching dawn outside the window.


    Zhou Yu covered his eyes, feeling immensely weary.


    What was going on? He really missed Mo Ye so much¡­ He missed him like crazy¡­ If it wasn¡¯t because of Zhou Yu¡¯s uncertain physical condition, he would have immediately applied to return to Nibelungen. Even going to Base 2 where Dr. Ron was was fine!


    But why had he imagined Mo Ye as that young man?


    There was no resemblance between them at all!


    Mo Ye was like a child; willful and naughty but lovable, his intentions laid out like an open book to Zhou Yu.


    However, the young man that the S rank organism had transformed into was different. He appeared to be beautiful, but Zhou Yu could feel that he was hiding many secrets¡­ as well as danger.


    He knew he had to go back to Nibelungen and see for himself that Mo Ye was still alive.


    At nine o¡¯clock in the morning, after Zhou Yu had sent Zhou Qing off to school, he called Dr. Cook and told her that he wanted to return to Nibelungen.


    ¡°Our research program has not fully launched yet and the damaged base is still being repaired, but we do need you for something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°To train new recruits. Our staff \suffered heavy losses and we are in need of fresh blood. According to Mr. Song¡¯s report, you accepted the memories of Elpis, an A rank organism in Nibelungen, and you know more about the ecosystem there than our researchers and field workers. We hope you can share this information.¡± Dr. Cook replied.


    ¡°Is Song Zhi still alive?¡± Zhou Yu asked again.


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that for the time being.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s breath caught. He was still waiting for a definite answer.


    Dr. Cook¡¯s reply remained both formal and disappointing.


    ¡°When¡¯s the next assignment?¡±


    ¡°Three months from now. As an elite in your field, you are our first pick.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Three more months¡­


    For the first time, Zhou Yu found that he had lost the patience to wait.


    In the labratory, Zhou Qing took out the fruit of Elpis and put it into a soilless culture dish.


    He knew that Juli Corp¡¯s labs were all under surveillance. Once the seed germinated, it would belong to Juli Corp.


    However, it was the only connection between him and that S rank organism.


    He didn¡¯t want to lose this connection, but he knew that the consequences of Elpis growing in the human world would be unpredictable and possibly even devastating.


    But in his mind echoed the voice of that S rank organism: it¡¯s time to plant it, Zhou Qing¡­ Please trust me.


    Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t resist the voice¡¯s control. He poured the liquid sample he¡¯d secretly brought over onto the seed, setting up the optimal quantity levels and temperature for soilless cultivation in the human world and waiting for it to germinate.


    Three days later, Zhou Yu was sent to the new training base by Dr. Cook¡¯s staff. It would be the start of a month-long closed training session.


    Zhou Qing was strongly against it. He grabbed Zhou Yu and asked him seriously, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for you to return to your normal, everyday life. Why are you in such a hurry to go back?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Qing, I¡¯m just going to teach.¡± Zhou Yu smiled and patted his brother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re not just going to be their instructor¡­ You can¡¯t let go.¡±


    Zhou Qing looked at Zhou Yu. His thorough understanding of Zhou Yu was reflected in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes,  there¡¯s something I have to go back for. And take care of yourself. I¡¯ve already contacted Dr. Daniel. If anything happens to you, he will be the first to tell me, so don¡¯t hide it from me like you did last time.¡±


    Zhou Yu said this very seriously.


    Zhou Qing released his hand because there he also had something he had to return to Nibelungen for.


    After Zhou Yu left, Zhou Qing returned to his lab. Over the past few days, he¡¯d gotten used to the feeling of having his older brother at home. Zhou Qing did not want to return to an empty home at all.


    When all the research assistants had left, Zhou Qing remained alone at his desk, where he lay down.


    It was approaching the early hours of the morning and Zhou Qing was sleepy, so he sprawled over the table and fell asleep.


    Only barely conscious, something seemed to caress his cheek.


    It was a little chilly inside the lab so Zhou Qing subconsciously tightened his collar. Then, a warm cloud surrounded him, as if he was in someone¡¯s arms.


    His lonely thoughts were smoothed out and Zhou Qing slept deeply.


    Until someone shook his shoulder. ¡°Professor Zhou! Professor Zhou! How could you fall asleep here! You¡¯ll catch a cold!¡±


    Zhou Qing opened his eyes and saw his graduate student.


    ¡°Oh, I just wanted to take a nap, I wasn¡¯t planning to fall asleep¡­¡± Zhou Qing stood up.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your neck hurt?¡± The graduate student asked again.


    Zhou Qing twisted his neck and found that not only was he not feeling uncomfortable, but he also felt quite energetic after waking up.


    ¡°Ah, Professor Zhou, it looks like your soilless seeds have sprouted.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Qing ran over at once. He was in such haste that he stumbled over a chair. Fortunately, the graduate student next to him caught him in time.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, is this some kind of special plant? You seem to care a lot about it!¡±


    When Zhou Qing arrived at the dish, he saw that there was a green sprout between the cracks of the fruit. As if it had been squeezed out of the most unyielding of crevices, it looked like it might shrink back inside at any time.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s heart was racing. He carefully reached out his fingers and touched it. That soft and fragile feeling instantly filled Zhou Qing¡¯s heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a special plant¡­ It¡¯s a gift from my friend. It¡¯s of special significance to me.¡± Zhou Qing forced down his inner excitement.


    It had only germinated. It would take tens of thousands of years to grow up, but for Zhou Qing, this was a miracle.


    With its germination, Zhou Qing no longer wanted to go home at all. He stayed in the lab 24 hours a day.


    Even Zhou Qing¡¯s graduate students felt like Professor Zhou had been possessed.


    They all discussed privately about what the plant could be.


    A week later, the bud of the Elpis plant grew a tiny leaf.


    When Zhou Qing walked up to it while carrying tea and saw this scene, his cup fell to the ground.


    ¡°How is this possible? How is this possible! It grew a leaf!¡±


    Zhou Qing thought it would take years or even decades for Elpis to grow its first leaf, but it had only been a few days! Had its life cycle synchronized with the living things here, after it was brought to the human world?


    The leaf was a soft green color that emitted a faint blue glow under the lighting in the lab.


    The more Zhou Qing looked at it, the more he felt that something was calling to him.


    He could hear it whisper in his ear.


    It was a wonderful feeling.


    Zhou Qing stroked the tender leaf with his finger. He was worried that he would break it, but he could not restrain his desire to make contact with it. The moment he touched it, the tender leaf slowly rolled up in an arc to fit against the curve of Zhou Qing¡¯s finger, as if to give Zhou Qing a hug.


    Zhou Qing was immersed in that wonderful feeling.


    Until his graduate students came into the lab.


    ¡°Oh, Professor Zhou, did you knock over the tea?¡±


    ¡°Professor Zhou, you won¡¯t be staying here all night again, will you?¡±


    Zhou Qing withdrew his fingers and the tender leaf slowly drooped down, as if it was despondent at Zhou Qing¡¯s departure.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu met the new batch of special combat team members selected by Juli Corp in the sealed training base.


    Most of them were young and energetic, but also difficult to discipline.


    Wu Yun was their combat instructor, but given Wu Yun¡¯s character, he had not seriously taught them anything. They were already highly proficient in interpersonal combat, but how to fight in that other world can only be learned there.


    The youngsters had already seen Wu Yun¡¯s abilities and suffered at his hands. Even if they were unwilling to accept it, no one dared to do anything rash in front of Wu Yun. Needless to say, Dr. Cook, who was in charge of their training program, informed them in a cold tone that among the special combat team members sent to Nibelungen, Wu Yun was the only one who had made it there and back alive, thrice. He was the most experienced one out of them.


    The last thing they wanted to sit through was theory class. When they heard that someone would be coming in to teach them about the biology of that world, they all thought it would be a doctor, professor, or researcher, but later, they learned that it was just a field worker who had been to Nibelungen. Even though they knew that if they wanted to keep their lives and earn Juli Corp¡¯s payout, then they couldn¡¯t miss a single word of it, they were still reluctant to accept it in their hearts.


    But what they weren¡¯t expecting was that Wu Yun also came.


    In the expansive lecture hall, watching everyone sitting in their combat suits, Wu Yun also found it a little comical.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll say two things before your biology instructor comes in. First, I will beat up whoever starts fooling around or sleeping during his lecture. Second, even I have to listen well to whatever he says, so please, make sure you drill it into your brains.¡±


    ¡°Instructor Wu, who is Instructor Zhou?¡± One of the youngsters raised their hand and asked.


    ¡°My partner. And someone who saved me many times.¡± With that, Wu Yun came to the front row and sat down, crossing his arms and looking towards the platform.


    This surprised everyone. Someone who could save Wu Yun many times must be very skilled. But why was he coming in to teach biology?


    A few minutes later, a tall man in camouflage stepped in. He was expressionless and he did not carry any files with him, as if he hadn¡¯t prepared at all.


    But when he put his hands in his pockets and looked over at everyone, he exuded dominance.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Zhou Yu. Now, I¡¯ll introduce some hostile organisms that are commonly found in Nibelungen to you. I will say everything only once, and every word only once.¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t waste time on pleasantries and went straight to the main topic.


    This also made the recruits sit straight up, because Zhou Yu¡¯s words were treated as valuably as gold, and he seemed to be very efficient.


    The first creature that appeared on the projection screen behind Zhou Yu left everyone speechless.


    ¡°This creature is called a Peryton. Their brains are not where we¡¯re used to it being, but in their abdomen. They have no eyes, ears, or nose, so they have no vision, hearing, or sense of smell. In Nibelungen, 70 percent of all organisms hunt through fear, and the Peryton is representative of that. They have a strong self-healing ability, but of course, most of the organisms in Nibelungen have strong regenerative abilities. Ordinary bullets can¡¯t hurt them, so in that world, the bullets you will be using are specially made with compounds. Don¡¯t waste them. One shot is enough, assuming that you hit it, of course. As for its strength, you can see for yourself.¡±


    With that, Zhou Yu moved away from the projection screen.


    The video was the same one that Wu Yun had shown them at the beginning.


    As Zhou Yu had imagined, the special combat recruits were frightened. This was consistent with Juli Corp¡¯s style; they wanted to filter out those who do not have enough courage and determination.


    When the video ended, Zhou Yu calmly explained the characteristics of other organisms such as the two-headed wolf spider, devil vines, El Nino water dragon, swordbone butterfly, etc. As for how many of them really listened, that was unknown.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for the morning class. I wish you all good appetites.¡±


    From beginning to end, Zhou Yu did not smile once. The knowledge he imparted was not a joke to him.


    As they were leaving, Zhou Yu nodded to Wu Yun.


    Then the recruits burst into chatter.


    ¡°That Peryton was terrifying! If we didn¡¯t have the inhibitor to suppress our fear, it could kill us all in a second!¡±


    Wu Yun chuckled.


    ¡°Instructor Wu, what are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°I laughed¡­ because even without the inhibitor, someone can kill a Peryton. And without using modified bullets.¡±


    ¡°Who? Do you mean yourself, Mr. Wu?¡±


    ¡°Me? I don¡¯t have that ability. It¡¯s Zhou Yu.¡± Wu Yun got up.


    He was stopped at once by several of the recruits.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, we know that you are experienced and skilled, but are you saying that Zhou Yu can kill a Peryton? We don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s up to you. He hasn¡¯t gone too far yet, you can test his skill.¡± A smile full of evil intentions appeared at Wu Yun¡¯s lips. He seemed to look forward to watching Zhou Yu straighten them out.


    The recruits¡¯ curiosities were aroused. Was Zhou Yu really more powerful than Wu Yun, and to what degree?


    They were eager to try it so they left the lecture hall and quickly went after Zhou Yu.


    After their special training, their footsteps were nearly silent. They knew that Zhou Yu would turn the corner in the corridor, so two of them circled to the other side, intending to catch Zhou Yu from both the front and back.


    The security camera in the hallway was transmitting the scene to Li Qian.


    Li Qian stretched out his arms then took out a bag of chips. He wanted to watch a good show. ¡°You guys better be able to take a punch. Don¡¯t let me¡­¡±


    Before he¡¯d finished speaking, he saw Zhou Yu kick one of them in the abdomen, and using that force, rebound off the wall to deliver an accurate side-kick to the second man¡¯s neck. As he fell back to the ground, he twisted the third man¡¯s wrist to dislocation, quickly followed by knocking down the fourth and fifth persons.


    Zhou Yu looked at them coolly and said, ¡°You will all die very quickly over there if that¡¯s how fast you can react.¡±


    And with that, he left.


    Li Qian blinked. ¡°What the¡­ I haven¡¯t even opened my chips yet!¡±


    Then Li Qian frowned. He replayed the video clip again.


    ¡°This speed¡­ It¡¯s so strange¡­ Can an ordinary person be that fast?¡±


    Wu Yun, crossing his arms, went up to the special combat team members and squatted down while smiling. ¡°Hey, how was the experience?¡±


    One of them sat up with difficulty, looking incredulous. ¡°He¡­ Is he human?!¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s movements were fast, ruthless, and accurate, without any superfluous actions or brute force.


    Wu Yun didn¡¯t know whether Zhou Yu had always been so powerful or whether the Nibelungen experience had tempered him.


    ¡°Maybe one day¡­ none of us will be human.¡± Wu Yun smiled at himself derisively and stood up.


    Before Zhou Yu had gotten far, he received a call from Dr. Cook.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, your brother, Professor Zhou Qing, was found unconscious in his lab by his students at 8:30 this morning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Yu felt a chill go through his heart. ¡°Has he been brought to the hospital? Which hospital is he in?!¡±


    ¡°His tumor returned. According to test results, it has already occupied one-third of his brain.¡±


    Zhou Yu was shocked. ¡°How is that possible? Wasn¡¯t he examined when he came back from the other side? At the time, the tumor hadn¡¯t reappeared yet! It hasn¡¯t even been a month!¡±


    ¡°It means that the tumor has been growing rapidly since he left Nibelungen.¡± Dr. Cook replied. ¡°Dr. Daniel is operating on him.¡±


    Zhou Yu took two steps back. Even if Daniel was able to not do any harm to Zhou Qing¡¯s brain, this was his second craniotomy. Even if Zhou Qing survived, what kind of impact will it have on him? Zhou Yu dared not think about it.


    When Zhou Yu got to the hospital in a car sent by Dr. Cook, Zhou Qing¡¯s operation had just finished and he was in the intensive care unit.


    His graduate students were all standing outside the ward, very concerned about his condition.


    One of them was holding a soilless plant in his hands.


    When Dr. Daniel saw Zhou Yu, his expression was poor.


    The author has something to say:


    Mo Ye: In this chapter, I only showed up in Zhou Yu¡¯s imagination, damn it. I¡¯m not happy!

 CH 57

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 57: Bai Yingting


    They tacitly avoided the graduate students and came to stand before the window of an empty office.


    ¡°Just tell me how bad it is,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°Actually, regarding the operation itself, I was able to perform it with near perfect success. I removed as much as I could while preserving as much of his brain function as possible¡­¡± Daniel hesitated to continue. After all, Zhou Qing was not just a patient to him, but also a friend.


    ¡°I know that no one else in the world could have done it better than you. What you¡¯re capable of doing is already at the limit of our medical achievements, so just tell me the results. I can take it.¡±


    ¡°Zhou Qing has a high chance of being paralyzed. His left arm and left leg will lose their function and require rehabilitation. He may also lose his control over language¡­ but that¡¯s not the worst of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Please go on.¡±


    ¡°Zhou Qing once said that the composition of the air in Nibelungen had suppressed the growth of the tumor in his brain, so I studied it. The air quality in Nibelungen¡ªthat is, the concentration of oxygen in the air¡ªis slightly higher than that of our world, so by principle, it should also provide more nutrients for the tumor¡¯s growth, yet it did not grow. However, now the tumor is growing three times faster than before. Maybe Zhou Qing can only get better if he returns to Nibelungen, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But due to his current condition, Juli Corp won¡¯t allow him to go back.¡± Zhou Yu finished what Daniel had left unsaid.


    Dr. Daniel nodded.


    ¡°You did all you could and I appreciate it very much. I want to stay with Zhou Qing for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    When Zhou Yu came to the outside of the ward, the graduate students were still there. They were all very concerned about Zhou Qing and wanted to know the result of his operation, but Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t give them an answer.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Zhou Yu saw a graduate student holding onto a Petri dish. Two delicate leaves were unfurled from the seed within.


    ¡°It¡¯s a plant that Professor Zhou has been growing. He seems to treasure it. We thought that when Professor Zhou wakes up, he¡¯d want to see it, so we brought it with us. ¡°


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Yu took it over.


    According to principle, no plants could be taken into Zhou Qing¡¯s ward, but Dr. Daniel allowed it.


    Because many things were not necessarily meaningful to Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Yu observed the dish carefully. No matter which angle he studied it from, the plant in the dish was no different from any other common plant.


    Perhaps, as a seedling, its newly gained life had evoked feelings of special significance in Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Yu put it down in a corner and pulled a chair over to sit at Zhou Qing¡¯s bedside.


    He didn¡¯t know how different Zhou Qing would be once he woke.


    Zhou Qing continued to remain unconscious.


    His mind was sinking aimlessly.


    Darkness surrounded him.


    It wasn¡¯t until someone caught him steadily did he open his eyes.


    He found himself floating in a space lacking in any orientation. Before him was the S rank organism he had met in Nibelungen.


    ¡°It¡¯s you! Why are you here?¡±


    Zhou Qing opened his eyes wide, trying to see them clearly.


    Those gentle features and his elegant and endearing smile seemed to float through in the eternal river of time, searching for a place to moor.


    ¡°I am wherever you are. Isn¡¯t it good like this?¡± His arm wrapped around Zhou Qing.


    It was the most weightless yet innately natural embrace Zhou Qing had experienced.


    ¡°But this is the human world, not Nibelungen¡­¡± Zhou Qing didn¡¯t understand at all.


    ¡°You brought me here, don¡¯t you remember?¡± The line of his lips deepened. When Zhou Qing¡¯s gaze landed upon it, it captured him in an inescapable cyclical thought.


    ¡°You are¡­ that seed from Elpis? How?!¡± Zhou Qing was stunned.


    ¡°I am what you¡¯ve classified as an S rank organism. The organisms on this level are capable of mimicry¡­ which is not limited to human forms, no? Our thoughts can also be transmitted through other things acting as an intermediary.¡±


    That was to say, the seed was an intermediary for his thoughts?


    ¡°Then¡­ what do you want from me? ¡± Zhou Qing asked him curiously.


    ¡°What can you give me?¡± He reflected back with a smile.


    His smile contained too many things Zhou Qing didn¡¯t know of.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you anything,¡± Zhou Qing said helplessly, ¡°but I look forward to seeing you all the time. I really am greedy.¡±


    ¡°That is not greed, but your dedication. You still have much time, do not be terrified for all the things you have yet to do. Enjoy your life, trust me.¡± With that, he gently pushed him upward.


    Zhou Qing stretched out his hand, but he was getting farther and farther away from him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    His lips moved, but Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t hear what he had said.


    Blinding light pierced Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes, making him instinctively turn to the side.


    His fingers trembled and his throat was dry and hoarse. ¡°Water¡­ I want to drink water¡­¡±


    When he said that, Zhou Yu, who was by his side, suddenly started in surprise. ¡°Zhou Qing, what do you want?¡±


    Zhou Qing finally opened his eyes completely, and he stared into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Brother¡­ why are you here¡­? I want to drink water¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pour you some right away!¡± Zhou Yu quickly poured Zhou Qing some water. After watching him gulp it down, he immediately went out to look for Dr. Daniel.


    ¡°Dr. Daniel! Zhou Qing is awake! You were worried that his language abilities would be affected, but he spoke to me and understood what I asked him!¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened in shock and he rushed to Zhou Qing¡¯s ward.


    By this time, the doctors and nurses were already examining Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse are all normal,¡± the nurse told Daniel.


    Daniel came to Zhou Qing, pointed to himself, and asked, ¡°Professor Zhou, do you know who I am?¡±


    The corners of Zhou Qing¡¯s mouth drew up in a smile. ¡°You¡¯re Dr. Daniel¡­ I couldn¡¯t forget you if I tried¡­ Because if my tumor reappears, only you can save me.¡±


    Dr. Daniel gulped. ¡°Now, try lifting your left arm.¡±


    Zhou Qing raised his left arm and moved around his left hand. Daniel checked his mobility in all four limbs and found that they had not been affected by the operation at all.


    When Zhou Qing recovered slightly, another specialist came in to test Zhou Qing¡¯s logical processing ability. Even his cognitive capabilities were the same as before.


    ¡°This¡­ is a miracle¡­¡± Dr. Daniel covered his face in disbelief.


    After an ordinary patient underwent such an operation, they would be greatly weakened after, but Zhou Qing recovered faster than the doctors had expected.


    When he sat up and saw the dish in a corner of the ward, he asked Zhou Yu tensely, ¡°what is that?¡±


    ¡°Your graduate students took it from your lab, saying that it¡¯s some kind of plant you¡¯ve been raising.¡±


    ¡°What! How could they bring it here?! The room temperature is too high¡­¡± Zhou Qing was in a hurry to get out of bed. Zhou Yu was going to reach out to support him, but he walked over by himself.


    The fresh buds in the dish were withered.


    Zhou Qing stood there for a long time, expressionless. The emotions in his heart were too complicated to describe.


    ¡°Zhou Qing?¡± When Zhou Yu came to him, he saw Zhou Qing wearing an expression he¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°How long did you kept it here?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    His expression and his concern for the plant after just having regained consciousness convinced Zhou Yu that it was no ordinary plant.


    ¡°When you were undergoing surgery, your students had been standing outside with it. Will it live? If it¡¯s the room temperature, I can take it back to your lab now.¡±


    The bud had already died and its roots were rotted.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s heart ached; it could no longer be saved.


    He shook his head and said, ¡°it¡¯s not just because of the room temperature, there could be harmful substances in the water¡­ There are too many exact conditions necessary for it to grow.¡±


    ¡°Is this plant special?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°This is¡­ This is something a very important person gave me. It¡¯s hard to grow, so I was surprised when it sprouted, but it still didn¡¯t grow up.¡± Zhou Qing looked gloomy. ¡°Brother¡­ can you take me back to the lab?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go tell Dr. Daniel.¡±


    Zhou Qing sucked in a breath. When the S rank organism in his dreams pushed him away, had it been a goodbye?


    Because the newborn plant had died, he lost the intermediary for his thoughts, so he disappeared?


    If he didn¡¯t return to Nibelungen, would he never see him again?


    Although Dr. Daniel hesitated, Zhou Qing¡¯s health was already better in condition than what he could understand. The examination results showed that he was healing from his brain surgery. Normally, the scars in brain tissue caused by such an operation would also lead to epilepsy, but Dr. Daniel felt that Zhou Qing¡¯s brain was healing at a speed completely beyond that of an ordinary person. He agreed to Zhou Yu¡¯s request, but only gave him three hours.


    Zhou Yu drove Zhou Qing back to the laboratory. Zhou Qing took out the remaining Elpis solution and poured it into a new Petri dish.


    He carefully peeled off the rotten portions of the seed and gently put the remaining piece into the liquid with tweezers. Shockingly enough, it completely dissolved in the liquid and disappeared.


    Zhou Qing¡¯s hand froze in place.


    After Elpis¡¯s death, part of its body had dissolved into clear water. The seed had blended into the water¡­ so the water was the final state of Elpis¡¯s death.


    He¡¯d lost it entirely.


    Zhou Yu walked over. ¡°How is it? Can it still not be saved?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There are some things that can¡¯t be saved no matter how hard I try.¡± Zhou Qing put the dish away, everything before him a blur. ¡°Brother¡­ it was the seed of Elpis.¡±


    Zhou Yu paused. ¡°What did you say? You¡­ brought the seed of Elpis here from Nibelungen?¡± Zhou Qing pressed against his eyelids. ¡°I know that not only was this unprofessional of me as a researcher, but it was also a threat to our human world¡­ but the voice in my mind convinced me. He felt trustworthy and safe to me, so I did as he said and brought the seed to this world.¡±


    Zhou Yu was immediately alert. He clasped Zhou Qing¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°who do you mean by ¡®he¡¯?¡±


    Zhou Qing opened his mouth and finally decided to come clean about the secrets hidden in his heart.


    He recounted of how he had first met that S rank organism at the lakeside and how he was subsequently saved by them each time.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking¡­ you think he¡¯s luring me in. Maybe he wants to eat me, or become nutrition for reproduction¡­ But when I¡¯m like this, as someone who may die at any given time, I have no value in being seduced by him. If that S rank organism had wanted to eat me, then it would be nothing more than child¡¯s play to him¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu crossed his arms, looking at Zhou Qing.


    ¡°You underestimate yourself, Zhou Qing.¡±


    Zhou Qing raised his head. He thought that Zhou Yu would tell him not to approach the organism any more, saying that everything had been by the creature¡¯s designs, and then bring up the example of the female researcher who had died during her pregnancy after being seduced. But Zhou Yu had said that instead.


    ¡°Brother¡­ I don¡¯t think he ever wanted to hurt me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You know¡­ What?¡± Zhou Qing asked, unsure.


    ¡°I know how it feels. Even though the world is telling you to be careful and stay away, your intuition tells you that you can¡¯t turn back. Because you need him.¡±


    Shocked, Zhou Qing looked into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes that were as deep as obsidian. He hadn¡¯t expected Zhou to say such a thing.


    ¡°So¡­ what should I do?¡± Zhou Qing asked.


    Zhou Yu reached out his hand and pointed to where Zhou Qing¡¯s heart was. ¡°Always remember where your bottom line is. Always remember who it is that you will never hurt, even if you have to sacrifice everything. But before that, focus on feeling it, and sensing it.¡±


    ¡°Are you really my older brother?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you want to be the older brother?¡± Zhou Yu asked jokingly.


    Zhou Qing smiled. ¡°Brother¡­ let¡¯s go back to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Yu nodded.


    Looking after Zhou Qing¡¯s retreating figure, Zhou Yu¡¯s gaze lowered. Although he¡¯d also been through such experiences and even maintained his vigilance at all times, Zhou Yu understood that the feeling of being stirred up could not be restrained.


    He knew that although Zhou Qing looked like any other academic, he¡¯d given up on hope on the inside. But the appearance of that S rank organism had brought comfort to Zhou Qing. If he were to force Zhou Qing to cut off his connection with that S rank organism, it would send Zhou Qing back into despair.


    Rather than despair, Zhou Yu wanted Zhou Qing to be happy.


    That was why he had to look after Zhou Qing even more carefully than before.


    Even if Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t see things clearly, as his older brother, he had to do it for him, especially before Zhou Qing was dragged down the cliff by temptation. He needed to hold on to him.


    ¡°But what about myself?¡± Zhou Yu smiled helplessly.


    The image of that black-haired youth floating in the water flashed through his mind. With his hair gently swaying with the waves, his eyes seemed to draw Zhou Yu into the end of the world.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He found that the harder he tried to push it down, the deeper the young man¡¯s face was entrenched in his mind, until it became unfathomable.


    In his office, Dr. Daniel had his arms crossed while studying images of Zhou Qing¡¯s brain scan.


    When Zhou Yu went back to make Zhou Qing porridge, Dr. Daniel came to Zhou Qing¡¯s bedside and put down an image of his CT scan in front of him.


    ¡°Can you tell me what special organism you were in contact with in Nibelungen?¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s fingertips trembled. He knew that Dr. Daniel was very professional. He was probably the most difficult one to hide secrets from.


    ¡°Elpis,¡± Zhou Qing replied.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been studying samples of Elpis. I don¡¯t know if it affected my body because I often come into contact with its samples. Elpis is a creature with very special nerve structures¡­ It has a complex neural structure, and a remarkable healing ability and memory. You¡¯ve probably heard that it can pass on its memories to another living being before it dies.¡±


    Zhou Qing tried to distract Dr. Daniel.


    ¡°If so, then when I have another chance to go to Nibelungen, I want to properly study this kind of organism.¡± Daniel accepted Zhou Qing¡¯s explanation despite his misgivings.


    A month later, Zhou Qing left the hospital. He did not continue to recuperate, throwing himself back into his research instead.


    His paper on the evolution of the plant nervous system published in an academic journal caused great waves in their circle, many scholars having deemed it as the ¡°conjecture from heaven.¡± Zhou Qing thought that in the distant future, plants would likely evolve the same nervous system as animals, and even develop cerebral structures unique to plants. It would not be limited to animal brains, but the nerves may spread throughout the entire plant or even store complex memories.


    Some scholars directly commented that Zhou Qing should become a science fiction novelist.


    Following public opinion, several organizations that had originally been sponsoring Zhou Qing suspected that he¡¯d lost his mental capabilities due to brain surgery, and considered withdrawing his funding or suggesting that Zhou Qing receive psychological treatment.


    This greatly depressed Zhou Qing¡¯s graduate students, but Zhou Qing acted as if it was no big deal and continued on without any intention of changing the course of his research.


    The number of times Zhou Qing was invited to participate in seminars and the number of people who offered to sponsor him decreased dramatically. Zhou Qing knew that his idea had grown from what he had witnessed in Nibelungen. He had seen the nervous system of the plants, had felt their thoughts, and even their ability to move. This was incomprehensible to the ordinary person.


    But to Zhou Qing¡¯s surprise, a professor in the same field from H University in the United States published another paper that further discussed Zhou Qing¡¯s theory. Unlike Zhou Qing¡¯s conjectural hypothesis, their paper was more logically sound and employed a large number of examples, pointing out its significance in relevant research of human neurological diseases.


    Zhou Qing read the paper over and over. He really wanted to speak with the professor face to face.


    The professor¡¯s name was Bai Yingting. His English name was Constantine.


    When Zhou Qing was still trying to look up Professor Bai¡¯s contact information, Professor Bai¡¯s assistant contacted his lab, saying that he would be coming to F University to visit Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing was ecstatic.


    That night, Zhou Qing sat in his lab watching the liquid from Elpis, lost in thought. His cell phone rang; it was an overseas call. Zhou Qing¡¯s heartbeat suddenly sped up and he felt something akin to excitement.


    ¡°Hello, this is Zhou Qing.¡±


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you, I¡¯m Bai Yingting from H University. My doctoral student contacted you earlier. I¡¯m at the airport right now and I¡¯ll be arriving in your city tomorrow evening. I¡¯m wondering if I can make an appointment with Professor Zhou for dinner?¡±


    His voice almost made Zhou Qing¡¯s heart leap out of his chest. It was a pure and honest sound, with a trace of a noble temperament in its gracefulness. It was a voice that had reverberated through Zhou Qing¡¯s mind countless times before.


    How was this possible?


    How could he exist in this world?


    ¡°Of course¡­ I can. It would be my pleasure.¡±


    At this time, the announcement sound from the airport lounge came from the other end of the cell phone.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, I¡¯m about to board the plane. Good night.¡±


    That ¡°good night¡± came with faint amusement, soothing Zhou Qing¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Oh yes, Professor Zhou¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you still sitting in your lab?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes¡­ ¡°


    ¡°You should go home and rest. Have a warm glass of milk, take a bath, and sleep well¡­ then you will see me.¡±


    As if he had known Zhou Qing for ages and understood everything about him, as if, despite being on the other side the planet, he could see Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The call ended and Zhou Qing suddenly felt empty. He went to the computer and looked up Bai Yingting. Other than his paper, Zhou Qing knew nothing about his personal life.


    His early research was very traditional and his hypotheses and methods were careful, forming a wide gap with his most recently published paper.


    His only picture was of when he had gotten his doctoral degree. Although the quality was blurry, he was very much a handsome, refined, and scholarly-looking man in terms of facial features.


    Zhou Qing turned off his computer. It was the first time in many days that he had returned to his dormitories before nine o¡¯clock. He heated up a glass of milk and then went to sleep after showering.


    This night, he slept more peacefully than usual.


    When he woke up, it was already ten o¡¯clock in the morning. Zhou Qing kneaded his temples. It was the best sleep he¡¯d gotten after leaving the hospital.


    He looked forward to dinner all throughout the day.


    When he received Bai Yingting¡¯s call again at 5:30 p.m., his fingertips were slightly hot to touch.


    He had a strong premonition of something to come, but he didn¡¯t know what it was.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s voice was still as unhurried as before, with a trace of the familiar temperature Zhou Qing knew well.

 CH 58

    Chapter 58: Return to Nibelungen


    He told Zhou Qing which hotel he was staying in.


    Just as Zhou Qing was thinking of how to get to the hotel, Bai Yingting suddenly spoke, ¡°I¡¯m in front of your dormitory building.¡±


    Zhou Qing was stunned. He came to the windowsill and saw a tall and slender man in a smoke-gray windbreaker standing under the street lamp.


    Seeming to feel Zhou Qing¡¯s gaze, he slowly looked up.


    A silent wave rushed at Zhou Qing, sweeping over and engulfing him in its fresh and gentle air.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes and brows were elegant. There was something indescribable in his eyes, as if he had walked a long way and lived a long time until finally meeting Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing blinked hard, causing a smile to grace the corners of Bai Yingting¡¯s lips. He raised his hand and gave a small wave.


    ¡°P-professor Bai, how did you know I live here?¡±


    ¡°Your research assistant told my Ph.D. student. Professor Zhou, if you take offense to my unsolicited visit, we can make an appointment to meet elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not!¡± Zhou Qing looked back into his room. Fortunately, he did not come back often, but his unwashed clothes were still on the sofa.


    Zhou Qing cleaned the room as fast as he could before opening the door. Bai Yingting stood there with his hands in his pockets.


    Seeing Bai Yingting up close, Zhou Qing felt even more strongly that he knew Bai Yingting¡­ Then the realization hit him: he was remarkably similar to the S rank organism he¡¯d met before!


    The similarity was not in his facial features, but more of an innate overlapping.


    ¡°Have I met you somewhere before?¡± Zhou Qing asked subconsciously.


    Only when he registered what he had said did he realize that the question was a bit rude.


    ¡°Online?¡± Bai Yingting replied, and then he smiled again. ¡°Professor Zhou, do you realize that words like ¡®have I met you somewhere before?¡¯ are outdated pick-up lines?¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s face immediately turned red. He moved aside. ¡°My apologies¡­ Professor Bai, please come in!¡±


    ¡°Actually, don¡¯t you think calling each other professor Bai and professor Zhou back and forth is a bit overly courteous?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhou Qing could not process this in his shock.


    If not ¡°professor,¡± then what should he call him? Mr. Bai?


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Bai Yingting suddenly approached Zhou Qing. A clear view of his handsome face filled Zhou Qing¡¯s vision, causing Zhou Qing to freeze up with his mind blanking out. ¡°I was just joking when I called your words a pick-up line, yet you¡¯re blushing. It looks like professor Zhou has never been in love before.¡±


    Bai Yingting was very tall, the type with long legs and slender hands. Zhou Qing, standing in front of him at one meter and seventy-five centimeters, was half a head shorter. Bai Yingting was different from the stoic scholar with low EQ; he had an elegant and sophisticated demeanor. A man like him who was also highly intelligent should be very popular with women.


    In order to see Zhou Qing¡¯s expression clearly, Bai Yingting deliberately leaned down, appearing like he was looking at a child who had misbehaved. At that distance, the beautiful shape of his eyes appeared up close in front of Zhou Qing, as well as his slightly upturned eyelashes that were like a butterfly on the verge taking flight.


    ¡°You jest, professor Bai.¡± Zhou Qing turned around and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you tea.¡±


    Zhou Qing¡¯s heart was racing.


    It seemed that ever since he had first heard Bai Yingting¡¯s voice, his heartbeat no longer belonged to him.


    Once he finished steeping the tea and brought it out, he saw Bai Yingting with his hands clasped behind his back and his head stuck half-outside the window. He seemed to be watching something.


    Zhou Qing put down the teacup and came to Bai Yingting¡¯s side. Following his line of sight, he found that what he was looking at was a small flower growing from a crack in the wall.


    It seemed fragile, yet it swayed against the wind. Free under the sun, it grew just as brilliantly without any admirers.


    ¡°This is my favorite place for the living things of this world,¡± Bai Yingting said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Growing in the harshest and most difficult of conditions, it may be weak or barren, but whatever living conditions nature has given it, it will push them to the limit.¡± Bai Yingting turned to the side.


    There was the faint smell of grass on his body. Zhou Qing has never smelled it on anyone else before.


    ¡°Have some tea, Professor Bai,¡± Zhou Qing said.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Yingting smiled.


    His smile was light and easy.


    Zhou Qing found that although the lines of Bai Yingting¡¯s features were far less exquisite and refined than that of the S rank organism, when Bai Yingting smiled, their similarity level multiplied.


    They talked about their theories on the evolution of plants; Bai Yingting shared many of Zhou Qing¡¯s views. Not only that, but he also guided Zhou Qing on how to systematize his ideas to become more persuasive. If he had written that paper together with Bai Yingting, there probably would not be so much contention on his point of view.


    When Zhou Qing¡¯s stomach rumbled, Bai Yingting raised up his hand to look at his wristwatch and found that it was ten o¡¯clock in the evening.


    ¡°Oh dear, we¡¯ve talked for so long! You probably haven¡¯t had supper yet, professor Bai!¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes widened. He and Bai Yingting were getting along so well that they had lost track of time.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. What¡¯s in your fridge?¡± Bai Yingting got up.


    ¡°How can I let you cook, professor Bai? Let¡¯s¡­¡±


    Bai Yingting smiled. ¡°At this hour, the restaurants nearby must be closed. Can professor Zhou, who often stays in the lab 24 hours a day, cook?¡±


    Zhou Qing started feeling embarrassed again.


    Bai Yingting opened the refrigerator and found that other than eggs, there were only a few mushrooms and potatoes inside.


    This made Zhou Qing self-conscious again. To Bai Yingting, he¡¯d probably left the impression of not knowing how to live properly.


    ¡°We can make scrambled egg pancakes.¡± Saying that, Bai Yingting took two eggs from the fridge.


    ¡°You¡¯re making it for me? How can I let you do that! Professor Bai, you¡¯re a guest, why don¡¯t I¡­¡±


    Before Zhou Qing could finish speaking, Bai Yingting approached him again. The depth of his eyes made Zhou Qing feel weightless.


    ¡°Does professor Zhou not even know how to stir-fry eggs with tomatoes?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Zhou Qing wanted to say that he could make it, but he truly couldn¡¯t.


    Most of the time, he ate in the lab first before returning to his dormitory. Back when Zhou Yu had been there, Zhou Yu was the one who had bought vegetables and cooked. Even the eggs in the refrigerator had been left behind by Zhou Yu.


    In the end, Zhou Qing really was an idiot in terms of his lifestyle.


    ¡°Oh, so professor Zhou can make it? Then, is it the tomatoes or the eggs that are fried first?¡± Bai Yingting asked again.


    His smile was slightly mischievous, but there wasn¡¯t any intention to mock or look down on Zhou Qing. It even seemed like he had known Zhou Qing for a long time and was very naturally joking with him.


    Zhou Qing opened and closed his mouth but didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    Bai Yingting reached out and swiped Zhou Qing¡¯s nose.


    It was as if a feather had flitted across his heart; Zhou Qing¡¯s pulse and breath skipped a beat.


    ¡°Professor Zhou, you have dark circles under your eyes. Why don¡¯t you sleep for a while and we¡¯ll have dinner together in ten minutes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡±


    Zhou Qing did not leave the kitchen, but stood not too far away, staring at Bai Yingting¡¯s back.


    His wrists formed an elegant arc as he tapped lightly on the edge of a bowl, the eggs sliding into it. Even though he was working with common ingredients, his entire body radiated a noble demeanor.


    When the scrambled egg pancake was slid onto a plate, Bai Yingting turned around and watched Zhou Qing with a smile. ¡°Professor Zhou, why didn¡¯t you go rest?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m learning from you.¡± Zhou Qing found an excuse for having stared at Bai Yingting the whole time.


    Bai Yingting walked over to Zhou Qing¡¯s side with a smile. ¡°Then have a taste of my cooking and see if it¡¯s worth learning.¡±


    They sat down at the dinner table and Bai Yingting handed Zhou Qing some chopsticks.


    The egg pancake was very simple and without rich seasonings, but Zhou Qing felt the tenderness of the egg and the fragrance of the shiitake mushrooms on the first bite.


    He had not been taken care of like this for a long time. Warmth welled up in his heart.


    ¡°Originally, my research team had wanted to invite you to the Kekashen mountains for a biology expedition next month, but I heard that you¡¯ve just had an operation, and that sort of environment would not be suitable for you. It truly is a pity.¡±


    ¡°The Kekashen mountains?¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    It was a paradise on earth that had just recently been discovered by an exploration team. As no one else had been there prior, it maintained a relatively complete natural landscape. Because of its closed-off ecosystem, many new species were discovered.


    But no matter how interesting or rare the creatures of the Kekashen mountains were, Zhou Qing had already seen the world of Nibelungen.


    ¡°Yes, the Kekashen mountains. But it doesn¡¯t matter, we can go together when professor Zhou¡¯s health recovers.¡±


    Zhou Qing knew clearly that his tumor could not be cured. If he were to die in this world, then he would prefer that it be in a place like the Kekashen mountains.


    He and Bai Yingting got along so well that he even thought that if they were to work together, then they could work at twice the efficiency with half the time. If, one day, he were to die, then maybe only Bai Yingting could continue his research.


    But Nibelungen¡­ that world was too dangerous. How could he put Bai Yingting in such a dangerous situation? And even if he were to recommend Bai Yingting to Juli Corp, he might not be accepted.


    Over the next few days, when Zhou Qing and Bai Yingting weren¡¯t in the lab, they were drinking tea on the balcony of Zhou Qing¡¯s dormitory, discussing each other¡¯s opinions. Sometimes their argument would turn quite fierce in a collision of views, but no matter what, Bai Yingting always maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. He was able to push Zhou Qing¡¯s thinking to a broader level.


    The second half of this chapter will be posted at a later time. Please read this novel on coffeetoobitter dot wordpress dot com :)[1]


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was finally being dispatched to Nibelungen on an assignment.


    He and Wu Yun were taking six fresh recruits to Base 12 on a shuttle mission. The base was an older base that had been remodeled with reinforcements and was known as Juli Corp¡¯s strongest fortress in the other world. In addition to the six newcomers, some of the other team members were stationed there.


    Zhou Yu glanced at the list. It included Li Qian and Dr. Daniel¡¯s names, as well as Zhou Qing¡¯s.


    This was both a blessing and a curse for Zhou Qing. The curse was that in that world, Zhou Qing had almost no way of protecting himself and was even being seduced by that S rank organism. The blessing was that if he didn¡¯t go back to Nibelungen, then Zhou Qing¡¯s brain tumor would recur sooner or later. The burden a human could bear was finite, and the brain also happened to be the most delicate part; it was unrealistic to repeatedly undergo surgery again and again.


    The name next to Zhou Qing¡¯s was that of a university professor called Bai Yingting.


    Wu Yun stuck his head over. ¡°Looks like there are a few dead weights again this time!¡±


    Zhou Yu replied coolly, ¡°aren¡¯t you one too?¡±


    Wu Yun was speechless. He, a seasoned veteran, had become a burden before Zhou Yu¡­ This was a blow to his pride!


    A week later, all personnel to be dispatched were picked up by Juli Corp.


    When Zhou Qing and Dr. Daniel entered the shuttle cabin, Li Qian was already inside. He excitedly gave Zhou Qing a big hug.


    But Zhou Qing looked past Li Qian¡¯s shoulder and froze when he saw a tall and upright man with a warm temperament.


    ¡°P-Professor Bai?¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    The man was Bai Yingting.


    ¡°You know each other?¡± Zhou Yu walked over and asked.


    ¡°Ye¡­ yes.¡± Zhou Qing nodded.


    Bai Yingting held out his hand to Zhou Yu. ¡°Hello, Captain Zhou. I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you.¡±


    Zhou Yu did not take his hand but scrutinized him with his gaze.


    There was something special about the man¡¯s temperament; the others who were also about to enter Nibelungen¡ªeven ¡°old-timers¡± like Li Qian and Dr. Daniel, who were not on their first trip¡ªwere more or less extremely nervous at the moment. Only Professor Bai was calm and collected, as if he was just going over to another country¡¯s academic conference.


    ¡°Hello.¡± A few seconds later, Zhou Yu took his hand.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s hand was steady and the temperature of his palm wasn¡¯t too high, showing that he really wasn¡¯t nervous.


    ¡°Professor Bai, were you also recruited by Juli Corp?¡± Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°Yes. To be honest, when they found me, I didn¡¯t believe in the world they were talking about. But when they told me that you had also joined the program, I decided to join too.¡± Bai Yingting replied.


    Zhou Qing frowned and grabbed his arm. ¡°Do you know how dangerous it is over there?! It¡¯s completely different from the world you know!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Bai Yingting nodded. ¡°Knowledge cannot be gained without a price. The more we know, the higher the cost. And it would be my greatest honor to work with you. You¡¯re also looking forward to it in your heart, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    At that moment, Zhou Qing felt like Bai Yingting knew all of his thoughts. Bai Yingting patted Zhou Qing on the back of his hand to show that he didn¡¯t need to be nervous. Only then did Zhou Qing realize that he had forgotten his manners and he quickly let go of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I look forward to working with you, Professor Zhou.¡±


    Bai Yingting¡¯s smile had a soothing undertone. It seemed like no matter how nervous Zhou Qing got, he could always calm him down.


    Zhou Yu watched in silence. He hadn¡¯t left Zhou Qing¡¯s side for long, so when had this Bai Yingting showed up? And Zhou Qing seemed to care a lot about him¡­


    Dr. Cook came up to Zhou Yu and Wu Yun and handed them the information on Base 12.


    When Zhou Yu saw that Song Zhi¡¯s name was filled in the box for the base leader, his heart that had been left hanging in the air the whole time finally calmed down.


    Song Zhi was still alive, which meant that Mo Ye had beaten the other night spirit.


    Everyone entered the shuttle.


    Just as Wu Yun was about to say something, Li Qian cut in. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    He preemptively stopped Wu Yun¡¯s mouth from jinxing them. [T/N: lit. he preemptively blocked up Wu Yun¡¯s crow¡¯s beak.]


    The shuttle was launched.


    Li Qian closed his eyes, feeling just as nervous as last time.


    Zhou Yu watched Professor Bai. He had his eyes closed as if he was resting.


    The others who were traveling through the magnetic field for the first time were also very nervous. Occasionally, some of them would talk to each other, but their conversations would peter out due to the tension in the air.


    Nearly an hour later, the shuttle suddenly stopped. The personnel in the cabin slowly went from being suspended in the air to regaining their sense of gravity.


    Li Qian finally breathed out. ¡°Did we arrive safely?¡±


    When the safety devices were lifted, they all carefully sat up and looked around.


    ¡°We won¡¯t open the hatch to find the base blown up again, right?¡± Li Qian was feeling uneasy.


    Wu Yun chuckled, ¡°your ability to jinx things is no worse than mine.¡± [T/N: the extent of your crow¡¯s beak is not inferior to mine.]


    Li Qian was speechless at having his words thrown back at him.


    When the hatch slowly opened, Song Zhi was standing in front of them with his arms crossed.


    He was just like before, wearing a meticulous suit and rimless glasses with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°Welcome to Base 12. I¡¯m sure you all know Nibelungen¡¯s laws of survival. I¡¯m glad to see some old faces too.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s gaze landed on Zhou Yu, then he nodded.


    When the dispatched personnel were assigned to their stations, Zhou Yu quickly followed behind Song Zhi.


    Song Zhi knew what Zhou Yu¡¯s goal was, and the two of them were silent the entire way. It was only when they got to a corridor where there were only the two of them did Song Zhi suddenly stop.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mo Ye?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Song Zhi didn¡¯t turn around.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to know where he is? I¡¯m afraid you might regret knowing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dead, is it? If it had died, then you wouldn¡¯t be alive.¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s frowned. He didn¡¯t understand what Song Zhi was trying to say to him.


    ¡°Did you know that Base 12 is Juli Corp¡¯s largest, best equipped, and most fortified base?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Dr. Cook.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s an S rank organism here.¡± Song Zhi answered.


    Zhou Yu was silent. He had a feeling that what Song Zhi was about to say next wasn¡¯t something he wanted to hear.


    ¡°His name is Mo Ye.¡±


    The moment he uttered that name, Zhou Yu¡¯s heart seemed to break open.


    ¡°What did you say? Mo Ye is a night spirit¡­ an A rank organism¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? S rank organisms can mimic any biological form. Not just humans, but also night spirits,¡± Song Zhi answered.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s heart thumped wildly like a volcanic eruption. After about a dozen seconds, it gradually calmed down.


    He thought of the silver creature that had saved him when he fell into the Angel¡¯s Horns, and the young man it had turned into after. It embraced him, and saved him.


    He remembered that every time he was in critical danger, the young man would appear.


    The past quickly replayed through Zhou Yu¡¯s mind. The most subtle of expressions at the corner of his eye and the tip of the brow, the profound meaning behind his smile, his every action and movement, and Mo Ye¡¯s large, innocent eyes¡­ They were different.


    ¡°Do you not believe it?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    Zhou Yu thought of each time that young man had appeared; whether it was when he had saved Zhou Yu at the Angel¡¯s Horns, when he had taken Zhou Yu out of the nest of the silver overlord spiders, or when he had gotten rid of the bone gnawing worms in the observation station¡­ he never appeared at the same time as Mo Ye. And whenever he left, Mo Ye would return to his side!


    It was not a coincidence that he had been saved, because that young man was Mo Ye!


    At the thought of Mo Ye sucking on his fingers, his blood started to surge up.


    ¡°Do you still want to see him?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Yu clenched his fists.


    The little thing that had often nestled in his arms and was completely reliant on him¡­ was actually an S rank organism! What was its purpose in doing this?


    ¡°If Mo Ye is an S rank organism, then how did you capture it?¡± Zhou Yu immediately thought of this problem.


    Song Zhi, with his hands in his pockets, looked down and chuckled, ¡°it¡¯s because I told him that if he didn¡¯t shoot himself, then the shuttle cabin you were in would disintegrate because I planted a code in it.¡±


    ¡°There were neurotoxins in the gun?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s neurotoxic to him¡­ your spinal fluid.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s answer instantly enraged Zhou Yu.


    He pulled up Song Zhi by his collar and slammed him against the wall. ¡°You bastard! You took samples of my spinal fluid under the guise of an examination, saying that you were afraid I would be infected or parasitized. You were using it to deal with Mo Ye! Did you know that Mo Ye was an S rank organism a long time ago? You never told me! Did you do it on purpose?¡±


    Song Zhi looked straight into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes without any evasion.


    ¡°Are you angry, Zhou Yu? How rare. At first, I didn¡¯t know Mo Ye was an S rank organism, but later, I grew suspicious. But Zhou Yu, have you forgotten the purpose of S rank organisms that get close to humans?¡±


    ¡°So? Are you trying to say that I¡¯m a source of nutrition to Mo Ye? That I¡¯m his prey?¡±


    ¡°That, you¡¯ll have to ask him in person¡­ if he tells you the truth.¡± Song Zhi patted Zhou Yu on the back of his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to iron a suit here.¡±


    Zhou Yu let go of Song Zhi and said coldly, ¡°I want to see him now.¡±


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Song Zhi smiled and said, ¡°you¡¯re different from everyone else here. Even if we instill in you the laws of survival, you still retain your own judgment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you can¡¯t be trusted. That¡¯s why nothing you say is believable,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°It seems like my integrity is in danger.¡± Song Zhi smiled. ¡°But this is fine, too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t make the same mistake as me.¡± Song Zhi turned around. His words were always incomprehensible to Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu followed Song Zhi through layer upon layer of guarded passageways.

 CH 59

    Chapter 59: I¡¯m fascinated by your world


    Numerous little holes could be seen along the walls of the passageway. If a dangerous organism were to escape¡ªfor example, Mo Ye¡ªthey would release highly concentrated neurotoxins.


    An infrared ray scanned the route every second. At a single command, it could become a slicer machine.


    He followed Song Zhi into the deepest part of the base.


    There was no one else walking there, but it was closely guarded, like a separate, beating heart in the base.


    When the last door opened, everything became bright.


    Zhou Yu was surprised by the size of the department.


    Countless researchers in white lab coats were bustling about.


    ¡°Are they studying Mo Ye?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Yes. Mo Ye¡¯s genes are complex, and we want to figure out how exactly S rank organisms are able to mimic others, as well as other abilities that we don¡¯t know about. What we know is only a drop of water in the ocean. We are still far, far away from the answer we seek,¡± Song Zhi replied.


    He continued in.


    Zhou Yu found that the department did not have any patrols of armed personnel or guards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about Mo Ye escaping?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But such concerns are worthless. He¡¯s been shackled, since anyone approaching him can be used by him as a weapon. For example, many people became nourishment for the growth of that other night spirit.¡±


    Song Zhi stopped in front of a door. ¡°I will only take you this far. Past this point is where his abilities can reach. Although he can¡¯t do much to me, I don¡¯t like being teased by him.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t know what Song Zhi meant by ¡°teasing,¡± but he knew that the so-called ¡°shackle¡± was Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid.


    He went in, step by step. His body was stable, but his heart was racing.


    It was like a secret was about to come to light.


    In front of him was a room. The room had no door, but a transparent wall.


    There was a bright light in the room. A young man was lying on a bed with one leg crossed over the other, reading a book.


    As Zhou Yu stepped forward, he subconsciously tilted his head. He wanted to see the young man clearly from different angles.


    His skin was very white and he was tall in stature, around Zhou Yu¡¯s height. He was wearing a white T-shirt and loose, casual pants. His two legs were perfectly straight and slender, and the wrist holding onto the book had an elegant sense of beauty to it.


    ¡°I miss you so much.¡±


    This sentence suddenly rang out in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    It seemed to come from a very deep place, amid centuries of clamour.


    Zhou Yu took a breath. He knew it couldn¡¯t be the young man talking because the room was soundproof.


    It was in his mind, not in his ears.


    ¡°I miss you very much, every day.¡±


    The young man slowly put the book that was blocking his face aside and leisurely sat up.


    Zhou Yu was suddenly looking into his amber eyes.


    Bright and limpid¡­ Those were Mo Ye¡¯s eyes.


    The young man sauntered up to Zhou Yu and stopped in front of the glass.


    If human beings really were created by God, then this young man could be considered the ideal model.


    He had a beautiful figure, such that even the minute details were inexplicably moving.


    He raised his hand and covered it on the glass wall. Zhou Yu seemed to be enthralled, and he also lifted his hand to cover it.


    ¡°I miss your temperature, Zhou Yu.¡±


    Blood from his whole body rushed into his fingers, as if he was being nibbled at gently by him. His fingertips were sucked on, the blood about to leave his body.


    Zhou Yu raised his chin and tried to resist through willpower.


    Now he finally understood what Song Zhi had meant by ¡°teasing.¡±


    Was this the ability of an S rank organism?


    ¡°It seems like Song Zhi instilled many false ideas into you.¡±


    The young man laughed. Countless stars seemed to have fallen into his eyes. The curl of his lip had a charming allure. Zhou Yu¡¯s breathing slowed. He approached Zhou Yu and studied every tiny change in his expression, as if Zhou Yu were the specimen trapped in there for humans to study.


    As soon as Zhou Yu¡¯s body regained its freedom, he took a step back.


    ¡°What is your purpose in approaching me?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Purpose?¡±


    The question seemed absurd. He merely shrugged and laughed.


    His forefinger gently swept across the glass, but Zhou Yu felt as if it was his cheek had been touched.


    Was this guy not only manipulating his actions, but also his feelings?


    ¡°Look at your vigilant expression, as if I¡¯m about to eat you. Did you completely forget? It was Juli Corp that took me away from Night Spirit Island, it was Wu Yun who insisted on carrying back the black box I was developing in, and it was you who stood in front of that box and became the first person I saw when I came into to this world. None of these encounters were planned by me; the single choice I made was to mimic an appearance you like.¡±


    ¡°To mimic the appearance I like?¡± It was a first for Zhou Yu to listen to such an illogical statement. It sounded as if this had all been caused by Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it? A seemingly unremarkable creature. Soft, small, and reliant on you, but also strong and persistent at critical moments. Loyal to their most important people, just like you. I merely wanted to become what you like. Why do you look like I¡¯ve deceived you?¡±


    ¡°To become what I like? But is the real you still the organism I like? And if it¡¯s not, then haven¡¯t I been deceived?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Since I gained my own consciousness, the first message I read was from you. I learned about your brain and mind, and I looked at the world from your point of view. Then, I chose you, and grew up the way you wanted. You humans may have made many rules for yourself in order to survive in Nibelungen, but I¡¯m not the same. You are my only law.¡± The young man with black hair turned to look at Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu finally understood what he meant. Since he¡¯d begun to think, Zhou Yu has been his core¡­ Everything Zhou Yu had hoped and wished for became his direction.


    But how could that be possible?


    He was an S rank organism!


    Standing at the top of Nibelungen¡¯s food chain, humans should be insignificant beings before him!


    ¡°Zhou Yu, have you realized it yet? You haven¡¯t called my name once since you came in here.¡±


    Do names matter to you?


    Before those words left Zhou Yu¡¯s mouth, his thoughts were easily read by him.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s proof that I exist in your heart. Denying my name would mean you denying my everything.¡±


    ¡°If you are Mo Ye in your heart, then you are Mo Ye, and forever will be Mo Ye. No one can deny you that, including me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    At that moment, the young man¡¯s body seemed to penetrate through the glass, like an invisible force rushing to Zhou Yu.


    As if he was about to be knocked over, Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened and he raised his chin while subconsciously retreating. But his back was being pressed against by a force, compelling him to face what was coming.


    Something seemed to kiss him, but there was nothing before him.


    The young man merely stood on the opposite side of the glass. He gazed at him for a long time.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­ don¡¯t worry about growing old. You¡¯ll definitely be very cute when you¡¯re old. And if you age ten years, then I¡¯ll age ten years as well, and the world will age ten years. God will age ten years. Everything will.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying this to me?¡± Zhou Yu spoke coldly.


    He wanted to drive the voice out of his mind. Presently, he was reading out Zhu Shenghao¡¯s love letter that Zhou Yu had once read to him. It reminded him of the past when he had once hugged Mo Ye in that warm little bedroom. It would only make him waver.


    ¡°From the last time I parted with you to meeting you again now, I feel like it was all a dream.¡±


    The other man¡¯s gaze was affectionate, even under the cold white light.


    Zhou Yu felt as if he was being blindfolded by the other party, forcing him to guess at things that he had never before assumed. However, Zhou Yu found that he could not at all help but gaze at Mo Ye, whom he was most reluctant to part with, in his recollections.


    ¡°I wake up feeling very much in love with you.¡±


    In an instant, Zhou Yu felt his strongest wall crumble under the other person, despite his face only showing indifference.


    When you are not by my side, I miss you so.


    Something seemed to sound by Zhou Yu¡¯s ears, just like the wind scattering dust through the deep, dark stone corridor.


    Zhou Yu took a breath, then turned to leave.


    With every step, his world was changing rapidly.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if what he had cherished and wanted to protect the whole time was real.


    After Zhou Yu left, Song Zhi strolled to the front of the glass wall.


    ¡°How does it feel to see him in human form?¡±


    ¡°As you had wished, it sucks.¡± Mo Ye looked at Song Zhi with his head askew. It was a lazy and indifferent expression, but it could inexplicably give rise to an unbearable emotion.


    Song Zhi chuckled. ¡°If you really want to move him, then do it in your own style. Not in the way that would soften his heart the most.¡±


    ¡°And you? You¡¯re already weary, what are you still pressing on for?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have to press on for much longer.¡± Song Zhi smiled indifferently.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Mo Ye lowered his head with his face turned to the side. He slowly walked up to the glass, observing Song Zhi. ¡°When you stop caring about everything and no longer wear a disguise, you¡¯re actually good-looking when you smile. Was that brother of mine who came into this world before me captivated by your smile?¡±


    ¡°If you find a chance, you can ask him for me,¡± Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°What are you planning?¡±


    Song Zhi turned to face the side indifferently. His gaze passed through the layers of metal walls, cast out into the distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning anything¡­ It¡¯s just that all efforts of resistance and the pursuit of freedom come at a price. If you don¡¯t want the people you care about to go through hell for it, then you had best be prepared to destroy yourself.¡±


    ¡°The human world is so complicated.¡± Mo Ye walked back to his bed and lay down on an arm.


    ¡°Good night, child.¡± Song Zhi turned around.


    That night, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, who were reunited at the base, drank beer in the dining hall.


    ¡°How is your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Her condition is stable. I just can¡¯t imagine that one day, when I¡¯m gone, if Juli Corp will still do their best to take care of her like this.¡±


    ¡°Even if Juli Corp isn¡¯t trustworthy, I¡¯m still here,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Wu Yun almost sprayed the imported beer back out. ¡°I say, are you really so sure that you¡¯ll live longer than me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head, then immediately thought of something. ¡°Hey¡­ did Song Zhi tell you where Mo Ye went? I asked around for ages, but there aren¡¯t any night spirits at this base¡­ After the previous base was destroyed, did Mo Ye leave?¡±


    If that was the case, then it would have been a perfect ending.


    ¡°Do you know there¡¯s an S rank organism in this base?¡± Zhou Yu lowered his voice and asked.


    Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu with wide eyes. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Song Zhi always trying to catch an S rank organism¡­? Did he do it?¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer.


    Wu Yun held his head. ¡°Oh my God¡­ Jesus¡­ I¡¯m so unlucky¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you found the pattern yet? When the researchers here think they can control something, it turns out that they can¡¯t control anything, and in the end, they even become the prey! The night spirit from before is the best example! This is even better; instead of a night spirit, it turns out that an S rank organism is being contained in here! I¡¯ll bet you it¡¯s a ticking time bomb! It¡¯s going to explode one day!¡± Wu Yun opened up his fingers and made an exploding gesture.


    ¡°You also think¡­ S rank organisms are dangerous?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud. He looked down, making it difficult to tell whether he was asking Wu Yun or himself.


    ¡°No shit, if it¡¯s not dangerous, then why give it an ¡®S¡¯ rank? Or did you think it stood for ¡®Superman¡¯?!¡±


    ¡°Then, if an S rank organism, from the moment it came into this world, appeared to depend on you, need you, and it tried its best to understand as well as protect you, then what do you think its goal is?¡± Zhou Yu looked at Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun was stunned. ¡°Wha¡­ What the hell is that? I know you said before that there was an S rank organism interested in you¡ªand I reminded you that you should be careful¡ªbut you can¡¯t trust your intuition. But what do you mean it depended on and needed you¡­ are you talking about an S rank organism? Why does it sound like an emotionally fragile kid?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    For Zhou Yu, everything had clear categories. For example: relatives, friends, enemies, and less important people. But Mo Ye was different; he made Zhou Yu hesitate for the first time.


    ¡°¡­That S rank organism Song Zhi captured, is it Mo Ye?¡± Wu Yun suddenly said.


    Zhou Yu paused. Wu Yun wasn¡¯t stupid. Song Zhi was still alive, yet Mo Ye was nowhere to be found. There was a new S rank organism in the base. It wasn¡¯t surprising for Wu Yun to have such suspicions.


    Song Zhi had not asked Zhou Yu to hide Mo Ye¡¯s identity from the others. After all, most of the people here had never seen Mo Ye before. But Wu Yun was different; if he knew Mo Ye¡¯s true identity, it could be a kind of protection for him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Yu admitted.


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes widened. It was unknown whether his brain was blanking out or thinking.


    ¡°Did you see him?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Wu Yun asked again.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How did he look? Was he in his original form or¡­¡±


    ¡°An imitation of the human form.¡±


    ¡°Is he beautiful?¡± Wu Yun scratched his head, not seeming to appear as conflicted as Zhou Yu. ¡°Wait, I just remembered that Mo Ye is male. It has nothing to do with beauty, then.¡±


    [T/N: He/She/It all have the same sound in Chinese.]


    ¡°His beauty has nothing to do with gender. His night spirit form was also mimicry. I just don¡¯t understand; as an S rank organism, he could be invincible in Nibelungen, so why did he stay by my side? If he wanted something from me¡ªlike controlling my thoughts, my actions, or even taking my life¡ªthen why spend so much time with me?¡±


    This was a question that had baffled him ever since he found out about Mo Ye¡¯s identity.


    ¡°So you meant Mo Ye when you were talking about depending on and needing you!¡± Wu Yun showed an expression of realization. ¡°A person will only act like this when they need another person. But the premise is that he¡¯s human¡­ Or at least that he¡¯s human, in his heart.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Wu Yun got up and pressed down hard on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But there¡¯s one more thing I need to remind you of¡ªnever let yourself fall.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°In two days, we¡¯re going to take those rookies out on a mission. Rest well.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The dormitories in the base were still just like sleeping capsules.


    What was different from before was that Mo Ye could no longer curl up and snuggle against his side.


    Zhou Yu turned off the light. Pillowing on his arm, he was close to falling asleep.


    He was someone with strong adaptability to the environment.


    Just as his thoughts were about to sink into slumber, he suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes in an instant.


    A figure was sitting by his bed!


    And that outline, Zhou Yu could tell instantly, was the exact same as the Mo Ye he had seen on the other side of the glass wall.


    Zhou Yu almost sprang up, but the other person was ahead of him. He held down Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder and pressed him back.


    The hair over Mo Ye¡¯s forehead fell down, their tips just touching Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead.


    And those two eyes, even in a room without light, appeared deep enough to contain a whole other world.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Zhou Yu lowered his voice and said.


    Mo Ye slowly put his head against Zhou Yu¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m used to you holding me. I can¡¯t sleep without you.¡±


    Zhou Yu could imagine that if Mo Ye had been in his night spirit form, then he would probably be rubbing his nose lightly against his chin.


    Unfortunately, it was just an imitation.


    ¡°Is that so¡­ Then, for the months I was away, did you not sleep at all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I never slept. Do you not believe me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Then go and ask your most trusted Song Zhi.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s fingers slowly moved up along Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist as if stroking him, but with great strength, he pressed Zhou Yu¡¯s wrists down on either side of the pillow.


    Zhou Yu had never experienced being completely suppressed before.


    Mo Ye¡¯s fingers were caught between the gaps of Zhou Yu¡¯s, all ten digits clasped. Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t immerse himself in such an intimate gesture.


    ¡°You can always doubt me, Zhou Yu, and continue to doubt if your own feelings are just part of my illusion. But there¡¯s one thing you never knew; you invited me to read your mind, and you fascinated me with your world.¡±


    Mo Ye stretched out his back, inclining into Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu struggled to resist, but just then, Mo Ye¡¯s figure disappeared, taking off the pressure on top of him too.


    Everything had been like an illusion.


    But how could it have been an illusion?!


    Zhou Yu sat up. His back was completely soaked through.


    He took his handheld transceiver and connected it to Song Zhi.


    ¡°Where is Mo Ye?¡±


    ¡°Where you saw him earlier today, of course. Don¡¯t tell me you want me to let him out to have him sleep next to you, just like before.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s still there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s answer was fairly certain.


    Zhou Yu terminated the call and covered his face with his hands.


    He was used to self-restraint and being in control of everything, even his own fear¡­ but he knew that from the moment he saw Mo Ye through the glass, something was bound to lose control.


    Two days later, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were to each led a small team out of the base on an assignment.


    Their task was special, and it also had a lot to do with Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye had been unexpectedly brought back from Night Spirit Island during a sampling expedition by a researcher from Juli Corp, and that researcher was Dr. Turing, a leading scholar in embryology. According to confidential files left behind by Dr. Turing, he had entered a cave where the remains of the night spirits were buried and seen the skeleton of a giant creature.


    For the past thousands of years, perhaps that giant creature had been protecting the unhatched Mo Ye. It was Mo Ye¡¯s guardian.


    The so-called night spirits would send food into the cave for the giant creature. But since the night spirits died out, their guardian, without food, also died. Dr. Turing managed to bring the embryo back to the research base, but even then, it didn¡¯t hatch for many years.


    Not long after Zhou Yu and his team arrived in Nibelungen, Dr. Turing lost contact with them during an investigation trip. The whole team protecting him failed to return.


    Song Zhi had always wanted to find out what happened to Dr. Turing, but the locator on Dr. Turing was damaged and stopped transmitting signals, which made it impossible for Song Zhi to send people to look for him. However, following Zhou Yu and the rest¡¯s return to Nibelungen, Dr. Turing¡¯s locator suddenly began to send out signals again.


    Was it a coincidence, or was it Dr. Turing¡¯s call for help?


    Dr. Turing had studied Mo Ye when he was an embryo. He had first-hand information on the origin of S rank organisms. Song Zhi had to find him.


    Before Zhou Yu left the base, Song Zhi asked him to visit Mo Ye again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to become distracted before I set out on an important assignment.¡± Zhou Yu rejected Song Zhi through the radio transceiver.


    ¡°He has something to say to you, and it¡¯s related to your assignment. The things in his head, he won¡¯t share with any other person¡­ or organism, except for you.¡±

 CH 60

    Chapter 60: ¡°Messenger¡±


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes, quickly adjusting his emotions before turning and walking back to the base.


    ¡°Hey, Zhou Yu! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Zhou Yu raised his hand but didn¡¯t answer.


    After passing through several checkpoints, he came to the innermost section.


    Mo Ye was placidly sitting under the lights, holding a book in his hands. When he saw Zhou Yu coming to him, his lips slowly curved up and he slightly raised his chin, giving Zhou Yu the illusion that he was being looked up at by a powerful organism.


    His facial features are finely detailed.


    Such delicacy had nothing to do with femininity, but it caused Zhou Yu to trace over them subconsciously.


    ¡°Song Zhi said you want to see me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go on the assignment,¡± Mo Ye replied.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Turing no longer exists,¡± Mo Ye said.


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    When Zhou Yu finished asking the question, Mo Ye turned to the side and smiled.


    ¡°I know that Dr. Turing no longer exists, just as I know you were expecting me to kiss you last night.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s fingers froze for a moment before they quickly stretched out.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I expected of you. It¡¯s an illusion you created.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was an illusion, but it doesn¡¯t have to be made by me.¡± Mo Ye stood up and came in front of Zhou Yu. His gaze sank down. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Zhou Yu.¡±


    That ¡°don¡¯t go¡± was a deeply tender cry in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind, but Zhou Yu forced his emotions to disengage from it.


    ¡°The search for Dr. Turing has nothing to do with whether Dr. Turing is still alive.¡± Zhou Yu turned to leave.


    He knew Mo Ye remained standing place, looking at him, but he did not hesitate for even a moment.


    He got in the helicopter, and Wu Yun, sitting opposite him, asked, ¡°hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wu Yun, be careful on this assignment,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Wu Yun¡¯s expression turned somber. He lowered his head and whispered, ¡°did Song Zhi say anything to you?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Song Zhi, but Mo Ye. He said Dr. Turing no longer exists.¡±


    ¡°We really are going to meet a ghost then¡­ How did his vital signs come through?¡± Wu Yun tugged at the corners of his mouth. ¡°And even if I wanted to be careful, what¡¯s the use of being careful when bringing along all these newbies?¡±


    On this assignment, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were each bringing along three people. They were very clear on the fact that the ones who could survive this task were the ones Juli Corp wanted. In Nibelungen, Juli Corp would not give anyone time to grow up or adapt. Everything was survival of the fittest.


    When Zhou Yu closed his eyes to concentrate, a voice sounded in his mind.


    ¡°Once you leave the range of my abilities, I can¡¯t protect you, Zhou Yu.¡±


    Zhou Yu clenched his fists.


    ¡°It may be a way for you to protect me, but for me, it¡¯s being under control.¡± Zhou Yu replied in his heart.


    If Mo Ye had had this ability since the beginning, then did it mean that every minute they were together, he was like an open book from which Mo Ye could easily read?


    ¡°Even if you know it¡¯s dangerous and you know the most likely outcome, you will still do what you think is right. I won¡¯t stop you, but I will bear responsibility for the final outcome with you.¡±


    Looking out of the window, the base was completely out of sight.


    And Mo Ye¡¯s voice never sounded again.


    Maybe he had always existed in Zhou Yu¡¯s head, quietly deciphering Zhou Yu¡¯s mind and silently observing everything that belonged to him.


    The helicopter came to an expanse of dense, rolling mountains overlaid with green vegetation and lush plants. The helicopter could not find a landing point.


    ¡°This environment¡­ looks even thornier than the primeval forest we went through the first time.¡± Wu Yun glanced at the location device on his wrist. ¡°Dr. Turing should be in this area.¡±


    Wu Yun clapped his hands and said to his team members, ¡°children, we¡¯re going down here. To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect Juli Corp to send you all to such a dangerous place. As your senior, the only thing I can remind you of is¡ªthis assignment is deadly.¡±


    With that, Wu Yun slid down along the rope, closely followed by his team members.


    Zhou Yu looked down and could not see anything except for the branches being pushed down by the wind from the helicopter¡¯s blades.


    After Wu Yun¡¯s team dropped to the ground, they immediately organized their defense. They carried guns and paid close attention to their surrounding situation.


    There were very few creatures visible in the forest, which surprised Wu Yun a little. There was the light fragrance of plants in the air, and the oxygen quality was fresher than that of the base. It made one feel as if every cell in the body was being mellowed out.


    But the more harmless it seemed, the more dangerous it was.


    Dr. Turing was here. If it really was as safe as it seemed, then he would have left long ago. Why would he send out a signal months later?


    Wu Yun¡¯s past experiences told him that something must be lying dormant under the tranquility, and with them as its prey.


    Half a minute later, Zhou Yu was still waiting at the entrance of the cabin, not intending to go down.


    A member of the team could not help but ask, ¡°Instructor Zhou¡­ We¡­ ¡°


    Zhou Yu simply raised a hand and clenched it into a fist, signaling them to stay on standby.


    This was the tacit understanding that he and Wu Yun had formed a long time ago. Before each assignment, they would play rock-paper-scissors and the loser would lead the team down first to forage a path. If nothing dangerous happened, then the second team would go down. This was done to avoid total annihilation if they were to encounter dangerous organisms.


    More than a dozen seconds later, Wu Yun¡¯s message came. ¡°Come down now, but on orange alert.¡±


    Zhou Yu turned back to his team and announced the orange alert. Then he quickly grabbed the rope and slid down from above. He was very worried about Wu Yun.


    The other team members gulped. They thought that when Wu Yun had said at the beginning that the task was deadly, it was just to get their attention, but issuing an ¡°orange alert¡± was no joke. This meant that the assessment of the environment was concluded to be ¡°dangerous.¡±


    They followed close behind, the two teams smoothly converging.


    But when they dropped into the forest, they found that there was a complete stillness, without so much as an E rank organism.


    There weren¡¯t the calls of insects or birds. Even though the vegetation was lush, it also gave off the feeling of a ghost town.


    Wu Yun raised his hand, indicating that Dr. Turing¡¯s signal was coming from ahead.


    Zhou Yu nodded but did not go forward. He carefully observed the things around him. The trees here were not tall comparatively in Nibelungen and almost completely covered in vines. Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he quickly gave instructions. ¡°Hold your breaths and put on your breathing masks!¡±


    Without any hesitation, Wu Yun immediately took out his mask. But there was one person who was a step too slow.


    The concentration of the sweet fragrance in the air suddenly went up, and a team member beside Zhou Yu had his gaze go slack. Before he could put on his breathing mask, he dropped it, and it was caught by Zhou Yu. He walked forward sluggishly, and the other two team members quickly grabbed him.


    But he was so strong that they could hardly stop him, and his expression appeared obsessed. His team members quickly put on the mask for him, but it didn¡¯t seem to help.


    Wu Yun directly went up and punched him, almost knocking out his teeth. He wobbled to his feet and walked towards a tree entwined with vines.


    Zhou Yu had once almost been captured by the same kind of organism. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to kill. Even if they weren¡¯t enthralled by the scent of the plant or if they resisted its illusion, they could still be attacked directly. The vines were powerful, and they seemed to be growing all over the forest. Even if they were to empty out their bullets, they might not be able to escape.


    Zhou Yu immediately took out a tranquilizer bullet and shot it.


    A light yellow gas was dispersed and the fragrance gradually weakened. The vines that were about to extend to them retracted, but the effects didn¡¯t last very long. Even if they were to use up all the tranquilizer bullets they carried, they still couldn¡¯t hold it off for long enough until the mission ended.


    Zhou Yu issued a task cancellation order to the helicopter.


    But the response was ¡°rejected.¡±


    ¡°Those bastards,¡± Wu Yun gave a cold snort, ¡°when we¡¯re all dead, let¡¯s see who they¡¯ll send then.¡±


    ¡°Forget it,¡± was all Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°Sorry, I already finished saying what I shouldn¡¯t have said.¡±


    They could only move forward. Looking down a long crevice in the valley, there was no light shining through, as if it was an invitation into the abyss of hell.


    ¡°I hate assignments like going into caves and valleys.¡± Wu Yun still remembered that he and Zhou Yu had nearly died in the underground cave where Elpis was growing last time.


    They couldn¡¯t rush in. If something dangerous were to happen, they wouldn¡¯t have room to move around in, and it might be the nest of some dangerous organism.


    Just as Zhou Yu hesitated, they suddenly heard the sound of some creatures running over to them at high speed.


    ¡°Perytons!¡± one of the team members called out.


    How did the perytons find them? They could only identify prey through the hormones in the air produced by their fear, but the whole team¡¯s inhibitors were still working!


    The herd of perytons was still a few dozen meters away from them. But to creatures like them, a few dozen meters was nothing.


    Zhou Yu took the rifle off his back, loaded it quickly, and aimed. In the blink of an eye, he fired two or three shots, each one hitting bullseye.


    The rest of the team finally recovered from their shock, and they picked up their guns and started shooting too.


    When the perytons at the front dropped down, the perytons behind it came rushing up.


    ¡°Damn it! What the hell is going on here?¡± Wu Yun immediately contacted the helicopter and requested support.


    The moment the helicopter let down its rope, their team members jumped up without regard for the situation, quickly pulling themselves up the rope.


    If it weren¡¯t a waste of bullets, Wu Yun would have really liked to shoot them one by one!


    A peryton rushed at them. Its tail quickly swept over, and Zhou Yu dropped backwards. Its tail brushed the tip of Zhou Yu¡¯s nose, and the extended barb flashed across his eyes. After Zhou Yu fell down, he immediately sidestepped and dodged. On the other side, Wu Yun watched him, shell-shocked.


    The peryton¡¯s tail swept at the team members who were climbing up the rope into the helicopter, casuing them to fall off and die miserably. Then the rope broke. Only two team members had climbed high enough and other two fell.


    He saw a peryton rush at Wu Yun at a speed that could not be avoided.


    ¡°Get down!¡± Zhou Yu yelled.


    Wu Yun dropped down without saying a word. The peryton¡¯s legs just missed Wu Yun¡¯s head as they stepped over. When it was about to lower its head and bite Wu Yun¡¯s leg, Zhou Yu shot it.


    The peryton was shot down and its head fell on Wu Yun.


    At that moment, Zhou Yu¡¯s mind was exceptionally calm. The peryton just now had known where Wu Yun was, as if it could see!


    What the hell was going on here?


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes scanned the area. He found that from some time ago, several blue and purple birds had perched on the tree. These birds were the size of hummingbirds, with red eyes. They hid among the leaves of the tree, not making a single peep or any movements. They merely looked at Zhou Yu. If one wasn¡¯t paying attention, they would have gone unnoticed.


    The information Elpis had passed on to Zhou Yu quickly flashed through his mind. He suddenly realized why those perytons couldn¡¯t feel their fear but could still accurately lock onto their position!


    The birds were B rank organisms. They weren¡¯t aggressive, but they had the special ability to connect their vision and hearing with other creatures! So the reason why the perytons could ¡°see¡± was because of the existence of those birds! They were called ¡°messengers.¡±


    Just as Wu Yun climbed out from under the dead peryton, another came.


    The two fallen team members found that the helicopter had risen, and losing the possibility of evacuation, they took out their guns and started shooting at the perytons that were approaching.


    They started to panic.


    The target of Zhou Yu¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t the perytons, but the ¡°messengers.¡±


    He shot one down, and the rest flew away in a flurry of wings.


    At the same time, those single-minded perytons seemed to panic and lose their sense of direction. Several of them were taken down.


    But the ¡°messengers¡± lingered in the sky, and the perytons regained their sight.


    In a normal situation, any creature that feels threatened would flee, especially when Zhou Yu had killed one of them. However, these birds remained somewhere where they could see them clearly. There was only one possibility¡ªthat these birds were targetting Zhou Yu and the rest of them!


    It was unrealistic to get rid of the birds one by one.


    Zhou Yu took out another sedative bomb and threw it at them with all his strength.


    The anesthetic gas was quickly released, and the birds fell from the air, flailing.


    The perytons, on the other hand, lost their sense of direction and trampled several birds to death.


    They looked at the scene in surprise. The remaining two team members could not help but ask, ¡°Instructor Zhou¡­ Do these birds have anything to do with the perytons?¡±


    Zhou Yu got rid of the last peryton and said in a cold voice, ¡°these birds and the perytons are all being manipulated by some higher-ranking organism.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Perytons can¡¯t see or hear, but they are strong at attacking. That organism was manipulating the perytons to attack us, and at the same time, it was also manipulating the birds¡ªthe ¡°messengers,¡±¡ªto share their sight and direct the perytons. I have to say that this organism is definitely A rank or above.¡±


    Just like how Elpis could manipulate the swordbone butterflies and the devil vines.


    Just then, there was a boom in the sky.


    A flock of giant, six-eyed birds rushed to the helicopter in the sky. These giant birds were the same as those Zhou Yu had met at the Angel¡¯s Horns.


    The helicopter released sonic blasts, pushing back one giant bird after another.


    Some of the giant birds dropped down and couldn¡¯t move because of serious injuries; others flew far away and then recklessly charged at the helicopter again, wave after wave.


    They didn¡¯t seem like they would stop until they struck the helicopter down.


    The helicopter had to evacuate quickly.


    The two team members who didn¡¯t make it up into the helicopter madly chased after it.


    ¡°Wait for us¡ªHey!¡±


    ¡°Asshole! Take us with you!¡±


    If the helicopter were to leave, then they¡¯d be left behind in this hellish place.


    ¡°Those two fools!¡± Wu Yun was so enraged that his teeth itched.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Zhou Yu yelled.


    A giant bird in the sky who had been chasing after the helicopter suddenly dove down, opened its beak, and was about to seize one of the two team members.


    Zhou Yu rushed up and knocked one of them down.


    The other one was snatched up. Fortunately, Wu Yun made a snap decision and shot it.


    It opened its beak and dropped down.


    Although the team member also fell down and rolled a few times to a stop, he wasn¡¯t seriously injured other than suffering a fright.


    Other giant birds, as if inspired, swooped down one after the other.


    The other team member who had been knocked down by Zhou Yu was dumbstruck. Even though he was a seasoned veteran in the other world, he¡¯d never before experienced such a scene.


    Zhou Yu pulled him up. ¡°Run¡ª¡±


    Wu Yun and the other person immediately set off and ran like crazy.


    There was nowhere to hide in the forest.


    Even though Zhou Yu knew at the bottom of his heart that the giant birds were also being controlled by some kind of organism hiding nearby and intentionally forcing them, they had nowhere to retreat and could only rush into the crevice in the valley.


    Those giant birds tried to follow them in, but they were so big that they could only put their beaks in and peck at them in a frenzy, alarming Zhou Yu and them to retreat even deeper inside.


    When the two team members were still looking up at the long beaks of the giant birds in a daze, Wu Yun had already turned around. ¡°Guard your back! Idiots!¡±


    It was pitch-black behind them, as if there was some monster about to rush out.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun took out light sticks and shook them. There was finally some light in the pitch-black crevice.


    At the same time, those giant birds saw that Zhou Yu and the rest had gone too far away for them to catch and retreated.


    But this was not the end. The vines, awakened from the anesthesia, started to move and twist, layer over layer, sealing the entrance to the crevice.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Wu Yun gnashed his teeth.


    He and Zhou Yu could now confirm that they¡¯d completely fallen into the trap of that organism.


    As the vines continued to spread, Zhou Yu knew that they could only move a few hundred meters away. One of the team members took out a dagger and wanted to chop at the vines, but Zhou Yu stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort. It won¡¯t cut.¡±


    Unless, like Zhou Yu¡¯s last experience, they were dragged into the abdominal cavity of a certain kind of tree and given a fatal blow. Once they became entangled, they would have an almost zero chance of even holding a dagger.


    They had no choice but to continuously retreat to avoid the vines.


    Their hearts were beating wildly. No one knew what was waiting for them ahead.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s finger was always on the trigger, and each step was a step towards hell.


    Gradually, they heard the faint sound of water flowing.


    The narrow crevice widened.


    A ¡°crack¡± came from beneath Wu Yun¡¯s feet, as if he had stepped on something.


    He looked down and found that it was a sampler.


    Wu Yun picked it up.


    Zhou Yu made a gesture, meaning, did Dr. Turing leave that behind?


    Wu Yun shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he didn¡¯t know.


    Samplers all looked the same.


    Zhou Yu also looked down at the location device, which showed that Dr. Turing¡¯s locator was still ahead.


    They entered into defensive mode, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun sandwiching the two team members from the front and back.


    As the space in front of them grew more and more spacious, they could even hear the sound of water flowing.


    If there was water, then there was very likely to be an exit at the other end!


    When Wu Yun¡¯s light stick flashed by, they were astonished to find that there was some kind of creature bowing down at the water¡¯s edge to drink water.


    The fellow had a sharp nose and was covered with scales all over its body.


    It had almost no pupils and a pair of eyes that were almost all white, which gave the two team members following Zhou Yu a fright.


    Zhou Yu searched his mind for what this creature was and what characteristics it possessed.


    But Zhou Yu found that he did not have the slightest impression of it. It did not belong in the memory that Elpis had passed on to Zhou Yu.


    The four of them momentarily did not know what to do.


    Zhou Yu raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. Everyone held their breaths and did not move.


    Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and observed the organism carefully. It looked like a giant lizard, but it had no tail.


    They stood there for a long time, but it did not respond. Zhou Yu suspected that it had no sight. Maybe it had lived in a dark cave for so long that its vision degenerated. In the human world, such creatures would usually have sharp hearing. However, when Zhou Yu and the rest came walking over, it was impossible that they had not made a single sound along the way. This creature had not followed the sound; was it the same as a peryton?


    Uncertain, Zhou Yu picked up a stone from the ground and threw it to the other side. It hit the stone wall with a loud crack.


    But the lizard-like creature didn¡¯t move its head even a hairsbreadth.


    Just when Zhou Yu thought it hunted in the same way as the peryton, a small creature that was chasing a fast-moving insect came scuttling out.

 CH 61

    Chapter 61: Zhou Yu & Mo Ye vs the death dahlia


    When they were less than five meters away from the lizard monster, it suddenly raised its head and leaped, accurately pouncing on the small creature with a speed that surprised Zhou Yu.


    This caused Zhou Yu, who had originally decided to move, to stop.


    The lizard monster became quiet after tearing apart its prey and devouring it into its belly.


    It got up and headed in Zhou Yu and the others¡¯ direction.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun had no choice but to step back. They automatically blocked in front of the two team members; unlike Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, they were not experienced in dealing with the organisms of Nibelungen. They would not observe their habits first then make judgments based on experimentation, like Zhou Yu or Wu Yun. Once they lose their rationality, they would produce devastating results.


    In any case, Zhou Yu believed that it only recognized prey that entered into a certain range around it.


    As they retreated, a cry of surprise came from behind them.


    Another lizard monster had somehow gotten behind them, and with their retreat, it attacked the nearest team member among them!


    It bit the shoulder of the team member and quickly dragged it along the ground.


    The team member took out his gun and shot rapid-fire at the lizard monster. But because of his shoulder injury, he was unable to control his aim, the bullets were pelted out chaotically in a shower of sparks.


    Wu Yun ran over to try and save him, but he was almost hit by a bullet.


    ¡°Fuck¡ªif you keep shooting wildly, I¡¯ll gun you down!¡±


    A bullet hit in front of his toes. Just a millimeter closer, and Wu Yun would have died.


    It was so dark in the cave that none of them could open fire when the target couldn¡¯t be seen clearly.


    ¡°In the future, even if we¡¯re going to work in broad daylight, we have to be equipped with night vision goggles!¡±


    This was Wu Yun¡¯s newfound experience.


    Zhou Yu ran hard, chasing after Wu Yun. Wu Yun chased after the lizard monster. The other team member chased after Zhou Yu following his footsteps.


    The only thing Zhou Yu could feel was that the ground under his feet sloped slightly downwards. If it continued in the same way, then they should be running somewhere deeper.


    None of this was a coincidence; whether it was the ¡°messengers,¡± the perytons, the attack on the helicopter, the giant birds that drove them into a crevice in the valley, or the vines that sealed the entrance¡ªall of this indicated that some organism was driving them into the depths of the cave.


    They could not continue to let it take the reins!


    Just as Zhou Yu was reaching into his backpack, a cool breeze came rushing at them. Zhou Yu pulled the trigger without blinking. A crash sounded. Something dropped down from the shot and fell on the team member who had sprinted over with them.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Zhou Yu took out his light stick and shone it over him.


    The team member pushed the lizard monster away with difficulty and crawled out, looking terrified.


    Zhou Yu pulled him up.


    ¡°Just what is this?!¡±


    When the light stick passed over it, Zhou Yu seemed to find something on the lizard monster. He said to the team member, ¡°Stay on guard!¡±


    He squatted down and shone the light stick over the monster¡¯s carcass.


    The scales on its body seemed to have been pushed out from underneath its flesh and were still carrying traces of blood on them. Zhou Yu had no doubt that it must have been very painful when the scales were growing.


    There were some scars on its neck, like marks left behind after being violently scratched.


    Also¡­  it seemed to have an Adam¡¯s apple?


    Its abdomen and the lower part of its arms were not scaly. Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes and reached out to turn its arm over.


    ¡°Instructor Zhou¡­¡± The team member who followed Zhou Yu was worried. What if it wasn¡¯t dead yet and suddenly attacked Zhou Yu?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Zhou Yu flipped its forearm over and found that there was a faint pattern there, already unintelligible from wear.


    ¡°Instructor Zhou, what are you looking at? Let¡¯s leave it alone. I¡¯m worried about Instructor Wu¡­ ¡°


    ¡°They¡¯re tattoos,¡± Zhou Yu said suddenly.


    ¡°What? Tattoos? How could that be possible?¡±


    He also crouched down and looked towards the glow of the light stick, where there was indeed a tattoo-like mark.


    ¡°It seems to be an English name¡­ This looks like ¡®E¡¯, and this letter looks like a ¡®Y¡¯,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°If it¡¯s an English name, then it looks like ¡°Emily¡±. But how could the creatures here have tattoos?! Did someone help tattoo it?¡±


    The information that Song Zhi had given to them about Dr. Turing¡¯s last mission flashed through Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    In it, there was a guy named Chris with a note on his profile that said that he had the name of his fiancee tattooed on his forearm. Emily.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably Chris Fanks.¡±


    Zhou Yu got up.


    ¡°What? This guy¡­ is a lost field worker? Impossible! This is clearly a monster!¡±


    What was going on? How could he have become like this?


    If Chris Fanks had become like this, then what about the other field workers? What about Dr. Turing? Had he become a lizard monster too?


    ¡°Shit! Wu Yun!¡±


    If his reasoning was correct, then there must be something here that could cause changes in humans! Zhou Yu held up his light stick, the other team member following behind him.


    Up ahead of him, he faintly saw Wu Yun holding a light stick.


    ¡°Wu Yun, are you okay?¡±


    Wu Yun made a gesture meaning ¡°silence¡± at Zhou Yu. Then he stretched his hand over his head to indicate to Zhou Yu that there was something above them. The three of them stood back-to-back, guarding each other.


    In the end, Zhou Yu decided to take out a flare and launch it upwards.


    The flare went up more than ten meters before it exploded.


    The whole cave was illuminated, and all three of them were instantly rendered speechless.


    The cave was much larger than they¡¯d thought; it was about the same size as the cave where Elpis had been growing. There were numerous holes along the stone wall of the cave.


    Several lizard monsters were lingering on that stone wall. They didn¡¯t respond at all to the intense light.


    The team member who had been bitten on the shoulder by the lizard monster was already dragged up the stone wall, his legs dangling in the air. His gun had fallen down and was on the ground.


    ¡°So¡­ many¡­ What should we do?¡± the team member following Zhou Yu asked.


    The team member who had been taken away was still alive and shivering from blood loss.


    Even though they could see clearly at the moment, the second they were to open fire, that team member would fall from a height and likely die from it.


    The other lizard monsters turned their heads in their direction. Zhou Yu realized that they had entered into the hunting range of the lizard monsters.


    Zhou Yu secretly counted the number of lizard monsters; it matched up with the number of missing field workers.


    ¡°They¡¯re most likely the field workers who were protecting Dr. Turing,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°How is that possible?!¡± Wu looked at Zhou Yu as if he¡¯d lost his mind.


    Zhou Yu tilted his chin and motioned for Wu Yun to watch the lizard monster that was biting onto their team member.


    The lizard climbed higher and higher, and from the residual light of the dissipating flare, they could see that there was something on its forearm.


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes widened; it was the same locator as the one on his arm! It was basic equipment Juli Corp gave to all researchers to protect them on expeditions!


    Wu Yun also found that another one of the crawling lizards was wearing a camouflage suit that was tattered beyond repair!


    These were not coincidences.


    ¡°This¡­ What¡¯s going on here? If they are really from that team, do they still have any awareness?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°If they are aware, then they wouldn¡¯t attack us.¡± Zhou Yu raised his gun. ¡°Before they attack us en masse, get rid of them.¡±


    It would be impossible to bring those who had lost their human consciousness back to the base, and waiting for the lizards to attack them would be too late.


    Compassion for those of the same kind was meaningless now.


    The lizard monster climbed higher and higher. The bitten team member begged weakly. ¡°Help me¡­ Please, help me¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, something was slowly blooming at the apex of the cave. It was a giant flower.


    The brightness of the flare was lost. Zhou Yu tilted his head up, but he could only see a large shadow at the top of the cave.


    Hell was slowly devouring their world.


    ¡°Wu Yun! Do you have any flares?¡± Zhou Yu said coldly.


    Without replying, Wu Yun fired a second flare.


    The interior of the cave brightened up again.


    Zhou Yu peered up at the giant flower.


    Its petals seemed to be translucent. The center was silver while the edges were a pale gold color. It was more exquisite than the paintings on the ceilings of Western churches.


    Its beauty was that of which one simply couldn¡¯t look away from.


    From the heart of the flower, some kind of red flesh thread slowly reached out and wrapped around the wounded team member carried by the lizard monster.


    ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°The death dahlia¡­¡± As Zhou Yu answered, he raised his gun and shot above them. The thread of flesh from the death dahlia quickly shoved the injured team member into its center while pulling over the lizard monster that was closest to it, thereby blocking Zhou Yu¡¯s bullet.


    The death dahlia, like Elpis, was an A rank organism, but it was much crueler than Elpis. It also had the ability to manipulate low-level creatures. The ¡°messenger¡± birds and perytons near the valley were under its control. Its flowering heart could grow several red meat threads, which were its digestive organs. But as for how the death dahlia had turned those field workers into the way they are was unknown to Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Zhou hadn¡¯t thought that something so big that was an obvious target fixed in place could move so quickly.


    Meanwhile, the lizards that had been attached to the cave wall all pounced at them. They were being controlled by the death dahlia and had long been reduced to its subjects.


    Zhou Yu replaced his magazine, Wu Yun and their remaining teammate started shooting in all directions, trigger-happy and reckless.


    Several lizards were hit and fell to the ground.


    Zhou Yu calmly took aim amidst their frenzied gunfire and dispatched three lizard monsters that were close to him.


    Still, there was one that rushed above their heads, its claws swiping over the body of that team member. Zhou Yu immediately shot it.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The team member fell to the ground.


    ¡°Hey, are you all right?¡± Wu Yun pulled him up and checked his shoulder. Fortunately, it only ripped his outer clothing.


    Presently, the lizard monsters in the cave were all dead.


    Wu Yun heaved a sigh while Zhou Yu reached out to pull Wu Yun and the other team members away. ¡°Be careful!¡±


    The closed heart of the death dahlia slowly opened again and a lizard monster was slowly spat out.


    There was a thick, viscous liquid all over its body. It fell to the ground with a ¡°splat¡±.


    It slowly crawled up, blood gushing as scales broke through the skin on its back and body.


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu and the rest kept retreating, watching it struggle in pain. It opened its mouth wide, but it couldn¡¯t make a sound. Then it stretched out a twisted front claw to grab its own throat.


    ¡°It¡­ It was just eaten¡­¡± The team member behind Wu Yun was dumbstruck.


    It all went beyond his comprehension.


    ¡°Is the death dahlia you mentioned¡­ able to do¡­ that?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Just then, the lizard monster¡¯s human eyes suddenly lost their pupils and rolled up, only leaving behind the whites of its eyes.


    It looked down as if sensing something, then charged in the direction of Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.


    Zhou Yu did not utter a single word; he pulled the trigger and shot it dead center on the head, ending it.


    The death dahlia opened its mouth again, the countless threads of flesh making a slimy sound before extending out from above.


    Without any delay, Zhou Yu raised his gun at the heart of the flower and let loose a burst of bullets.


    But there was a layer of mucus on the epidermis of the death dahlia, causing the bullets to hit the mucus as if it was hitting bulletproof clothing. It was impossible to shoot into the interior of the death dahlia, so any nervous system compounds would not be effective.


    The threads of flesh started to squirm like crazy. Zhou Yu and Wu Yun fired while running.


    They went along the only underground river. The team member trailing behind them shouted out loud, and Zhou Yu turned to find that a meat thread had pierced his ankle and was dragging him away.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu wanted to get closer, but there was already a string of meat that had extended to them.


    What should they do?!


    What could they do now?


    Their bullets couldn¡¯t pierce it and its flesh was an extremely strong puncturing weapon! It was an A rank organism; if they didn¡¯t take care of it here, then even if were to leave the cave, it could still manipulate other creatures to kill them!


    Zhou Yu realized for the first time that he had been forced into a dead end.


    Wu Yun had emptied his ammunition clip and had no choice but to take out the dagger from his hip. ¡°If worse comes to worst, we¡¯ll duke it out! I¡¯m living on borrowed time anyway!¡±


    At this time, a voice sounded in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind. I am here, Zhou Yu, I am here.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils trembled when he realized that the voice belonged to Mo Ye.


    He thought he was far enough from the base, so he didn¡¯t expect Mo Ye to still be in his mind!


    Zhou Yu, I am not your enemy. I want to bring you back, so don¡¯t reject or resist me again. Even once¡­ just this once is enough. Please believe me.


    Zhou closed his eyes and remembered the first time Mo Ye had saved him.


    What is there to be afraid of, Zhou Yu? There can be no worse ending than their current predicament. The death dahlia was an A rank organism; indeed, only an S rank organism like Mo Ye could deal with it!


    Zhou Yu spoke inwardly. All right. If I believe you, then what should I do?


    Mo Ye replied, Let me borrow your body. Let me take charge of everything.


    Zhou Yu took a deep breath. He knew that at this point in time, he had no other choice.


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice rang out again. Relax, Zhou Yu¡­ Relax¡­


    He felt like he had sunken into a warm embrace, and Mo Ye was holding him tightly from behind. He was plastered against Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek, his breaths sweeping through every cell of his skin and permeating into his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave everything to me¡­  Believe in me.¡±


    When Zhou Yu opened his eyes again, he starting sprinting.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! What are you doing?!¡± Wu Yun reached out to grab him, but Zhou Yu was too fast and eluded him.


    Just as the threads of meat were about to stab into Zhou Yu¡¯s body, an intangible force seemed to push them back and instantly disperse them.


    Wu Yun was stupefied. He followed behind him.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s headlong dash went unimpeded, and he ran straight underneath the death dahlia, where he raised his head.


    The strings of meat quickly withdrew as if they were frightened, and they retracted into the heart of the flower. Even the petals in bloom quickly closed up.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Catching up to him, Wu Yun was shocked by the scene. ¡°Zhou Yu! Come back! Zhou Yu!¡±


    But Zhou Yu did not respond at all.


    The hellish dahlia seemed to want to shrink up and not be found. It seemed to be afraid of Zhou Yu.


    When Zhou Yu looked up, his eyes suddenly turned golden.


    The hellish dahlia at the crest of the cave seemed to have been forced into a corner. Out of nowhere, it suddenly unfurled its petals, about to swallow Zhou Yu.


    Wu Yun was terrified. Even though he only had his dagger left, he could not let Zhou Yu be eaten!


    Just when Wu Yun rushed up, a force seemed to batter the death dahlia¡¯s petals, completely tearing them apart. They fell around Zhou Yu.


    But Zhou Yu continued to look up.


    Time came to a stand-still.


    The petals that had fallen to the ground rotted and decayed in the blink of an eye.


    The team member who had been swallowed up by the death dahlia was also regurgitated out.


    He was still conscious. Now that he¡¯d finally gotten oxygen, he started to hack up a lung.


    Zhou Yu turned to Wu Yun and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The color of Zhou Yu¡¯s pupils startled Wu Yun. He instantly drew his gun and aimed at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°What are you? What did you do to Zhou Yu?¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s hand around the gun was steady, but his heart was pounding violently.


    In front of him, the man¡¯s lips slowly curved up in a smirk that undoubtedly did not belong to Zhou Yu.


    It was lazy and arrogant.


    It was as if he had been born superior to them all.


    ¡°Wu Yun, I am Mo Ye. If you don¡¯t want to die, then come with me while I still have my powers.¡±


    Wu Yun understood immediately.


    Zhou Yu, who was being controlled by Mo Ye, bent down and pulled up the team member who had lost his strength. He effortlessly carried him over his shoulder.


    His strength was extraordinary; he was clearly carrying a person, yet his gait remained as steady as ever.


    They walked following the stream.


    Trailing behind him, Wu Yun was harboring strange emotions.


    ¡°Are you really Mo Ye?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not Mo Ye, then could I be the death dahlia?¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice carried a mocking tone.


    This was a tone that Zhou Yu would not use under normal circumstances.


    ¡°Are you in Zhou Yu¡¯s body?¡± Wu Yun asked again.


    ¡°My mind is in Zhou Yu¡¯s body. Did you want to ask, that if I had parasitized Zhou Yu, should you be trying to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Yu is my brother,¡± Wu Yun replied.


    [T/N: As an experienced cnovel reader knows, they are not literally brothers.]


    He was willing to try anything to cure Zhou Yu, but he couldn¡¯t bear to pull the trigger on him.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not parasitism, then how are you controlling Zhou Yu¡¯s body only through your mind?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    It was entirely like he was possessed. Wu Yun found it hard to understand.


    ¡°Like how ¡®messengers¡¯ are able to share their sight with perytons and perytons are controlled by the death dahlia, this is remote telepathy, a special ability of the organisms in Nibelungen.¡±


    [T/N: A direct translation would be something like ¡°remote sensing of thought¡±.]


    ¡°So how did you kill the death dahlia? You didn¡¯t even touch it!¡±


    ¡°As you say, Nibelungen¡¯s organisms have a strict hierarchy. I outrank it, thus I can kill it. ¡± Mo Ye spoke as plainly as drinking a cup of tea.


    ¡°Can you kill us in the same way?¡± Wu Yun asked again.


    ¡°No, because your neural architecture is different from the organisms of Nibelungen. The creatures here have a special type of nerve pulse; all the creatures here rely on it to some extent to connect with one another. The higher the ranking, the stronger this power is. Like how A rank organisms like Elpis can manipulate lower-ranked organisms, as an S rank organism, I have a much stronger pulse force.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your popular science explanation. I think Mr. Song would be very interested in what you just said,¡± Wu Yun replied.


    ¡°But I have no interest in sharing this knowledge with him. I prefer to watch him fumble about in the dark¡ªit would be even better if he strays further down the wrong path.¡± There was a touch of ridicule in Mo Ye¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m not too fond Song Zhi either. So besides Zhou Yu, can you also control other human bodies?¡± Wu Yun suddenly grew worried. If his presumption was correct, then everyone at the base was in serious danger. And Mo Ye¡¯s so-called restriction of freedom was just a game he was playing with human beings in his spare time.


    ¡°What nonsense are you thinking of? It¡¯s Zhou Yu¡¯s blood that¡¯s in my body and our genes are matched. That¡¯s why I can use my abilities through his body. But as for other human beings, other than enticing you, reading your thoughts, and playing a prank¡­ the rest is of no use.¡±


    Mo Ye suddenly turned around and leaned towards Wu Yun.

 CH 62

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 62: Alienation


    Even in the darkness, Mo Ye¡¯s eyes still resembled colored glass. His gaze was like a flowing stream, brushing over Wu Yun¡¯s nervousness.


    Wu Yun¡¯s heart inexplicably missed a beat.


    Those were clearly Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes, yet they gave off an entirely different feeling, as if something was reaching out from within those eyes and wrapping around Wu Yun¡¯s breaths.


    ¡°Like this.¡± Mo Ye smiled, then straightened up.


    Wu Yun drew in a breath of air before coming back to clarity.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t joke with me like that ever again.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s voice was cold.


    ¡°Of course. If I play tricks on you, Zhou Yu wouldn¡¯t be happy either.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s tone sounded like he truly cared about Zhou Yu.


    Because the cave was too dark, Wu Yun had dropped his light stick during their battle with the death dahlia. He was only walking forward following Mo Ye¡¯s voice. A rock caught him by surprise and he almost tripped, but he was held up by Mo Ye, who was walking in front of him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Mo Ye chuckled. ¡°You can¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I die?¡± Standing steady again, Wu Yun asked him amusedly.


    In Nibelungen, no one could guarantee that they would be able to survive until the end, whether it was Wu Yun or Zhou Yu.


    ¡°If you die, then Zhou Yu would be sad.¡±


    Mo Ye turned around but didn¡¯t continue walking.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you some light. I don¡¯t want you to fall and crack your head.¡±


    After he spoke, they saw a faint blue glow approaching them from a distance.


    Then, a swarm of bluelight fireflies flew towards Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun was so startled that he didn¡¯t dare move. The bluelight fireflies merely attached themselves to the roof of the cave, illuminating the path before them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, they won¡¯t bore into you.¡± Zhou Yu threw him a sideways smile.


    Wu Yun paused¡ªthat kind of Zhou Yu seemed to come from another world.


    As they traveled on, the two walls on either side of them grew closer and closer together, as if they were swallowing them up.


    ¡°What is it that you want from Zhou Yu?¡± asked Wu Yun.


    ¡°If I am treating him as my prey, then what will you do?¡±


    ¡°Kill you.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Inside Zhou Yu¡¯s body, Mo Ye started to laugh, his shoulders shaking as if he¡¯d just heard some extremely ridiculous joke.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m overestimating myself, don¡¯t you?¡± Wu Yun reflected back.


    ¡°Yes, by very much. But that¡¯s what I appreciate the most about humans.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For the things most important to you, even if it costs everything and the outcome is as clear as day, even if you overestimate your own capabilities, you will still do it. It truly is wonderful.¡±


    Wu Yun looked after Zhou Yu¡¯s straight back and seemed to see loneliness that belonged to Mo Ye.


    ¡°Tell me, what exactly do you want from Zhou Yu?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ is my nourishment¡­¡± answered Mo Ye.


    Wu Yun couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking or telling the truth.


    ¡°He is my only nourishment and I¡¯m just like his parasite. If one day, the host dies, then I won¡¯t survive either.¡± Mo Ye smiled.


    ¡°What an odd comparison, I never thought I¡¯d hear that from an S rank organism.¡±


    They were walking deeper and deeper. The things on the walls stunned Wu Yun.


    There were numerous death dahlia buds growing on the walls, their petals in a closed state. They were much smaller in size than the one they¡¯d seen before.


    Even so, there were still some small creatures lingering in the cave. These small creatures were the same as the field workers that had been alienized, with scales on their backs, white eyes, and a lack of vision. They were likely the work of the buds. They seemed to be able to sense Wu Yun and Mo Ye¡¯s presence, but they didn¡¯t dare approach them.


    ¡°This is why you were attracted to them. These death dahlias need subjects and nourishment,¡± said Mo Ye.


    ¡°These¡­ flower buds are the offspring of that giant death dahlia?¡± Wu Yun was shocked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mo Ye answered.


    Wu Yun drew his gun as a precaution. The flower buds could attack them at any moment.


    ¡°No need for the trouble.¡± Mo Ye stretched out his hand and stopped walking. He closed his eyes and an invisible power extended out in all directions.


    Wu Yun immediately felt like he was under great pressure, as if his heart was being crushed.


    The surrounding death dahlias seemed to lose their vitality. One by one, they slid down and decayed on the ground.


    ¡°Y-you killed them?¡± Wu Yun covered his nose. The cave had a heavy odor of decay.


    Mo Ye slightly knitted his brows. ¡°Not exactly¡­ these death dahlias were sick.¡±


    ¡°What? Sick? That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve ever heard it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave as quickly as possible.¡± Mo Ye hastened his pace and Wu Yun quickly followed. Mo Ye put on Zhou Yu¡¯s respirator and reminded Wu Yun, ¡°Put on your respirator.¡±


    Wu Yun hurriedly put it on. It seemed like Mo Ye wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°The organisms of Nibelungen can also get sick?¡± Wu Yun had always thought that the creatures here would be able to live as long as the sky barring accidents.


    ¡°Of course they can. The night spirits on Night Spirit Island went extinct because of a viral infection,¡± Mo Ye replied. ¡°And that death dahlia lured you in here because all of its children were dying. It had to get enough nutrients to continue reproducing.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it will be my turn soon.¡± Mo Ye voice echoed through the cave with a hint something unearthly, as if he was wandering through the crevices of hell.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Just then, a tiny glimmer of light appeared in front of them. They were almost at the exit.


    When they stepped outside, Wu Yun was stunned.


    In front of them was a vast field, with small red flowers dotting the green grass. When the wind blew, those small flowers were carried into the air before falling back down again.


    Only on a closer look could it be seen that those little flowers were actually some kind of insect.


    The scenery was beautiful, but Wu Yun realized a serious problem: how were they going to get back?


    Also¡­ Wu Yun glanced at the locator on his wrist.


    ¡°Why is there still feedback on Dr. Turing¡¯s vital signs?¡± Wu Yun looked up at Mo Ye.    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you see the so-called Dr. Turing in the cave?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure we did. All those people were mutated, I couldn¡¯t recognize who¡¯s who.¡±


    Mo Ye threw down the team member over his shoulder then closed his eyes and tilted his face up, as if he was sensing something.


    Abruptly, he dashed back into the cave.


    ¡°Hey! Mo Ye! What are you doing?! You know that¡¯s Zhou Yu¡¯s body! Don¡¯t you dare mess with it!¡±


    Wu Yun quickly replaced his gun¡¯s magazine and chased after him.


    Mo Ye¡¯s speed was extraordinary; Wu Yun almost felt like he was about to start flying.


    The bluelight fireflies in the cave followed after Mo Ye, like a layer of transparent blue fog.


    Wu Yun stepped over the rotted leaves of the death dahlia buds. It was a good thing he hadn¡¯t taken off his mask yet, or else the smell would have really hit him.


    They were back in that immense cavern again.


    Wu Yun was gasping for air when he finally caught up with Mo Ye.


    The bluelight fireflies lit up the place.


    Mo Ye had his head tilted up and his brows knitted.


    The scene in front of him astonished Wu Yun.


    There seemed to be something struggling in the heart of the death dahlia at the top of the cave. The one they thought Mo Ye had killed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡± Wu Yun squinted his eyes.


    The first thing they saw looked like someone¡¯s head, but it was covered in so much slime that the features couldn¡¯t be made out.


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes widened, and a force was propagated through the air, surging out in all directions like a shockwave.


    The air was still, but Wu Yun still felt a strong pressure. His breath was constricted in his throat and his heart had to beat harder than usual. His brain couldn¡¯t think or analyze the current situation. He couldn¡¯t even accomplish touching his finger to the trigger.


    With a ¡°crash,¡± a man actually fell out of the flower and dropped to the ground.


    He was twitching, his fingers stiff as if he couldn¡¯t breathe because of Mo Ye¡¯s ability.


    Mo Ye walked over and lifted his foot up to step on his head. His expression was cold and ruthless. This was the first time Wu Yun had seen such an expression from Mo Ye.


    The guy he was stepping on suddenly raised his hand and clasped Mo Ye¡¯s ankle, preventing Mo Ye from using force.


    Wu Yun spotted the locator on his arm and exclaimed in shock, ¡°He¡¯s Dr. Turing!¡±


    ¡°Not anymore.¡± Mo Ye lifted his foot and broke free of Turing¡¯s grip to stomp down on him.


    But this time he dodged and Mo Ye foot stepped down by his ear.


    Turing sprang to his feet at an inhuman speed and then ran out.


    He didn¡¯t go along the ground, but quickly crawled up the wall of the cave instead, and in a flash, he squeezed into a cave.


    ¡°What happened to him?! Was he alienized like those other field workers?¡± Wu Yun had never seen such a scene before.


    ¡°He was chosen by the death dahlia.¡±


    Mo Ye closed his eyes, and the blue fireflies hovered in the cave like a tie before abruptly accelerating and swarming into the cave where Turing had escaped into.


    More than a dozen seconds later, the bluelight fireflies came back out from another cave. They dithered around Mo Ye.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you send them off to kill Dr. Turing?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°Yes, but unfortunately, they failed. Zhou Yu and I are too far apart, and since I was injected with Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid, I haven¡¯t been able to fully exert my power.¡± Mo Ye turned and went towards the exit. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Go back? How do we get back? Can you call the helicopter back?¡±


    Wu Yun left with Mo Ye. The team member they had left behind was still unconscious.


    Wu Yun felt his neck and found a pulse.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have radio functions. But I can take you on a flight.¡±


    Just then, one of the giant birds that had previously attacked Wu Yun and the rest glided down from the sky and landed in front of them.


    Wu Yun was nervously about to point his gun at it, but Mo Ye leisurely walked up to it.


    It obediently lowered its head to Mo Ye, who then put his palm over it and touched it gently, seemingly in affirmation.


    ¡°Get on.¡± Mo Ye turned and indicated at Wu Yun with a tilt of his head.


    Wu Yun remembered that Mo Ye was an S rank organism with the ability to manipulate lower-level creatures.


    ¡°About Dr. Turing¡­ What will happen to him?¡± Wu Yun worriedly asked.


    Mo Ye turned and looked back into the cave they had come out of. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ The world here is changing. Dr. Turing, me, and even those of you who came here are all part of this change.¡±


    Mo Ye bent down and pulled up the unconscious team member, then tied him to the body of the giant bird with ropes. Wu Yun also straddled the back of the bird. Then they started to really fly.


    The wind was blowing so strongly that Wu Yun had to grab tightly onto the wing bone of the giant bird in order to not fall off.


    When flew past the woods, they could vaguely see the periphery of the base. Without warning, the giant bird suddenly began to descend.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? We¡¯re not there yet¡­¡±


    When Wu Yun turned back, he found that Mo Ye¡¯s eyes were half open and he looked utterly drained.


    ¡°Hey! Mo Ye!¡±


    Seeing that Mo Ye was about to fall off, Wu Yun grabbed him.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve reached the limit of my energy¡­ Help me¡­ Help me bring back Zhou Yu¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The giant bird was rapidly descending. Wu Yun¡¯s face was being buffeted so badly by the wind that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes, like he was riding a roller coaster.


    When the giant bird suddenly landed, Wu Yun¡¯s internal organs had almost been jolted out.


    He swiftly undid the rope Mo Ye had used to tie all of them together, and the three of them fell down with a crash. Feeling lighter, the giant bird took two running steps and flew away.


    Wu Yun heaved a sigh and looked after the bird flying off into the distance.


    As for the base¡­ there was still a long way to go.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Wu Yun shakingly stood up then worriedly went to Zhou Yu¡¯s side to check his breathing and pulse. Finding that he was fine for now, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    But how was he going to carry two unconscious men back to base?


    Meanwhile, in his office, Song Zhi received an urgent message from the department researching Mo Ye.


    ¡°Mr. Song! That S rank organism¡­ Mo Ye¡­ His vital signs are abnormal!¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s fingers around his teacup stiffened. ¡°Abnormal? How is it abnormal?¡±


    ¡°His body has been continuously maintaining human temperatures, but a scan just now revealed that his temperature dropped below 30¡ãC¡­ His breathing is slow and his heart rate is falling¡­ It¡¯s like all of his bodily functions are declining¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen up, absolutely do not open that room! No one is allowed to go near him!¡± Song Zhi put down his teacup and quickly walked out the door.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°How long has he been in this state?¡±


    ¡°Since Zhou Yu came to see him before leaving on his mission, he has been lying in bed without moving.¡±


    A few minutes later, Song Zhi arrived at Mo Ye¡¯s room and looked at him through the glass.


    According to the scan results, his temperature had dropped to 18¡ãC, and even his heart rate slowed down to beating once every twelve seconds.


    Song Zhi was silent. He knew that this distance was enough for Mo Ye to read his thoughts and for Mo Ye to convey his own thoughts.


    More than a dozen seconds passed. Mo Ye seemed to be testing Song Zhi¡¯s patience. Song Zhi did not receive any messages.


    Song Zhi narrowed his eyes. From this angle, he could only see Mo Ye¡¯s soft black hair and the side of his back.


    Mo Ye, what exactly are you trying to do?


    At this time, the monitoring staff told Song Zhi that Mo Ye¡¯s body temperature had dropped below 10¡ãC and that his heart had practically stopped.


    This really worried Song Zhi.


    Was it because Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid was unable to be metabolized from Mo Ye¡¯s body for a long time, causing it to decline?


    Song Zhi put his hand on the glass. What are you trying to do?


    In his sleep, Mo Ye suddenly spoke, ¡°Zhou Yu is two kilometers northwest of the base¡­ Send someone to rescue him¡­¡±


    His voice was transmitted to Song Zhi via the monitor.


    Song Zhi was stunned. He said to the glass, ¡°How do you know? How is that possible? Zhou Yu had been sent out to look for Dr. Turing! ¡°


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice sounded again in the transmission. Go bring him back, I need him¡­


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice was weak. This was the first time that Song Zhi could clearly feel his fatigue and powerlessness.


    Then Song Zhi suddenly realized that from the time Zhou Yu returned to his original world to this moment, Mo Ye has not taken in any nourishment. Even the most advanced organisms could not survive without any intake. The last few months may have been the limit for Mo Ye.


    Song Zhi immediately sent a helicopter to search for Zhou Yu in the direction Mo Ye had said.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qing, who was observing the veins of plants under a microscope, narrowed his eyes.


    His eyes were bloodshot and he had been observing various plant samples all night for the past few days.


    Someone came to his side and put down a cup by his hand. ¡°You should eat something.¡±


    When the warm voice sounded, Zhou Qing¡¯s heart that was taut from focus slowly relaxed. He left the microscope, straightened up his back, and turned sideways to meet Bai Yingting¡¯s handsome face.


    ¡°Professor Bai¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what has you so fascinated that you would neglect food and sleep? You¡¯ve been watching these plants for a long time.¡± Bai Yingting sat on the corner of Zhou Qing¡¯s table. His legs were very long, and this position made him appear elegant and relaxed.


    Zhou Qing tilted up his chin. He knew in his heart that he did not have much time left. If his glioma relapsed again, then not even Dr. Daniel may be able to operate on him with precision. And the more surgeries he had, the greater the damage to his brain. That was why he wanted to finish as much research as possible in the limited time he had.


    Among the many researchers, perhaps Bai Yingting was the only one who could understand him and communicate with him in this field.


    Zhou Qing pushed the three plant samples in front of him to Bai Yingting.


    ¡°These are samples of swallowtail grass [1], an E rank organism devoid of all autonomic abilities and animal nerves.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Bai Yingting nodded. ¡°The first of these three samples was taken from living swallowtail grass and brought back after cryogenically freezing it.


    ¡°The second was from dying swallowtail grass and the last is completely dead swallowtail grass. Did you find anything from these three samples?¡±


    ¡°We had all previously believed that as long as there was no excessive sunlight, rain, and other biological damage, then the plants of Nibelungen would continue to grow, and their lives could last for thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why we came here to study them, to crack the code of their longevity and apply it to humans.¡±


    ¡°But the swallowtail grass¡­ For the second sample, the sunshine, rain, soil environment, humidity, and temperature were not significantly different from those of the first sample, so for what reason did it wither? The same is true for the third dead sample of swallowtail grass. I¡¯ve been looking for the cause of death of the swallowtail grass, and then I found¡­ some sort of black spots in the veins of the withering swallowtail grass. As for the dead swallowtail grass, it had almost been completely corroded by the black spots!¡± Zhou Qing¡¯s eyes were very bright as he waited for Bai Yingting to respond to him.


    ¡°Have you done chemical testing on the black spots?¡±


    ¡°At first, I thought the spots were like signs froms plants in our world that had turned yellow or been eaten by insects because of a lack of certain nutrients, but after testing¡­ I think it¡¯s some kind of virus! Not only that, but after observing the different stages of decay in the same species of plants for the past few days, I believe it¡¯s very possible that a virus is spreading in Nibelungen. Once infected with this virus, the organisms here¡­ or at least these plants, will lose their self-healing abilities and continue to weaken until they eventually die.¡±


    ¡°Lose their self-healing ability?¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s gracefully drawn eyebrows were slightly knitted together.


    This made Zhou Qing nervous. Was his conjecture not accepted by the other party?


    Although this was the conclusion he had reached after observing and testing countless plants, on a quantitative basis, it was not yet enough to fully prove his point.


    ¡°In our world, whether it be human beings or ordinary creatures, we all have certain level of immunity that enables us to resist diseases. But once you¡¯re infected with a disease that attacks the immune system, it becomes a tricky situation, like HIV. If we assume¡­ that there¡¯s a similar virus in this world¡­ then how many organisms will be infected?¡± Bai Yingting looked at Zhou Qing and said, ¡°You¡¯re only observing E and D rank plants, but what about higher-ranked plants? And other organisms? Can they resist the virus? If not, then is it possible for organisms to evolve another form of resistance to the virus?¡±


    Zhou Qing was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Bai Yingting¡¯s line of thought to go even further than his own.


    ¡°Why do you look at me like that?¡± Bai Yingting supported the tabletop with one hand and inclined sideways into Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Zhou Qing didn¡¯t know how to describe what he was feeling.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s easier for me to keep up with your ideas compared to the common person with no imagination?¡± Bai Yingting smiled.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qing nodded. ¡°And to verify my suspicions¡­ I need more plant samples, not just E rank ones¡­ but higher-ranked ones as well!¡±

 CH 63

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 63: Alienization 2


    ¡°Whatever you want, you¡¯ll get it in the end.¡± Bai Yingting tapped his finger on the cup of oatmeal. ¡°But first, you¡¯ll have to eat.¡±


    He was leaning in very close to Zhou Qing, who subconsciously avoided his breath.


    Because his breath was warm and soft, Zhou Qing was afraid that once he touched him, he would want more.


    Meanwhile, Wu Yun felt like he was going crazy. How was he supposed to carry two people back that far away?


    Mo Ye, oh Mo ye, you must have done it on purpose! Maybe he was testing whether Wu Yun will throw his brothers down and go back alone!


    Wu Yun supported Zhou Yu up and carried him over his shoulder. Then he looked at the other team member. ¡°I¡¯ll take Zhou Yu for 50 meters first, then I¡¯ll come back to carry you!¡±


    Wu Yun walked ahead with Zhou Yu on his back while continuing to look back at the team member, fearing that he would be attacked by dangerous organisms. After going back and forth for nearly an hour, the sound of a helicopter finally came from the sky.


    When the helicopter landed, it caused a draft that raised a cloud of dust.


    Wu Yun blinked. He felt that he was finally saved. What he currently wanted the most was an ice-cold beer.


    Back at the base, Zhou Yu and the unconscious team member were sent to the emergency room for separate treatments.


    After examinations, Zhou Yu was found to have fainted due to the overconsumption of his physical strength while the other team member was running a high fever. His situation was not looking optimistic.


    Song Zhi stood in front of the emergency room, coldly looking over the entire rescue situation.


    ¡°Do you have anything you want to tell me, Wu Yun?¡±


    Wu Yun grimaced and could only recount everything that had happened in that cave, word for word.


    He knew that he couldn¡¯t conceal any details because Nibelungen was a special world; one little secret could very well have devastating results.


    At this time, the rescued team member entered into a high fever state. His body was constantly twitching, his fingers were stiff, and his body temperature would not come down no matter what. His heart was beating so fast it might jump out of his chest!


    ¡°What¡¯s his current body temperature?¡±


    ¡°Forty-four degrees Celsius!¡±


    ¡°Cool him down, now!¡±


    ¡°His temperature is still rising! Drugs are ineffective!¡±


    ¡°What is going on here? What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Run a blood test, immediately! He¡¯s hurt, it might be due to a bacterial infection!¡±


    The rescuers rushed about, and Wu Yun also clenched his fist.


    No matter what, they could not let him die!


    Then, the instruments showed that the team member¡¯s heart had suddenly stopped beating, and his convulsing body also became stiff. Everything seemed to become still.


    The rescuers tried everything¡ªfrom electric shocks to adrenaline injections, even opening his chest and massaging his heart directly¡ªbut they couldn¡¯t get his heart beating again.


    His pulse finally stopped. There was the desire to live in his wide-open eyes.


    His resuscitation was about to turn into a dissection and sampling. They had to figure out what exactly caused his death.


    When the autopsy technicians raised the scalpel, they found that countless red spots had started appearing underneath his skin, peaking outwards. Wu Yun¡¯s eyes went round when he recognized it.


    Wu Yun shouted, ¡°He¡¯s also been alienized by the death dahlia!¡±


    Song Zhi brows knitted even more tightly together. ¡°What alienization? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard it!¡±


    Wu Yun answered him. ¡°The death dahlia will transform any organism it swallows into a different form, growing scales and becoming fast-moving monsters! They will obey its commands as well!¡±


    Just as the first cut was about to fully open his chest, he suddenly took a deep breath, his body jerking up in an arch. His chest gave out a hissing sound as if cells were in division¡ªit had miraculously healed. His body was changing rapidly as he sat up. He didn¡¯t stop howling in pain as scales grew out from his flesh and blood. Like an animal, he was on all fours on the bed. His eyes had turned white.


    The staff in the emergency room were frightened and dispersed in a hurry.


    The team member, like a madman, suddenly scuttled over and bit the neck of a female staff member closest to him. Blood came spurting out like a whirlwind.


    ¡°Oh my God! Help!¡±


    Then the other rescuers were attacked.


    Wu Yun acted immediately.


    He yanked over Song Zhi¡¯s collar and shouted, ¡°Let them out! It will actively attack the organisms closest to it! The emergency room is too small for the rescue workers to escape its attack range!¡±


    Song Zhi coldly pried open Wu Yun¡¯s fingers. ¡°Then do you think the entire base is large enough?¡±


    Wu Yun froze.


    They wailed in anguish and pounded hard against the glass wall, pleading for Song Zhi to open the door of the emergency room. But Song Zhi was almost expressionless, as if the cruel scene in front of him was just a frame of a movie.


    Li Qian, who was in charge of monitoring all of it, asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Are you really not going to save them? Are you really not going to let them out?¡±


    Song Zhi replied, ¡°Do you remember what happened when the night spirit left the laboratory in the last base? Release the anesthetic gas, now!¡±


    Li Qian could only close his eyes and bite down hard on his lips.


    He knew that from a rational standpoint, at many times it was necessary to sacrifice the lives of a few in order to save the majority.


    But who could really watch those who had once worked and joked alongside themselves die so miserably and turn a blind eye to it?


    Song Zhi was an exceedingly rational person.


    The anesthetic gas took effect too late.


    A few seconds later, some of the rescuers had their arms twisted off, while others even had their guts dragged out. The mutant team member had lost his sanity as a human being.


    When all its targets were destroyed, it finally calmed down and quietly squatted there, as if it was waiting for something.


    The anesthetic gas finally worked. It dropped down, but it was already late. The entire emergency room resembled Asura¡¯s hell.


    It was only then that Song Zhi allowed people in the emergency room.


    The lizard was flash frozen and transported out.


    Wu Yun could imagine what its fate would be like: it would either be injected with neurotoxins and killed to become material for dissection research or be raised like a lab rat.


    At that moment, Wu Yun suddenly thought of something and ran out. ¡°Shit! What about Zhou Yu?¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression turned apprehensive, and he walked out quickly. They came to the emergency room next door and found Zhou Yu quietly lying in bed with his eyes closed.


    Song Zhi asked, ¡°How is Zhou Yu¡¯s physical condition? Did you examine him?¡±


    The attending doctor in charge of treating Zhou Yu said, ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Song, we already collected blood samples and scanned his whole body. Except for suffering shock caused by overexerting his physical strength, Zhou Yu¡¯s other vital signs are normal. There¡¯s no sign of viral infections or parasitism.¡±


    Song Zhi looked at Zhou Yu seriously. He walked in and lifted his wrist to examine his skin. Finding that there were no scales growing on his body, Song Zhi¡¯s furrowed brow slowly relaxed.


    Wu Yun, who was standing next to him, also let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good thing I also remembered that Zhou Yu didn¡¯t touch the death dahlia.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s not disturb Zhou Yu¡¯s rest.¡± Song Zhi recovered his detached indifference.


    Wu Yun paused for a moment, but he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be of any help.


    Before leaving, Song Zhi lowered his voice and spoke to Zhou Yu¡¯s attending doctor through the radio transceiver. ¡°Collect 200 milliliters of Zhou Yu¡¯s blood and send it to Mo Ye right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Song.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s blood was slid into Mo Ye¡¯s room through a special channel, falling right onto his pillow.


    Already in a weakened state, Mo Ye slowly opened his eyes and turned his face sideways to look at the bag of blood.


    The corner of his lips pulled up to reveal a mocking smile. ¡°Are you kidding me¡­ Each drop of Zhou Yu¡¯s blood is incomparably precious. How could you handle it in such an inelegant manner¡­¡±


    He stood up, slightly shaking from infirmity, and slowly walked over to a shelf in the room. He retrieved a glass from it then opened the blood bag and poured it into the cup. His slender fingers passed over the base of the glass, gently swirling the blood and drawing several beautiful arcs in the cup. Then he lowered his head to give it a light sniff, showing a lonely expression.


    ¡°I really miss him a lot¡­ Why won¡¯t you let him come to me?¡±


    Mo Ye tilted his head back and took a light sip. His face showed an expression of enjoyment. It was the temperature that belonged to Zhou Yu, and the taste that belonged to Zhou Yu. Through the blood, it was as though he could enter into Zhou Yu¡¯s dreams and understand his most primal and unadulterated thoughts.


    From sampling each taste to insatiable greed, desire broke free from the shackles of reason. He wanted more and more.


    Mo Ye¡¯s every mouthful was quicker than the last, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing rapidly. Zhou Yu¡¯s blood slid down his esophagus and permeated through every cell in his body¡­ In two seconds, he¡¯d drunk the entire cup of blood.


    He remained gripping the glass cup, tilting his head up as if he was still searching for a trace of Zhou Yu.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look satisfied.¡±


    At some point, Song Zhi had come up to the glass wall and was looking at Mo Ye with his arms crossed.


    Mo Ye also turned to face the glass, then he slowly walked up to Song Zhi and met his gaze. His expression was indolent and pleased.


    ¡°You¡¯re not me, so you will never be able to understand what Zhou Yu means to me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? If Zhou Yu were right in front of you, what would you want to do to him? Bite his neck and suck out all of his blood? ¡± Song Zhi showed a frosty smile.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t suck his blood dry, because he has to live for a long time¡­ Only then can I see the world he sees and experience the moments he experiences. Before I take my last breath, Zhou Yu must be looking at me. That¡¯s what I want. Of course, if he were to stand in front of me right now, I would kiss him, hug him, tighten his bones, and make him feel pain because of me. I want him to feel my existence deeply and profoundly. His heart will beat because of me, his mind will lose control because of me, and he will completely belong to me. You know very well what this feeling is like¡­ Song Zhi.¡±


    Mo Ye smiled; it was a smile so perfect it could be God¡¯s masterpiece. Even though it was frosty like Song Zhi¡¯s, there seemed to be something in the depths of his heart that was about to break free of its bonds and move up into Mo Ye¡¯s eyes.


    Song Zhi knew very clearly that the glass wall and even all the devices that blocked mental pulses could not really trap Mo Ye. He was beloved by the world, and he stood above them.


    ¡°So it seems that Zhou Yu has become your prey. In order to protect Zhou Yu, I think I¡¯d better not let the two of you meet again.¡±


    ¡°Song Zhi, some reunions are a kind of desire that you are powerless to prevent. If we cannot meet, then there will be no meaning in living. Just like the walking corpse you are right now. Do you still remember that S rank organism? He who was nurtured by you, trusted you, and regarded you as the center of his world.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s icy gaze seemed to burn at that moment. ¡°Have you seen him? Or are you all connected because you are the same species? Do you know where he is? If you do, you better tell me right now. If you tell me, I will¡­¡±


    ¡°You will do what? Let me take Zhou Yu out of here?¡±


    Mo Ye showed a sidelong smile, one that was very special and beautiful, as if he was constantly stirring up the depths of one¡¯s mind in a most subtle way.


    ¡°You want to find him. Not to kill him, but to protect him.¡±


    ¡°Protect him? Are you kidding? I¡¯ve never heard of an S rank organism that needed human protection.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s lips were quirked up in a sardonic smile, but his eyes were freezing.


    ¡°He used to stand in a similar position to me, looking at you just as I look at Zhou Yu. You are more familiar than anyone about human pursuits of their own interests; you¡¯ve seen through it all, so you taught him this over and over. Just like how Juli Corp tells everyone how terrible S rank organisms are, you also kept telling him how greedy human beings are. Even if you show him the ugliest side of things, you will always be the most special to him.¡± Mo Ye shook the empty cup in his hand at Song Zhi as if he could see through Song Zhi¡¯s long emptied heart.


    ¡°Is he still safe?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    But Mo Ye didn¡¯t answer his question. ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve always cherished his trust in you and you¡¯ve always missed his embrace. I understand that feeling all too well, that once you are treated with the tenderness of the whole world, you will become addicted. You hurt him to wean him off of his addiction to you. But you never wanted to extract yourself from sinking into it, because you¡¯ve already resolved to cut off all paths of retreat.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression grew even colder.


    Mo Ye smiled indifferently and twiddled with the soft hairs that fell over his forehead. Those eyes had a somewhat amorous tone to them.


    ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter how awkward you are, as long as my Zhou Yu can see his true feelings clearly.¡±


    Song Zhi also smiled, but with a trace of cynicism. ¡°Do you really think Zhou Yu will accept your existence?¡±


    Mo Ye turned and went back to his bed, taking with him a copy of Zhu Shenghao¡¯s collected works and flipping over several pages. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but there was an inexplicable strength to it.


    When Song Zhi turned to leave, Mo Ye spoke again. ¡°If I were you, I would send someone to bring back those death dahlia samples. Don¡¯t you want to know what caused those team members to mutate? The mutation works on humans, showing that it can harmonize with human genes. Take Dr. Turing, for example, I can bet that he belongs to Nibelungen now, and his genes must be very different from yours.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the reminder, I will send someone. And this mutation is just as dangerous for you Nibelungen beings. Those death dahlias and their offspring could not last, and this can also happen to other creatures, including you S rank organisms. According to Professor Zhou and Professor Bai¡¯s research, it is likely to be a virus. Moreover, after this virus enters different organisms, it will show adaptability and achieve different alienization effects. To some extent, this is also a kind of evolution.¡±


    ¡°You want to say that organisms that can resist this virus will survive, while those who are infected by the virus and cannot reproduce will die. Survival of the fittest, is this the law of natural selection in Nibelungen?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we are currently conducting further research to see how many organisms in this world are infected with the virus, so good luck to you!¡±


    ¡°You actually want to wish him luck. Maybe before you find him, he¡¯ll already be gone from this world due to the virus, and you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life¡ªwhy not let him stay where it is closest to you? Maybe freedom is not as important to him as you are.¡±


    Song Zhi turned around and waved his hand. ¡°Leave those words to Zhou Yu.¡±


    When Zhou Yu woke up, it was midnight in that world. He slowly sat up and pulled out the IV tube from his arm.


    He found Zhou Qing sitting, leaning against the edge of his hospital bed. He¡¯d been watching over him for who knows how long.


    It was the first time Zhou Qing had guarded him like this. Zhou Qing¡¯s expression looked peaceful and serene. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t want to disturb Zhou Qing, so he slowly got up and looked around.


    He had no recollection of what happened after Mo Ye had entered his mind and taken control of his body, but just as Mo Ye promised, he had successfully brought him back here.


    How was Wu Yun doing right now?


    When Zhou Yu came back to his senses, he froze because Mo Ye was actually lying on his bed!


    How did Mo Ye get in? It was impossible! The room had been sealed shut the entire time.


    In the next second, Zhou Yu understood that this was all an illusion that Mo Ye had left in his head, control that Mo Ye had over his mind.


    Mo Ye was still just as fair and his soft hair fell lightly over his forehead, elegant and casual. His eyes were as beautiful as colored glass, and even the curvature of the bridge of his nose was just right, all of which inexplicably drew in Zhou Yu¡¯s attention.


    Zhou Yu sat up, but he was unable to speak for a long time. But of course, he had nothing to say to an illusion.


    He didn¡¯t expect Mo Ye to unexpectedly turn to the side with one hand supporting his chin, looking up at Zhou Yu and nonchalantly saying, ¡°What do you feel now that you¡¯ve seen me?¡±


    His voice was as mellow as the night, carrying an air of mystery that enticed Zhou Yu to lift up the veil of mist in front of him and see clearly for himself the most realistic world beneath the young man¡¯s smile.


    Zhou Yu replied expressionlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Mo Ye smiled. He straightened up his back and slowly leaned in towards Zhou Yu.


    The closer he got, the tenser Zhou Yu¡¯s breathing seemed to become.


    It was the first time that Zhou Yu had felt this way. His beautifully shaped eyes were getting closer and closer, and Zhou Yu subconsciously wanted to retreat, but he found that he could not control his back as he was leaning towards Mo Ye inch by inch.


    ¡°Your heart has been moved by me, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Mo Ye said. ¡°In truth, you¡¯re not afraid of anything¡­ You¡¯re used to protecting others and bearing responsibility, but you¡¯re unable to relax and give yourself to another person.¡±


    His breath seemed to flit across Zhou Yu¡¯s lips. Zhou Yu had the illusion that he was caressed by him, with a touch that was ever so light and soft. Carefully, as if he didn¡¯t want to be resented by Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°If you can already read my thoughts, then don¡¯t use words to tease me.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s smile grew even more pronounced, carrying a trace of innocence.


    ¡°How can this be regarded as teasing? But it¡¯s also interesting to hear the word ¡°teasing¡± from you in such a serious tone. It¡¯s just that you should understand¡­ as far as your human brains are concerned, if you think that something is beautiful, it¡¯s not necessarily because that thing is truly beautiful, but because your heart has accepted it, it conforms to your aesthetics and your heart¡¯s desire.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye. Even if Mo Ye spoke of a Zhou Yu that other people did not see, Zhou Yu had no intention of avoiding it. There was nothing in his life he needed to escape from, including the S rank organism in front of him.


    Mo Ye stretched out his neck, a hint of inexplicable anticipation between his slightly downcast eyes. He turned to face the side, and at that angle, Zhou Yu subconsciously traced after the contours of his features.


    His lips leaned in slowly towards Zhou Yu. The feeling was wonderful. Everything in the world was no longer important and even his own breath and heartbeat were taken away.


    His lips were soft, reminding Zhou Yu of when Mo Ye would often touch his lips to him when he was still a night spirit. At the time, Zhou Yu had thought that he¡¯d learned it from the movie, but now he was very sure that from that point on, Mo Ye¡¯s every touch carried a different meaning.


    He took Zhou Yu¡¯s lower lip in his mouth, and the tip of his tongue slowly slipped in, searching for something and twisting around. All of a sudden, Zhou Yu responded, firmly pushing the tip of his tongue out.

 CH 64

    Translator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 64: The Movie Screen in the Mind


    Zhou Yu knew that Mo Ye wasn¡¯t really here. All of these feelings were by Mo Ye¡¯s design.


    Mo Ye withdrew from Zhou Yu¡¯s lips, his gaze dropping. His soft gaze suddenly became extremely powerful, crushing Zhou Yu¡¯s mental state.


    Zhou Yu started struggling. He had always been a person with strong self-control, but at this moment, all the nerves he needed to move his limbs with seemed to be tightly bound.


    Mo Ye fiercely pressed up against him, and this time his kiss was so passionate that he seemed to want to seize everything from Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu¡¯s lips become a battlefield between them. Mo Ye swept over Zhou Yu¡¯s tongue, disintegrating his will and destroying his defenses.


    Zhou Yu fell backwards, but his back was supported by Mo Ye¡¯s hand before he could touch the ground.


    Mo Ye pressed down on his body, one hand that was supporting himself placed by Zhou Yu¡¯s neck. He had already locked onto his prey. In his eyes, there was a power that wanted to devour everything. For the first time, Zhou Yu felt a kind of fear.


    This fear had nothing to do with losing his life.


    Mo Ye¡¯s kiss seemed to want to crush Zhou Yu¡¯s skull. It was like a kiss from a movie that was full of artistic flair, one that Zhou Yu hadn¡¯t thought would exist in real life. But Mo Ye made it a reality. Mo Ye¡¯s desire and madness were all infused into Zhou Yu¡¯s body, seeping into his limbs. His every cell was branded with Mo Ye¡¯s mark. No matter where he went, no matter what happened, Zhou Yu would always remember Mo Ye¡¯s existence, which could not be refused, ignored or denied.


    Zhou Yu had the illusion of being killed by him.


    ¡°Do you know you almost died today? Do you know I almost never saw you again? This is something intolerable to me, and today you have once again stepped on my bottom line. You frighten me.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice was calm, but there was a bone-penetrating force within such calmness.


    What he said was the truth, was what Zhou Yu¡¯s intuition told him.


    But at the same time, he warned himself that Mo Ye was an S rank organism, and that everything he said had its purpose.


    ¡°Is there anyone you care about in this base, Zhou Yu?¡± Mo Ye suddenly asked.


    His voice was so gentle that Zhou Yu was reminded of when he had stroked the soft fur on his back when he was still disguised as a night spirit.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t speak. He knew that Mo Ye could understand all of his thoughts.


    ¡°Ah¡ªthat¡¯s right, your most important person should be Zhou Qing!¡±


    Mo Ye turned to look at Zhou Qing, who was sleeping on the chair.


    ¡°How about this, if you were to die one day, I will let Zhou Qing become my nourishment. What do you think?¡±


    His tone was still gentle, but Zhou Yu felt terrified.


    ¡°If you do anything to Zhou Qing, I won¡¯t let you off, even if I have to chase you to the depths of hell, even if you are an S rank organism.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes were glacial.


    Mo Ye also smiled, but there was a hint of self-deprecation between his brows. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to do anything to Zhou Qing, then remember to live well¡­ Otherwise, I will take Zhou Qing¡¯s life as my revenge against you.¡±


    ¡°Why is it so important to you that I live? Is it because you need my blood? In that case, you can choose someone else.¡± Zhou Yu didn¡¯t understand Mo Ye¡¯s obsession with him.


    The world was so big, with so many choices.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there will always be only one Zhou Yu, whether it¡¯s in your world or Nibelungen.¡±


    He lowered his body and gently touched the tip of his nose to Zhou Yu in an exceeding gentle gesture.


    Zhou Yu subconsciously curled up his knees, all of his sensory nerves becoming fine and sensitive. Even the temperature at the tip of Mo Ye¡¯s nose was transmitted to his every cell.


    At this time, Zhou Qing¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, ¡°Zhou Yu, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you lying on the floor?!¡±


    Zhou Yu blinked. The figure before him that had belonged to Mo Ye completely disappeared.


    ¡°I¡­ just wanted to get up after lying down for so long, but I didn¡¯t expect to¡­¡±


    Zhou Qing sighed in relief when he saw Zhou Yu stand up, unharmed.


    ¡°I was so scared when you slept for so long after you got back! And did you know¡­¡±


    Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment and did not say the rest.


    ¡°What should I know? Tell me what¡¯s going on! Did something happen to Wu Yun?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Not Wu Yun. It¡¯s the team member you brought back. He was infected with a virus from the death dahlia and had mutated. His current DNA¡­ has become very different from humans, and we¡¯ve found a large number of genes that are highly similar to the death dahlia¡­ In other words, this virus can alienize human beings in Nibelungen organisms.¡±


    The virus broke down the barrier between organisms of the two worlds. Was this a good thing or a bad thing?


    ¡°Did you find Dr. Turing?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°No¡­ Mr. Song is preparing an operation to capture Dr. Turing right now. If you¡¯ve recovered, I think you and Wu Yun might have to leave the base! I really don¡¯t want you to face Dr. Turing, I¡¯m terribly scared that you¡¯ll contract the virus by accident¡­ I don¡¯t want you to become like Dr. Turing. Haven¡¯t you heard Wu Yun¡¯s description? He¡¯s not human, but a monster!¡± This was the first time Zhou Qing has had an emotional outburst.


    Zhou Yu hugged Zhou Qing tightly and patted his back while saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine! See, after all those incidents, I still came back alive. Maybe in Nibelungen, my luck is much better than Wu Yun¡¯s.¡±


    After the doctor¡¯s examination confirmed that Zhou Yu had completely recovered, he left the hospital ward and returned to his room.


    In the narrow, empty room, Zhou Yu once again thought of Mo Ye. He didn¡¯t dare close his eyes, afraid that once he fell asleep, Mo Ye would enter his thoughts again. Or maybe he had always been there, only in hibernation, silently observing.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips seemed to retain Mo Ye¡¯s temperature. He lifted his fingers to cover them, but before his fingers could touch his lips, he put them back down.


    That evening, Wu Yun prepared a celebration party. Besides him, Li Qian was also taking part in it. They ate steak and drank specially provided beer in the dining hall. Next to their table was Professor Bai, who was eating with his head down, looking over documents.


    He wore rimless glasses and a researcher¡¯s white lab coat. His long eyelashes complimented his warm and elegant features.


    Maybe because he felt Zhou Yu constantly looking over at him, Bai Yingting looked up and smiled.


    Zhou Yu went and sat down opposite him. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Zhou Qing during this time. I know you¡¯re studying the virus together. I¡¯d like to know what effect the virus has on the organisms of Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t beat around the bush, trying to get the results of my research as soon as you sit down.¡± Bai Yingting touched the frame of his glasses. ¡°Of course, this is all conjecture. In my opinion, this kind of virus will cause the organisms of Nibelungen to become unable to reproduce and conceive offspring. But reproduction is the instinct of all creatures, so in order to continue to reproduce, they have evolved another way, which is to alienize other creatures. Dr. Turing is the most successful example. I heard that Mr. Song has pinpointed Dr. Turing¡¯s position through his locator. He sent out an entire division of field workers in the two days you were asleep. But do you know what the results were?¡±


    ¡°They were all wiped out, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    It came to no surprise that rushing into action without understanding the biological characteristics of certain organisms would cause the expected result.


    ¡°Sort of. In any case, they can¡¯t come back. Dr. Turing has turned them into lizard monsters, and he will soon have his own legion.¡±


    Bai Yingting shifted his sitting posture. He propped his chin up and looked at Zhou Yu. At that moment, Zhou Yu suddenly felt an uncanny resemblance between him and Mo Ye.


    They both had a calm and tranquil temperament.


    ¡°You know, Zhou Qing really looks up to you, and so does your good friend Wu Yun. I can even feel Mr. Song¡¯s different attitude towards you. As far as he¡¯s concerned, what other field workers can¡¯t accomplish end up being miraculously accomplished in your hands.¡±


    ¡°You want to tell me that I won¡¯t always be favored by luck?¡±


    ¡°I want to tell you that you have to ask yourself, is all of this really your good luck?¡± Bai Yingting reached out his finger and lightly touched between Zhou Yu¡¯s eyebrows.


    Yes, his good luck¡­ When he fell into the Angel¡¯s Horns, the one who saved him had been Mo Ye. He became the inheritor of Elpis¡¯s memories because it said that Zhou Yu had been chosen by ¡°him.¡± Who was that ¡°him¡±? Now it seemed like it might be Mo Ye. On Night Spirit Island, he and Wu Yun would not have lived if it weren¡¯t for Mo Ye. Falling into the overlord silver spider¡¯s lair, it had been Mo Ye who rushed to his side when his heart had been pierced. And last time, when the base had been attacked by the night spirit nurtured by Dr. Carlos and they almost became its nourishment¡­ Zhou Yu was able to successfully return to his original world, again, because of Mo Ye.


    The time they faced the death dahlia went without saying.


    Next time, would he still be offered a second chance at life?


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ Dr. Turing has completely removed the tracker from his hand. Although he¡¯s been alienized by the death dahlia, he still retains his human intelligence. Song Zhi sent a helicopter to track Dr. Turing by aerial photography, but after only 20 seconds of transmitted footage, the helicopter was attacked and crashed by the giant birds controlled by Dr. Turing.¡± Bai Yingting stood up, his gaze slanting down from above. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°This means that Dr. Turing is just like an A rank organism, with the ability to manipulate creatures in lower ranks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the situation forced Mr. Song to consider if he should send field workers out into the tiger¡¯s den without any preparation. As for sending Dr. Turing more material to be alienized, he shouldn¡¯t do it again. But it¡¯s impossible that Mr. Song will give up.¡± With that, Bai Yingting left.


    A week later, Zhou Yu, Wu Yun and other elite field personnel received notice to come to the base¡¯s core conference room.


    There were more than ten participants, all of whom were greatly experienced and had survived numerous missions.


    Song Zhi went straight to the point and took out the aerial photographs.


    In the image, Dr. Turing was walking among the mountains and forests. He is wearing a coat that has been stripped off from the body of a field worker. There are more than a dozen lizards monsters crawling around him.


    When the helicopter flew over Dr. Turing, he looked up with his hands in his pockets. His face was no different from that of an ordinary person and it even had a sense of poise and elegance. But his golden eyes were strange and beguiling. His gaze seemed to penetrate through the picture and pierce deep into everyone¡¯s minds.


    This feeling of it diving into the depths of his thoughts reminded Zhou Yu of Mo Ye. The difference was that Mo Ye¡¯s smile always carried an aristocratic elegance, leading one to inexplicably appreciate each of his gestures. No matter how tense Zhou Yu was, his mind would still subconsciously relax its vigilance because of one of Mo Ye¡¯s small movements.


    But Dr. Turing had a bloodthirsty, murderous aura.


    His lips were pulled up into a smile, and in the next second, more than a dozen strange birds  charged at the helicopter from all directions, swooping down and striking with decisive momentum.


    The helicopter sent out a sonic wave blast. The first flock of strange birds was shaken off, but the second flock charged. The sonic waves didn¡¯t have enough time to start up and the helicopter crashed seconds later.


    Everyone let out the breath they¡¯d been holding, and Zhou Yu subconsciously clenched his fingers. This kind of Dr. Turing felt like he had no weakness, even up close.


    Song Zhi was sitting in front of everyone with his arms crossed. His eyes coldly swept over everyone, as if he had already understood their inner thoughts, weakness, and fear.


    There was dead silence in the conference room.


    Song Zhi said, ¡°Sending another helicopter to carry you into Turing¡¯s attack range would undoubtedly be suicide, so we need to take a long-distance sniping approach. There is no shortage of excellent helicopter pilots and higly-accurate snipers among you all. I want these two talents to work together. I look forward to your test results.¡±


    ¡°You look forward to our test results? What test?¡± Wu Yun had a bad feeling about this.


    Everyone present showed a puzzled expression.


    Song Zhi said, ¡°I will give you a day to stabilize your mood.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the target? Turing? ¡°


    ¡°What are the test rules?¡±


    A heated discussion started up, but Song Zhi had no intention of answering. He got up and straightened out his clothes. ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Wu Yun swore in a low voice.


    When Zhou Yu left the meeting, Song Zhi came to his side and said in a calm voice that only Zhou Yu could hear, ¡°If I were you, I would go to see Mo Ye.¡±


    That name sent a tremble through Zhou Yu¡¯s brows. Song Zhi was unaware, but it was possible that Mo Ye was presently watching them through Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes and ears, watching them like a movie¡¯s audience.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Zhou Yu said coldly.


    Before he had a clear understanding of Mo Ye¡¯s true intentions and his own categorization of Mo Ye, seeing him again would only mess up his thoughts.


    Song Zhi said with a smile, ¡°You will go. Unless you want us to continue making the same mistakes we made before, only Mo Ye will give you the right answer.¡±


    This assignment also included Wu Yun. Zhou Yu didn¡¯t want the people he cared about to be in any danger. He knew Song Zhi was right; he had to go to see Mo Ye.


    When he came to the glass wall once again, it was already midnight. Except for the researchers and guards on patrol duty, everyone was fast asleep.


    But the room Mo Ye was in was as bright as day. He stood on the other side of the glass with his hands in his pocket, as if he¡¯d been waiting for a long time.


    This room wasn¡¯t big, but Zhou Yu knew that Mo Ye could see the bustle through his eyes.


    His smile seemed to have been carefully calculated, curving up gracefully, brushing past Zhou Yu¡¯s nerves.


    Everything about him seemed to be designed to please Zhou Yu, with his aesthetic standards.


    ¡°You know I won¡¯t answer any of your questions for free.¡± Mo Ye turned his face sideways. Light and shadow left a shadow of faint yet inexpressible sorrow on his face.


    Zhou Yu asked calmly and indifferently, ¡°Then what price do you want?¡±


    ¡°If I said I wanted you, would you give it to me?¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s expression was a bit childish, which reminded Zhou Yu of when he had looked at himself with those same naive eyes when he was still a night spirit.


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were Mo Ye¡¯s, or merely the highest level of camouflage belonging to S rank organisms. Even though he possessed insight into everything, he could make people relax similar to a child.


    ¡°Song Zhi has already sent you my blood, hasn¡¯t he? If you¡¯re not full, just take it. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Mo Ye suddenly held his stomach and laughed. His eyelashes trembled, and the light danced between them.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, you¡¯re so cute. I said I wanted you, but you say you can give me all of your blood. These seem like two different things¡­ It¡¯s like if I said I wanted the world, but you only gave me a grain of sand. ¡°


    ¡°Then what else do you want? I don¡¯t know what else I can give you.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand the implied meaning of ¡°all¡±? Language is clearly a human invention, yet it seems like you don¡¯t know it as well as I do. Zhou Yu, you have all of me. And now I can only settle for second best. How about watching a movie with me?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there isn¡¯t a TV set here.¡±


    Mo Ye shrugged his shoulders, ¡°You can use your phone.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but in his mind, he recalled the scene of watching ¡°The Curious Case of Benjamin Button¡± with Mo Ye in his arms.


    No matter how much he missed it, he had to restrain himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my phone was confiscated by Juli Corp when I arrived.¡±


    ¡°What a pity, Zhou Yu. But you know, there¡¯s another way for me to watch movies.¡± Mo Ye stretched out his finger and tapped on the glass in boredom.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s body, not in his control, went forward. He also reached out his hand and tapped each place where Mo Ye touched.


    Their fingers were in the same rhythm and position, yet they could not touch.


    ¡°Oh? What method?¡± Zhou Yu surprisingly wasn¡¯t angry at the fact that Mo Ye was controlling him.


    ¡°Picture in your mind the most touching scene in the movie. You know I can see it, so please let me see it.¡±


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes and slowly, the final scene in the movie appeared in his mind¡¯s eye: Benjamin becomes a baby and is held by Tracy in her arms. The aging Tracy seems to be comforting Benjamin, telling him that even if their time flowed in the opposite directions, they will still have each other, heading to different destinations. The sunlight warmly brushes over their figures, leaving a shadow laden with meaning.


    This had always been Zhou Yu¡¯s favorite scene, and the best ending for Mo Ye in his own imagination.


    Then, the picture slowly faded into the scene of himself holding Mo Ye and watching a movie on his phone.


    ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± Zhou Yu opened his eyes and looked at Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye said with a light smile, ¡°If my ability can be an excuse for you to miss the time you spent with me, then I don¡¯t mind admitting it. Or, I can give you another excuse. When you say to yourself, ¡®Don¡¯t think about Mo Ye,¡¯ on the contrary, your brain will take the hint to keep thinking about me.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean to say that I think of you, not by your design, but because of my own hints to myself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that you¡¯re too defensive against me, but oftentimes, the stronger defense is precisely because you know you¡¯ll fall.¡±


    Mo Ye inclined into the glass, his breath clouding it with a faint layer of mist as he spoke. His eyes like obsidian also blurred, and because of this, Zhou Yu had a deeper desire to see clearly into his heart.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m about to use up your patience for the day. What¡¯s the first question you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Tell me how you think we can kill Dr. Turing,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Mo Ye chuckled and replied, ¡°You already know the most straightforward and effective way, that is, to let me control your body. I will kill it just like I killed the death dahlia, as long as you can become the vector for my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Then I think Song Zhi¡¯s approach is more effective.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear Song Zhi¡¯s approach,¡± Mo Ye asked with interest.


    ¡°Snipers will ride in helicopters outside of his control and attack range and kill him in one shot.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you know how many meters Turing¡¯s abilities are effective up to? And it can still detect the helicopters by controlling other creatures. Maybe you think 1000 meters is enough, but it could very well be farther than that. Think of when I had been very far away from you and still able to enter into your body and control your nerve impulses. Dr. Turing is the same.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Zhou Yu as if he was looking at a child. He seemed to be saying, you failed today¡¯s homework.

 CH 65

    anslator: bittercoffee


    Chapter 65: Surprise Attack


    ¡°We can estimate Turing¡¯s abilities by the death dahlia¡¯s range of control,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°Hm, that sounds logical. Turing¡¯s ability to infect and manipulate other creatures comes from the genes the death dahlia gave him. In theory, his abilities should be within that range.¡± Mo Ye nodded and took half a step forward, coming closer to Zhou Yu. The intensity of his gaze was more pronounced. ¡°But I still prefer my method, which is direct and effective.¡±


    ¡°As for the second question, Turing has already taken off his locator, how do we find him again?¡±


    ¡°Aha, I bet it was Song Zhi who told you to ask that question, correct?¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s had an ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to tell you even if I knew the answer¡± look on his face.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, then I can go back to bed right now.¡± Zhou Yu made to turn and leave.


    Mo Ye shook his head helplessly and said, ¡°Since when did willfulness become your privilege, Zhou Yu? Think about Dr. Turing¡¯s feelings at the moment from your human perspective; he has newfound powers he did not possess as a human being, and now he is eager to test them out and change everything around him to continue to control and expand his army. So, he wants to gain more power. To do this, he needs to be reinfected by an even more powerful organism that has lost the ability to reproduce and carries the virus, thereby allowing him to inherit its ability. What organism do you think is more powerful than the death dahlia?¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s pupil instinctively dilated. ¡°S rank organisms.¡±


    ¡°Yes, S rank organisms. I was worried that you lacked the imagination to accept my point of view!¡± Mo Ye shrugged his shoulders and continued, ¡°So now all Song Zhi needs to find is an S rank organism infected with the virus. The rest is up to you, I¡¯m powerless to help you any more than that. If Turing finds the organism before you, then you lose. Don¡¯t forget to consider my offer, Zhou Yu. We worked well together last time, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Zhou Yu took a step back. ¡°Let¡¯s end things here for today. Good night, Mo Ye.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Zhou Yu. Next time, I want to watch King Kong. Mo Ye went back one step at a time and came to sit at his bedside, quietly watching Zhou Yu¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember the plot of that movie,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    ¡°But you remember the way I watched the movie.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t say anything.


    What came to mind was the image of Mo Ye¡¯s back as he crouched on the table with his head tilted up in concentration. At the time, he had seemed so full of yearning and curiosity for the human world. He had felt both regret and sorrow for the ending of King Kong. Zhou Yu had so badly wanted to hold him close and let him know that at least Zhou Yu was not such a cruel and selfish creature.


    This was the most wonderful aspect of the human brain; if someone warned you not to think about an elephant, the brain would, on the contrary, want to think about an elephant even more.


    Mo Ye smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t spy on your mind. I just understand you.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Zhou Yu stepped back.


    ¡°You should have said¡­ ¡®good night,¡¯ so that I can try to sleep better. And I can feel it, you kissed me goodbye in your heart, just like the time you kissed my back,¡± Mo Ye said, looking after Zhou Yu¡¯s back.


    Zhou Yu told Mo Ye¡¯s answer to Song Zhi, who had been waiting for some time. ¡°Mr. Song, it¡¯s near impossible to find an S rank organism infected by the virus.¡±


    Song Zhi adjusted his rimless glasses and replied, ¡°No, actually, we¡¯ve already found one.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Yu was very curious.


    Song Zhi replied, ¡°The first ancestor, Ymir.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s infected?!¡± Zhou Yu still remembered that en route to Night Spirit Island, he had once seen the king of kings on land.


    It had been so grand and immense, joining together heaven and earth and allowing all the creatures to live in its shade. Billions of years had passed, but in the end, it had all the same been infected with the virus.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not certain if the first ancestor Ymir appeals to Turing. As far as we know, Ymir is dead. Our researchers have found it in its original state¡­ Its nerves are no longer active, and there is no indication that it has any thoughts or nutrient transport. It¡¯s impossible for an S rank organism like Ymir to remain in its original state for too long. All the organisms attached to it were also infected with the virus, dying or even becoming extinct due to their inability to reproduce. Its rhizomes extended hundreds, up to thousands of kilometers underground, infecting water sources. In the surrounding lakes and rivers, organisms, including fish and algae, were infected with the virus. The area affected was extremely wide-reaching. It was a devastating blow to the entire ecosystem.¡±


    ¡°Ymir is massive, so merely examining a portion of it can¡¯t confirm its death. Like a wounded man, you can ascertain that he has broken all of his limbs, which would no longer respond to nerve stimulations, but his heart is still there, and so is his brain. Are you sure that you¡¯ve examined its innermost core?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The researchers are your brother, Professor Zhou, and his partner, Professor Bai. If it weren¡¯t because Turing¡¯s target is most likely Ymir, we would have sent both of them out for on-site research. Now, we can only hope that Turing has the same idea as you and that he is going to confirm if Ymir is still alive. We need to get to where Ymir is as quickly as possible, and we need you for this mission, Zhou Yu. I know your sniping skills. If I give you a stable environment to shoot from, you can hit Turing from thousands of meters away.¡±


    Zhou Yu finally understood that Song Zhi had already made plans long ago. In fact, there was no need to select from the best snipers. What Song Zhi really wanted to choose was a helicopter pilot who could match Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Wu Yun will be your observer. I know you two have a good rapport,¡± Song Zhi said.


    ¡°Yes, a partner with good compatibility and guts can increase our chances of survival.¡±


    ¡°As well as being a stable pilot.¡±


    That night, not ten minutes after Zhou Yu had returned to his bedroom, he received orders for an emergency assignment. He and Wu Yun arrived at the helipad, where a young girl with tanned skin in her early 20s was sitting.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a female pilot!¡± Wu Yun said in a loud voice.


    The sound of the helicopter starting up was extremely loud. Everyone had to speak up.


    The other person didn¡¯t say a word, only continuing to chew gum until Zhou Yu also sat inside.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Zhou Yu.¡±


    She glanced at the rifle across Zhou Yu¡¯s back and gave a noncommittal hum.


    ¡°I¡¯m Li Shengnan.¡±


    The name almost made Wu Yun laugh out loud. [1] Just as he was about to speak, the helicopter took off, the angle nearly causing Wu Yun to hit his forehead.


    Zhou Yu read over the assignment. They were heading to the Peryton lair closest to the base.


    The lair was inhabited by dozens of Perytons, three of which had been released from the base and carried special markings on their bodies. What Zhou Yu had to do was to hit those targets from a distance of 1,500 meters.


    ¡°Do you know that this is a test?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Li Shengnan flashed a smile. ¡°Of course I know. I hope I can pass the test and become your partner! Zhou Yu, you¡¯re a legend among us. There are many tales about you!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s end the ¡®getting to know you¡¯ part here. You can ask me if you want to know more about the legends around Zhou Yu. We need to finish the test right now, and the sooner we do so, the sooner we can go back to bed. God knows if Juli Corp has any other tricks up their sleeve to make the test more difficult.¡± Wu Yun frowned. He had a feeling that the test would not be as simple as just shooting the Perytons.


    In the thick of the night, the helicopter slowly took off from the base and headed towards the target lair. The entire primeval forest was submerged in night.


    Zhou Yu put on special night vision goggles and set up the sniper rifle.


    Wu Yun was at his side, keeping watch for him.


    The primeval forest through the night vision goggles appeared in various gradation levels. Different creatures reflected different colors due to the heat difference.


    Zhou Yu found the Perytons¡¯ lair through the scope of the sniper rifle. Just as he narrowed his eyes to lock in on the target, an unusual sound came from the sky. It was a bit shrill, but it seemed to come from something sizable.


    Li Shengnan said in a cold voice, ¡°Bad news, we¡¯ve encountered giant three-eyed birds!¡±


    ¡°What? Did I hear you right? It¡¯s nighttime and the giant three-eyed birds are out and about?¡±


    Wu Yun immediately contacted Song Zhi and requested to terminate the mission.


    At this time, Song Zhi was sitting at his desk with a cup of coffee in front of him and another cup across from him.


    When Song Zhi heard Wu Yun¡¯s voice, his pupils flashed. Just as he lowered his head to say something, the visitor opposite him put a hand over his communication device.


    ¡°Mr. Song, you have so far correctly made every decision that Mr. Eaton has hoped for, and this time, you should be careful as well. Because you only need to be wrong once¡ªno matter how many times you¡¯ve been right before¡ªfor it to all be worth nothing.¡±


    A look of surprise flashed through Song Zhi¡¯s eyes, which were usually devoid of emotion. ¡°You were sent by him?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? We were all brought up by Mr. Eaton. He controls and knows everything.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any more elites like Zhou Yu and Wu Yun.¡± Song Zhi stared intensely into the other man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°So, let them do what only the elite can do. This is what making the best possible use of resources means.¡± A smile tugged at his lips while deeper meanings were hidden behind his eyes.


    At this time, Wu Yun¡¯s voice came through again. ¡°Mr. Song! The situation has changed from the test setup! Requesting evacuation! Requesting evacuation!¡±


    Song Zhi looked at the man opposite him, and the hand on the radio transceiver loosened. Song Zhi lowered his head. In a bland, monotone voice, he said, ¡°During a real assignment, you will often encounter various situations. Facing Turing, there will be even more uncertainties. Those giant three-eyed birds are one of them. Good luck. I hope you can deal with the obstacles and complete the test.¡±


    The call ended.


    ¡°Good choice.¡± The other man smiled as he stood up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re also in this world. When your life is on the line, there won¡¯t be a second Zhou Yu to save you.¡± Song Zhi looked up at him.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think about being ¡®saved.¡¯ You and I, we¡¯re both expendable.¡±


    The other man finished his coffee, put down the cup, and left Song Zhi¡¯s office.


    Wu Yun cursed helplessly. ¡°That guy must have done it on purpose! Maybe these three-eyed birds were also sent by the base!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in talking about that now,¡± Li Shengnan said. ¡°Hold on tight, I¡¯m going lower!¡±


    Immediately after that, they suddenly dropped down as if they were about to crash. Wu Yun clutched the handrail and said, ¡°Hey, you! Didn¡¯t you say we should pay attention? I didn¡¯t have time to pay attention yet!¡±


    After a series of spins and turns, Li Shengnan lowered the height of the helicopter to a level almost parallel to the primeval forest, cutting off the giant birds¡¯ attack from below. The giant three-eyed birds in the air immediately swarmed around them. They dive-bombed them, wanting to crash the helicopter into bits!


    Just then, the image of Dr. Turing manipulating the three-eyed birds to destroy the helicopter flashed through Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    All of a sudden, he wondered if the giant birds were really attacking them in their own state of mind. Was Turing nearby?!


    Li Shengnan calmly released a sonic bomb blast, shaking off the first wave of the giant three-eyed birds. From the sky came the shrieking sound of the giant three-eyed birds that had their internal organs ruptured, tormenting their eardrums woefully. As the powerful sound waves spread out, the helicopter experienced a force in the opposite direction and was pushed back, nearly hitting the three-eyed birds behind them.


    The helicopter flipped onto its side, almost throwing Wu Yun out of the window. Fortunately, Zhou Yu grabbed onto him.


    Just when they thought they would crash, Li Shengnan miraculously gained control over their orientation and balance, and they rose up again. While readjusting to level flight, Li Shengnan released the second wave of sonic blasts, which was just in time to crash into the second wave of attacking birds.


    ¡°Holy crap! Li Shengnan, you¡¯re amazing! I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone else to be Zhou Yu¡¯s partner anymore!¡±


    Li Shengnan shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Zhou Yu said, ¡°Be quiet and listen!¡±


    The beating of wings from the three-eyed birds came from all directions, growing louder and louder.


    Wu Yun then saw dozens of three-eyed birds flying towards them from his night vision goggles.


    ¡°It¡¯s an endless wave!¡±


    Zhou Yu could pretty much guess that the situation was not designed by Song Zhi. Turing was nearby! He knew what Zhou Yu and the others wanted to do, so he made the first move!


    ¡°If this keeps up, then the sonic blasts will soon run out! We¡¯ll crash before we can get back to the base!¡± Li Shengnan cool-headedly analyzed their current predicament.


    Zhou Yu knew that he had to locate Dr. Turing, but he could be 1,000 meters, 2,000 meters, or even tens of thousands of meters away. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint Turin¡¯s position at all.


    Just then, Mo Ye¡¯s voice sounded in his mind. His tone was teasing and he dragged his words out. ¡°Hey, do you still think that Song Zhi¡¯s method is working? Or is it time for you to take my advice?¡±


    Zhou Yu knew what Mo Ye was suggesting.


    ¡°Trust me, Zhou Yu. Do you find me less trustworthy than Song Zhi?¡±


    At this moment, Zhou Yu suddenly didn¡¯t want Mo Ye to be able to read him, even more than usual. If he gave Mo Ye control over himself¡­ He had been forced into a desperate situation last time, and he had no path of retreat this time either. Then what about next time? And the next time after that? He would become more and more reliant on Mo Ye¡¯s power, but such power did not belong to him.


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes upon seeing the mass of giant three-eyed birds charging at them. He answered Mo Ye in his heart: Fine, I will give you control over my body.


    Mo Ye¡¯s chuckle rang through his mind. Its slight helplessness made Zhou Yu¡¯s normally calm emotional state faintly shiver. ¡°What I¡¯m looking forward to is not only you giving me your body.¡±


    After that, Zhou Yu felt a force penetrate deep into his cranial nerves. His eyesight became sharper than usual. The primeval forest, before which could only be seen clearly through night vision equipment, took on a different and clearer appearance. Even the cellular activity within each tree was faintly discernible.


    He looked at the three-eyed birds, and a force crashed into his mind like an unstoppable torrent, which then extended outwards from his line of sight and expanded violently in the air, as if it would destroy all cells and material substances.


    The three-eyed birds were only two or three hundred meters away from them. Li Shengnan found that there was only one sonic bomb blast left. She had no choice but to alter her flight path, trying to draw a large circle. Unfortunately, the helicopter was not a fighter jet and was unable to outpace the three-eyed birds.


    ¡°If this was a fighter jet, maybe I could have blown up all those giant birds!¡± Li Shengnan slapped the control panel hard.


    ¡°Keep this height and direction.¡± Zhou Yu said in a chilly tone.


    ¡°What?¡± Li Shengnan was dumbfounded. Maintaining the status quo was tantamount to suicide!


    Zhou Yu climbed up into the co-pilot¡¯s seat. Wu Yun said coldly, ¡°Do as Zhou Yu says!¡±


    Seeing that the three-eyed birds were about to crash into them, Li Shengnan closed her eyes. She could not resist pressing down the control lever, but Zhou Yu stabilized them.


    As if they had hit some kind of barrier, the three-eyed birds bounced back, their wings broken and their bodies torn. Their brains burst from the inside. The air was filled with the cries of the three-eyed birds as they fell one after another. The other three-eyed birds seemed to sense some great danger and abruptly flew away.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Li Shengnan¡¯s jaw dropped in complete shock.


    Wu Yun knew what had happened. He tapped Zhou Yu on the shoulder. Zhou Yu turned back, but the golden pupils he had last time were nowhere to be seen.


    Wu Yun asked tentatively, ¡°Are you Zhou Yu or Mo Ye?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°I¡¯m Zhou Yu, of course, but I did borrow a little of Mo Ye¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now? Head back to the base? There¡¯s no point in continuing the test,¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Zhou Yu frowned and looked into Wu Yun¡¯s eyes. ¡°This is an opportunity we may never have again. Since Turing is nearby, we have to find him. I haven¡¯t had the chance to use my rifle yet.¡±


    Wu Yun sat back in his seat and put on his night vision goggles. He looked out of the window. ¡°I support your decision. Maybe, if we¡¯re lucky, we can find Turing.¡±


    Zhou Yu closed his eyes again and asked in his mind, ¡°Mo Ye, I know you can sense where Turing is.¡±


    ¡°You sure are greedy, Zhou Yu. Isn¡¯t being able to keep your life enough?¡± Mo Ye asked.


    ¡°If I lose this chance, then I could be alienized into a lizard monster by Turing next time. Is that what you want to see?¡±


    Mo Ye replied, ¡°Of course not. Those lizard monsters are so unsightly. They lack warmth when hugged and their scales are bumpy. They don¡¯t know what kissing is. It¡¯s boring. I still like the current you. Listen, look in your three o¡¯clock direction. There¡¯s a valley there.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked to where Mo Ye had indicated. It was a place of shadow where crawling lizard monsters could faintly be seen. They were on guard, as if they were worried that something might come.


    ¡°How far away is it?¡± Zhou Yu asked mentally.


    Mo Ye replied, ¡°Hm¡­ in your human distance units, I think it¡¯s 1,500 meters away. With your current sniper rifle, do you think you can hit him?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°I¡¯m more than 90% sure.¡±


    Mo Ye also asked, ¡°What are the reasons for 10% failure?¡±


    ¡°The rifle bullets are useless against Dr. Turing,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    He said to Li Shengnan, ¡°I need you to keep flying straight.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Wu Yun lifted up his night vision device, ¡°No way, did you find Turing?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    He left the co-pilot¡¯s seat and returned to the cabin, calmly setting up the rifle in a stable position and extending the muzzle out of the window.


    He steadied his breathing and filtered out the sounds of the wind and helicopter engine from his mind. His heartbeat became incredibly clear, and deep within his mind, there seemed to be another heart beating in sync with him, slowly merging them into one.


    Through the scope, he was able to see what Dr. Turing was doing with crystal clarity.


    Still in his camouflage suit, he was sitting on a rock with his eyes closed and his arms crossed, seemingly in meditation. His expression was no longer as relaxed as before, likely because he could sense that all the three-eyed birds he controlled had been destroyed by Mo Ye. Dr. Turing, who only had the strength of an A rank organism, did not have the advantage over an S rank organism.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s finger was on the trigger. He only had this once chance, and he absolutely could not afford to make a mistake.


    Without hesitating, he pulled the trigger the instant he took aim.


    The moment the bullet was fired, it passed through layers of air barriers and sped deep into the forest to enter the valley. Zhou Yu watched as Dr. Turing suddenly opened his eyes and dodged extremely quickly to avoid the bullet.


    The bullet hit another lizard, who had climbed onto the rock wall behind Turing. It fell instantly.


    The other lizard monsters immediately surrounded Dr. Turing and enveloped him in layers until he could not be seen again.


    Zhou Yu clenched his fist¡ªhe had missed!


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t miss. It¡¯s just that the rifle¡¯s bullets aren¡¯t fast enough. 1,500 meters is far enough for Dr. Turing to feel the bullet approaching.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice did not contain its laid-back and teasing mood from before, and on the contrary, Zhou Yu could feel his seriousness.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu! Did you hit him?¡± Li Shengnan cried out.


    ¡°Missed.¡± Zhou Yu quickly closed the window, put away the sniper rifle, and leaned back into his seat.


    His still heart started to beat again, as if a pair of warm hands were carefully wrapped around it.


    Zhou Yu knew that it was Mo Ye who was comforting him.


    ¡°At least you proved in advance that sniping Turing is not feasible. It¡¯s better than becoming his prey when you try to snipe him.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice was calm.


    His calm-headedness revealed a strength that ordinary humans did not have.


    At this time, something was twisting through the primeval forest below them. Suddenly, it burst through the thicket and stretched upwards past all the trees. It was extremely fast and astonishingly powerful, resembling a giant, undulating snake under the moonlight!


    Wu Yun turned pale with fright. ¡°Crap! It¡¯s the devil vine! Go higher!¡±


    But a cluster of devil vines had already hit them and snapped off the helicopter¡¯s tail. If it weren¡¯t for Li Shengnan¡¯s speedy response, it would have skewered through the cabin!


    Seeing countless devil vines entwined and woven into a net in midair that was thrown at the helicopter, Li Shengnan practically made an about-turn with the helicopter and narrowly escaped a near-death.


    Zhou Yu hadn¡¯t expected her piloting skills to be superb to such a level. He and Wu Yun were both impressed.

 CH 66

    Chapter 66: Zhou Yu & Mo Ye VS Turing


    With the loss of the tail rotor, the helicopter could not keep its balance. Li Shengnan struggled to lower their altitude closer to the primeval forest. They weren¡¯t going to be able to avoid the devil vines¡¯ second attack.


    Zhou Yu knew that this was an act of retaliation from Dr. Turing.


    At this time, the helicopter¡¯s alarm sounded, and the main rotor blades stopped spinning. They fell in a rapid descent.


    Li Shengnan closed her eyes. There was nothing more she could do to save them.


    In the next second, the devil vines that were about to destroy them abruptly twisted and spiraled up, suddenly catching the helicopter then slowly descending.


    Li Shengnan opened her eyes and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did the devil vines save us?¡±


    The devil vines slowly lowered the helicopter down in the primeval forest, like a giant¡¯s hand lowering a frail little bird to the ground with care.


    However, Wu Yun understood that this was all because Mo Ye¡¯s powers of control were superior to Dr. Turing¡¯s, as an S rank organism. He had taken over the devil vines after using his abilities to suppress Dr. Turing. If his reaction had been just half a beat slower, they would have crashed.


    ¡°Li Shengnan, is the communication radio on the helicopter still working?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Li Shengnan tried to find a connection, but the entire helicopter¡¯s circuitry was cut off. ¡°No, I¡¯m worried that if the base thinks we¡¯ve crashed, will they still send someone to pick us up?¡±


    Wu Yun stepped out of the hatch, took out a flare from the equipment pack on his back, and fired it into the air.


    It streaked through the sky like a meteor, followed by a bright burst of light that made it hard for them to open their eyes. For an instant, the night sky above them was as bright as day.


    ¡°If Song Zhi still thinks we¡¯re dead, then I¡¯ve lost all hope for his intelligence,¡± Wu Yun chuckled, his expression growing grim. ¡°Listen up, bring out all the equipment in the helicopter that can still be used. We can¡¯t passively wait for Song Zhi to send someone out to find us. Turing might send his lizards to attack us.¡±


    Wu Yun, after all, was a veteran. Although he sometimes ran his mouth, he was still rich in experience and a good judge of reality.


    Zhou Yu gathered all the firearms and ammunition that could still be used. Li Shengnan left the helicopter and said worriedly, ¡°This is my first time in the primeval forest on foot.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everyone.¡± Wu Yun handed a bottle of water to Li Shengnan, ¡°Never be quick to give up your water and food.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Li Shengnan looked around. This stretch of the primeval forest was full of gigantic trees. There were some unknown birds perched on the trees that seemed to have woken up from the flare.


    There were also some creatures scampering about in the distance. Li Shengnan subconsciously grabbed Zhou Yu, who was at the side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Those creatures are all below D rank and won¡¯t attack us easily.¡±


    ¡°How do you know? I can¡¯t even see them.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer, but lifted his watch to determine the direction towards the base.


    Li Shengnan looked after Zhou Yu straight and steady back, but the man was incomprehensible to her. He had too many secrets, and his composure has reached another level.


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice echoed again through Zhou Yu¡¯s mind. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to bring any guns or bullets with you. As long as we¡¯re still connected, no creature can harm you.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s lips slowly quirked up. ¡°What if we come across an S rank organism?¡±


    Mo Ye hummed as if he was deliberating the question. ¡°When you say S rank organism, do you mean me? If it¡¯s not me, but one of my seniors, then I can only do my best in a fight. If nothing works, then I¡¯ll die together with you.¡±


    ¡°Die together? You¡¯ve watched too many senseless movies.¡± Zhou Yu wondered if Mo Ye really liked watching movies that much.


    Perhaps, movies were one of the few ways he could learn about the real human world.


    ¡°Ah, speaking of movies, can you watch King Kong with me when you come back?¡±


    Zhou Yu felt helpless. He didn¡¯t care for movies, preferring to sleep quietly or listen to music instead. ¡°Is there anything else you like besides King Kong?¡±


    ¡°Of course! There are those action movies that Wu Yun loves to watch. I want to try all the positions in them. Wait¡­ if those actions are played out in your mind, then I wonder what the effect will be? It must be a very stimulating sight,¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice was slightly mischievous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that when you¡¯re alone in that room, you let your imagination run wild.¡±


    Mo Ye chuckled. ¡°Can this also be regarded as a mere fantasy? I thought it was your human instinct. I¡¯m just learning to become closer to you.¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t want to continue the topic. ¡°You¡¯re so relaxed, aren¡¯t you afraid of the virus? In theory, it can infect S rank organisms. What if you were infected one day? How will you save yourself?¡±


    Mo Ye seemed to mull it over, and Zhou Yu did not hear his voice again for more than a dozen seconds.


    Li Shengnan touched Wu Yun and said worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Zhou Yu? He hasn¡¯t said a word along the way.¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine. Zhou Yu always knows what he needs to do and what his goal is. Follow him, and we¡¯ll all be safe. At least we¡¯ll never go in the wrong direction.¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s trust in Zhou Yu made Li Shengnan feel more at ease.


    Just at this time, Zhou Yu suddenly stopped in his tracks. In front of them was a large number of snake scorpion beauties. It wasn¡¯t flowering season for the snake scorpion beauties, but there were already buds growing among the leaves and branches.


    Wu Yun was well aware of the habits of such creatures. When touched, a creature resembling a silver snake would scurry out from the heart of the flower. It was still very lethal at close range, and once bitten, they could be parasitized or even killed.


    It was Li Shengnan¡¯s first time seeing this kind of creature. They were beautiful, as if they had been carved from transparent crystal. Under the moonlight, they possessed an enchanting luster.


    When she just lowered herself to get a better look, she was grabbed by Wu Yun. ¡°Hey, were you not trained before you came here? Do you want to touch them because of how beautiful they are?¡±


    Li Shengnan reacted at once. ¡°Thank you, I forgot for a moment.¡±


    The field of snake scorpion beauties was like a fairyland in the primeval forest. In the faint, hazy fog of the night, the snake scorpion beauties seemed to be dancing under the moonlight.


    Zhou Yu was not at all attracted by the beautiful scenery before him. He weighed the gun across his back and took a step forward.


    He avoided the snake scorpion beauties, not sparing a single extra glance down at them.


    Wu Yun pulled Li Shengnan forward and instructed, ¡°Remember, step where Zhou Yu stepped and don¡¯t go anywhere else.¡±


    Li Shengnan nodded.


    The snake scorpion beauties seem to get some kind of hint. Wherever Zhou Yu went, they vied to bloom, gazing up at Zhou Yu like a woman awakened from a long dream. But the silver, snake-like creatures in the center of their flowers did not appear, as if quietly dormant.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s gaze was fixed straight ahead as he left the field of snake scorpion beauties and continued on.


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice sounded again, ¡°You¡¯re so unromantic, Zhou Yu.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s romantic?¡± Zhou Yu asked in his mind.


    ¡°In your human world, if a man falls in love with someone, doesn¡¯t he give her flowers? Those are the flowers I gave you. Aren¡¯t they beautiful?¡±


    Zhou Yu replied, ¡°They are very beautiful, but it¡¯s a pity that they¡¯re called snake scorpion beauties. Also, men give flowers to women, not to another man. You¡¯ve misunderstood the movies.¡±


    Mo Ye laughed again, ¡°Fine, let me answer your earlier question. You asked me if I was afraid of being infected by this virus, so I contemplated for a long time; what would happen if I were infected by the virus? Would I lose the ability to reproduce? Or would I die? If it¡¯s just the loss of my reproductive capacity, then I don¡¯t really care. I don¡¯t have a strong desire to produce my own offspring and pass on my DNA. As for whether I would die of disease, Zhou Yu, you yourself told me previously that your life is but as brief as the flash of a shooting star in my eyes. Since it is only an instant, then I will also shorten my life to an instant. If this virus really were to befell me, then I will accept it. But there¡¯s only one thing¡ªI don¡¯t want you to leave me, or else even that brief instant will lose its meaning.¡±


    Zhou Yu stopped and looked up at the moon in the sky. It was silver-white and beautiful, just like when he had seen Mo Ye in the water for the first time.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the master of honeyed words, but it¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re using them on the wrong target.¡±


    Suddenly, Mo Ye said, ¡°Be careful, Zhou Yu!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened. To his great astonishment, he found Dr. Turing standing right in front of him!


    There was the enigmatic hint of a smile between Turing¡¯s lips. He looked at Zhou Yu with a scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we last met, my child. Although you¡¯ve always been so rebellious, even ruining many good things for me, I still miss you very much and can¡¯t let you go.¡±


    Zhou Yu quickly drew his sidearm and aimed at him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Under the moonlight, Turing¡¯s face was as pale as a vampire¡¯s from a movie, making his golden eyes appear all the more striking.


    Behind Zhou Yu, Wu Yun also drew his gun and blocked in front of Li Shengnan.


    In the midst of the silence, something was moving through the shadows of the trees, and as they slowly emerged in the moonlight, it was the strange legion of lizard monsters alienized by Dr. Turing.


    Their eyes were blanched white, their scales were stained with blood, and some of them were still wearing the camouflage clothing they had on for the mission, although now considerably more tattered.


    Zhou Yu and the rest were within range of the lizard monsters¡¯ attacks.


    Dr. Turing did not seem to fear Mo Ye at all as he walked up to Zhou Yu. He raised his hand to sweep aside his bangs and reveal his forehead, letting Zhou Yu see his eyes more clearly.


    ¡°Hey, do you know how these alienized field workers lock in on their prey?¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t reply. His finger was on the trigger, and he swept his gaze over the lizard monsters that were poised to strike out of the corner of his eye.


    The wind was bitterly cold, but felt strained and suffocating.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the answer: they¡¯re sensitive to heat. Compared with the creatures of Nibelungen, the human body has a higher temperature, which these alienized creatures are more perceptive to. So you¡¯ll have to be careful.¡± With his hands in his pockets, Turing stood just one step away from Zhou Yu, looking at him with his head cocked to the side.


    Zhou Yu asked Mo Ye mentally, ¡°Do you know Dr. Turing?¡±


    Mo Ye replied, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Just then, Dr. Turing spoke again. He seemed to have heard Zhou Yu¡¯s conversation with Mo Ye in his mind. ¡°Oh yes, I heard that the people at the base have named you ¡®Mo Ye,¡¯ correct? I still remember when I had brought you back from Night Spirit Island; you were just an egg. Maybe it¡¯s not accurate to say that you were an egg, but we humans call life forms like you in their first stage of life an ¡°egg.¡± It sounds rather cute. When I dug you out of the cave of the night spirits¡¯ remains, I thought you were already a fossil. I wasn¡¯t expecting you to show signs of life when I did a biological scan on you. I was overjoyed, thinking that it was a gift from the heavens. I wanted to raise you, watch you grow up, and do the things that you want to do with you, but I didn¡¯t expect that you would become subservient to someone else. Is it this guy in front of me called Zhou Yu? I am so very envious and jealous, my child. You originally belonged to me.¡±


    Zhou Yu was frozen in shock. Mo Ye had originally been raised by Dr. Turing!


    ¡°Mo Ye is not subservient to anyone. And you, from when you first discovered Mo Ye¡¯s existence, you planned to use him. You found out earlier than anyone else that a virus was infecting the creatures here in Nibelungen. You went to the death dahlia¡¯s cave on purpose; you wanted to be infected with the virus. You wanted to gain the unique power of the organisms of Nibelungen. In fact, your original goal was not the death dahlia, nor was it the first ancestor Ymir who is rumored to have died, but it was Mo Ye. When he grows up, you¡¯ll have the virus infect him, and then have him infect you. Wouldn¡¯t you obtain the abilities of an S rank organism then?¡±


    Turin lowered his head and laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so smart, Zhou Yu¡­ But did you discover this yourself or did Mo Ye tell you?¡±


    Zhou Yu didn¡¯t answer his question. He didn¡¯t know how he was able to connect all the clues.


    ¡°I had always hoped that Mo Ye would hatch within my expectations. I tried various methods, adjusting the temperature and nutrition level. I put all my energy into it, yet he still refused to hatch for me. But seeing you, I now know why. It¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t chosen by him, and you were. So let¡¯s change the rules of the game, Mo Ye. Since you don¡¯t want to come out and see me, nor will you follow me, then let Zhou Yu play this game in your place.¡±


    With that, the lizard monsters rushed at Zhou Yu from all around him as if they had received orders.


    Wu Yun immediately shot at the lizards, working together with Zhou Yu.


    But there were too many of them, and some lizard monsters were charging at Li Shengnan.


    It was Li Shengnan¡¯s first time encountering such a scene, and she did not draw the gun from her waist for a long time.


    Fortunately, Wu Yun pushed her down. A lizard monster leaped across the air and missed. In a flash, Wu Yun shot it dead.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu¡¯s mind was being tightly held back by some force, and all his thoughts were manipulated and dragged into the abyss. His body was under the control of another force. His eyes could still see clearly, but he had no control over his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m Mo Ye. Let me take care of it.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened as he once again felt Mo Ye¡¯s power rolling out in waves. All the lizard monsters that leaped at Zhou Yu were shot back by a powerful force, hitting trees and rocks that smashed them to pieces.


    A lizard monster was torn apart right above Li Shengnan¡¯s head, its blood almost splattered onto her. Li Shengnan was much faster to adapt to the situation compared with Li Qian and his ilk. Not only did she quickly avoid it, but she even took out her gun to kill another lizard monster that attacked them from behind.


    When the lizard monsters all died, they were surprised to find that Turing was gone. All was quiet again in the primeval forest, as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Where did he go?¡± Wu Yun looked around on full alert. ¡°Where the hell is he hiding?¡±


    ¡°In the sky.¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Li Shengnan and Wu Yun looked up and saw a giant three-eyed bird flying into the distance carrying Turing.


    Wu Yun came to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and whispered in a lowered voice to Mo Ye in his body, ¡°Can¡¯t you use your ability to disintegrate Turing?¡±


    Mo Ye couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°What are you thinking of, Wu Yun? Not only does he have the power of an organism of Nibelungen, but he also has the genetic characteristics of you humans. I can¡¯t disintegrate humans, so of course, I can¡¯t disintegrate him either.¡±


    ¡°But why were you able to disintegrate those lizards?¡±


    ¡°Those lizards have only one state, but Turing is different. You can understand it like this: since Turing was infected by the death dahlia, the human form is Turing¡¯s original state, and the death dahlia is his mimicry state. If I want to disintegrate Turing, it will have to be when he is in the state of mimicking the death dahlia. If he remains human, then I can¡¯t do anything to him.¡±


    Wu Yun was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s to say, if Turing really does obtain the powers of an S rank organism, he will be invincible?¡±


    Mo Ye in Zhou Yu¡¯s body shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Yes, so you should protect me well!¡±


    Wu Yun was speechless. ¡°Do you need any protection? You should get out of Zhou Yu¡¯s body quickly. The longer you stay, the angrier he¡¯ll get.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Wu Yun with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why is that? I can help you with a lot of problems.¡±


    Wu Yun replied, ¡°No one wants to be controlled by another person. Maybe you want to help Zhou Yu, and protect and understand him. Mo Ye, if you really care for someone and want their recognition, then you should achieve your goal in a way that he approves of.¡±


    Wu Yun then turned to Li Shengnan and said, ¡°Hey, are you okay? We need to move on. We have to keep an eye out in case of an ambush from Turing along the way. What a bother¡­¡±


    Just then, Li Shengnan suddenly collapsed, her whole body shivering.


    Wu Yun was startled and ran over to help her up. ¡°Li Shengnan! Are you alright?!¡±


    Mo Ye had not yet left Zhou Yu¡¯s body. He also came over and bent down. ¡°Let me see.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t hurt by a lizard monster, was she?¡±


    Wu Yun undid Li Shengnan¡¯s shirt collar. There was no wound on her neck.


    ¡°Look at her back.¡± Zhou Yu held Li Shengnan up, setting her chin on his shoulder.


    When Wu Yun lowered his head to examine her, Li Shengnan suddenly opened her eyes and raised her hand to plunge a syringe into Zhou Yu¡¯s thigh!


    Zhou Yu let out a muffled grunt. The pain drove him to retake his body.


    The link between him and Mo Ye seemed to have broken.


    Feeling a cold liquid entering his bloodstream, Zhou Yu roughly pushed Li Shengnan off and pulled out the syringe, throwing it aside.


    Wu Yun glared at Li Shengnan and roared, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Li Shengnan stood up slowly with no trace of guilt on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, maybe you really wanted to treat me as a companion, but I¡¯m Dr. Turing¡¯s student. Everything my teacher wanted to achieve, I will do it for him. I believe that my teacher will accomplish achievements that no ordinary person is capable of, so I will follow him always! He was the one who changed my destiny!¡±


    When she spoke of Dr. Turing, her eyes were tinged with madness, making her appear as a completely different person from the calm and resolute helicopter pilot.


    Wu Yun looked at Li Shengnan in disbelief. ¡°Are you being controlled by Turing?! What the hell is wrong with you!¡±


    Wu Yun fiercely shook Li Shengnan¡¯s body, but Li Shengnan only pushed him away with disdain. She looked at Zhou Yu with a sneer. ¡°Zhou Yu, do you know what was in the syringe?¡±


    Zhou Yu frowned and repeatedly asked in his mind, ¡°Are you still there? Mo Ye?¡±


    There was no response.


    He felt his body gradually burning up, and his vision became blurred. He could not keep his grip on his gun and it fell.


    ¡°It¡¯s the virus extracted from the death dahlia. If you¡¯re also alienized into one of those lizard monsters, I wonder how the S rank organism that chose you will react? If you get hurt, he can save you any number of times. But this time, he can only watch you become something beyond his imagination, right before his eyes!¡±


    Li Shengnan¡¯s laughter echoed in the forest.


    ¡°You lunatic! Wu Yun pointed his gun at Li Shengnan. ¡°Where¡¯s the antiviral?! Where is it?! If Turing developed that thing, then he would definitely have the antiviral!¡±

 CH 67

    Chapter 67: Death Approaches


    Li Shengnan was indifferent as she retreated. ¡°Why would there be an antiviral? This virus is a gift from God! You can shoot me dead if you want, I¡¯ve done everything I wanted to do anyway!¡±


    Suddenly, a giant bird swooped down from the sky, grabbed onto Li Shengnan¡¯s shoulders, and took off into the night sky with her.


    ¡°Oh¡ªI forgot to mention, Zhou Yu is very weak right now, I¡¯m afraid he might not be able to bear with the mental control of an S rank organism! And when Zhou Yu¡¯s genes change, his connection to that S rank organism will also be severed! Good luck, Wu Yun! Don¡¯t get eaten by Zhou Yu!¡±


    Wu Yun fired angrily and ran after Li Shengnan. The range of his pistol fell short and could not reach its target.


    Li Shengnan had departed.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡±


    Wu Yun would rather that it was himself who had been alienized, so that he could grow wings and rip apart Li Shengnan!


    He returned to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and covered his forehead. Zhou Yu was scalding hot.


    Even though he knew what would happen to Zhou Yu once he began to alienize, he still refused to give up on him.


    He heaved Zhou Yu onto his back and walked on with haste. ¡°We¡¯re going back to the base right now! Song Zhi might be a bastard, but I don¡¯t believe he¡¯ll give up on you! He¡¯ll amass all the resources we have to help you resist the virus! And Zhou Qing is there! Those professors and scholars must have a way to save you! Zhou Yu, hold on! You¡¯ll survive! You definitely won¡¯t alienize into some abomination!¡±


    Wu Yun carried Zhou Yu and continued forward. Feeling Zhou Yu on his back growing hotter and hotter, Wu Yun was burning with anxiety!


    Just at this moment, a vague figure of a person appeared in front of them.


    Wu Yun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He stopped and stood his guard.


    Was Dr. Turing back? What did he want to do this time?


    It was a slender figure in camouflage, but they did not carry any weapons or equipment. They couldn¡¯t have been from the base. Entering the primeval forest without bringing anything was tantamount to suicide, and Wu Yun had no impression of the man at all.


    Who the hell was he?


    Like a messenger of the god of night, he turned to them slowly.


    He had an extremely beautiful face with perfect figure proportions, but he was not Dr. Turing.


    Wu Yun coldly asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He slowly walked towards them.


    His entire body exuded a chilly aura. He looked down apathetically at Zhou Yu, who was lying on Wu Yun¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°When you get back, tell Song Zhi that I will follow Turing. In the next few days, he will look for the first ancestor Ymir. We can work together against Turing.¡±


    That voice was like crushed ice, and the whole primeval forest was one giant wineglass. The broken shards of ice collided with each other and resounded in the cup.


    When the man started to turn, Wu Yun shouted, ¡°Hey! Wait, who are you?! You haven¡¯t answered me yet!¡±


    The man turned back slowly, his eyes flashing gold for an instant.


    Wu Yun was shocked, ¡°Are you an alienized human or an S rank organism?¡±


    ¡°Go back and ask Song Zhi.¡±


    Within seconds, the mysterious man had disappeared.


    Mo Ye, who has been lying on top of his bed, suddenly opened his eyes. He arched his back and instantly sat up.


    He panted hard, as if he had just returned to reality from the land of the dead. His bangs were soaked and stuck on his forehead, and his fingertips slightly trembled.


    His mind replayed the scene where Li Shengnan had stabbed a syringe into Zhou Yu¡¯s body.


    Whatever was in that syringe must have been fatal, otherwise his thoughts would not have disconnected from Zhou Yu.


    For a long time, he could not calm down his breathing.


    Song Zhi stood on the other side of the glass wall. He seemed to have waited for a long time.


    ¡°Looks like you went to Zhou Yu again, but he put up a fierce resistance.¡±


    Remote sensing consumed a lot of Mo Ye¡¯s energy. He slowly got up and walked to Song Zhi.


    Currently, Mo Ye was no longer as calm and relaxed as before. On the contrary, he knitted his brows, his gaze piercing into Song Zhi. ¡°Something happened to Zhou Yu, which is why I can¡¯t interact with him. In general, this means that there are only two possibilities. The first possibility is that his body is too weak to bear with my remote mental sensing. The second possibility is that¡­ he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Mo Ye raised a hand and smoothed his sweat-soaked hair to the back of his head, revealing his bright and clean forehead. He seemed to be trapped in a bind.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll send for him right now. We just saw the flares they fired. I hope it won¡¯t be too late.¡±


    Mo Ye slowly turned around, weary to the extreme. He went back to his bed and sat down, then tilted his chin up and stretched out his neck in a curve that was bursting with tension.


    ¡°Song Zhi, Turing is more difficult to deal with than you can imagine. If you don¡¯t want to become his prey, then I advise you to let me out. Let me be with Zhou Yu, I can help you deal with him. But if I¡¯m in here, then my ability will be greatly reduced because of the distance. I can¡¯t help you at all.¡±


    Song Zhi looked at Mo Ye and said unenthusiastically, ¡°Do you know what your expression looks like right now?¡±


    Mo Ye closed his eyes and asked, ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re afraid of something.¡±


    Mo Ye lowered his head and pulled up a hint of a smile, ¡°Of course I¡¯m afraid. Did you think fear only belongs to you human beings? And you also know what I¡¯m afraid of.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you and Zhou Yu leave. Once you leave, you won¡¯t return.¡±


    Mo Ye smiled helplessly. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to know his whereabouts?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®him¡¯?¡± Song Zhi¡¯s emotions were stirred up, and he subconsciously took a step forward.


    ¡°Song Lin¡­ Although he¡¯s my senior, born into this world a few years earlier than me, his luck was clearly not as good as mine. He chose you, and I chose Zhou Yu. You¡¯re always devising up a foolproof plan, when in reality, there is no such thing as a foolproof plan in the human world, or here. You are always thinking, but Zhou Yu will act.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice was laced with mockery.


    Song Zhi¡¯s pupils trembled. ¡°So¡­ even if you know where Song Lin is, you won¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Mo Ye said, ¡°Fine¡­ When Wu Yun comes back, he will tell you his whereabouts. Then you can come tell me whether you¡¯ll decide to let me out.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s shoulders were tense, but soon he covered up his emotions and left.


    Wu Yun sprinted with Zhou Yu on his back. Even when he started gasping for breath, he didn¡¯t intend to stop.


    Suddenly, he tripped over a rock and fell down, cutting a sorry figure.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Why is it so far away!¡±


    On his back, he felt Zhou Yu¡¯s deep breaths becoming shallow and sluggish. Wu Yun grew more and more worried. He felt Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead and found it scorching hot.


    ¡°Hold on, Zhou Yu! Don¡¯t give up like this!¡±


    If you give up, then how can I go on?


    At this time, a helicopter¡¯s light beam came aiming down at his head and shone on Wu Yun¡¯s face. When Wu Yun averted his gaze, a gust of wind came sweeping at him, and a rope ladder dropped down from high above.


    Wu Yun let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Song Zhi finally sent someone here! He saw the flare!¡±


    He jostled Zhou Yu on his back, but there was no response. Wu Yun climbed up with Zhou Yu on his back. As soon as he stepped into the helicopter¡¯s passenger hold, several field workers raised their guns and aimed them at Wu Yun.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wu Yun glared at them and stood before the cabin door.


    One of the field workers asked, ¡°Is Zhou Yu infected?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap!¡±


    Li Shengnan was like that, and so were the people sent by Song Zhi! If he wasn¡¯t protecting Zhou Yu, then Wu Yun would have given those guys a good thrashing!


    ¡°We have to be careful. You don¡¯t want us to have an accident before we get back to the base either, do you?¡±


    He took out a syringe, the tip scattering a cold gleam of light.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Wu Yun grabbed his hand and asked with vigilance.


    ¡°This is an anesthetic. Lizard monsters react very slowly to the anesthetic gas, so it needs to be absorbed directly into his body via intramuscular injection.¡± Han Li¡¯s voice reached them as she crawled out from the co-pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°I may be willing to hurt anyone else, but Zhou Yu is absolutely not included.¡±


    Han Li was their old friend who had been serving as captain of the fieldwork medical team.


    ¡°But now I find that no one can be trusted too easily.¡±


    Li Shengnan had taught Wu Yun a bloody lesson.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if he doesn¡¯t die¡­ Then this amount of anesthesia will have no effect on him.¡±


    The implication was that if Zhou Yu was doomed to die anyway, then the anesthesia could at least ensure the safety of others.


    Wu Yun pushed down his impulsive urges. Although he was worried about Zhou Yu, he wasn¡¯t totally irrational yet. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Han Li injected the drug into Zhou Yu¡¯s arm and monitored Zhou Yu¡¯s vital signs.


    His body was extremely hot. Han Li lowered her head and put her ear against Zhou Yu¡¯s chest. Zhou Yu¡¯s heart was pounding laboriously, but its speed was very slow. It took almost five or six seconds to hear one beat.


    The situation was not looking optimistic.


    More than a dozen minutes later, they successfully arrived back at the base, and Zhou Yu was sent into the emergency room. This time, the rescue effort could be said to be armed to the teeth. Not only was the emergency room equipped with an anesthetic nozzle, but also a machine gun. If Zhou Yu turned into a lizard monster, then he may very well lose his life right then and there.


    Wu Yun is standing outside the emergency room, both hands clutching his face. If he had discovered Li Shengnan¡¯s abnormality, then this would not have happened to Zhou Yu. He was drowning in self-blame.


    When Song Zhi came in, he suddenly punched him in the face, knocking off his glasses.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was just a test?! Did you know who Li Shengnan was? If you hadn¡¯t picked Li Shengnan as the pilot, then nothing would have happened to Zhou Yu! This was all Dr. Turing¡¯s trap, do you understand?! If anything happens to Zhou Yu, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±


    Song Zhi bent down and picked up his glasses from the ground.


    They were already shattered.


    Song Zhi flicked the broken glass to the ground with his fingers, took out his handkerchief, wrapped his glasses in it, and put them into his pocket. ¡°Everything happened for a reason. Just like how I didn¡¯t detect the issue with Li Shengnan¡¯s background, you were also blinded by her piloting skills, causing you to put your complete trust in her.¡±


    Wu Yun opened his mouth, but his words were stuck in his throat.


    ¡°Tell me, besides Dr. Turing, who else did you meet?¡±


    Wu Yun was stunned. After pondering for more than a dozen seconds, he replied, ¡°I met a young man with black hair in camouflage, but I¡¯ve never seen him in the base before. He had golden eyes, just like Mo Ye. Dr. Turing also had those eyes when he was using his abilities. He looked like he was in his early 20s and was very handsome. I suspect that he was an S rank organism.¡±


    Wu Yun stared at Song Zhi coldly and observed his expression. He remembered the rumors about Song Zhi and an S rank organism.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said he was going to work with you against Turing, and he would wait for you at the first ancestor Ymir.¡±


    ¡°And did he tell you when?¡±


    Wu Yun shook his head and said, ¡°No.¡±


    He turned to the emergency room. Han Li was frowning as she administered an electric shock to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu¡¯s body jerked up and down with the current, but the signal on his electrocardiogram was falling lower and lower.


    Wu Yun stepped forward nervously and put his hands against the glass.


    Han Li shouted, ¡°Heat rate slowing down, blood pressure dropping! Quick, give him a shot of adrenaline!¡±


    ¡°His temperature has reached 48 ¡æ!¡±


    ¡°The brain will fry at such a high temperature, he¡¯s pretty much done for.¡± Song Zhi tilted his head and said, ¡°And this is exactly the same as when that field worker mutated last time.¡±


    Wu Yun clenched his jaw and stared unwaveringly at Zhou Yu, ¡°He won¡¯t mutate. He definitely won¡¯t. There were so many dangerous incidents in the past that we thought he couldn¡¯t survive, but he crashed his way through all of them. This time will be the same! I believe in him!¡±


    At this time, Zhou Yu¡¯s pulse had already flattened into a straight line, and he had stopped respiration completely.


    Han Li didn¡¯t give up. ¡°The adrenaline shot! Inject it into his chest!¡±


    But Zhou Yu still did not respond.


    Han Li gritted her teeth. ¡°A scalpel! Prepare to open the chest cavity for direct CPR!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Han! It¡¯s no use! If we drag this on and he mutates, we¡¯ll all die!¡±


    Han Li¡¯s assistant pulled her away when she still refused to give up.


    ¡°Dr. Han! He¡¯s gone! He¡¯s already gone!¡±


    ¡°His heart had stopped beating half an hour ago!¡±


    Tears plopped down from Han Li, who had looked calm the entire time.


    She turned to Song Zhi and said, ¡°Zhou Yu is dead¡­¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s jaw was hanging half-open. It was as if his heart had suffered a heavy blow. He looked on at everything before him in disbelief.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ Zhou Yu, wake up!¡±


    Wu Yun pounded the glass with his fist.


    In order to prevent Zhou Yu from mutating, all the rescue and field workers were evacuated, leaving Zhou Yu lying on the bed alone. His eyes were closed and his firm brow bone gave off the feeling that he was still fighting.


    ¡°Let me in. Even if all of you are going to give up, let me go in and stay with him.¡±


    Song Zhi gave Wu Yun a hard punch to the face and said sternly, ¡°Wu Yun! Are you awake? Do you want to go inside and become nutrition for his alienization? If Zhou Yu is still conscious, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to you! Especially because of him! If you want to do something for Zhou Yu, then you should go prepare. When we go to the first ancestor Ymir and meet Turing, you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to avenge Zhou Yu!¡±


    Wu Yun raised his hands to cover his face. ¡°No¡­ You don¡¯t understand! Every time, it¡¯s him who sacrifices everything for us, but we can only do so little for him.¡±


    ¡°But from now on, there will be a lot you can do for him.¡±


    At this time, Mo Ye was searching for Zhou Yu with his eyes closed. He came up empty-handed.


    He looked up at the camera and said slowly, ¡°Li Qian, I know you¡¯re looking at me.¡±


    Li Qian, who was staring at the monitoring screen, was stunned. Mo Ye¡¯s glass-like eyes were like a black hole, making it hard for him to pull back his attention.


    ¡°Open this door for me. I¡¯m going out.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice seemed to spread outwards from the depths of his mind. Li Qian immediately turned off the surveillance camera¡¯s sound, but Mo Ye still existed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not controlling you. Except for Zhou Yu, I can¡¯t control any other human being. In your heart, you know that if you do nothing for Zhou Yu, then you will regret it for a lifetime. Now, please do only what you can do for Zhou Yu¡ªlet me out.¡±


    Li Qian tried to make himself ignore what Mo Ye said, but the more he ignored it, the more he thought of the many moments where he had been with Zhou Yu and Mo Ye. His heart suddenly softened.


    Clenching his fists, Li Qian spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mo Ye, it¡¯s impossible¡­ I can¡¯t!¡±


    He forced his eyes closed.


    ¡°Listen, Li Qian, Zhou Yu is about to die. I want to go see him! I have to see him!¡±


    Li Qian clenched his teeth and typed out the code on the keyboard. When the first set of doors opened, Li Qian was startled. He hadn¡¯t been expecting himself to do such a thing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at you! I don¡¯t want to listen! I can¡¯t be controlled by you anymore!¡±


    Even though Li Qian said this to himself over and over, his head still couldn¡¯t help but lift up to look at the screen and Mo Ye. By supernatural influence, he entered the second code, and the second set of doors were opened, allowing Mo Ye to leave.


    Once Mo Ye left the room, the surveillance alarm sounded immediately. Countless field workers rushed out with their guns raised aloft. The clicks from loading were loud and clear.


    Mo Ye smiled indifferently. His eyes had the charisma to devour one¡¯s soul.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Song Zhi tell you that he wanted me alive?¡±


    Just as they hesitated, Mo Ye quickly rushed over, his hair tangling as if it was being buffeted by the wind. His speed was too fast to be human.


    When the first shot sounded, Mo Ye took advantage of his speed to leap up to the ceiling and jump off, suddenly coming above the field worker. The instant the two of them made eye contact, he reached out to unload his bullets. Then he gave him a hard push, sending the field agent flying.


    Next, Mo Ye bent down to kicked over another field worker, then turned to chop down on the neck of the next agent. All of this transpired in less than a second, making it impossible to distinguish on sight!


    The corridor was a mess. Mo Ye had what seemed like divine assistance and his actions were quick and decisive. The team could not hold its own.


    Some of them had their wrists dislocated by Mo Ye, while others were directly knocked out from a rap to the neck. Within only a few seconds, there were field workers laying sprawled out all over the corridor floor, unable to rise.


    Looking through the surveillance camera, Li Qian was completely shocked, ¡°My God! That¡¯s inhuman!¡±


    Wait¡­ It seemed like Mo Ye was never human in the first place¡­


    It went without saying that due to Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal cord fluid, 70% of Mo Ye¡¯s ability was locked away. He was currently only utilizing his own physical strength and rapid mobility. But his every movement was neat and precise, just like a fast forward version of Zhou Yu.


    ¡°That¡¯s more badass than an action movie!¡± Li Qian couldn¡¯t help but clap in front of the surveillance screen.


    Mo Ye looked up at the security camera and said, ¡°Thank you, Li Qian.¡±


    He nudged a gun with his toe and kicked it up to grab onto it firmly, then walked out with confidence and ease.


    Song Zhi, who is in the emergency room, received the news that Mo Ye had left. He immediately notified the guards and said to Wu Yun, ¡°Draw your gun, Mo Ye is coming!¡±


    Wu Yun¡¯s eyes lit up with hope. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing that Mo Ye is coming? He saved Zhou Yu many times before, maybe he can save him this time!¡±


    Song Zhi stared at him. ¡°Are you daft? Don¡¯t forget that Mo Ye is an S rank organism! We can¡¯t predict what his reaction will be after seeing Zhou Yu in an accident!¡±


    The security personnel protecting Song Zhi quickly intervened and raised their guns to guard around Song Zhi as if they were facing a great enemy.


    The sound of footsteps came from down the corridor, each step grinding on Song Zhi¡¯s nerves.


    The door opened and a young man in a white T-shirt came in with a gun in his hand. His black bangs swayed gently with his steps. He was tall and did not seem strong, but every line of muscle on his body was hiding restrained strength.


    His expression was extremely cold, and the oppressive feeling in the eyes made all the guards holding guns tremble inexplicably.


    The two men at the very front were trembling at even the muzzle of their guns.


    ¡°Song Zhi! I don¡¯t have time to play games with you. Open the door. I want to see Zhou Yu.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s eyes were indifferent. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    Just at this time, Wu Yun, who was standing beside Song Zhi, suddenly raised his gun and aimed it at Song Zhi¡¯s temple. In a flash, all the muzzles turned to point to Wu Yun.


    But Wu Yun was not intimidated. The muzzle of his gun was more stable than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°Do as he says and open the door! Let him see Zhou Yu!¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression instantly turned even darker. ¡°Wu Yun, are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    Wu Yun chuckled indifferently, ¡°Now, let Mo Ye see Zhou Yu!¡±


    As long there was still a glimmer of hope for Zhou Yu to wake up, he would not give up.


    ¡°Do you think Zhou Yu would want Mo Ye to see him alienized?¡±


    Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help smiling, ¡°He no longer has his consciousness, would he still care about that?¡±


    Song Zhi had no choice but to raise his finger and shake it lightly. ¡°Okay, Wu Yun. I thought you understood that Mo Ye is very important to Zhou Yu. In front of someone important to them, everyone would want to be perfect. But¡­ there¡¯s no point in being perfect. Li Qian, weren¡¯t you the one who released Mo Ye? In that case, you should play the good guy to the end and help him open the door of the emergency room!¡±


    Li Qian gulped. He knew what kind of consequences he had to face, but he also had something he needed to do. Li Qian quickly input the command, and the door of the emergency room opened. Mo Ye walked in and Wu Yun stood outside, guarding the door.


    Mo Ye approached him, step by step. He saw Zhou Yu lying on the bed, his breaths already stopped. His chest did not move up and down in the slightest. Mo Ye opened his eyes wide, his gaze tracing over Zhou Yu¡¯s facial features. He slowly lowered his head and lifted Zhou Yu into his embrace as if he had been his breath and his whole life. Without any signs of life, Zhou Yu¡¯s brain was so calm that Mo Ye couldn¡¯t read a single thing.


    Mo Ye did not show any sadness; his expression was blank, as if he was still trying to process what had happened.


    Then Mo Ye¡¯s eyes turned golden, as if he had fallen into a state of unawareness.

 CH 68

    Chapter 68: 36.5 Degrees


    He tried all he could to re-establish a connection with Zhou Yu, but it was like he was aimlessly broadcasting his thoughts while Zhou Yu had closed himself off.


    Mo Ye furrowed his brows. To him, all of this was like breaking through layer upon layer of obstacles to charge into the horizon¡­ And at the moment, he didn¡¯t know where his sky was.


    He¡¯d never felt this way before, where his heart felt like it had been hollowed out and his blood lost the direction of its flow. Every cell in his body was in such pain that they seemed to be on the verge of rupturing, piercing deep into his mind!


    This was all an illusion¡­ He couldn¡¯t have lost Zhou Yu¡­


    Everything had clearly been under his control, including Zhou Yu¡¯s breathing, heartbeat, and every emotional fluctuation¡­


    But all of a sudden, everything felt like quicksand passing through his fingers. He couldn¡¯t hold onto them however much he tried.


    Suddenly, tremors rang throughout, each wave more violent than the last.


    Everyone looked up one after another


    ¡°Is it an earthquake? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Li Qian instantly operated the surveillance screens and found that there were countless giant three-eyed birds attacking the top of the base from outside. They kept ramming into it, not giving up even when their wings snapped and skulls fractured. All helicopters were dispatched, sending out sonic blasts, yet even that was not enough to dispel them all.


    What was even more frightening were the sinuous devil vines boring through the roof of the base, seemingly wanting to overturn the whole thing!


    The alarm sirens in the base blared on incessantly, and all personnel prepared for war!


    Zhou Qing, who was currently studying a sample under the microscope, suddenly felt a violent tremor. When he fell off his chair, the microscope and all of the samples followed him, creating a broken mess.


    The researchers looked up. ¡°Is that an earthquake?¡±


    At this time, guards rushed in and shouted, ¡°Protect Professor Zhou and Professor Bai! We¡¯re evacuating immediately to the base¡¯s emergency shelter!¡±


    While Zhou Qing was still confused, another powerful quake hit them. The entire base was almost rocked into the skies! Zhou Qing knew that this feeling wasn¡¯t an earthquake.


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    Beside him, Bai Yingting looked up, then closed his eyes and seemed to sense something. Compared with the other researchers¡¯ panic and the guards¡¯ nervousness, Bai Yingting appeared to be steady.


    When he opened his eyes, he spoke, ¡°They¡¯re soaring snakes.¡±


    Zhou Qing was stunned. ¡°What? Soaring snakes¡­ Are you talking about that legendary A rank organism? They should be dormant right now, soaring snakes are organisms that are only active in the winter!¡±


    ¡°Never mind that right now, just go!¡±


    Swordbone butterflies came flying in through the open door. The entire lab fell into chaos, and screams were heard in rapid succession!


    None of the researchers had been injected with the fear inhibitor!


    Bai Yingting threw Zhou Qing over his shoulder, and when he slammed his palm against the table, the swordbone butterflies quickly retreated outside and pasted themselves onto the walls, as if they had been frightened.


    While Zhou Qing was wide-eyed and digesting what had happened, Bai Yingting carried him and started to sprint, leaving the lab with the guards. The other researchers scrambled to catch up to them.


    But Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t help having doubts; how did Bai Yingting know what organism was attacking the base from outside? They couldn¡¯t see anything!


    As the shaking in the base became more and more evident, Li Qian, who was monitoring the surveillance cameras, suffered a fright. On the screen was an enormous black python soaring through the air. It charged at the base, its black scales like innumerable steel blades, and in a single, easy swing, a giant tree that had lived for tens of thousands of years snapped in half, falling towards the base!


    ¡°My God!¡±


    Li Qian transferred the image from the surveillance camera to the screen in front of the emergency room. When Song Zhi saw it, he narrowed his eyes. He quickly turned around and shouted at Mo Ye, ¡°What are you doing?! Do you want to destroy everything here?!¡±


    Wu Yun was also stupefied by the scene. That gigantic creature was comparable to the giant sea bull they had seen before. ¡°What is that?¡±


    Song Zhi answered, ¡°A soaring snake! A distinctive A rank organism! Its power is inexhaustible, and it¡¯s immensely destructive! It also has a vicious, uncontrollable temperament! It must have come here after sensing Mo Ye¡¯s emotions! Right now, Mo Ye wants to destroy everything. He¡¯s completely lost his mind! This an S rank organism! Only a fool like you would count on him to save Zhou Yu!¡±


    Mo Ye shot Song Zhi a dark gaze containing a kind of ruthlessness that did not hesitate to destroy heaven and earth. Word by word, he said, ¡°All of this was according to Juli Corp¡¯s plan, wasn¡¯t it?! I¡¯ll make Juli Corp pay for it! I¡¯ll set all of their hard work up in flames! I¡¯ll make sure that they¡¯ll reap nothing from this place other than despair!¡±


    This Mo Ye was ice-cold, resolute, and ruthless, like an asura from hell. Even his aesthetically pleasing face looked like the carved mask of a death god.


    Wu Yun froze, then he grabbed Song Zhi¡¯s collar. ¡°Did you know Li Shengnan was on Turing¡¯s side or not?!¡±


    ¡°I had no idea Li Shengnan was with Turing! Do you think I¡¯m stupid enough to use one of Turing¡¯s people?¡±


    Song Zhi stared back at Wu Yun.


    Wu Yun¡¯s raised fist hung in mid-air. He knew that although Song Zhi would use unscrupulous means, he always admitted to his deeds and disdained telling lies. Since he personally claimed that he had not known that Li Shengnan was one of Turing¡¯s people, then he shouldn¡¯t have known.


    The base was still experiencing severe shocks, and the soaring snake had already broken through the outer walls of the base on its first attack. Currently, it was drawing in its back in preparation for the second strike. Countless organisms were pouring into the base¡¯s external extension. The field personnel had no choice but to retreat and hide in the internal part of the base.


    This was turning into war.


    Song Zhi¡¯s expression did not waver in the slightest. He only looked at Mo Ye and said, ¡°If your goal is to destroy all of Juli Corp, then I don¡¯t have any objections. Humans are invaders in Nibelungen in the first place, and invaders should experience the consequences of their actions, sooner or later. However, if you merely loathe yourself for not having protected Zhou Yu from Turing, you can destroy me, take your revenge on me, and disintegrate all that Zhou Yu cared about, including Wu Yun, Zhou Qing, and Han Li, who has been trying her hardest to save him. Everything that Zhou Yu was tied to is here. You can certainly destroy them all. I¡¯m just reminding you not to forget who extracted the virus from the death dahlia. Who exploited you from the very beginning? Why did Zhou Yu become Turing¡¯s target; was it because of me? You know very well that it¡¯s not. This was all because you chose Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu died merely because Turing took revenge against you for not choosing him.¡±


    Mo Ye looked at Song Zhi. His body started to tremble as if it was on the verge of collapse.


    Blood started to gush out at the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°Mo Ye! Your body can¡¯t handle the release of this much power! In less than a minute, a large number of cells in your body will rupture! You¡¯ll die! If you die too, then who will take revenge for Zhou Yu?! Or do you think that killing me in here along with all the other employees in the base counts as avenging Zhou Yu?¡± Song Zhi turned to ask him.


    While the base was unstable and flooded with fear, Mo Ye could not sense Song Zhi¡¯s fear.


    There was a cold gleam of light in his eyes. He did not care if Mo Ye destroyed Juli Corp¡¯s base; there was even a certain sense of expectation deep in his heart.


    ¡°Just who are you?¡± Mo Ye narrowed his eyes, frustrated at being unable to read Song Zhi¡¯s thoughts.


    Yes¡­ if Song Zhi had truly betrayed that S rank organism, then why were they still doing their utmost to protect him?


    Mo Ye furrowed his brows and clenched his fists. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and the trembling of his body became even more intense. Rather than the release of energy, he was pushing back down that uncontrollable power.


    ¡°Very good¡­ calm down just like that. Don¡¯t hurt yourself anymore.¡±


    Song Zhi pressed his hands to the glass.


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes finally stopped bleeding, and he slowly put Zhou Yu back on the pillow. He leaned down to kiss Zhou Yu¡¯s forehead.


    It was an extremely pious gesture.


    Song Zhi¡¯s gaze was distracted.


    He seemed to recall something¡­ A long, long time ago, there had also once been a youth who earnestly kissed his own forehead like so.


    In the midst of everyone¡¯s terror, the quaking base suddenly became still.


    The devil vines had withdrawn, and the giant three-eyes birds that had already flown inside the base and the perytons also left. The soaring snake that was preparing for its third attack on the base suddenly retreated backwards and vanished slithering into the dark night.


    Everyone looked up to peer around themselves, as if still confirming that the peace was real.


    Mo Ye suddenly spoke as if it was a command, ¡°Song Zhi, I want to join your hunt for Turing. I will make him pay.¡±


    Song Zhi shook his head. ¡°Are you sure you want to go? Turing target is an S rank organism. Our current technology is unable to extract the spinal fluid Zhou Yu left in your body. Your power will be greatly reduced. If you face Dr. Turing like this and he happens to infect you with the virus, he¡¯ll obtain the power of an S rank organism through you.¡±


    These words made Wu Yun, who was at the side, pause. Song Zhi had said that technology-wise, they couldn¡¯t extract Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid from Mo Ye, which meant¡­ Song Zhi wanted to do it?


    Then why had he done all of that earlier?


    Mo Ye turned to the side and sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t care about death, because I¡¯ve already died. Do you not care for Song Lin at all, Song Zhi? If I don¡¯t go, then after Turing confirms that the first ancestor Ymir has died and cannot be exploited, he will change his target to Song Lin. Why Song Lin has gone to deal with Turing, do you not already know? He¡¯s doing everything for you, even though you¡¯ve thrown him aside. You don¡¯t care what he wants. It used to be like that, it¡¯s still like that, and it always will be like that.¡±


    Song Zhi fell silent for a few seconds before opening his mouth again, ¡°Fine, I agree. But you have to come out of the emergency room, right now. Based on how quickly the last field agent alienized, Zhou Yu will start to change very soon. I will give you two choices. The first choice is to watch him become a lizard monster and keep him in captivity, but you will never have him respond to you again. The second choice is to let him sleep eternally with dignity.¡±


    ¡°Sleep eternally? How would you do that? You going to shoot him?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Song Zhi replied, ¡°Cryosleep, until the day Juli Corp figures out how to revert lizard monsters back into humans¡­ Or perhaps until researchers voluntarily study it.¡±


    Wu Yun was left speechless. He knew clearly in his heart that Juli Corp would not put their funds there, nor would any researchers be interested in studying it.


    Mo Ye lightly touched his forehead to Zhou Yu¡¯s, such an intimate position resembling when he had nestled up to Zhou Yu¡¯s side in his childhood.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll stay right here. No matter what Zhou Yu turns into, it won¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    Song Zhi indifferently turned away. ¡°Fine, as you wish. I need to prepare for future operations, but I don¡¯t know when Song Lin will act.¡±


    Mo Ye coldly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Song Lin and I can interact with each other. When he acts, he will inform me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s shoulders paused, and he quickly left the scene.


    Mo Ye spoke to Wu Yun, who was standing guard outside, ¡°You go outside, too. We both know Zhou Yu, he wouldn¡¯t want you to see him become like that.¡±


    Wu Yun hesitated for a moment and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What are you going to do? Will you kill him?¡±


    ¡°I have my own ways. I will stay with him until the last moment arrives,¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Wu Yun clenched his fists and turned to leave. His footsteps were very heavy.


    Each time he had previously walked the edge between life and death, Zhou Yu had managed to break through the cocoon and be reborn. But he knew that this time, Zhou Yu would probably never create another miracle again.


    There was finally only Zhou Yu and Mo Ye left in the world.


    Mo Ye¡¯s fingers slowly slid across Zhou Yu¡¯s browbone. He said self-mockingly, ¡°You really don¡¯t understand, when you first pressed your hand to the chest I was in, I fell for the sound of your heartbeat. It¡¯s special. It made me choose you, and it made me hatch for you. I can indeed enter your mind to read all of your thoughts, images, and even your choices and decisions. The more I saw, the more I wanted to understand. I was attracted to the world in your mind, and like an addiction, I couldn¡¯t pull myself away¡­ Who was it that said falling in love with an S rank organism was fatal to you humans? It¡¯s clearly the other way around¡­ you¡¯re all so selfish, ugly, and greedy, but I was still attracted to you. Do you know what the true law of survival for S rank organisms is, ever since humans stepped foot into this world? There is only one¡ªdo not become fascinated by humans.¡±


    Mo Ye turned sideways to lie down beside Zhou Yu, like a child snuggling into his embrace. He held onto him tightly, but it was a pity that Zhou Yu¡¯s residual body warmth had gradually dissipated and he¡¯d grown cold. Mo Ye rubbed his cheek against Zhou Yu¡¯s body like a child.


    ¡°Do you know what my favorite temperature is? 36.5 degrees, your temperature. Do you know what I thought of every night, sleeping in that glass room? Not Wu Yun¡¯s action movies¡­ I want to go to your world, I want to travel with you, and eat the things you¡¯ve eaten. I want to go to the movies, even if I¡¯ll watch it with interest while you sleep beside me. And now, these are all fantasies. Before I could compress my time, you had already used up yours. There are times when I really want to have you enter my mind to take a look, then you would come to understand the real me¡­ You would never doubt me again. You know, before we had language, we could still trust each other, and you were able to understand all of my desires¡­ But after I could speak the language of humans, why were you unable to trust me again?¡±


    It was a sleepless night.


    Whether it was Wu Yun, Li Qian, or Han Li, they were all waiting for Zhou Yu to mutate.


    But after the entire night passed and the sun rose from the horizon, the first rays of sunshine falling onto the base, Zhou Yu was still lying peacefully in Mo Ye¡¯s embrace, without any change.


    Han Li felt like this was strange, and she sent out a request to Song Zhi. ¡°I want to go inside to examine Zhou Yu and draw a blood sample to further do a lab test on it. Maybe he wasn¡¯t infected with the virus in the first place. It¡¯s at least a completely different virus than from the last field agent!¡±


    Song Zhi tapped his finger on the table¡¯s surface. ¡°So you think this was all a joke Dr. Turing played on us? If he only wanted to kill Zhou Yu, he could have used much simpler methods, or even much crueler and visually impactful methods to provoke Mo Ye¡­ there¡¯s no need to make things so complicated.¡±


    Han Li answered, ¡°That¡¯s why I need to go inside and take a blood sample to do lab tests on. We already have a sample of the virus, we only need to conduct a comparison test to know if Zhou Yu was infected with the same virus, and what the differences are between the viruses from the two of them that would allow Zhou Yu to not mutate. Did it only delay the transformation? Or does his constitution differ from the field agent that mutated into the lizard monster?¡±


    Song Zhi nodded, agreeing to Han Li¡¯s request. ¡°Please be careful. I don¡¯t want a single one of us to lose our lives.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You also very much want Zhou Yu to become ¡®one of us,¡¯ don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°This is all I can do.¡±


    But when Han Li walked into the emergency room, Zhou Yu¡¯s body suddenly tensed up. His back arched upwards and his limbs stretched out, convulsing violently as if something was going to burst out from his body!


    Han Li was frightened and stepped back, while Mo Ye, who was beside Zhou Yu, pressed down on his shoulders.


    He flipped up and sat across Zhou Yu¡¯s waist. Zhou Yu struggled so hard that the entire bed creaked, before finally collapsing with a crash.


    Mo Ye pressed his hands to Zhou Yu¡¯s head and suppressed him with his own bodyweight. Mo Ye stared hard at Zhou Yu, then closed his eyes. He tried to enter his thoughts into Zhou Yu¡¯s mind. He thought that he would never communicate with Zhou Yu again, but at this moment, whether Zhou Yu was about to mutate or die, he still had to try and hold onto his thoughts!


    When Mo Ye tried to dive into Zhou Yu¡¯s mind, he found that he had jumped into a stretch of water. The splashing sound of the water rang out. Above the water was Zhou Qing¡¯s childish cry.


    ¡°Brother, come up! Brother, grab onto me! I¡¯m sorry! Brother, don¡¯t scare me¡ªsomebody! Help!¡±


    Then Mo Ye saw that Zhou Yu was already drowning. His ears were gurgling with water and his lungs couldn¡¯t breathe. He struggled desperately but he couldn¡¯t swim above the water.


    And this Zhou Yu was different from the one Mo Ye had seen until now.


    He looked to be only 13 or 14 years old.


    Mo Ye struggled to swim over, but the current was too strong, as if it was refusing him and trying to push him away from here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Zhou Yu¡­ I¡¯m coming. Nothing will happen to you! Trust me! Trust me!¡±


    Mo Ye opened his arms, and just like when he saved Zhou Yu at the Angel¡¯s Horn, he hugged Zhou Yu tightly and tried to swim upwards.


    Feeling a force supporting himself, the panicked Zhou Yu gave up struggling and opened his eyes.


    In the chaos of the water, Zhou Yu met Mo Ye¡¯s obsidian eyes. They were pure and limpid, and there was only himself in those eyes.


    There was a certain strength in Mo Ye¡¯s eyes. Even though his lips didn¡¯t move, Zhou Yu could hear what he was saying.


    ¡°You only need to do two things in your life, Zhou Yu. First, trust me. Second, live well. Remember them always. ¡°


    When Zhou Yu was still thinking about what his words meant, his body was lifted out of the water and oxygen rushed in, expanding his lungs. He coughed hard and gasped for breath. Zhou Qing had a death grip on his wrist as he hauled him ashore.


    Zhou Yu looked back and saw that beautiful and elegant face in the light of the water, shining with extraordinary brilliance in the sunlight.


    ¡°Wake up, Zhou Yu.¡±


    It seemed like a call from another world.


    When he turned back to ask Zhou Qing, who was holding onto him, if he had heard anything, he found that there was no one else on the shore.


    ¡°Come to me.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked to the center of the river, but the young man who saved him was also gone.


    Where did he go?


    All of a sudden, Zhou Yu found that he was the only person left in the world. It was so silent it seemed like he was trapped there.


    ¡°Come to me¡­ I¡¯m waiting for you¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu lowered his head and found that the voice came from the lake. But he had almost drowned just now!


    ¡°Stay here, or come with me.¡±


    The voice was very soft and far away, but it inexplicably made Zhou Yu resolute.


    He took a big breath of air then jumped back into the water.


    It was very bright under the water, as if passing through it would lead to an even vaster place.


    And before that light, that young man in white who had just saved him was nearby. He stretched his hand out to Zhou Yu.


    This time, Zhou Yu swam towards him bravely, regardless of perils.


    Who are you? Where are you taking me?


    The moment Zhou Yu reached out to take that young man¡¯s hand, he was drawn in by a powerful force. He passed through the light, then instantly started to fall.


    Zhou Yu was frightened. The sudden weightlessness made him want to grab onto something. There was a boom, and then a force seemed to grab him.


    The world flipped over, and life and death changed directions.


    ¡°Wake up! Zhou Yu!¡±


    At the voice calling him, Zhou Yu opened his eyes. His body was tensed up, and oxygen rushed into him from all directions. Closed cells opened up again, and his stilled blood impatiently started to flow.


    Then his vision fell on a sea of obsidian.


    He panted hard, tightly holding onto the other person¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Zhou Yu¡­ Don¡¯t panic, slow down! Regulate your breathing!¡±

 CH 69

    Chapter 69: Evolution


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes widened, and in that moment, he felt as if his body did not belong to him.


    The other person held his head up and pressed it to their own chest. ¡°Listen. I¡¯m here, just follow me¡­¡±


    There was a strong, steady heartbeat, and his body began to resonate with it. His heart, which seemed to want to jump out of his chest, was weakening, his rapid heartbeat easing. The feeling of not having enough air to breathe gradually subsided, until his heartbeat merged into one with the sound in his ears.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s thoughts returned to him and his mind became calm. He looked at the young man in front of him. Had his drowning been an illusion or reality?


    ¡°Zhou Yu, do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Of course I do,¡± Zhou Yu replied, ¡°you¡¯re Mo Ye.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes widened, then he pulled Zhou Yu into an embrace. ¡°Wonderful! That¡¯s terrific!¡±


    Zhou Yu had not yet returned to his senses. In his mind, his last memory was that of Li Shengnan injecting some kind of drug into his body.


    Sitting paralyzed on the ground, Han Li was stunned. She stood up slowly. ¡°Zhou Yu? You¡¯ve come back to life? Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Han Li,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    The clear-headed response surprised Han Li.


    Han Li immediately stood up and walked to Zhou Yu¡¯s bedside. When she lifted Zhou¡¯s Yu arm, Mo Ye¡¯s icy gaze swept over her.


    ¡°I just want to check¡­ I¡¯m worried that Zhou Yu will show symptoms of alienization.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Please check carefully,¡± Zhou Yu nodded.


    Han Li rolled up Zhou Yu¡¯s sleeve. There wasn¡¯t anything scale-like in sight. She put her palm over him to press down harder, but she didn¡¯t feel any foreign growth in his muscles.


    Han Li suddenly pulled up Zhou Yu¡¯s clothes and checked his back. Everything was normal.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s temperature remained at 36.5 degrees, his normal temperature.


    ¡°I need to draw your blood.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Han Li sent Zhou Yu¡¯s blood sample in for testing, then hurried into Song Zhi¡¯s office.


    ¡°Mr. Song! Zhou Yu¡¯s awake! He might have already recovered!¡± Han Li could hardly contain her excitement.


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible that like Turing, who alienized but retained the ability to think as a human being, he¡¯s being controlled by Turing,¡± Song Zhi said, narrowing his eyes.


    Han Li froze for two seconds, then she shook her head helplessly. ¡°Mr. Song, why do you always do this? You see everything in the worst light possible and crush everyone¡¯s hopes.¡±


    ¡°Because, in this world, hope is like a painkiller. When you want it too much, it becomes addictive. The more you hope for, the greater the expectation, and the more likely you are to make a wrong decision. Someone has to pay the price for withdrawal syndrome, and I want to make sure that most of the people in this base make it back alive.¡± Song Zhi bowed his head and continued to read his documents.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Han Li retreated.


    ¡°I¡¯ve requested for the transfer of a virologist. His shuttle will arrive in two hours. As Zhou Yu¡¯s attending doctor, I hope you can cooperate with him. From my perspective¡­ only he can determine whether Zhou Yu will recover or if a cure is possible.¡±


    Han Li looked back at Song Zhi, the only person in the entire world. He seemed cold and mechanical because he had his own principles.


    When Han Li left, Song Zhi raised his head up, clasped his forehead, and let out a long sigh.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was feeling famished. Wu Yun especially went to bring him food from the cafeteria. There were only burgers and milk, which Zhou Yu sent unceremoniously into his mouth. Wu Yun, who could only stand outside the room and watch them, slapped the glass and said, ¡°I told you to eat slowly. You look like an African refugee!¡±


    Within two minutes, Zhou Yu had finished the burger. Mo Ye was propping up his head and looking at him.


    ¡°Did you see something in my mind again?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to show you full respect from now on. If you won¡¯t allow me to enter your mind, then I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s eyes were squinted, and the smile on his face made Zhou Yu recall how he had acted spoiled in front of him when he was still in his night spirit form.


    Zhou Yu hummed lightly, ¡°If only you were that conscious of it.¡±


    This time, his narrow escape from death had been a special experience. He had traveled between the two worlds, and it was Mo Ye who guided him.


    ¡°Can you answer a question for me?¡±


    Mo Ye lowered his gaze. ¡°If I answer, you will believe what I say?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Then, ask.¡±


    ¡°Since you can use me to fully exert your power, then why didn¡¯t you manipulate my body to open the doors for you and help you get out of here while you were in the base?¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye. There was an intensity in his gaze. No matter how much of an advanced being Mo Ye was, he could see through his disguise at the real Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye froze. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t been expecting Zhou Yu to ask him such a question.


    They never seemed to have had such deep conversations between them before.


    ¡°Because¡­ there are more than 300 field personnel in this base, and even if I control your body and your body¡¯s physical qualities, it still won¡¯t be able to handle my movement capabilities. You¡¯d be dead before you can help me open the door. And if I really wanted to get out of here, I don¡¯t need to use your body. There are many Nibelungen organisms ranking below me that can inflict lethal damage on humans, and this base isn¡¯t invulnerable.¡± Mo Ye gave him a deep and obscure smile.


    Zhou Yu instantly understood that Mo Ye could also manipulate other creatures to destroy the base.


    ¡°The outside world is boring without you. And even if I manipulate another organism, I can¡¯t do it for more than a minute.¡± Mo Ye propped up his chin, then casually pointed to Zhou Yu¡¯s back. ¡°Your spinal fluid is still in my body, locking away more than 70% of my power. If Song Zhi had lasted more than a minute, he still would have caught me.¡±


    Zhou Yu glanced at the surveillance camera overhead. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so honest.¡±


    Mo Ye shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if Li Qian overhears.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll tell Song Zhi exactly what was said.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want. By the time we face Turing, he¡¯ll know that locking away my abilities was the worst thing he could have done¡­ although he was forced to do it.¡± Mo Ye narrowed his eyes and laughed. He had beautiful eyelashes that trembled with his laughter.


    Zhou Yu turned his face away.


    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if you¡¯re just not used to my human appearance. I had originally wanted to change back into my night spirit form to accompany you, but thanks to Song Zhi, I can only maintain this imitation right now.¡± Mo Ye hugged his elbows, looking regretful.


    ¡°Even if you imitate a human form, you¡¯re not a real human. And please put a stop to any moves you make on me before going too far,¡± Zhou Yu said coldly.


    ¡°What kind of moves? Mo Ye suddenly leaned in towards Zhou Yu, his eyes filled with playful mirth.


    Zhou Yu pushed Mo Ye¡¯s head away. ¡°I have no interest in males.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, even though we¡¯re S rank organisms, we can¡¯t choose our sex.¡±


    ¡°Then behave.¡±


    ¡°Are you treating me as a brother now?¡± Mo Ye leaned in close to him again and asked.


    ¡°Do you want to be my brother?¡±


    ¡°As your brother, can I watch a movie together with you?¡± Mo Ye asked very seriously.


    ¡°No.¡± What kind of fool watches movies with his brother?


    ¡°Then why can Wu Yun?¡± Mo Ye asked discontentedly.


    ¡°When did I watch a movie with Wu Yun?¡±


    ¡®In the dining hall!¡±


    ¡°That was watching a movie with everyone, not with Wu Yun,¡± Zhou Yu corrected him.


    ¡°Then, as your brother, can I sleep with you?¡± Mo Ye asked again.


    Zhou Yu frowned, feeling rather unpleasant when he thought back to the times when Mo Ye had pretended to be small and weak and stuck to his side.


    ¡°No. You sleep by yourself.¡±


    This answer was within Mo Ye¡¯s expectations.


    He asked again, ¡°As your brother, will you leave me behind?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zhou Yu opened his mouth before Mo Ye could ask another question. ¡°As my brother, you need to know when to be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t want to be your brother.¡±


    Despite the childish expression, Zhou Yu knew in his heart that Mo Ye was more powerful than he could imagine.


    Zhou Yu lay back in bed, feeling sleepiness wash over him again. Song Zhi had not let him leave, meaning that they could not yet confirm that his body was fine. The worst that could happen was that he would turn into a lizard monster.


    ¡°If I hurt Zhou Qing or Wu Yun, you have to help me,¡± Zhou Yu closed his eyes and said.


    ¡°I will. The fact that you¡¯re saying this to me means that you¡¯re starting to trust me.¡± Mo Ye also lay down beside Zhou Yu, quietly looking at him.


    At this time, the shuttle cabin carrying the virologist arrived at the base. When Song brought the young man in his early twenties to Han Li, she was utterly shocked.


    He was in a t-shirt and sweatpants with his hands in his pockets. He wasn¡¯t even wearing glasses. He didn¡¯t bear any semblance to a researcher.


    ¡°Han Li, this is Jiang Jinghang, a doctor of virology from Columbia University. Don¡¯t underestimate Dr. Jiang; he may be young, but he¡¯s a genius in his field. He previously worked on the virus at Base Two and was a key figure in unraveling the mystery of the Nibelungen virus. Anything concerning Dr. Turing¡¯s virus from the death dahlia, as well as Zhou Yu¡¯s blood samples, can be given to Dr. Jiang.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± Han Li knew that Juli Corp would never keep someone merely angling for fame on their payroll. Song Zhi had admitted that he was a genius, so he must truly be a genius.


    Dr. Jiang didn¡¯t waste any time on words or even introduce himself. As soon as he entered the lab, he sat down on a swivel chair with both of his feet up on it and started ordering all the researchers around.


    Song Zhi brought a cup of chocolate milk foam to Jiang Jinghang¡¯s side and set it down. He said in a low voice, ¡°I need Zhou Yu alive and well.¡±


    ¡°Whether he will live well or not is determined by fate, not by me. Incidentally, Dr. Cook¡¯s research is so close to success that pawns such as you and I will soon be useless.¡± Dr. Jiang pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled, as if taking joy in the calamity of it.


    ¡°You can rest assured that I won¡¯t be plucked off before you. It¡¯s fine as long as the people we need are alive.¡±


    Jiang Jinghang¡¯s childish expression chilled. ¡°If something happens to you, then what will happen to Song Lin?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve prepared for it.¡±


    ¡°No one can prepare for Song Lin.¡±


    ¡°Let it be. Don¡¯t think too much about it, Jinghang. Now, focus.¡±


    ¡°I hate those surveillance devices. I can¡¯t concentrate.¡±


    ¡°You can relax, those devices are not monitoring you.¡± Song Zhi straightened up and turned to leave.


    Early next morning, Dr. Jiang called Song Zhi with dark circles under his eyes and told him, ¡°You can release the field agent suspected of infection.¡±


    ¡®What do you mean?¡± Song Zhi sat up in his bed and checked the time. It was just sunrise over Nibelungen.


    ¡°You know how we humans have our own immune system?¡± Dr. Jiang swiveled his chair while twirling a test tube in his hand. The other researchers watched nervously, fearful that he would drop the test tube and let the virus sample leak out.


    ¡°But the human immune system is useless against the virus, so how did Zhou Yu develop an immunity to it?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°Because he has dual mechanisms in his body¡ªan autoimmune mechanism and a high-speed repair mechanism. I don¡¯t know what that field agent was exposed to, but he has an enzyme in his body that normal humans don¡¯t have. This enzyme works with the body¡¯s own immune system to repair damaged cells while rejecting the virus. In most humans, the virus destroys their cells completely before they can heal, so their immune systems collapse before they can produce antibodies against the virus.¡±


    ¡°You mean he has antibodies now?¡± Song Zhi jerked to his feet. ¡°Then we can use his blood serum to make the antivirus.¡±


    Before Song Zhi could finish his sentence, Dr. Jiang interrupted him.


    ¡°Only if other humans have the same genes as him. Although I¡¯m telling you that he¡¯s immune to the virus, this also implies that something has changed in his body.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ he was still alienized?¡± Song Zhi¡¯s knuckles turned white around the pen he was holding.


    ¡°Judging by his genes, he¡¯s certainly still human. But some aspects have been enhanced. I prefer to call it evolution.¡± Dr. Jiang raised up the virus sample he had in his hand, slowly swirling it under the light as if he was appreciating a crystal. At the same time, he lowered his voice, ¡°This is what Mr. Eaton most wants to see the most¡ªthe evolution of self-healing in human beings. Since you believe in that man, send him away early. Don¡¯t let him become Eaton¡¯s lab rat.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Jiang Jinghang laughed and continued in a childish voice, ¡°Mr. Song, let him out. I want to observe and study him.¡±


    ¡°But you also said you weren¡¯t sure about his evolutionary direction¡­ If he¡¯s going to harm¡­¡±


    ¡°Keeping him in a glass room as a lab rat is like locking up the truth in a box. Mankind will consider all kinds of risks before they go to the moon, but they won¡¯t stop because of the risks.¡±


    Song Zhi pursed his lips. ¡°Is this also the chairman¡¯s intention?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Having been sealed in the emergency room for three days, Zhou Yu wasn¡¯t at all agitated. He was leaning against the headboard, watching the TV outside the emergency room.


    Mo Ye was sitting cross-legged beside him, propping his chin up to look at the TV screen in boredom.


    A horror movie was being shown today, Ring.


    ¡°This movie is so boring¡­ Can you tell them to change it?¡± Mo Ye asked.


    But Zhou Yu did not reply.


    Mo Ye discontentedly turned to the side, then found that Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes were completely unfocused.


    ¡°Zhou Yu?¡± Mo Ye leaned in close, then narrowed his eyes to look at him, ¡°Zhou Yu, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yu was feeling as if he was in another world. In his head were countless voices, some like whispers of the wind, and some like hoarse cries. The noisy clamor fell incessantly on his ears.


    They seemed desperate to tell Zhou Yu something: pain, pleasure, sadness, and all kinds of emotions intertwined. But Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t hear any one of them clearly. He was trapped in this world and didn¡¯t know how to get out.


    At this time, when Mo Ye found Zhou Yu unresponsive, his former lazy and leisurely look sank down, and his eyes became cold stars.


    He frowned and pressed his forehead against Zhou Yu¡¯s. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you. I can only go into your mind. If you¡¯re not happy about that, please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Settle down and be calm. The world is quiet. You can only hear it when you want to. Different creatures have different levels, and whichever one you want to communicate with, you¡¯ll have to go to that level with your mind.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s voice rang out in Zhou Yu¡¯s mind.


    Calm and steady, as if it was putting together his broken world and holding it up high.


    ¡°Now, listen to my words and follow me.¡± Mo Ye¡¯s voice grew distant.


    At the moment, Zhou Yu felt both relief and salvation, as if the hustle and bustle of the whole world had pulled away, leaving only the world Mo Ye had woven for him.


    ¡°Come with me¡­ Trust me¡­ Now, I¡¯ll take you back.¡±


    Zhou Yu followed that voice as if he was groping his way through the dark. Suddenly, the space in front of him became open and bright, the heart also soared up high with it.


    ¡°Now, open your eyes, Zhou Yu. I¡¯m right beside you.¡±


    Zhou Yu let out a gasp and forced his eyes open to meet Mo Ye¡¯s obsidian eyes.


    ¡®How are you feeling?¡± Mo Ye¡¯s hands were firmly supporting Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulders.


    Zhou Yu gasped for breath, almost suffocating in that world of sound. He tried to regain his thoughts, and after a few seconds, he said, ¡°What happened to me just now?¡±


    Mo Ye frowned. He raised his hands and pressed them to his own eyes, showing a truly distressed expression for the first time in front of Zhou Yu. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen either. What you felt was exactly the way I felt when I was an embryo. I hear all the helpless, complex voices in the world. I found it very annoying and I desperately wanted to escape from it, so I refused to hatch. Their pain, their thoughts, their needs¡­ I didn¡¯t want to hear any of it, nor did I want to satisfy them¡­ until you appeared. When I heard your heartbeat, all of those annoying voices that bothered me went away. I became fond of seeing, hearing, and smelling the world through you. You thought I was pretending to be weak in front of you, but I was truly weak at that time. If I didn¡¯t snuggle up next to you, I would have been overwhelmed by the rich abundance of biological information in the world. Over time, I learned to distinguish between other sounds in the world and connect myself to them to receive different messages and even manipulate them.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s explanation made Zhou Yu shudder.


    ¡°What did you say? Do you mean that I can now communicate with the organisms of Nibelungen?¡±


    Mo Ye smiled helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re like a baby right now, babbling to acquire language. It can¡¯t truly be considered knowing how to communicate, but you have had the ability to communicate. You need time to master it. It¡¯s like¡­ think of it as mastering another language, only one that involves direct mind-to-mind communication instead of sound.¡±


    Zhou Yu had to think over it more carefully. ¡°So, have I become an organism of Nibelungen? Like Dr. Turing, who retained a human mind, but was alienized by the organisms here.¡±


    Mo Ye shook his head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question. What I do know is that you become the person you want to become. It¡¯s all a choice. It¡¯s like if I saw the Mo Ye you imagined me as and I made that expectation my goal, thus becoming who I am now.¡±


    At that moment, there was the sound of applause, and they looked out the window to see a young man in a casual t-shirt standing before them. He was chewing gum and grinning out of the corners of his mouth. ¡°My, oh, my! Fascinating. This is an interesting evolutionary direction! I¡¯ll have to study it properly!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Yu turned to face him.


    ¡°Me? I am Jiang Jinghang, responsible for researching the virus in your body. You should be thanking me for persuading Song Zhi to let you out. But you have to be good and cooperate with my blood sampling and physical tests.¡±


    Zhou Yu immediately recalled, ¡°Did you used to do viral research at Base Two? Are you the one who helped Dr. Yao and Dr. Shen solve the mystery of the Nibelungen jellyfish?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±


    No wonder Dr. Yao had said that Jiang Jinghang was very young! To become a pioneer in virology at such a young age, Jiang Jinghang was simply a genius!


    Mo Ye looked at the young doctor with interest, then drew out a long hum, as if measuring something, but also seemingly with no other meaning behind it.


    ¡°The two of us look about the same age.¡±


    Dr. Jiang wagged his finger and said, ¡°That¡¯s not for sure. I¡¯ve still eaten more salt than you¡¯ve eaten rice, and as far as I know, you¡¯ve never had rice before.¡±


    Mo Ye laughed, his gaze dropping. An invisible pressure rushed forth.


    Dr. Jiang¡¯s eyes widened as he felt a force rush into his mind. Just as he was about to resist, it vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a hint of a smile at the corners of Mo Ye¡¯s lips. Mo Ye was not the first S rank organism Dr. Jiang had seen, but at this moment, as he looked at the outline of the Mo Ye¡¯s features, he found that he could not look away.


    Sight became a very special perception, and each inch of that winding gaze was a most subtle curvature.


    Mo Ye turned to face the side, the flow of light and shadow lending to his air of mystery. The depressions at the corners of his lips set off an inexplicable sense of danger in Dr. Jiang.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite interesting. Since you¡¯re a doctor of virology, do you know how to separate Zhou¡¯s spinal fluid from my body?¡±


    Mo Ye was clearly sitting at Zhou Yu¡¯s side, but Dr. Jiang had the illusion that he pressing in closer to him.


    Dr. Jiang imperceptibly took a small step back when Mo Ye leaned sideways to rest his head on Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder with a playful smile on his face. This convinced Dr. Jiang that the S rank organism was toying with him.


    Dr. Jiang recovered the same indifferent expression he had before.

 CH 70

    Chapter 70: The Voices of Nibelungen


    ¡°You finally asked the right person. If there¡¯s anyone in the world who can do it, then it might just be me. As far as your body is concerned, Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid is an invader. Its effect is like a virus; it will deteriorate your bodily functions and make you lose part of your abilities, thus becoming weak. If you want to regain your abilities, then there are only two methods. The first is akin to antiviral therapy, which kills the spinal fluid that Zhou Yu left in your body in the same way as a virus.¡±


    ¡°Killing¡­ sounds so cruel.¡± Mo Ye propped up his chin. ¡°I¡¯d better go with a gentler method. I value everything Zhou Yu gives me.¡±


    ¡°The second method is to convert Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal fluid into a part of your body.¡±


    ¡°I like this one.¡± Mo Ye nodded, showing a childish smile.


    Zhou Yu glanced over at Mo Ye. He didn¡¯t understand what kind of creature could combine innocence and sensuality together.


    Dr. Jiang also subconsciously gulped.


    ¡°But the former is more likely, while the latter nearly crosses the boundary of species. The result all depends on fate!¡±


    Mo Ye caught Zhou Yu¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°Hey, I like this little guy.¡±


    Dr. Jiang raised his eyebrows and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not a little guy. And Zhou Yu, you can come out of there now.¡±


    With that, Dr. Jiang went to the door, entered a password and his fingerprint, and the door opened.


    Having heard the news, Wu Yun and Zhou Qing rushed over and enveloped Zhou Yu in a hug as he was coming out of the room.


    ¡°My God! Brother, something so huge happened to you and no one even told me! If you hadn¡¯t survived, I¡¯d never see you again!¡±


    Zhou Qing almost cried. Although he usually didn¡¯t seem to be close to anyone, Zhou Yu was the only person he cared about.


    ¡°If you had been told, you wouldn¡¯t want to work anymore.¡± Zhou Yu patted Zhou Qing on the back. This was consistent with Song Zhi¡¯s style, to ensure that everyone who came to Nibelungen fulfilled the value of their post.


    Bai Yingting smiled as he looked on at the scene of the two brothers embracing. Then his gaze met with Mo Ye¡¯s, and the warmth in his eyes sank down.


    He went over and said to Mo Ye in a lowered voice, ¡°You are so impulsive. You almost ruined everything.¡±


    Mo Ye narrowed his eyes and looked straight into Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes, ¡°Senior, you seem to be counting on me to save you? If Zhou Yu finds out what you are, I think he¡¯ll shoot you. What he hates the most is deception.¡±


    Bai Yingting also responded with an indifferent smile, ¡°You can try it. But I will tell him that the only one who can save Zhou Qing is me.¡±


    The two of them smiled at each other. Bai Yingting stretched out a hand to Mo Ye and said, ¡°Pleasure working with you.¡±


    Zhou Yu suddenly turned to them and asked, ¡°Working on what? Since when did you two know each other?¡±


    Zhou Qing also looked over curiously.


    Bai Yingting said with a smile, ¡°It seems like Zhou Yu doesn¡¯t know that Mr. Song Zhi is planning to go to the first ancestor Ymir. Zhou Qing and I, as botanists, are also a part of this project. That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to work together. By the way, Mo Ye, did you sense Song Lin¡¯s presence? When is he going to go to the first ancestor Ymir?¡±


    Mo Ye closed his eyes, searching for something. More than ten seconds passed, but he didn¡¯t say a word. No one else knew what was happening, but they kept quiet.


    When Mo Ye opened his eyes again, his pupils had turned golden, as if having compressed the whole world into his eyes.


    A few seconds later, those eyes abruptly faded back to black.


    ¡°It¡¯s no good¡­ I used up too much energy earlier. I can¡¯t sense where Song Lin is.¡±


    He glanced at Bai Yingting as if to say, ¡°You can give it a go.¡±


    Bai Yingting shook his hand, ¡°I¡¯m even weaker than you are right now.¡±


    Zhou Qing didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Professor Bai is weak? Are you sick?¡±


    Bai Yingting replied with a smile. ¡°This is just a metaphor. Compared with Mo Ye, all of us are weak.¡±


    Zhou Qing suddenly remembered how Bai Yingting had taken him out of that laboratory. Just as he was thinking of questioning him when there was no one else around, Bai Yingting¡¯s gaze landed on him.


    There was a shallow smile at the corners of his lips, as if he had seen through everything about Zhou Qing.


    At this time, Dr. Jiang said, ¡°Eh, just now, I think I heard that Zhou Yu could also sense the locations of other creatures. Since Mo Ye¡¯s ability isn¡¯t enough¡ªI heard that he recklessly threw a temper tantrum and wasted his energy earlier¡ªwhy don¡¯t you teach Zhou Yu? Maybe he can sense Song Lin¡¯s message.¡±


    Just then, Zhou Yu interjected with another question, ¡°Song Lin? Who is this Song Lin you¡¯ve been talking about?¡±


    Everyone looked at Wu Yun, who sighed and replied, ¡°Song Lin is an S rank organism. I met him on our way back with you on my back. He said that he wanted to join forces with Song Zhi to bring down Turing.¡±


    Looking at Wu Yun, Dr. Jiang cocked his head to the side and said, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s it?¡±


    Wu Yun nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s it. Is there anything else to say? Oh, by the way, we don¡¯t know when Song Lin plans to act.¡±


    Dr. Jiang covered his face. ¡°It looks like you guys really don¡¯t know anything about Song Zhi¡¯s romance.¡±


    Wu Yun raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Romance? What romance can Song Zhi have?¡±


    Everyone looked over curiously.


    Dr. Jiang directly pulled out a chair next to him and sat down. He crossed his legs and pointed his finger in the air. ¡°Okay, let me tell you about it¡ªSong Lin is the S rank organism that Song Zhi raised from the beginning. At the time, there was a female researcher who was Song Zhi¡¯s fianc¨¦e, but she was seduced by an S rank organism and fell pregnant. Of course, she gave birth to an S rank organism. It¡¯s just that this female researcher met a very tragic end.¡±


    Zhou Yu recalled the video of that female researcher that Wu Yun had played during his first training session, and the past that Song Zhi had vaguely mentioned.


    So it was true.


    ¡°Song Zhi was in agony over this, but the S rank organism born to the female researcher grew up. Because all he saw around him were human beings, he wanted to blend in with us and imitate a human being. At first, Song Zhi couldn¡¯t wait to kill him, but in spite of everything, that S rank organism still had the blood of the female researcher running through his body. He despised the child while simultaneously having no choice but to raise him. Human beings are emotional creatures. It was inevitable that a child who had interacted with him for so long would cause him to develop feelings. That S rank organism stayed by Song Zhi¡¯s side for many years. Song Zhi did not lock him up in a laboratory, instead, he let him grow up freely and gave him the name ¡®Song Lin.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ It¡¯s not fair, I¡¯m still locked up in the lab.¡± Mo Ye pretended to be dissatisfied.


    ¡°Song Lin grew up very quickly. Just two years ago, Juli Corp used his spinal cord to create a neurotoxin specifically for the organisms of Nibelungen and wanted to use Song Lin to hunt down his father to avenge the researcher killed by him. Unfortunately, it failed. In order to protect Song Zhi, Song Lin was almost killed by his own father. Nibelungen is a cruel place; a father may not be kind to his son. Song Lin, who was badly injured, finally understood that Juli Corp was using him, and so he left the base and hid elsewhere to recuperate, lie dormant, and search for his biological father.¡±


    Everyone else was silent. Only Mo Ye kept up his smile from beginning to end.


    ¡°It¡¯s a touching story. Compared to Song Lin, I¡¯m very lucky that I don¡¯t know who my parents are. I was born an egg.¡±


    He glanced at Zhou Yu and said, ¡°And the person I believe in isn¡¯t Song Zhi, but Zhou Yu. My Zhou Yu has a strong and warm heart.¡±


    Zhou Yu gave Mo Ye a chilly look, then turned to walk outside. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Wu Yun, let¡¯s go to the cafeteria for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Dr. Jiang, how do you know about Song Zhi and that S rank organism?¡± Wu Yun asked curiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? Song Zhi and I worked at the same base, and we¡¯re something like friends. Whenever Song Zhi ignored Song Lin in the beginning, that little guy often looked at me with pitiful eyes!¡± Jiang Jinghang tilted back his head, looking nostalgic about something that happened long ago.


    ¡°My God, Song Zhi actually has friends? It¡¯s a miracle! Sure enough¡­ Even the most heinous of villains will be given an open window by God!¡± Wu Yun sighed.


    Jiang Jinghang¡¯s expression cooled, and he said frostily, ¡°This is Nibelungen, not a playground, and there is no outdoor education. There will always have to be someone who plays the villain in order to bring out your greatness.¡±


    Wu Yun fell silent.


    When everyone walked away,  Mo Ye came to Bai Yingting¡¯s side and said to him in a mocking tone, ¡°Hey, senior, how much longer can your body last?¡±


    Bai Yingting narrowed his eyes, ¡°Not for much longer. I¡¯ve put my own body into a dormant state, and I don¡¯t know how long I can manipulate this body. Moreover, your abilities are also restricted. It¡¯s impossible to count on Song Zhi to find a way to help you break your shackles. He won¡¯t let you go easily. ¡°


    Mo Ye¡¯s lips pulled up an enigmatic smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, senior, I¡¯ve already found a way to extend my power.¡±


    ¡°What method?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Yu, of course. I will teach him how to use the power of S rank organisms little by little, and I will also let him gradually adapt to life in Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯ll always be human.¡±


    Zhou Yu came to the dining hall. When the chef served him a potato stewed beef set meal, he couldn¡¯t wait to send it to his mouth. One set meal was not enough for him. He raised his hand and asked the chef for seconds. The chef hesitated. After all, all the food here was rationed. It wasn¡¯t until the chef saw Song Zhi nod at him from not too far away that he brought out another set meal from the kitchen.


    Zhou Yu ate three portions, one after another.


    ¡°You must be the reincarnation of a hungry ghost! What¡¯s the matter with you? Stop it, I¡¯m afraid of you hurting your stomach.¡± Wu Yun held down on the edge of the plate.


    When Zhou Yu realized what was going on, he grabbed the edge of the table to suppress his appetite. He didn¡¯t know what was going on with himself, but this time, he had woken up feeling particularly hungry, but no matter how much he ate, it would all be digested very quickly.


    Just then, all kinds of voices once again flooded into his mind, crisscrossing and submerging Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu lowered his head and clutched at it with both hands. His brow was deeply furrowed. He wanted to pull himself away from those voices like he did last time, but the more he tried to struggle, the deeper he sank, and the louder and more complex those voices became.


    ¡°Remember what I said to you. Their voices have different levels, you are different from them and you are far above them. Don¡¯t think about leaving, think about surpassing them.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s unhurried voice that carried a slight chill sounded, and Zhou Yu¡¯s scorching thoughts instantly fell into a sea of ice and quieted down. One layer at a time, it raised itself up until finally, it was above the cacophony.


    Wu Yun asked worriedly, ¡°Zhou Yu! What¡¯s wrong? Has your body not recovered yet? Dr. Jiang said that you shouldn¡¯t have any more problems!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just have a headache. I¡¯ll be fine after resting¡­¡±


    Zhou Yu suddenly stood up and rushed into the bathroom, pressing his hands around the sink. Everything he had just eaten was vomited back out. He threw up until there was only stomach acid left. Zhou Yu turned around and adjusted his breathing with his head tilted back.


    At this time, Mo Ye came to him and put a hand over his face. Mo Ye¡¯s temperature was cooler than Zhou Yu¡¯s face. The refreshing sensation made Zhou Yu feel very comfortable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to experience my world in this way.¡±


    ¡°If this has already become a reality, then I just want to know how to master this ability. I can¡¯t always rely on your guidance to make myself¡­ not hear those voices anymore.¡±


    Mo Ye propped himself up with a single hand on the edge of the sink, looking at Zhou Yu.


    ¡°I know that in your human world, there is something called a bicycle. Balance is needed to master riding a bicycle, and balance is a feeling. Once you find that balance, you will never forget how to ride a bicycle, and controlling the power in your body is the same. Those voices exist objectively because your brain is now different from other human beings. Don¡¯t run away, they are your strength. In the world you grew up in, I don¡¯t think anyone would be afraid of bicycles, right?¡±


    At the moment, Mo Ye possessed calmness and wisdom that does not match the age of his appearance.


    There was persistence in his eyes, but even deeper than that, there was detachment.


    ¡°If you want to get in touch with Song Lin, there are two ways. The first way is to let me absorb your blood and recover my strength. The second way is to teach you how to seek out the information you want and get in touch with other organisms to establish contact with Song Lin by yourself.¡±


    ¡°But with our current top priority being the mission, I don¡¯t think Song Zhi will give me the time to learn. If we miss the chance, not only will Song Lin become Turing¡¯s target, but we may never catch him again.¡±


    Zhou Yu stretched out his finger to Mo Ye, and Mo Ye laughed. The smile lines at the corners of his eyes had a mature implication.


    ¡°Fingers aren¡¯t enough anymore.¡±


    He lifted Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist and bit down on it. Although Zhou Yu could feel teeth piercing into his skin, immediately following that, a soothing sensation flowed through his nerves and rushed into his brain. Then, the voices changed form into something gentle and rhythmic, like a concerto.


    Zhou Yu knew that he was experiencing the world through Mo Ye¡¯s mind.


    Everything became inexplicably beautiful. He seemed to hear the soft crooning of some kind of plant. He also seemed to hear certain creatures talking to each other, like whispering tender-hearted confessions. The mire of sounds that Zhou Yu hated had turned into countless interconnections, becoming beautiful.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because Mo Ye was hearing beautiful voices, or if Mo Ye had filtered all the beautiful things for Zhou Yu.


    When Mo Ye drew back his teeth from Zhou Yu¡¯s wrist, Zhou Yu sucked in a breath of air, suddenly coming awake.


    The world became noisy again. Zhou Yu found that when he stopped concentrating, those sounds would come pouring back into his mind. He couldn¡¯t control himself as easily as Mo Ye.


    Mo Ye¡¯s thumb brushed over the place where he had bitten Zhou Yu, rubbing it gently. He lowered his head with a gentle look in his eyes that carried the opposite temperament of a woman¡¯s femininity¡ªtolerant and patient. Compared with Zhou Yu, Mo Ye was currently more like his senior.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mo Ye whispered.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t feel any pain anyway. Try to see if you can sense Song Lin¡¯s presence now.¡±


    Mo Ye closed his eyes again. When he opened them, his golden pupils were deeper than before. Staring into his eyes, Zhou Yu could feel the emergence of his power that expanded rapidly in all directions. Nothing could escape its search. Just as it reached a certain level of the hierarchy, another force joined up with Mo Ye. All of a sudden, Mo Ye¡¯s golden eyes were black again.


    ¡°I found Song Lin. He¡¯s been tailing Turing the whole time. They will arrive at the location of the first ancestor Ymir in three days.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and tell Song Zhi now.¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s hands were clasped together. He looked at Mo Ye with a serious expression and asked, ¡°Can I trust you?¡±


    Mo Ye was lazily sitting opposite him, his left leg draped over the armrest of the chair and swaying gently. His fingers poked at the coffee cup in front of him as he said, ¡°Zhou Yu likes tea, but not coffee.¡±


    ¡°Does the question I asked you have to do with Zhou Yu?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    Mo Ye tilted his head and copied Song Zhi by interlocking his fingers. The same movement appeared rigorous when Song Zhi did it, but Mo Ye made it look lazy with a hint of oppressiveness, like power seeping through the cracks of hell.


    Sometimes, Song Zhi couldn¡¯t understand why he always smiled so naively like a child towards Zhou Yu, but showed a completely different expression to other people.


    Mo Ye lowered his gaze; time and the world seemed to shuttle in between his eyelashes, leaving no trace behind.


    He said, ¡°Of course it does. Everything Zhou Yu hopes for, I hope for too. Everyone Zhou Yu cares about, I care about too. Everyone Zhou Yu believes in, I believe in too. At present, Zhou Yu believes in you, so you can believe in me too, for the time being.¡±


    After a good while, Song Zhi suddenly said, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    Mo Ye looked back up and slowly leaned in towards Song Zhi. There was a certain insight in his gaze, which had completely seen through Song Zhi.


    ¡°I know what your request is. You want me to protect Song Lin and keep him alive. But what Song Lin looks forward to, is not just to live.¡±


    Song Zhi turned to the side and gently pulled open his drawer. Inside, there was a book. Song Zhi used his fingers to flip open the first page, which held a photograph in between.


    In the photo, Song Zhi was sitting coldly in front of his desk. A youth was sitting on the corner of the desk with a harmonica in his hands, smiling and leaning in towards Song Zhi.


    When Song Zhi¡¯s fingertip touched his face, he drew back as if stung.


    That night, they received the news that Juli Corp¡¯s Base Three had been seized by Dr. Turing.


    When Song Zhi confirmed this news, he was in the middle of working with Zhou Yu and the others on mission deployment.


    ¡°What¡¯s in that base?¡± Wu Yun asked curiously.


    Dr. Jiang frowned. ¡°There¡¯s the research laboratory that was first established by Turing. The equipment inside can be used to grow viruses in cell culture, and there¡¯s also a production line for neurotoxins.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to retake that base?¡±


    Song Zhi shook his head. ¡°We will have to, sooner or later. But if we go right now, it will be too late to stop Turing from making use of the first ancestor Ymir.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else we need to know?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°There are dozens of field personnel from that base, like Li Shengnan, who defected to Turing¡¯s side,¡± Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°Oh¡ªthat is to say, we have to fight, not only against alienized human beings, but also against Nibelungen organisms being manipulated by him, and against your human traitors. I¡¯m curious, what can they gain from Turing?¡± Mo Ye took a chocolate from Li Qian, unwrapped it, and put it into his mouth. After taking just one bite, his brows wrinkled.


    ¡°Turing has control of Juli Corp¡¯s most advanced scientific research achievements and a lot of research that only he¡¯s privy to. He could make death dahlia alienize him while retaining his human nature, which shows that his biological understanding of Nibelungen has reached a certain degree. It¡¯s no surprise that he¡¯s deciphered the genetic code for the healing abilities and longevity of the organisms here. Just think of Wu Yun. If someone promises you that he knows how to cure your daughter, wouldn¡¯t you follow him, regardless of everything?¡±


    ¡°If Turing had mastered that method, I would go with him if he came to persuade me,¡± Wu Yun said half-jokingly.


    ¡°Turing, as I know him, is a madman. He has a great desire to control power. He won¡¯t be satisfied with just taking over Nibelungen. Since he has kept his human thoughts, he has human desires. He will definitely want to return to the human world, and he has enough to dominate it,¡± Dr. Jiang replied.


    ¡°I have no feelings of heroism to save mankind. All I know is that that guy can¡¯t save my daughter.¡±


    This time, helicopters weren¡¯t dispatched for the mission. Everyone set out in Hummers.


    Zhou Yu, Wu Yun, Mo Ye, took the same vehicle. What they didn¡¯t expect was that this time, Song Zhi also set out in person.

 CH 71

    Chapter 71: Mr. Eton and Dr. Cook


    Mo Ye was wearing a camouflage suit and carrying the exact same equipment as Zhou Yu. The other field personnel were curious about this handsome young man. Song Zhi did not disclose Mo Ye¡¯s identity to the public, and the garrison members from before that knew Mo Ye¡¯s identity were left at the base.


    Song Zhi directly assigned Mo Ye to Zhou Yu and Wu Yun¡¯s team. This led to some discontent among the other field agents; Zhou Yu¡¯s reputation had long since spread throughout the base, and everyone was hoping to work with him. After all, in the world of Nibelungen, the stronger one¡¯s teammates were, the greater the chances of their survival. Strange glances and hostile glares landed on Mo Ye.


    Before they set out, when Mo Ye was picking up his equipment, several field agents surrounded him.


    ¡°Hey, young man, where are you from? Why haven¡¯t we seen you before?¡± He deliberately leaned in towards Mo Ye, the thick smell of tobacco and sweat surging over to him.


    Mo Ye turned his face to the side and pulled his lips up into a smile. To the others, it was as if he was mocking them.


    One of them carefully studied Mo Ye¡¯s face and suddenly said, ¡°Hey! This guy is quite pretty. Don¡¯t tell me he pulled some cheap trick to get into Zhou Yu¡¯s team!¡±


    Another person pretended to be curious and said, ¡°What trick?¡±


    ¡°Using his pretty face, of course!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªso that¡¯s it! I see, but Zhou Yu doesn¡¯t look like it. He is not even interested in ¡®action movies.¡¯ He is simply a puritan!¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about Zhou Yu? Zhou Yu doesn¡¯t even fear the most dangerous situations. People like him have no desire! I¡¯m talking about our leader, the one who controls everything at the base, Mr. Song.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it is! I finally understand! Let¡¯s see if this pretty face is to our liking too!¡±


    Saying that, the man reached out his hand and flippantly held Mo Ye¡¯s chin to turn his face towards him. When he had a clear look at Mo Ye¡¯s features, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Those eyes, deep enough to unleash all desires, were beautiful. Every curve worked to stir his heart and tug at his mind.


    In Mo Ye¡¯s smile, his long and narrow eyes contained a hint of playfulness.


    ¡°Am I to your liking?¡±


    His voice seemed to come from another world.


    The field agent¡¯s mouth fell agape, unable to say a word.


    Suddenly, Mo Ye reached out a hand to clasp his wrist. With a violent twist and a ¡°crack,¡± the field agent let out a miserable scream.


    ¡°My arm! My arm! Shit¡ª¡±


    Another person immediately pulled out a gun and pointed it at Mo Ye, but he wasn¡¯t expecting Mo Ye to come to him without any warning. The pressure being emitted through his eyes almost pierced through his heart. Mo Ye clasped his gun, and with a slip of his wrist, unloaded the magazine. He then raised his leg and kneed him hard in the lower abdomen. The two men fell down together.


    This sequence of actions was fast enough to be shocking, and it was without any superfluous movements. They were as precise as the calculations of a computer.


    ¡°Hey¡­ did you see that¡­ that was awesome! I¡¯ve seen Zhou Yu¡¯s skills before, and this guy is faster than him!¡±


    ¡°What else could it be? Mr. Song assigned him to Zhou Yu¡¯s team. How could it really be because of his face?¡±


    The gun was hanging off Mo Ye¡¯s hand, and with a twirl around his thumb, the muzzle pointed downwards. Then Mo Ye squatted down and smiled at the two guys who were in too much pain to speak.


    ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t said if I¡¯m to your liking yet!¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes curved with laughter.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    The field agent who was robbed of his gun felt humiliated, and he suddenly swung his fist at Mo Ye¡¯s face. Only, before his fist could touch the tip of Mo Ye¡¯s nose, Mo Ye suddenly supported himself off the ground with one hand and kicked his leg up. There was a ¡°crack,¡± and his arm was broken by Mo Ye.


    The miserable scream that followed made everyone look away.


    Mo Ye stood up and looked down at him. His coldness and apathy were completely devoid of human emotion.


    Song Zhi walked over with his hands in his pockets. ¡°Mo Ye, I asked you to deal with Turing, not to cause havoc.¡±


    Mo Ye chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious, Mr. Song. I¡¯m just helping you get rid of unnecessary burdens. Even if they reach the location of the first ancestor Ymir, they¡¯ll only become nutrition for Dr. Turing.¡±


    Saying that, Mo Ye walked away, dusting off his hands. He put his childish smile back on and headed in Zhou Yu¡¯s direction. The expressions of those watching him did not change. No one had imagined that such a beautiful young man had the skills of a devil.


    Wu Yun was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat of a Hummer, smoking a cigarette. He smiled as he watched Mo Ye walk over. ¡°Hey, ol¡¯ Zhou, don¡¯t you think Mo Ye¡¯s moves are really similar to yours? Whether it¡¯s the elbow strike or the gun-grabbing pose, the timing and details are just the same as yours. The only difference is that he¡¯s faster and stronger than you. You¡¯d better be careful!¡±


    ¡°Be careful of what?¡± Zhou Yu coldly asked.


    ¡°Be careful in case he tries to do a little something to you, because you won¡¯t be able to hold your own!¡±


    ¡°What can he do to me?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ from a human point of view, in his adolescence. Hormones will make him impulsive and¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Shut your crow¡¯s mouth.¡±


    Saying that, Zhou Yu opened the car door and hooked his finger at Mo Ye, signalling at him to hurry up.


    The smile on Mo Ye¡¯s face grew wider. When he stepped into his seat, he supported himself up with one hand and deliberately leaned his face in towards Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu was expressionless, but he could feel Mo Ye pressing close. Even from the corner of his vision, he could make out Mo Ye¡¯s high nose bridge and elegant brow bone. Zhou Yu¡¯s breaths slowed down in that instant, and even the beating of his heart seemed to drag out its rhythm.


    Mo Ye sat down. Stopped time started to flow again.


    ¡°Where did you learn that just now? From watching movies?¡±


    Zhou Yu recalled that back in the dining hall, he had watched quite a few movies with Mo Ye, such as Black Hawk Down, Anti-Terrorism Special Forces, Mission Impossible, and so on, which all contained plenty of fighting scenes in them.


    Mo Ye replied humorously, ¡°Why would I need to learn from those movies? You¡¯re my best role model.¡±


    Just then, Song Zhi opened the car door and sat in the front passenger seat. He said to Wu Yun, ¡°Okay, we can set out now.¡±


    Wu Yun put out the cigarette in his hand and whistled, ¡°Mr. Song, do you know that I¡¯m famous for my cursed crow¡¯s mouth on our team?¡±


    Song Zhi replied, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Then if I say that if we meet Turing, I won¡¯t look after you no matter how dangerous the situation becomes, and that if you die, then that¡¯s just your own back luck, what will you think?¡±


    Song Zhi adjusted his glasses and replied coolly, ¡°I would tell you that my insurance payout is very good and without a beneficiary. Perhaps I can fill in your name.¡±


    Mo Ye laughed out loud.


    Wu Yun replied, ¡°Well, that is pretty tempting. I¡¯m betting that you won¡¯t return from this trip. I¡¯ll wait to receive your insurance money.¡±


    ¡°I really like Wu Yun¡¯s cursed mouth,¡± Mo Ye laughed and touched his chin.


    Ahead in the path of the vehicles, they had to go through a stretch of the primeval forest. It was unknown how many of them would make it to the end to see the first ancestor Ymir.


    In the vehicle, Song Zhi said, ¡°Mo Ye, how long can you control A rank organisms to deal with Turing in your current physical condition?¡±


    ¡°Less than a minute? Any more than a minute, and my nerves will suffer serious damage and my cells will rupture, causing internal bleeding. However, Turing has a whole base of field personnel right now, and I can¡¯t destroy human beings directly. Your genes are different from those of the organisms in Nibelungen. Are you regretting it a little now? You shouldn¡¯t have restricted my ability,¡± Mo Ye asked with great interest while propping his chin up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret it, because I know what you¡¯ll do once you possess the full abilities of an S rank organism.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what do you think I¡¯ll do? Overturn your base? Kill all of you? Or treat you as nutrition for breeding offspring?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll wait here for Zhou Yu to come back from the other world again. You know he is soft-hearted towards you, and you¡¯ll confuse him with your youthful and beautiful appearance, and seduce him. You¡¯ll make all kinds of sacrifices to compel his heart to trust you, and then you¡¯ll take him away from the base. You¡¯ll have him ready to do anything for you without hesitation and distance himself from the so-called human world. You¡¯ll make him forget who he is. So even if it¡¯s for Zhou Yu, it¡¯s not a good thing for your ability to be completely released. It may be just temptation, rather than out of his own heart. Even if Zhou Yu decides to accept you one day, it must come from his own judgment.¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice was steady, and every word he said deepened the smile on Mo Ye¡¯s face. This showed that Song Zhi had long since seen through Mo Ye¡¯s thoughts.


    Zhou Yu clenched his fingers. This was also the confusion that had plagued his heart.


    ¡°Haha, this isn¡¯t just Zhou Yu¡¯s confusion. The reason why you were able to think of them and the reason why you care about them is because you have experienced them all yourself. Song Zhi, you are a very cautious person. Your world has towering city walls. If someone wants to cross over them, then you will only build the wall higher and higher. And Song Lin, who is climbing that wall, will one day fall and be broken to pieces, because he has climbed too high. Or perhaps¡­ after finally entering your city with much difficulty, only its ruins can be seen.¡±


    Song Zhi still had no expression on his face. ¡°Where is Song Lin now?¡±


    Mo Ye replied, ¡°Actually, you already share the closest connection with him, just like Zhou Yu and me, but you keep rejecting him. When you can let down your barriers and accept him, you will naturally be able to hear the voice that comes from him.¡±


    By then, their procession of vehicles had left the base far behind them and was about to enter the primeval forest.


    Everyone was ready for battle, and even Wu Yun, whose mouth was always jabbering away, had become solemn.


    The primeval forest was like one giant combat arena, and the traps Turing had set were waiting for them.


    The giant trees became taller and taller, their dense leaves and branches forming layers of giant green nets high in the air. Rays of sunlight streamed in from between the gaps, illuminating the dim forest.


    Song Zhi sat in the back and started up a tablet computer to look up detailed information on this part of the primeval forest.


    Both Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were on alert, but in the back seat beside Song Zhi, Mo Ye was looking up with his hands behind his head, staring at the roof in boredom.


    ¡°Do you sense any dangerous organisms?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    Mo Ye smiled, ¡°Is there any organism here more dangerous than me?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, this really is a bit strange.¡± Wu Yun tapped the steering wheel with his finger. ¡°We¡¯ve reached the interiors of this primeval forest. The giant trees are good for concealment and ambush, but there hasn¡¯t been any movement at all.¡±


    ¡°Since you opened your crow¡¯s mouth, I think there will be some movement soon.¡± Song Zhi said coolly.


    ¡°Before anything happens, I think I might fall asleep from boredom. Mr. Song, can I ask you something? Who taught you how to lock down S rank organisms with the spinal fluid of the one who raised them?¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be? Our wise and brilliant Mr. Song researched it himself, of course!¡± Wu Yun laughed and replied, even deliberately adjusting the angle of the front mirror to see Song Zhi¡¯s expression more clearly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Song Zhi replied calmly, ignoring the sarcasm in Wu Yun¡¯s words.


    ¡°Not you.¡± Mo Ye turned his face to the side, his gaze resting on Song Zhi¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Why not me?¡±


    ¡°Its purpose is to lock down and control the S rank organism that killed your fiancee, that is, Song Lin¡¯s biological father. But you wouldn¡¯t have thought of this method, because although there may be a connection between you and Song Lin, Song Lin¡¯s biological father does not share a connection with any other organism. Using spinal fluid to lock him down can never work on Di Xin. You gave Song Lin a name instead of a code name or outright calling him an S rank organism, because you have feelings for him. Just like how my Zhou Yu refused to give me a name in the beginning, because he knew very well that the more he called me ¡®Mo Ye,¡¯ the harder it would be to part with me in the future. And you are the same.¡± Mo Ye suddenly leaned in towards Song Zhi, his voice like a sharp, icy blade, cutting down on Song Zhi¡¯s psyche. ¡°You have wounds from twelve spinal fluid extractions on your back, and they were not extracted in the standard way. You often have back pain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Song¡¯s brow furrowed. He looked at Mo Ye with wariness in his eyes.


    ¡°Song Lin has been locked down, you don¡¯t need to extract your spinal fluid anymore. The only explanation is that you are using your own spinal fluid to study how to unlock Song Lin.¡±


    In the front row, Wu Yun narrowed his eyes, while Zhou Yu remained silent with a straight face.


    They were all waiting for Song Zhi to say something.


    ¡°Why would I unlock Song Lin? His ability is locked so that Juli Corp can study him and have the opportunity to recapture him.¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t want Juli Corp to study him, or for him to be recaptured. Your goal is to ensure that he regains his ability to survive in Nibelungen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite good at making up stories. It seems like your days of watching those boring movies in the dining hall weren¡¯t wasted.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a story, and it¡¯s not just between you and Song Lin. Who is helping you research the ¡®antidote¡¯?¡± Mo Ye¡¯s eyes suddenly grew dark, as if he could oppress Song Zhi just through his gaze.


    Song Zhi subconsciously gripped the edge of his computer tighter. ¡°I said, all of this is your imagination. This person does not exist.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­ we can wait and see. Do you know why I said all this when only the four of us are present?¡± Mo Ye said.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re acting senselessly,¡± Song Zhi said.


    ¡°Because Juli Corp will start doubting you more and more, you already know this well. Soon, you won¡¯t be able to cover for the person who has been helping you. Whether it¡¯s in the human world or in Nibelungen, only three of us can help you. If you don¡¯t speak now, it will become very difficult to avoid Juli Corp¡¯s scrutiny to speak again,¡± Mo Ye said.


    ¡°Mr. Eton is the chairman of Juli Corp¡­ Do you know him?¡± Song Zhi suddenly asked.


    ¡°Ah, I know him.¡± Wu Yun raised a finger. ¡°First, he is very rich. Second, he does not appear in public. Third, although Juli Corp also has a board of directors, he¡¯s the one who really has power.¡±


    ¡°Yes, apart from that, he has adopted and funded many orphans and trained them to become the world¡¯s first-class talents. Some entered fields of scientific research, some became politicians in various countries, and some are active in places that you would not believe, such as Nibelungen.¡± Song Zhi reached up and, for the first time, undid his collar button that was not an inch out of place, as if to relax his tense nerves. ¡°Of course, that includes me; Dr. Ron, whom you¡¯ve met before; and Turing, whom we¡¯re currently after.¡±


    ¡°It must feel great to be bitten by your own dog!¡± Mo Ye laughed.


    ¡°If you mean Dr. Turing, then that is a fitting metaphor. Zhou Yu taught you well, you¡¯ve completely adapted to the human way of thinking. For Mr. Eton, we are not his children, but tools to expand his own interests. When he could not find satisfaction in the human world, he set his sights on the mysterious, newly-discovered, world¡ªNibelungen. At first, he merely wanted to fulfill his colonial dreams in this world, to study the unique life forms here and unlock, then master the power behind the secret of life and death in humans. But 10 years ago, he learned that he had cancer, and the cancer cells were spreading rapidly. He could replace his internal organs, but there was one part that he could never change.¡±


    ¡°The brain,¡± Zhou Yu replied.


    Wu Yun drove on. Although he was listening to Song Zhi speak, he was also on high alert. After all, they were the leading vehicle.


    ¡°Yes, when the cancer cells spread to his brain, he thought of the S rank organisms of Nibelungen. S rank organisms have strong healing abilities, and even when their brains are damaged, it doesn¡¯t mean the end of life for them. Mr. Eton wants to use this power to make his brain heal itself. That¡¯s why Turing¡¯s original research targeted self-healing.¡±


    ¡°If I was brought back from Night Spirit Island by Dr. Turing, then what about Song Lin?¡± Mo Ye was very interested in Song Lin, who was also an S rank organism.


    ¡°After you were brought back by Dr. Turing, you didn¡¯t hatch for a long time, causing Juli Corp to grow impatient. And so, Dr. Turing made a deal with another S rank organism: Song Lin¡¯s father. Our code name for him is ¡®Di Xin.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You said his ¡®code name¡¯ and not his ¡®name.¡¯ So just like how you call me ¡®Mo Ye,¡¯ you gave Song Lin a name. You acknowledge me and Song Lin, but you don¡¯t acknowledge Di Xin.¡± Mo Ye raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Di Xin never came into contact with human culture, unlike you and Song Lin, who grew up immersed in the influence of human thoughts and emotions. His world only contains himself, and he gets what he wants, including a child to inherit his blood. Song Lin was the product of that, at the cost of my fiancee¡¯s life. At the time, the person responsible for this project was not me.¡±


    ¡°But Song Lin grew up around you. From beginning to end, you were regarded as Song Lin¡¯s keeper and trainer by Juli Corp.¡±


    Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°So who developed the S rank organism locking method using spinal fluid?¡± Wu Yun couldn¡¯t help but ask as he drove.


    Song Zhi was about to speak, but Mo Ye wagged his finger with an impish smirk, ¡°You get one name each, guess who?¡±


    ¡°Have we seen this person before?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°You and Wu Yun both have,¡± Song Zhi answered.


    ¡°Well, fine then, I¡¯m the stupidest one among us, so I¡¯ll guess first. It should be Dr. Turing!¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°Zhou Yu, who do you think it is?!¡± Mo Ye hugged Zhou Yu¡¯s seat from behind, his fingers just brushing past Zhou Yu¡¯s cheek, but he was avoided by Zhou Yu turning away.


    ¡°The most unlikely person may be the most likely person. Is it Dr. Ron at Base No.2? He was very interested in Mo Ye,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Song Zhi shook his head. Neither Wu Yun nor Zhou Yu¡¯s answer was correct.


    ¡°This person is currently not in Nibelungen, and they haven¡¯t met Mo Ye.¡±


    Mo Ye held his head in boredom, ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be able to guess the right answer.¡±


    Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed and he continued searching his mind. What person, especially among the researchers, had met both him and Wu Yun, but not Mo Ye?


    ¡°Dr. Cook.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Cook!¡±


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun spoke in unison.


    The last time they had evacuated the base due to the night spirit¡¯s attack, it was Dr. Cook who received them on the other side.


    Song Zhi nodded and said, ¡°Among the many orphans raised and adopted by Mr. Eton, only Dr. Cook grew up alongside him. She is Mr Eton¡¯s most trusted person and the only one Mr. Eton regards as his own child. Dr. Cook used residual spinal fluid from my physical examination to make the liquid drug used for locking down Song Lin. Mr. Eton regards it as the most valuable research outcome. With it¡­ Song Lin, an S rank organism, was no longer uncontrollable.¡±


    ¡°Juli Corp will not easily hand over the spinal fluid locking technology to anyone, not to mention, you don¡¯t have a share in Juli Corp¡¯s central power. The person who used my spinal fluid to lock down Mo Ye is actually Dr. Cook, correct?¡± Zhou Yu said.


    Song Zhi pursed his lips, his silence either indicating his tacit assent or his inability to answer.

 CH 72

    Chapter 72: Ambush


    Mo Ye pulled up the corners of his lips into a smile. His gaze seemed to reach into Song Zhi¡¯s mind; it was a force not to be reckoned with, even though Song Zhi knew that Mo Ye could not read his thoughts.


    ¡°Mr. Song, your principles¡ªalong with Juli Corp¡ªwill crush you unless you admit that many things will not go the way you want them to just because you put in the effort. You have feelings for Song Lin, so you don¡¯t want me, a child who grew up alongside Zhou Yu, to suffer the same fate as him. You didn¡¯t agree to the task Juli Corp gave you.¡±


    ¡°What task?¡± Wu Yun asked. He suddenly felt like he was in a different world than Mo Ye. He couldn¡¯t understand what Mo Ye was saying.


    Mo Ye¡¯s fingers formed the shape of a gun and he pointed to his own head, suggesting that the so-called ¡°task¡± was to force Song Zhi to make bullets from Zhou Yu¡¯s spinal cord fluid and shoot himself.


    ¡°My efforts may not produce the results I want, but if I don¡¯t try, then there will be no results,¡± Song replied.


    ¡°Yes, when that night spirit was running rampant in the base, Juli Corp ordered you to withdraw all researchers from premises, and you carried out those evacuation orders. But you never thought Dr. Cook would tell you that if you didn¡¯t carry out their orders, then they would break apart Zhou Qing¡¯s shuttle cabin while it was in the magnetic field, and Dr. Cook would not receive the shuttle in that other world. What you told me at the time about the shuttle¡¯s self-destruct command was real. However, you had no control over it; it was in Dr. Cook¡¯s hands.¡±


    Song Zhi was silent.


    ¡°No wonder. No matter what contemptible thing you did, Li Qian always seemed to forgive you.¡± Wu Yun¡¯s expression revealed that he¡¯d come to a sudden realization. ¡°Because Li Qian is the system administrator, he can overhear all communications between you and Dr. Cook, and the rest of Juli Corp. Those sloppy orders that almost killed me and Zhou Yu weren¡¯t from you, but Juli Corp¡¯s orders. Is there someone watching your every move in the base?¡± Wu Yun instantly understood.


    ¡°Since I am not the one Mr. Eton trusts most, he would naturally have someone watching me. That person is¡­¡±


    Before Song Zhi could finish, Mo Ye suddenly shifted from his comfortable position, his body leaning forward. ¡°Careful!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Wu Yun hit the brakes, and the vehicles behind them also stopped. Inertia caused Song Zhi to drop his tablet computer. Before his forehead could hit the back of Wu Yun¡¯s seat, Mo Ye reached out to block in front of him.


    The whole car was quiet.


    Mo Ye closed his eyes, as if he was attentively listening to some sound that came from the dead silence of the primitive forest.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t like humans. It means I can¡¯t destroy them like I would destroy the organisms of Nibelungen. ¡°


    ¡°You mean¡­ The ambush ahead of us is from the personnel in Base No.3 that followed Dr. Turing?¡± asked Zhou.


    ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Mo Ye nodded


    ¡°How many are there?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    ¡°Enough to match our numbers, on top of the advantageous terrain they¡¯re occupying.¡± Mo Ye pointed above with his finger.


    The remaining three people instinctively looked up, but there was nothing there besides the ancient trees that reached towards the sky.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the trees?¡± asked Zhou Yu.


    ¡°What do you think? I can use my ability to call on other organisms to deal with them.¡± Mo Ye closed his eyes, but a few seconds later, there was still no movement in the primeval forest.


    Mo Ye frowned. He turned his head, and his fingers that were clutched onto the back of Zhou Yu¡¯s chair grew tighter and tighter.


    Droplets of sweat fell from his forehead.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mo Ye?!¡± Zhou Yu realized that something was wrong, and he reached his hand out over the seat to cover Mo Ye¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°All the combative organisms in this primeval forest are gone¡­ I ¡®searched¡¯ for a long time, and I can¡¯t deploy any within the range of my ability. An A rank organism or higher must have driven all of them away.¡±


    ¡°Is it Dr. Turing?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    ¡°No¡­ Dr. Turing isn¡¯t that strong yet. I have a bad feeling¡­ Turing might be¡­¡±


    Before Song Zhi could finish his words, Wu Yun suddenly stepped on the accelerator, shouting, ¡°RPG¡ª¡±


    As the car was set in motion, a rocket exploded right where Wu Yun had stopped. The loud noise seemed to overturn the entire forest, and it left everyone¡¯s ears ringing.


    Then, one after another, rockets hit them and burst open, waves of heat pressing up against their windows while broken tree roots and crushed rocks hit the car¡¯s windows.


    ¡°We¡¯ll give them a taste of an RPG too!¡± Wu Yun¡¯s eyes had turned red.


    In a world like Nibelungen, they weren¡¯t about to be killed by some dangerous organism, but by their own team¡¯s gunfire. This was some fucking bullshit!


    Their ranks were breaking apart. Zhou Yu said quietly, ¡°Where¡¯s our RPG?¡±


    ¡°In the trunk! Do you want me to stop the car to let you take that thing out?¡± Wu Yun frantically avoided explosions left and right.


    ¡°No¡­ rather than rocket artillery, we¡¯re better off with a rifle.¡± Saying that, Zhou Yu began to assemble his rifle.


    ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± Song Zhi asked.


    The tires made a sharp squeal, and another rocket blew up an ancient tree, its trunk falling down straight over their heads!


    The trunk of an ancient tree was thicker than a tree that had been growing for more than a decade!


    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡± Wu Yun stomped down hard on the gas pedal, and a loud noise came from where their vehicle had been. They had made another narrow escape.


    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t locate their exact positions, someone else can.¡±


    When Zhou Yu spoke, Wu Yun understood his meaning. He wanted to borrow Mo Ye¡¯s extraordinary sensory abilities to lock in on those people¡¯s locations.


    ¡°I won¡¯t help you because you have the ability to do it yourself,¡± Mo Ye answered.


    ¡°Right now is not the time for me to learn how to use your so-called ¡®ability¡¯!¡± Zhou Yu rolled down the car window, and just as his body was just about to extend outside the car, he looked back at Mo Ye.


    It was then that he noticed that Mo Ye¡¯s face was pale. Even his eyes were unfocused.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Yu was instantly unnerved.


    ¡°Do what you need to do.¡± Mo Ye raised his hands to cover his own eyes.


    Zhou Yu instantly understood that when Mo Ye had been searching for organisms that he could control, he must have fought with the guy who had driven them all out!


    Mo Ye¡¯s ability was limited, and he might not be able to defeat them easily at this time.


    Another rocket exploded, overturning one of their teammates¡¯ vehicles and scattering debris onto their car, pushing it off its original trajectory to narrowly allow them to avoid the next rocket.


    ¡°They must have brought out all the rockets in Base No.3!¡± Wu Yun gnashed his teeth.


    Just then, Mo Ye suddenly raised his hands and held his own head. He took a breath, suddenly opening his amber eyes. ¡°Who? Mr. Song¡­ Why is Mo Ye like this?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Di Xin¡­ He¡¯s controlling all of this from somewhere else¡­ Turing must have found him! We thought Turing would go find the first ancestor Ymir, but he joined up with Di Xin instead!¡± Song Zhi raised his hands, holding the window and the top of his head. The car turned sharply and had almost caused him to hit his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Di Xin will be showing up! I already have enough on my fucking plate right now! Why aren¡¯t they finished shooting yet?!¡±


    As Wu Yun was shouting, another rocket shot over their heads and hit a vehicle that did not dodge in time.


    ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± Wu Yun struck the steering wheel with his hand.


    Zhou Yu took a breath, and the voices he had managed to reject with much difficulty came pouring back deep into his mind again, numerous and chaotic.


    They were like a torrent, rushing in impatiently, eager to be read by his mind. But it was more than what he could bear, and Zhou Yu was almost destroyed to exhaustion by this force.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about rejecting them¡­ Remember what I told you¡­ Detach yourself and place yourself above them.¡±


    Mo Ye held down Zhou Yu¡¯s seat. His strength seemed to seep into Zhou Yu¡¯s body, yet at the same time, that strength seemed to only be a figment of Zhou Yu¡¯s imagination.


    ¡°You can¡­ do it by yourself. You already know this.¡±


    Breaking through everything, the chaotic world suddenly became clearer than ever before. Zhou Yu¡¯s line of sight shuttled through the air and locked in instantaneously.


    He nimbly set the gun outside of the window.


    ¡°Wu Yun, drive in the nine o¡¯clock direction!¡±


    Wu Yun reacted quickly. According to Zhou Yu¡¯s instructions, he turned the steering wheel. The instant they turned, Zhou Yu pulled the trigger and hit his target dead center.


    ¡°Turn to eleven o¡¯clock!¡±


    Wu Yun turned the steering wheel again, waves of dust rising from beneath their wheels. Zhou Yu was almost thrown out. At that moment, he hit his target again.


    After a few shots, the other side¡¯s rockets stopped.


    But Wu Yun did not relax, and he said to Song Zhi, ¡°Mr. Song! Are you going to continue with your mission? Or do you want to retreat?¡±


    Song Zhi took Wu Yun¡¯s radio. ¡°All personnel retreat! Head back to base immediately!¡±


    ¡°After knowing you for so long, this is the first time you¡¯ve said something human!¡± Wu Yun sighed.


    ¡°After knowing you for so long, your IQ still hasn¡¯t improved.¡± Mo Ye sighed helplessly, ¡°We¡¯ve only encountered attacks from humans so far. Where is Turing?¡±


    Wu Yun finally realized something. ¡°Turing was never here in the first place! This was all a trap to lure the tiger down from its mountain! Is his target our base? That¡¯s why he took advantage of this mission to lure Mo Ye, the only one who can contend with him, outside!¡±


    And so, their vehicles turned around and sped for the base.


    When they had hastily driven for more than ten minutes, Zhou Yu suddenly shouted, ¡°Wu Yun¡ªwatch out!¡±


    Wu Yun had no time to respond. Countless ropes from the ancient trees shot down and penetrated through the body and roof of the Hummer.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu instantly lowered themselves to avoid being stabbed by the sharp hooks, while Mo Ye pressed Song Zhi down.


    Wu Yun stomped down hard on the gas pedal and the car engine made a struggling sound, but they were unable to move, as if fixed in place.


    The other vehicles were in similar plights, and only a few managed to escape successfully.


    Song Zhi spoke to those fleeing vehicles via radio, ¡°Don¡¯t turn around¡ªgo back to base immediately!¡±


    The other ends of the ropes must have been fixed to the giant ancient trees, being extremely stable.


    Meanwhile, several field personnel quickly slipped down from the ropes and were about to shoot at the roof of the car Zhou Yu was in. Suddenly, someone dropped down from the ancient trees from above. His movements were very fast, and no one could see what he was doing.


    He stepped on one of the men¡¯s collarbones, cracking it, and then took up that person¡¯s machine gun to empty out its bullets at the field agents who were descending rapidly. They dropped off, one after another.


    It was a young man who looked to be a little older than Mo Ye, wearing a camouflage suit from their base, but without carrying any weapons.


    He had delicate features and an indifferent expression, with fair skin the same as Mo Ye.


    He went to Song Zhi¡¯s window and tapped it gently. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Song Zhi, who had his head down and was waiting for the machine gun to rake over him, looked up and met the young man¡¯s eyes that were as penetrating as deep pools. ¡°Watch out¡ª¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s eyes showed a frightened look. While his hand slapped the window to alert him, their enemies, who had slid down and attacked other vehicles, now turned their attention and guns in their direction.


    The young man outside the window suddenly gave a hard shove with both hands, and all the metal wire ropes that shackled the car broke apart. The car was pushed out of the range of the machine guns so quickly that it could not have been predicted.


    ¡°Song Lin¡ª¡± Song Zhi¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the young man leap up and grab a wire rope still hanging from a tree. With a swing, he jumped into the air. His knee broke the first person¡¯s jaw, and while gaining momentum to jump even higher, he quickly drew the dagger at his thigh and thrust it into the shoulder of the second person while grabbing their rope to turn and kick the third man.


    It was as if everything had been calculated down to the decimal point in an instant. It was all so fast that it couldn¡¯t be distinguished by the naked eye.


    Song Zhi and Wu Yun watched in horror and fascination. But in Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes, everything was slow enough to be broken down and he could see Song Lin¡¯s every action clearly.


    Meanwhile, a team of field agents was rushing at Song Zhi and Zhou Yu.


    Zhou Yu opened the car door and quickly got out. Wu Yun also left in Zhou Yu¡¯s direction. Mo Ye pulled Song Zhi out as well and just as they got down, the barrage of a machine gun sounded.


    As if each shot could have blown their heads off.


    And they were getting closer and closer.


    ¡°Get behind the ancient tree!¡± Mo Ye gave Zhou Yu a hard push.


    Zhou Yu immediately pressed Song Zhi¡¯s head down and retreated with Wu Yun. Meanwhile,  Mo Ye quickly ran out from the Hummer¡¯s side and attracted all of the attention.


    Mo Ye¡¯s speed was inhuman. A stream of bullets followed his heel, but he had run up to their side in the blink of the eye.


    The man who reacted the fastest quickly turned the muzzle of his gun. At that moment, in his eyes was the reflection of Mo Ye¡¯s ice-cold gaze drawing near, as if he was the unexpected grim reaper. Mo Ye¡¯s left hand pushed down his muzzle, his right hand quickly broke his throat bone, and then he lowered himself to avoid the machine gun¡¯s barrage. Supported by a hand on the ground, Mo Ye kicked out to the side, breaking another person¡¯s ankle. The second he fell, his machine gun was still firing, and it perfectly hit three to four of his companions.


    The remaining two sensed danger. Their guns relentlessly chased after Mo Ye, but Mo Ye¡¯s figure flashed by too quickly. In a wink, he came behind one of them, and as he raised a foot to break their knee, Mo Ye also pulled out the pistol at their waist and pointed it to his companion. Without any hesitation, he pulled the trigger, and the bullet passed through the man¡¯s head. The two of them both fell down.


    Meanwhile, Song Lin had taken care of everyone else that needed to be taken care of. He was holding an enemy gun, and he skillfully unloaded it before throwing it to the ground.


    ¡°Your Song Zhi is over there¡ª¡± Mo Ye pointed behind the ancient tree.


    Song Lin still wore an aloof expression, and he quickly walked over.


    Wu Yun and Zhou Yu were leaning against the tree, adjusting their breaths. When the sound of footsteps came, they both pointed the muzzles of their guns in that direction.


    ¡°Hold your fire.¡±[1]


    A slightly chilly voice sounded. When they saw that it was Song Lin¡¯s hand, they put down their guns.


    ¡°You sound just like Song Zhi.¡± Wu Yun pointed to Song Zhi, who was being protected behind them, with his thumb.


    Song Lin passed between Wu Yun and Zhou Yu and came to Song Zhi. His gaze dropped slightly. Although his face was expressionless, he showed a soft look. ¡°Your computer is broken.¡±


    ¡°Hn.¡± Song Zhi nodded, but he turned to face the side.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be willing to meet Song Lin¡¯s eyes, but Song Lin still caught him in a hug with open arms.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here¡­ These people are all from Juli Corp,¡± Song Zhi¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°But the only people who can see me hug you are those two. Do you need me to kill them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the people I trust.¡± Song Zhi sucked in a breath.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you look me in the eye?¡±


    ¡°You know why. When I look at you for a second, I will think about looking at you for another second, and another second, and another¡­ until the world ends. Hurry back to base. Turing¡¯s there. If my guess is correct, he¡¯s already teamed up with Di Xin. He disdains the ever-weakening, and possibly even already deceased, first ancestor Ymir¡­ We were all deceived by him!¡± Song Zhi met Song Lin with a sharp gaze.


    ¡°Is my uncle at the base too?¡± Song Lin asked.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why you have to go back immediately!¡±


    Song Zhi patted the arm that Song Lin was hugging him with. He let go of him and stepped back, but he continued to look at Song Zhi.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, if he dies¡­ It¡¯s all over! Go!¡± Song Zhi lowered his voice and glared at Song Lin.


    ¡°But every time I leave you¡­ I feel like it¡¯ll be the last time I see you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Song Zhi looked into his eyes and said, ¡°Or do you not believe me?¡±


    Song Lin seemed to make a difficult choice, then he forced himself to turn and sprint away.


    He soon disappeared from sight.


    Song Zhi, as if suddenly drained of his strength, staggered backwards.


    As Mo Ye walked, he picked up the gun that Song Lin had disassembled and reassembled it, like he was playing with a jigsaw puzzle. Then he lightly bumped Song Zhi with the butt of the gun, causing Song Zhi to sit on the ground.


    Mo Ye squatted down in front of him. ¡°This is what I don¡¯t understand about you human beings. Either you dishonestly tell lies, or you never reveal the true desires in your heart.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to reveal? A lot of field personnel came out with us. Even if Song Lin saved them, they will still report to Juli Corp that they saw Song Lin, and that we failed to capture him.¡±


    ¡°So? You didn¡¯t give any orders to have him captured. That¡¯s the truth. Rather than this, wouldn¡¯t it be better to enjoy the temperature of his embrace when he hugs you? If you¡¯re going to die, why not die in his arms?¡± Mo Ye tilted his head and looked at Song Zhi.


    Song Zhi laughed, ¡°You really have a lot to learn if that¡¯s what you think. I desperately want Song Lin to finish everything for me, but Mo Ye¡­ What if Zhou Yu died in front of you one day? When it hurts here, how long do you think it will take for you to heal yourself?¡±


    Song Zhi¡¯s finger lightly jabbed Mo Ye¡¯s chest. Just as Mo Ye was lost in his thoughts, Song Zhi stood up and looked at Zhou Yu and Wu Yun. ¡°We need to return base at full speed, but we won¡¯t be fast enough. I¡¯m worried that Song Lin won¡¯t be able to handle Turing joined by Di Xin by himself.¡±


    ¡°Our speed can¡¯t compare with Mo Ye.¡± Wu Yun looked at Mo Ye suggestively.


    ¡°Song Lin was willing to turn around and leave because he knew that I was here. If I leave you too, when dangerous organisms attack, do you think Hummers and machine guns can handle them?¡±


    Mo Ye spoke as he walked towards their Hummer, which was no longer operational.


    After sorting out the small number of vehicles that could still be driven, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun made new plans and continued to drive back to the base.


    When Zhou Yu opened the car door and stepped into the front passenger seat of a car, Mo Ye held back the door with a hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Yu looked up at him.


    ¡°I suddenly feel afraid,¡± Mo Ye said.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you dying,¡± Mo Ye answered.


    Zhou Yu sighed and covered Mo Ye¡¯s eyes with the palm of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m human. I¡¯ll die sooner or later. So don¡¯t worry too much about how things will end up. When you care less about it, you won¡¯t be afraid anymore.¡±


    When Zhou Yu took his hand back, Mo Ye turned to the side to kiss his lips.


    It only stopped there briefly, and perhaps no one noticed, but Zhou Yu knew that he would always miss that warmth and touch.


    Mo Ye closed the door for him and sat in the back with Song Zhi.


    The procession of vehicles moved on, driving much faster than before.


    Zhou Yu was focused on sensing everything around him. If their team was ambushed again, it might prove to be a devastating blow.


    At this time, Zhou Qing was sitting in front of a microscope in the lab, but the samples under said microscope had already been looked at for two to three hours without being replaced.


    ¡°You look uneasy,¡± Bai Yingting said.


    Zhou Qing straightened up and raised his hands to cover his eyes. He sighed deeply and said, ¡°That¡¯s my older brother, the only relative I have in this world. I¡¯m afraid that the longer he stays in Nibelungen, the more he gets used to danger. One day, when he no longer needs to take risks, that will be the end of everything.¡±

 CH 73

    Chapter 73: Bai Yingting VS Turin


    ¡°Maybe this will be the so-called end, but the ending will be so much better than what you¡¯ve imagined.¡± Bai Yingting turned to face him, and Zhou Qing saw an almost peaceful tranquility in his eyes.


    ¡°How strange, I feel like I¡¯ve known you for a long time,¡± Zhou Qing smiled.


    ¡°If I were a female researcher, I would have been swept off my feet,¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s lips curved up in a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m old-fashioned, outdated, and I don¡¯t have any hobbies. It¡¯s hard for anyone to be charmed by me,¡± Zhou Qing showed a self-deprecating smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t met the right person,¡± Bai Yingting smiled. Zhou Qing thought of the lake he had seen when he first arrived in Nibelungen, as well as that chance encounter.


    That was probably the first romantic affair in his life, and in Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes, it was as if time had reversed to that moment.


    ¡°I should continue my research.¡± Zhou Qing turned back. He couldn¡¯t keep looking at him, or else he would keep having unrealistic thoughts.


    ¡°Of course research would help you concentrate. Worry less and focus more.¡±


    Just as Zhou Qing looked back down into his microscope, the alarms in the base suddenly went off. The researchers all looked up, and Zhou Qing¡¯s shoulders instinctively shivered.


    ¡°What happened?


    The researchers were frightened. The last time the alarm went off was when Mo Ye had mistakenly thought Zhou Yu died and lost control, causing a great number of organisms to attack the base. What was the reason this time?


    ¡°Li Qian, what happened? Transmit the scene to the lab,¡± Bai Yingting turned on the intercom and connected it to Li Qian.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on! The base is under attack by an unknown organism!¡±


    Li Qian¡¯s voice was full of terror. The screen in front of Bai Yingting and Zhou Qing cut to a different scene. At one of the entrances to the base, a field research vehicle was receiving an interior inspection when suddenly, something pushed up against the roof of the vehicle like a balloon that was about to burst. The solid roof was thrown off with a ¡°bang,¡± and a certain dark green plant grew out of a researcher¡¯s body from the backseat, quickly bursting into a giant flower. Its meaty, scarlet petals spewed out a spore-like gas.


    Before the security personnel at the entrance checkpoint could draw their guns and shoot, they were sucked in by these spores. They were coughing violently when those same green plants grew out of their bodies and toppled their heads off. Crackling, they grew wildly and uncontrollably, before suddenly blooming into bewitching flowers!


    The researchers¡¯ eyes widened in disbelief as they watched the scene unfold. ¡°What is that?! Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°Shut down the air circulation system immediately! The spores will spread in the air,¡± Bai Yingting said to Li Qian.


    His expression was cold. It was the first time Zhou Qing had seen such a Professor Bai.


    The red alarm sounded and all labs and nodes were locked down.


    The giant flowers at the exit quickly grew into fruits that resembled blown-up balloons, constantly swelling and expanding.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those fruits growing way too fast?¡± Zhou Qing was very surprised.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing strange about it. The human bodies are providing them with more than enough nutrients. This is definitely more than just an accidental case of plant parasitism¡­ There must be something even worse about to happen.¡±


    Bai Yingting¡¯s words made Zhou Qing tense up. A thought passed through his mind. He picked up the intercom and said to Li Qian, ¡°Whatever it takes, we must destroy that plant! We can¡¯t let its fruits keep growing!¡±


    ¡°Then send a team to destroy them!¡±


    As the giant fruits grew, they pressed up against the monitoring equipment, and Li Qian could no longer see anything from his computer.


    When the guard team wearing respiration equipment walked through the passageway, they saw the fruits and were left stunned.


    They were extremely large. A force seemed to be brewing within them, as if a heart was beating and blood was pulsating violently.


    Their fingers were on the triggers, but before they could shoot, the first giant fruit suddenly burst open like a volcanic eruption, causing an impact that pushed the entire guard team out and smashed them hard against the passageway node. The door was dented in and several guards either broke bones all over or passed out.


    The sluice gate at the entrance that was pressing back the fruit was also dislodged by that force.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Team leader, please come in! Team leader, please come in!¡± Li Qian tried to contact them, but all he got was a busy signal.


    In the laboratory, Bai Yingting put his palms against the wall and closed his eyes, as if he was tracking and sensing something.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qing came forward.


    ¡°The fruit of the kind of plant that parasitized the researcher¡¯s body and entered the base can grow indefinitely and is very strong. As long as it has ample nutrition, it can topple a metal wall like this easily.¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s finger tapped on the wall.


    Zhou Qing frowned, ¡°So there¡¯s some person or creature¡­ who wants to break through the base¡¯s defenses and get inside.¡±


    Just then, someone opened the door to Zhou Qing¡¯s lab and walked in. ¡°The only one I can think of is Turin.¡±


    They were wearing a casual t-shirt with both hands in their pockets and a chocolate candy in their mouth.


    ¡°Dr. Jiang¡­ Li Qian locked all the passageways, how did you get in?¡±


    ¡°I have the same authorization level as Song Zhi.¡± Dr. Jiang wiggled his fingers. ¡°And it would be torture to stay in my room alone at this time.¡±


    ¡°We all assumed that Turin was going to the first ancestor Ymir, but his real goal was this base. If this presumption is true, then what exactly is in this base that¡¯s so attractive to him?¡± Zhou Qing looked at Dr. Jiang.


    Dr. Jiang swallowed the chocolate in his mouth and shook his hand in a hurry. ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Bai Yingting answered instead of Zhou Qing, ¡°Because your level of research on the virus and genius surpasses Turin¡¯s. Maybe Turin encountered some problems and needs to come and ask you for advice?¡±


    ¡°Give me a break! I don¡¯t want to have a learnings exchange with him at all!¡± Dr. Jiang¡¯s eyes widened and he took a few steps backward. ¡°You guys¡­ aren¡¯t planning to hand me over just like that, are you?¡±


    Bai Yingting smiled with amusement, ¡°We¡¯re not sure if it¡¯s Turin yet. Dr. Jiang, you¡¯re too tense.¡±


    Just at this time, the scene in the video made Dr. Jiang turn pale with fright. The giant fruits all exploded at the same time, no different from the power of a dozen bombs exploding. The nodes of the passageway were dashed open and the whole base was shaken.


    Immediately afterwards, thick vines suddenly broke out from deep underground and penetrated down along the exploded passageways. They were so strong that they swept away several teams who were guarding the outer extension.


    This was no longer just a single attack; if it wasn¡¯t Turin pulling the strings, then Zhou Qing could not think of any other possibility.


    The devil vine arched up into a wave-like shape and slammed down hard into the depths of the passageway, smashing open the second door.


    The spores rolled in.


    Li Qian could only keep transferring the guards at the outer extension inside.


    The entire base was on the verge of exploding into a pot of congee.


    ¡°Recall Zhou Yu and the others, now!¡± Dr. Jiang shouted.


    Just at that moment, a black shadow flitted by, and without warning, crushed the signal tower!


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Li Qian, who was monitoring this scene, was dumbfounded.


    Like this, it was now impossible for them to contact Zhou Yu.


    The huge creature that crushed the signal tower turned out to be a soaring snake!


    Not long ago, the base had suffered a heavy blow due to the soaring snake summoned by Mo Ye during his emotional outburst, but this time¡­ their opponents would show no mercy!


    And now, that soaring snake had slithered to the entrance of the base with Turing sitting atop its head.


    Turin wore a cunning hint of a smile on his lips, his pupils emitting golden light.


    ¡°Turin can control a soaring snake¡­ How is that possible? The death dahlia that infected him is only an A rank organism!¡±


    Zhou Qing couldn¡¯t help walking up and staring hard at the image of Dr. Turin on the screen.


    Turin strolled into the passageway that had split open and could even collapse at any given moment. He knew exactly where the camera was and he bent down to make a gentlemanly gesture of salute.


    The soaring snake retreated by a dozen meters before it suddenly came barreling forward with such speed and impact that Zhou Qing and the others could feel the whole world shaking!


    One fifth of the base collapsed just like that!


    Li Qian¡¯s screen returned to normal after a second of static. He could only understand what was happening through the remaining cameras.


    While it was all collapsing, many people could not evacuate in time and were crushed underneath.


    ¡°We have to get out, the sooner the better!¡± Li Qian said to Zhou Qing and Professor Bai over the intercom.


    ¡°The problem is, Turin has his people surrounding the base. Where are we espacing from?¡±


    Zhou Qing looked at the soaring snake in the video that had encircled almost the entire base, intending to crush the entire outer extension in one fell swoop.


    ¡°But the deeper we go into the base, the easier it will be to catch us all in the end. It¡¯s like walking right into their trap.¡±


    Bai Yingting replied.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s your plan?¡± Zhou Qing looked at Bai Yingting.


    ¡°Charge outside and either leave or die here,¡± Bai Yingting replied.


    ¡°Charge outside? Although I want to ask if you guys are crazy, I prefer the answer ¡®leave¡¯ to sitting around waiting to die. I believe you¡¯re referring to using the shuttle pod to leave Nibelungen?¡± Dr. Jiang asked.


    ¡°Of course! Li Qian, get in touch with Juli Corp¡¯s headquarters right now and ask them to receive our shuttle pods on the other side! Then plan our escape route and configure all the checkpoints,¡± Bai Yingting said into the intercom.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Li Qian replied.


    A dozen seconds later, Li Qian sent the optimal evacuation route to the display.


    The route was almost a straight line that led straight to the shuttle bay.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted Dr. Cook at Juli Corp headquarters, and she¡¯s agreed to issue the reception command, but only Mr. Song knows the shuttle pod dispatch command!¡±


    ¡°I know what that command is!¡± Dr. Jiang said.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Bai Yingting and Zhou Qing nodded to each other, and the instant the laboratory door opened, they dashed out with the researchers and Dr. Jiang.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop to catch your breath! Wait until we get out of here!¡± Bai Yingting shouted.


    A group of researchers that did not work out ran like mad through the long and deep passageway. Every now and then they could feel the base quaking.


    ¡°The outer extension wall has been destroyed. Turin¡¯s lizard monster army has breached the base! Move faster!¡± Li Qian reminded them anxiously from behind the monitor.


    ¡°Li Qian, set up the parameters for the shuttle pod first!¡± Dr. Jiang took the radio transceiver from Bai Yingting and said while gasping for air.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that! Hurry up and get yourself over here!¡± Li Qian sat in front of the computer subconsciously shaking his legs, which he did when he was nervous.


    His heart was beating so fast that even his palms were sweaty. He hadn¡¯t been this scared in a long time, since the night spirit Dr. Carlos was raising tore through the base a bloodbath.


    Just then, Bai Yingting suddenly stopped and pulled Zhou Qing behind him.


    A loud sound was heard, and the metal wall above their heads trembled, as if it was suddenly under an enormous pressure that made one¡¯s eardrums tingle. The researchers instinctively covered their ears and lowered their heads.


    ¡°Shit! Dr. Turin¡¯s legion of lizard monsters is right above your heads! That lizard monster¡­ is really big and scary! Run quickly!¡±


    But it was too late. Following another loud quaking sound, the metal walls above their heads collapsed entirely, emitting sparks where the metal walls rubbed against each other.


    A monster several times the size of a usual lizard monster landed on the ground, its white eyeballs rotating as if it was locking onto the direction of its prey.


    The devil vines reached in and crept up the surrounding walls like a solid net, capturing all of them.


    The researchers were so terrified that they couldn¡¯t speak.


    When the lizard monster moved forwards, Bai Yingting slowly led Zhou Qing backwards.


    The air was so tense that it was almost suffocating. Zhou Qing¡¯s whole body felt ice-cold, and only the hand in front of him from Bai Yingting that was guiding his shoulder back made him feel real warmth.


    His body did not tremble at all, and unlike the researchers who were in despair, he remained calm.


    ¡°Professor Bai?¡± Zhou Qing instinctively spoke up, but he didn¡¯t know what he really wanted to say.


    ¡°My body is growing weaker, I can¡¯t protect all of you when you leave. Listen, I¡¯ll hold off this monster and the legion of lizard monsters it¡¯s leading, you take Dr. Jiang and leave while there¡¯s a chance.¡±


    ¡°What? How are you going to stall them?¡±


    Instantly, Zhou Qing thought of when countless swordbone butterflies had flown into the lab. Bai Yingting had effortlessly carried him on his shoulders, and no swordbone butterflies approached or even attacked them.


    ¡°Just do as I say and go. It doesn¡¯t matter how I¡¯ll stall them.¡± Bai Yingting glanced at Zhou Qing, his eyes glowing with a touch of gold. Zhou Qing suddenly understood something as he drew in a sharp breath and took a half step backwards, but eventually he reached out to hold Bai Yingting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the shuttle bay.¡± Saying that, Zhou Qing took Dr. Jiang¡¯s hand.


    The internal meridians of the devil vines suddenly swelled up, and the part that was about to attack suddenly burst open, the remaining parts also withering away rapidly.


    At the same time, the limbs of the giant lizard monster in front of them suddenly started twitching before they tightened up, the same happening to the dozen or so lizard monsters that jumped down immediately after it. Their bodies twisted and even snapped as if they had been bound. They were unable to breathe or move as the cells inside them split apart, making a frightening sound.


    ¡°Go¡ª¡±


    As soon as Bai Yingting spoke, Zhou Qing grabbed Dr. Jiang and ran away from the lizard monsters like his life depended on it.


    Dr. Jiang¡¯s eyes widened as he watched this incredible scene. When they ran past a section of the passageway, Li Qian also brought down the sluice gates. Zhou Qing instinctively turned back and found that no one but him and Dr. Jiang had made it through.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Keep running! Until you get into the shuttle bay!¡±


    The adrenaline rush made Zhou Qing more agile than usual.


    Dr. Jiang was following behind him when he stepped on a pair of glasses that some researcher had dropped. He stumbled and fell to the ground.


    Zhou Qing was about to help him up, but clapping came from the next turn in the passageway.


    ¡°Well done, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to escape my guard team.¡±


    When the man¡¯s shadow turned the corner, his face gradually appeared under the light. Dr. Jiang¡¯s pupils instantly dilated and he said, ¡°Turin¡­¡±


    This name was like upending a pot of cold water on Zhou Qing¡¯s head, completely cutting off their hope of escape.


    The Turin before him was still wearing his long white researcher¡¯s lab coat, with his hands in his pockets. He came sauntering to them with an unhurried expression, as if he was above all creatures, standing at the top of the pyramid overlooking Zhou Qing and Dr. Jiang¡¯s futile and absurd struggle.


    Zhou Qing took a step backwards. He could feel a destructive power in Turin¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Dr. Jiang. You still look so young, your baby face and good skin are enviable. Unlike you, my face is already wrinkled.¡± Turin came before Dr. Jiang and reached out to support his arm and lift him up.


    In reality, Dr. Turin¡¯s face was extremely smooth and he looked like a young man in his teens; it was the virus that had stopped his cells from deteriorating and even produced a reverse ageing effect.


    Dr. Jiang¡¯s jaw was trembling, and his heart was beating as if it wanted to split open.


    ¡°What is it that you really want? To kill everyone in this base, or to kill me?¡± Even though Dr. Jiang was afraid, he still looked straight into Turin¡¯s eyes.


    Turin patted Dr. Jiang¡¯s cheek and spoke to him in the tone of an old acquaintance, ¡°Come now, old friend, how could I possibly kill you? You¡¯re the most valuable researcher I¡¯ve ever seen, and your genius is something that not even ten of me would be able to surpass.¡±


    Zhou Qing could finally be sure that what he and Bai Yingting had guessed was true, and that Turin was indeed here for Dr. Jiang.


    ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t think you would acknowledge my genius.¡± Dr. Jiang squeezed out an ugly smile from lips.


    ¡°Yes¡­ although fusing with the death dahlia has given me supreme power, a minor issue did arise, so I need you to help me research this virus properly. If there¡¯s anyone else who can unlock the mystery of this virus besides myself, I believe it has to be you.¡± Turin patted Dr. Jiang¡¯s shoulder and straightened out his cuffs, as if he was either trying to keep Dr. Jiang¡¯s appearance as clean and tidy as his, or offering an insincere apology for putting Dr. Jiang in such a difficult position.


    ¡°I can go with you, but take your legion of lizard monsters and all the organisms out there and leave immediately. Don¡¯t hurt anyone else in this base!¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! How many of the people in this base have their hands clean? If Juli Corp didn¡¯t have something on them, would they give up their warm and comfortable lives in the human world to come here? Or do you think you have the conditions to negotiate with me?¡± Turin asked with a smile.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m afraid of death, do you think I really don¡¯t have the courage to accept it?¡± Dr. Jiang asked back in his usual tone of voice. He had already made up his mind.


    Turin glanced sideways at Zhou Qing, ¡°Are you thinking to yourself that Dr. Jiang is properly heroic and self-sacrificing, representing the noblest state of human ideology?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you do?¡± Zhou Qing reflected back.


    ¡°No! No! No! I¡¯m the same as Dr. Jiang; we represent Juli Corp¡¯s pursuit of power and desire. It¡¯s not enough that we¡¯ve corrupted the human world, we¡¯re also here to undermine Nibelungen. At best, this is just an overambitious attempt at colonization. In fact, I had better luck in obtaining the power I wanted, but of course, I won¡¯t be sharing it with Juli Corp.¡±


    Saying that, Turin picked up Dr. Jiang and headed towards the other end of the passageway.


    His pace was relaxed and he looked to be in a good mood.


    Zhou Qing chased after him, but Dr. Jiang desperately waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, hurry up and evacuate! Li Qian is still waiting for you!¡±


    Zhou Qing knew there was nothing he could do, but he couldn¡¯t just watch Dr. Jiang being taken away like this. He closed his eyes and called out to the S ranked organism in his mind: I know you¡¯re Bai Yingting. I need your help¡­


    Bai Yingting, who was surrounded by a dozen lizard monsters, frowned as if he had heard Zhou Qing¡¯s call.


    He had the lizard monsters in a death grip and was disintegrating their cells bit by bit. The abdomen of the largest lizard monster suddenly burst open and it fell to the ground, unable to move. The other lizard monsters recklessly leaped up and rushed at Bai Yingting.

 CH 74

    Chapter 74: Song Lin VS Turin


    The researchers clutched their heads in their hands and bent down. Some started screaming.


    Bai Yingting merely tilted his head back as time seemed to suddenly freeze. The lizard monsters that had leapt into mid-air suddenly started disintegrating from their eyes to their tails, crumbling into pieces. Blood splattered everywhere and their bodies fell around Bai Yingting.


    Li Qian, who was watching this scene through the surveillance camera, was astonished.


    ¡°Open the door, I¡¯m going to catch up to Zhou Qing!¡±


    Bai Yingting said into the radio transceiver.


    Li Qian immediately opened the door and Bai Yingting quickly took off, his white lab coat drawing along behind him like a huge white kite.


    Turin, who was carrying Dr. Jiang, suddenly stopped. His body seemed to be bound by some kind of force. No matter how hard he tried, his limbs could not move, as if they were stuck in cement.


    Zhou Qing, who was following Turin without being too close or too far, also stopped. He thought Turin would do something to him, but he only stood there without moving.


    Not too far away, the metal walls split open, and someone jumped through the crack at the top. It was a young man in camouflage.


    His black hair rose and fell in the air, his toes touching down so lightly that they made no sound. He had a handsome face that others could not help but trace their gazes over, as well as a temperament that reminded Zhou Qing of Mo Ye.


    The shock in Turin¡¯s eyes gradually turned into deranged amusement. ¡°I thought it was the decayed Ymir! But it¡¯s you, my Little Master.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Little Master.¡± Song Lin came up to him and reached out to support Dr. Jiang, who was over his shoulder. He easily carried him down.


    Dr. Jiang looked at Song Lin, momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Mister, are you okay?¡± Song Lin tilted his head and said in a cold tone.


    Dr. Jiang gaped for a bit before suddenly giving Song Lin a hard shove. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to get out of here? Why did you come back?! You stupid fool! You¡¯ll let Song Zhi¡¯s efforts be in vain!¡±


    ¡°It was dad who asked me to come back to save you.¡± Song Lin replied.


    ¡°There¡¯s surveillance everywhere here, they¡¯ll find out that you came back to save me!¡±


    Dr. Jiang was extremely anxious, and Zhou Qing was also shocked by the scene in front of him. What was going on? This young man before him who was clearly called ¡°Song Lin¡± was no ordinary person. He recalled that the S Rank organism that had been raised by Song Zhi was called Song Lin. But this Song Lin had come to save Dr. Jiang, so what was the relationship between Dr. Jiang and Song Zhi?


    ¡°I¡¯ve destroyed the surveillance cameras so no one will see me come in. Also¡­ do I need to kill this person?¡± Song Lin looked in Zhou Qing¡¯s direction.


    ¡°No! He¡¯s not one of Juli Corp¡¯s agents! He¡¯s my friend!¡± Dr. Jiang immediately blocked in front of Zhou Qing.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll protect him.¡± Song Lin¡¯s sounded indifferent from beginning to end.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call the wrong person ¡®dad.¡¯ Your real father would be rather disappointed,¡± said Turin with a sneer.


    ¡°I decide for myself who my father is.¡±


    Song Lin turned to face Turin, his eyes plated with a touch of gold. A power that belonged to him assaulted deep into Turn¡¯s mind following his gaze. Turin could feel every bone and cell in his body creaking.


    Song Lin wanted to kill him.


    Just as Song Lin¡¯s power drove straight in and was about to enter the depths of Turin¡¯s mind and destroy him at the most fundamental level, a force of absolute strength emerged. Song Lin¡¯s power was completely expelled from Turin¡¯s body. Turin, who had been in great pain, suddenly gasped and started taking deep breaths. He looked at Song Lin and revealed a smug smile. ¡°It seems like someone doesn¡¯t want me to die. Also, none of us can decide who our own father is, because that¡¯s determined by our genes. You should face reality. Your father will teach you how to truly be strong.¡±


    Song Lin turned to face the side and tried to suppress the power in Turin¡¯s mind, but he was once again thrown out.


    It was obvious that that power was far above Song Lin¡¯s.


    Not only that, but the limbs that Song Lin had shackled started to move as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to realize your father¡¯s power.¡±


    Saying that, Song Lin suddenly fell to one knee as if he had been struck. He clutched over his heart as if he could hardly breathe.


    ¡°Song Lin? What¡¯s wrong, Song Lin?¡± Dr. Jiang was worried, but Song Lin lacked the strength to answer him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr. Jiang, Di Xin won¡¯t hurt his own son, at least within his range of tolerance.¡±


    The name ¡°Di Xin¡± made Dr. Jiang¡¯s shoulders tremble, and he looked at Turin in shock. ¡°You actually found Di Xin. You¡¯ve joined forces with him, haven¡¯t you? No wonder you could control the soaring serpent, which is also an A rank organism, despite your ability only being at the level of the death dahlia!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this isn¡¯t the first time that Di Xin and I have worked together. He has much more integrity than Juli Corp. Do you feel scared, Dr. Jiang, or do you finally understand which side is the wiser choice?¡±


    Just as Turin was about to rest his hand on Dr. Jiang¡¯s shoulder, his fingers stiffened and then twisted as if they were being invaded by some force. His bones made cracking sounds before they were completely broken.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Turin covered his hand and stepped back. He turned to the side and glared fiercely at Bai Yingting, who had just rushed over.


    ¡°Professor Bai!¡± The moment Zhou Qing saw Bai Yingting, he finally felt hope.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s expression was cold when he blocked in front of Zhou Qing. He gazed at Turin as if he was looking at an ant.


    ¡°Do you think that Di Xin is the most powerful organism in Nibelungen?¡±


    Turin sneered and looked up at him. ¡°Is it you then? At least Di Xin hasn¡¯t been infected by the virus. It still has the ability of a powerful S rank organism. But you? You¡¯re already weak, aren¡¯t you? Otherwise, with your infiltration abilities, would you still need to stay in a false body like that as an intermediary for your power?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so naive. If Di Xin hadn¡¯t been infected by the virus, he wouldn¡¯t bother with his so-called ¡®son¡¯ at all. Because he could easily have a second or third one. He would have easily destroyed the disobedient and rebellious Song Lin, unless he knew that he had been infected by the virus, and that it would be impossible to pass on his genes before he was cured.¡±


    ¡°Professor Bai¡­¡± Zhou Qing looked after Bai Yingting¡¯s back in astonishment. He could almost piece together the truth.


    Why did he come to his side? Why did he feel so familiar? Why had he been able to escape with him under the attack of the swordbone butterflies? And why weren¡¯t those lizard monsters a match for a researcher? The answers were close at hand.


    ¡°Even then, he¡¯s still stronger than you. You¡¯re so weak that you¡¯re almost dead!¡± Turin sneered, but his eyes were unable to conceal his trepidation.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll let you experience the me who is left with only 1% of my power.¡±


    Saying that, Bai Yingting came before Dr. Turin and knelt down on one knee. He gazed into Dr. Turin¡¯s eyes. Turin seemed to realize something and tried to turn his face away, but an invisible force controlled his head, making it impossible for him to avoid Bai Yingting¡¯s gaze.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s power was completely different from Song Lin¡¯s; he was firm and forceful, and raised a rush of power that sought to destroy the dried-up and the rotten. It penetrated into every cell in Turin¡¯s body, who could clearly feel his body breaking apart and disintegrating.


    He screamed in pain and looked at Bai Yingting with resentment and desperation.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s power was different from Di Xin¡¯s. It was transformed and absorbed over hundreds of millions of years. It saw through life and death, causing Turin to feel fear from the depths of his mind.


    At that very moment, blood suddenly seeped out of Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes, which scared Zhou Qing.


    Turin, who was already close to collapse and disintegration, drew in a gasp as his cheeks, which were seeping blood, and his muscles that were splitting open started rapidly healing.


    Turin jerked to his feet and dashed out.


    He had to leave the range of Bai Yingting¡¯s power immediately. If he was captured again, Bai Yingting would definitely kill him once and for all!


    Bai Yingting chased after him, ¡°Do you think you can escape?¡±


    Turin turned back and saw that Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes were oozing blood, yet he had no intention of letting him go at all.


    ¡°That body of yours simply isn¡¯t a suitable medium for your power! If you continue trying to kill me through that body, then the owner of that body will also die!¡± Turin shouted as he fled.


    ¡°Do you think I would care?¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s voice seemed to come from the depths of hell, rattling Turin¡¯s nerves as he fled pathetically, dashing out of the base¡¯s outer extension and jumping onto the soaring serpent.


    The soaring serpent quickly moved its body and loosened the entire base, then escaped from the scene as fast as it could.


    At the same time, the metal walls that had been forcefully constricted by the soaring serpent shattered and cracked, crashing loudly. Except for the interior of the core, more than half of the exterior of the base had been reduced to ruins.


    ¡°Professor Bai! Professor Bai!¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s speed was so fast that Zhou Qing could only follow them from a distance.


    Zhou Qing chased him all the way to the wall. Looking over the ruins of the destroyed base, it was bright like blood in the afterglow of the setting sun. Zhou Qing only felt shivers. The danger factor of this world was higher than he could imagine.


    Bai Yingting was standing at the crumbling exit, his face half-tilted up and staring in the direction of fleeing soaring serpent, as if he were a watchman at the edge of a cliff.


    Zhou Qing looked after their back and suddenly felt an unbridgeable distance between himself and Bai Yingting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, he¡¯s gone far away.¡± Bai Yingting¡¯s voice regained its previous warmth.


    Zhou Qing let out a breath. ¡°Professor Bai¡­¡±


    The moment he turned around, Zhou Qing was startled.


    Bai Yingting¡¯s eyes were bleeding. Even his ears and nose were oozing blood. This scene reminded Zhou Qing of Mo Ye.


    The bound Mo Ye had lost control because of Zhou Yu. Countless dangerous creatures sensed Mo Ye and rushed into the base, but Mo Ye also overloaded the release of his ability. His frightening appearance from that time was exactly the same as Bai Yingting.


    Bai Yingting swayed a few times before falling forwards. Zhou Qing rushed up to him despite everything and held him in his arms.


    ¡°Professor Bai, what¡¯s wrong?! Wake up, look at me!¡± Zhou Qing wiped the blood off Bai Yingting¡¯s face, only to find that his body was so cold that he had begun to tremble.


    Zhou Qing immediately took off his white lab coat and covered Bai Yingting¡¯s body. He shouted, ¡°Somebody! Is there anyone here?! Professor Bai needs help!¡±


    At this time, Dr. Jiang and Song Lin rushed over at the sound.


    ¡°He exhausted his powers and this human body lacks the strength to bear the weight of the first ancestor Ymir¡¯s powers. His internal organs are damaged and Ymir has left his body. What you need to do now is to find a good surgeon to stitch up any of his internal organs that have ruptured and are bleeding,¡± Song Lin replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Han Li is still here, along with Dr. Daniel! Let¡¯s quickly get Professor Bai to the emergency room!¡± Zhou Qing finally regained his composure.


    Dr. Jiang turned around, looked at Song Lin very seriously, and said, ¡°You can¡¯t enter the base anymore, you¡¯re leaving right now.¡±


    Song Lin got up, lowered his gaze to look at Dr. Jiang and said, ¡°Then¡­ goodbye mister. Protect yourself.¡±


    ¡°Go find Song Zhi. I¡¯m worried that the fleeing Turin will retaliate against him,¡± Dr. Jiang reminded him.


    Saying that, Song Lin jumped out of the ruins and slid along a portion of the collapsed wall before landing steadily and running away from the place.


    Dr. Jiang looked after his back as he left and let out a long sigh.


    He and Zhou Qing each supported one of Professor Bai¡¯s shoulders and brought him back to the base and into the emergency room.


    The one who rushed over for the surgery was Han Li. Dr. Daniel had left the base on a temporary assignment, which put a lot of pressure on Han Li¡¯s emergency room team.


    But no matter what, Bai Yingting was finally out of danger.


    At the same time, Song Zhi¡¯s fleet was still hurrying back to the base.


    Night was about to fall.


    After a long day of driving under extremely tense conditions, Wu Yun shook his carton of cigarettes and put one in his mouth. He glanced around at the others but ultimately did not light it.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you smoking?¡± Zhou Yu asked.


    ¡°No lighter,¡± Wu Yun said with a grin.


    He wasn¡¯t expecting Song Zhi, who was sitting in the back seat, to throw him a lighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking this as permission to smoke.¡± Wu Yun smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you smoked too, Mr. Song.¡±


    ¡°Nicotine helps me concentrate. Isn¡¯t it the same for you?¡± Song Zhi replied coolly.


    ¡°Hey, after this trip back to the base, we can be smoking buddies,¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°The two of us are on different levels, you can smoke by yourself!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song can give me some good cigarettes to elevate my level.¡±


    ¡°Compared to wine, at least you have good taste in cigarettes. I can accept this offer for now.¡±


    Wu Yun adjusted the rearview mirror, just so that he could see Song Zhi¡¯s face. ¡°Mr. Song, were you smiling just now?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Song Zhi replied coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re cuter when you smile,¡± Wu Yun teased.


    ¡°When you smile, Song Lin¡¯s that place must have stood up.¡± Mo Yan turned sideways to look at Song Zhi. His long and narrow eyes were like darkness not penetrated by the moonlight, brimming with mystery.


    Suddenly, Zhou Yu reached out and pushed Wu Yun¡¯s head down. A bullet pierced through their car window and hit a tree on the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sniper!¡± Cold sweat soaked Wu Yun¡¯s back. If it wasn¡¯t for Zhou Yu, his head would have been blown off.


    ¡°All personnel on alert. There¡¯s an ambush!¡± Zhou Yu informed the rest of the fleet behind them over the radio.


    Zhou Yu had assembled his rifle, but in the middle of a dense forest, it was impossible to locate the exact position of the enemy sniper in such a short time.


    And there was more than one sniper. Very soon, the driver of one of the vehicles was shot and killed. Their car lost control and crashed into a huge tree. The rest of the team immediately exited and went into the shadow of the ancient tree to hide, but one of them was shot dead while moving quickly.


    ¡°Are the snipers of base three that good?¡± Wu Yun asked as he drove on nervously.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have such an impression.¡± Song Zhi lowered his head.


    Suddenly, Mo Yan spoke up, ¡°Stop driving, stop!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯ll be targets if we stop here!¡± Saying so, Wu Yun still stopped the car.


    ¡°There are landmines buried up ahead.¡± As he spoke, Zhou Yu briskly opened the car door and crouched down. At the same time, several bullets grazed his heels and back, but Zhou Yu miraculously avoided them all. His reaction time was greatly improved from before.


    Wu Yun followed behind him while Mo Ye protected Song Zhi. Personnel from the other vehicles also started leaving, but a number of them were hit by sniper fire.


    ¡°How did you know about the landmines?¡± Wu Yun drew his gun and hid under the trees with everyone else on alert. It was safer in the shadows than being exposed in an open area.


    ¡°I smelled a landmine,¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right? I can only smell the rancid sweat on my own body.¡± Wu Yun took out his night vision goggles and put them over his eyes, searching carefully for snipers in the darkness, although it was as futile as searching for a needle in a haystack.


    ¡°It was the virus Dr. Turin had injected into Zhou Yu that caused him to alienize, only this alienization elevated Zhou Yu¡¯s physical body and the acuity of his senses, as well as his sense for power. But he¡¯s unlike those lizard monsters who were deprived of their sanity. I think it¡¯s because Mo Ye once gave him his own blood in exchange for saving Zhou Yu. Dr. Jiang believes that it¡¯s two systems working together; a human¡¯s immune system and the self-healing ability of S rank organisms, that helped Zhou Yu resist the virus and complete the evolution of his body.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Then give a bit of your blood to me in exchange as well next time, Mo Ye.¡± Wu Yun said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Wu Yun, I wasn¡¯t raised by you, so the two of us are genetically incompatible.¡±


    Just at this time, they both faintly felt that someone was rapidly approaching them, and there was more than one person.


    ¡°It looks like there are really quite a few people from Base No.3. Mr. Song, you should work on your charisma. Look at how easily Turin was able to work up the whole base, while you only have me and Zhou Yu to trust.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already placed all the people I trust where they should be,¡± Song Zhi replied.


    ¡°What? Then what about me and Zhou Yu? Following your orders, we¡¯ve both been to hell and back and neither of us made your trust list?¡±


    ¡°Those weren¡¯t my orders, it was Dr. Cook¡¯s.¡±


    Just at this time, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun nodded to each other, and the two of them quickly rushed out of the concealed area with their guns. They started shooting with reckless abandon in a burst of gunfire.


    The field personnel who rushed up and did not react in time were hit and fell to the ground, but those who reacted started firing back. Bullets flew about wildly.


    Zhou Yu pushed Wu Yun down and a bullet hit Zhou Yu¡¯s back. The sense of power was very clear, which made Wu Yun¡¯s heart leap out of fear.


    ¡°Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu, are you all right?!¡± Wu Yun quickly sat up and held his gun on alert. He shot a guy who was about to shoot them.


    ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Zhou Yu got up as if nothing was wrong.


    Only then did Wu Yun remember what Song Zhi had said earlier, that Zhou Yu¡¯s body was flowing with Mo Ye¡¯s blood and he now had strong healing abilities.


    Mo Ye jumped down from between the shadows of the trees, breaking the necks of one of the men with a foot, then turning around to use his elbow to crack the back of another. The sound of bones breaking echoed through the primeval forest.


    At this time, a bullet shuttled forth from the thicket. Shockingly, its target was Zhou Yu¡¯s head.


    The moment Zhou Yu turned around, Mo Ye had already come to him and steadily grabbed that bullet with his hand.


    ¡°You should be more careful. If you get shot in the head, even if you have the healing ability of an S ranked organism, it¡¯s still far from my level. You¡¯ll die.¡± Mo Ye said in a cold voice.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Zhou Yu suddenly realized something and turned around.


    Song Zhi slowly walked out from the shadow of the ancient tree.


    His chin was slightly tilted up, and the expression on his face was grave.


    The gunfire sounds ceased.


    Standing behind Song Zhi, surprisingly, was Turin.


    ¡°¡­Turin¡­ you were here¡­¡± Wu Yun¡¯s mouth was half agape.


    ¡°I rushed all the way back here to make it for this crucial time.¡± The gun in Turin¡¯s hand was pointed at the back of Song Zhi¡¯s head.


    The muscles in Zhou Yu¡¯s entire body were tensed up. He raised his gun and pointed it in Turin¡¯s direction, but it was of no use since Song Zhi was blocking in front of Turin.


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyes went cold, and a somber golden color appeared in them once again.


    ¡°Aha, Mo Ye¡­ I know your ability. You can try it and see if your power can invade my body.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s brows knitted. ¡°Is it Di Xin? He¡¯s protecting you. Although it will consume my strength and take a little longer than usual, I can still kill you.¡±

 CH 75

    Chapter 75: One bullet


    ¡°But before that, I will have already blown Song Zhi¡¯s head off.¡± Turin chuckled, ¡°You should know that even Song Lin and Ymir together can¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see, you did go to our Base No. 5, only to flee with your tail between your legs after they wiped the floor with you, so you went all in and targeted Song Zhi. Because with him, you¡¯ll be able to threaten Song Lin.¡± Wu Yun looked at Turin as if he were a clown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, kill him,¡± Song Zhi spoke through clenched teeth.


    There wasn¡¯t any hesitation in his gaze. There was a calmness that saw through everything.


    He could gauge the value of their lives while also being indifferent to his own.


    Although Wu Yun and Zhou Yu both raised their guns, neither pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Turin¡ªyou should be able to sense that Song Lin is almost here. When he sees you pointing a gun at Song Zhi, he¡¯ll tear apart your bones, rupture every cell in your body, and make you suffer so much that you won¡¯t even be able to scream.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll shoot right through Song Zhi¡¯s head and make him suffer so much that he won¡¯t be able to scream either.¡± Despite what he said, Mo Ye could sense his fear when he heard the name ¡°Song Lin.¡±


    When Zhou Yu shifted his feet slightly to the side, Turin struck Song Zhi on the back of his head with the muzzle of his gun. ¡°I know you¡¯re fast, Zhou Yu. I learned that a long time ago, so this time, I¡¯ll be extra careful.¡±


    Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t break through Turin¡¯s defenses. He could only speak to Mo Ye mentally: Help me.


    Mo Ye¡¯s eyelids slowly drooped until he closed his eyes. Even though he felt Di Xin¡¯s formidable power lingering around Turin¡¯s body, he still forced his power into Turin¡¯s body.


    Turin immediately felt the fingers he was holding the gun with stiffen. That section of bone didn¡¯t seem to belong to him anymore.


    Mo Ye¡¯s brow trembled. It was an existence more ancient than himself. Mo Ye could hardly imagine what it would be like if it weren¡¯t through Turin¡¯s body but that of the S rank organism itself. The power released would be all-powerful and destructive.


    Zhou Yu sensed Turin¡¯s hesitation in that instant. He immediately turned sideways, found an angle, and discharged a bullet. It grazed past Song Zhi¡¯s cheek and looked like it would hit right between Turin¡¯s brows.


    Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Turin turned his shoulders to avoid the bullet, and the bullet entered the trunk of the tree behind them.


    In the air flowing through the forest, Zhou Yu could feel a force breaking through the wind coming at them. That sound¡­ seemed to be from the high-speed bullet of a sniper rifle!


    ¡°Watch out¡ª¡± Song Lin¡¯s voice rang out. He came dashing in from afar and reached out to touch Song Zhi, who was standing in front of Turin, trying to yank him back with one hand.


    It was with such unrelenting determination that he did not hesitate, even at the cost of being broken apart himself.


    Just when his fingertips were about to touch Song Zhi¡¯s shoulder, Mo Ye and Zhou Yu also rushed forward.


    A bullet passed in between Mo Ye¡¯s index and middle fingers and into Song Zhi¡¯s temple. The moment it went clean through the other side, Song Lin finally pulled him into his arms.


    The sound of a skull shattering was clear, and the world seemed to shatter along with it.


    All of this happened in the blink of an eye.


    But in Wu Yun¡¯s astonished eyes, it was like a century of change. Each moment made him feel like his heart was about to split open.


    Mo Ye steadied his steps and turned sideways. He saw Song Zhi with his eyes still open, his time standing still.


    Song Lin immediately pulled out a dagger from his thigh and slashed his palm to drip blood into the wound where Song Zhi was shot.


    ¡°Hurry¡­ hurry!¡± Song Lin forcefully squeezed the blood out from his palm, but Song Zhi¡¯s gunshot wound did not show any signs of healing.


    Zhou Yu instantly thought back to the time when Mo Ye had come from thousands of miles away to squeeze blood into his wound and save him.


    Zhou Yu was lucky, but Song Zhi didn¡¯t have the same luck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die! Don¡¯t die! Hurry up and heal!¡± Song Lin¡¯s cold eyes were flooded with fear, and his other hand gently patted Song Zhi¡¯s cheek, pleading all but humbly, ¡°You can¡¯t die¡­ don¡¯t die¡­¡±


    But Song Zhi was no longer breathing. His pupils had completely dilated, as if he still retained the image of Song Lin rushing towards himself.


    Blood flowed from Song Zhi¡¯s forehead all the way down his face and into his eyes, but nothing changed.


    His body was gradually growing cold.


    ¡°No¡­ you won¡¯t die¡­ you won¡¯t die with me here¡­¡± Song Lin was still stubbornly trying to squeeze his blood out. ¡°Heal faster! Heal faster!¡±


    Song Lin¡¯s shoulders were trembling more and more severely, and his despair was suffocating the people watching him.


    At that very moment, Turin suddenly got up and quickly ran away.


    Mo Ye chased after him without a word.


    The two of them exchanged blows in the wind. Mo Ye turned sideways, his gaze like a cold, sharp blade piercing down into Turin¡¯s bones.


    The pressure of destruction pressed down on him and Turin shouted, ¡°Do you think I killed Song Zhi?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that one of your men?!¡± Mo Ye suddenly reached out his hand to grab Turin¡¯s neck and slam his body into an ancient tree. The force caused the tree trunk to crack along with the shattering of Turin¡¯s spine.


    ¡°My men? Do you think that was Li Shengnan? Li Shengnan wasn¡¯t even in that direction!¡± Turin shouted, then sneered, ¡°Do you understand humans? Do you know how far they¡¯re willing to go for profit? For example, cleaning out the dissenters in Juli Corp! Song Zhi is Juli Corp¡¯s virus, and now they can no longer stand the effects of this viral invasion, so it was time to clear it out!¡±


    Mo Ye narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°If you continue to hesitate and waste your time on me, there likely won¡¯t be another chance to find who that person is.¡±


    Mo Ye¡¯s expression grew dark. He covered Turin¡¯s forehead with his palm. Keeping this guy alive would only come back to bite them, so he might as well kill him once and for all.


    But when Mo Ye¡¯s power seeped into Turin¡¯s skull and was about to rip his bones apart at the seams, the power hidden deep inside Turin¡¯s mind swiftly struck back. However, Mo Ye refused to stop. He had to get rid of Turin so that he would never have a chance to harm Zhou Yu again.


    Mo Ye forced himself to exert his power. Every cell and every nerve in his body felt like it was being split open. He felt something warm gushing out from his eyes. It was his blood.


    He couldn¡¯t give up here, since there may not be another chance like this! He must kill Turin!


    Mo Ye clenched his teeth and let out a muffled grunt.


    Turin¡¯s head was in excruciating pain. He screamed, his jaw clenching so hard it creaked. It was as if there was a universe in his mind that was about to explode.


    It was only an instant before Mo Ye¡¯s power was abruptly expelled from Turin¡¯s body. He staggered backwards and sat down on the ground.


    Turin took gasping breaths. With surprising strength, he picked up the gun he had dropped and pointed it at Mo Ye¡¯s head. The moment his finger was about to pull the trigger, Zhou Yu, who had rushed over, fired a shot.


    Zhou Yu¡¯s shot was decisive and unhesitant. An ordinary person simply could not dodge it.


    But Turin¡¯s reflexes were much faster than those of ordinary humans. He narrowly dodged to the side, then turned back and ran.


    Zhou Yu went after him and fired three shots in succession, all of which were dodged by Turin.


    He came to Mo Ye¡¯s side and crouched down on one knee. As he was about to support Mo Ye up, Mo Ye said in a cold voice, ¡°Don¡¯t put down the gun in your hand! Go after the person who shot Song Zhi! They didn¡¯t hurt Song Zhi by accident, their target was Song Zhi all along!¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ that someone wants to get rid of Song Zhi?¡±


    ¡°Not just anyone! Or rather, it¡¯s Juli Corp!¡± Mo Ye lifted his hand to wipe away the bloodstains on his face.


    Zhou Yu gritted his teeth then turned around to dart in the direction the bullet had come from.


    The wind whistled past his ears, and in front of him was a tree trunk that had fallen down diagonally, blocking his path. Zhou Yu had no intention of stopping, so he leapt up, stepping on the fallen tree trunk and jumping over it before continuing to run after landing steadily.


    The bullet was quite fast, so that person shouldn¡¯t be more than a thousand meters away. After running nearly a thousand meters, Zhou Yu stopped and closed his eyes to sense their location.


    From the vibrations in the air, as well as the gossamer-thin smell of gasoline that lingered, Zhou Yu knew that they had driven away.


    ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± Zhou Yu punched the trunk of a tree.


    At this time, Wu Yun was by Song Lin¡¯s side. A few minutes had passed, and in Song Lin¡¯s arms, Song Zhi showed no signs of waking up. Wu Yun stretched out his hand, trying to comfort Song Lin, only to let it hang in mid-air without being able to say a word.


    It wasn¡¯t until Song Lin¡¯s face turned deathly pale and his blood stained the ground beneath Song Zhi a dark red color that Zhou Yu and Mo Ye rushed back.


    ¡°Did you guys kill that bastard Turin?¡± Wu Yun asked.


    Mo Ye shook his head, then looked in Song Lin¡¯s direction and sighed.


    ¡°Turin escaped. And the one who killed Song Zhi was someone from Juli Corp. Maybe Song Zhi did something that went against the interests of Juli Corp, so he was killed.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Song Lin. Perhaps Song Lin was an organism at the top of the hierarchy in this world, but he had not been in this world long enough to feel the ups and downs of life as Song Zhi had. To Song Zhi, and even to Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, he was still just a child.


    Even Zhou Yu felt like everything had happened so fast that they could not process it yet, let alone Song Lin.


    ¡°This is humanity¡­ Death is swift when it arrives. There wasn¡¯t enough time for you to do anything about it.¡± Zhou Yu kneeled down on one knee in front of Song Lin.


    When he looked at Song Lin, Zhou Yu was reminded of the mural of the female researcher he had seen in that tree fortress. They really were somewhat similar. No wonder Song Zhi, who clearly hated S rank organisms, did his best to raise and protect Song Lin. Perhaps for Song Zhi, the feeling of watching Song Lin grow up and being intimately trusted by him far exceeded his scorn and hatred for S ranked organisms.


    Song Lin¡¯s tears flowed freely, and he pressed Song Zhi into his arms tightly, his chin resting on his forehead. Song Lin¡¯s mouth was slightly open, true pain rendering him unable to speak at all.


    But Mo Ye knew how he felt.


    Song Lin had always protected Song Zhi¡¯s mind from being deciphered by any S rank organisms, yet at that very moment, a bullet had killed Song Zhi¡­ it was especially ironic for Song Lin.


    The image of Song Zhi being shot through the head would be repeated over and over again in Song Lin¡¯s mind in the long years to come.


    Song Lin held Song Zhi like that until the stars fell away from the curtain of night and daylight arrived once again.


    The sunlight weaved down through the gaps in the forest and fell on Song Lin¡¯s body.


    There was no hint of warmth, making one feel indescribably colder.


    The people in what remained of their fleet gathered and were all stunned when they saw the bloodied Song Zhi in Song Lin¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Mr. Song is dead¡­ My God¡­¡±


    The chattering was incessant.


    Zhou Yu lowered his voice and said to Wu Yun, ¡°We have to take everyone back.¡±


    ¡°Do you know of a way to make Song Lin let go of Song Zhi?¡± Wu Yun shot back.


    Zhou Yu patted Song Lin¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go. There are already many people here who saw you. I promised Song Zhi that if anything ever happened to him, I would bring his body back to the base and give it to a certain person. I think you know who that person is.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead¡­ he¡¯s not going to die.¡± There was something fanatical in Song Lin¡¯s voice.


    ¡°No¡­ he¡¯s dead. You can hear the voice in his mind, you know what he said to you. You also know¡­ how exhausted he was. Occupying a position he loathed, making unappreciated decisions, worrying about your future. Now he can finally have a good rest. Let him go, okay?¡±


    Zhou Yu moved aside Song Lin¡¯s arms. Even though he knew deep down in his heart how cruel it was to take Song Zhi out of Song Lin¡¯s arms, he had to do what he promised Song Zhi.


    At this time, Wu Yun came to Zhou Yu¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Someone reported the news of Song Zhi¡¯s death to Juli Corp. Li Qian just told us that Dr. Cook arrived at Base No.3 and is leading a fleet here. We have to settle things here as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°How did Dr. Cook hear of it so quickly? And¡­ she already crossed over, just like she knew Song Zhi would die beforehand.¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye.


    ¡°Because the person who assassinated Song Zhi was sent by her.¡±


    Mo Ye came to Song Lin¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Put down Song Zhi and leave immediately. Unless¡­ you really want all of Song Zhi¡¯s efforts for you to be in vain.¡±


    But Song Lin was no longer able to listen to anything.


    Mo Ye sucked in a breath and pushed his power deep into Song Lin¡¯s mind: You have to go. Dr. Cook is coming soon, and I believe she is prepared. If you want to become Juli Corp¡¯s prey again and let Song Zhi¡¯s death be in vain, then keep staying here.


    Song Lin¡¯s unfocused pupils instantly recovered. He clenched his fists and stood up. He looked at Mo Ye, then clenched his teeth and turned to leave.


    Zhou Yu knew that Mo Ye could sense the thoughts in his head: You need to go too. Dr. Cook won¡¯t spare you.


    Mo Ye tucked his hands into his pockets and came to Zhou Yu¡¯s side: Unless you go, I will always be by your side. You still need me.


    Zhou Yu sucked in a breath: Zhou Qing is still at the base, I have to go back.


    Mo Ye nonchalantly replied: If you decide to stay at the base to protect Zhou Qing, then I¡¯ll stay by your side. If you decide to take Zhou Qing away, then I¡¯ll survive in Nibelungen with you.


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye, his gaze firm.


    Just like how Mo Ye witnessed Song Zhi die in Song Lin¡¯s arms, the current Mo Ye was afraid that something would happen to Zhou Yu in someplace he couldn¡¯t see.


    For the first time, Zhou Yu found that it was not a bad thing to have his feelings linked to another person¡¯s feelings.


    Mo Ye¡¯s emotions were like a tidal wave crashing down from above. Fear and obsession over not wanting to lose him overwhelmed Zhou Yu.


    ¡°Let¡¯s clean up for Song Zhi. That guy always loved to be clean. I didn¡¯t like him much¡­ but for some reason, I want him to look decent in front of Dr. Cook,¡± Wu Yun spoke up.


    ¡°Go get some mineral water from the trunk.¡± Zhou Yu tilted his chin at Mo Ye.


    Knowing that Zhou Yu was no longer thinking of forcing him to leave, Mo Ye¡¯s lips curved open to reveal a smile.


    It was the first time Zhou Yu had seen such a pure and simple expression on Mo Ye¡¯s face since he took on a human form.


    The blood on Song Zhi¡¯s face was wiped clean, and fortunately, the bullet¡¯s entry wound was small, so Song Zhi¡¯s head wasn¡¯t deformed. Otherwise, Zhou Yu couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of grief the person helping Song Zhi would feel after they brought his remains back.


    Only a few minutes later, they heard the sound of the approaching fleet and helicopters.


    ¡°They got here pretty fast,¡± Wu Yun snorted coldly.


    A Hummer pulled up in front of Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, and Dr. Cook, dressed in camouflage, stepped out.


    Her face was expressionless as she came up to Song Zhi¡¯s remains. Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were like air in front of her. She lowered herself down and pressed her fingers to Song Zhi¡¯s neck to ascertain his complete lack of a pulse, then she turned over Song Zhi¡¯s face to examine his bullet wound.


    ¡°Thank you for washing his face clean.¡± Dr. Cook looked to Wu Yun.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want you getting your hands dirty,¡± Wu Yun replied with a smile.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Song Lin?¡± Dr. Cook asked.


    ¡°Gone,¡± Zhou Yu answered.


    Cook¡¯s icy gaze looked right into Zhou Yu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the ones who let him go?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Cook, Song Lin is an S rank organism, we aren¡¯t capable of going against him,¡± Zhou Yu emphasized his words.


    At that very moment, Dr. Cook suddenly took out the gun at her waist and pointed it at Zhou Yu. ¡°What about that S rank organism you raised?¡±


    In the next second, Mo Ye was behind Dr. Cook. After dislocating her wrist with one hand, he quickly dismantled her gun into parts.


    ¡°Are you looking for me? I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Dr. Cook chuckled as she lifted up her broken wrist. It was healed with a flick of her wrist.


    Zhou Yu and Wu Yun looked at the scene in surprise.


    ¡°Turin isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s researching that virus. My research progress is far more advanced than his.¡± Dr. Cook lowered herself down to pick up the disassembled parts and quickly put them back together. ¡°At least¡­ I don¡¯t need to rely on Di Xin to have a firm grasp on my own abilities.¡±


    Zhou Yu had a terrible feeling about the situation. Just now, he should have immediately sent Mo Ye away instead of hesitating.


    Dr. Cook looked at Mo Ye, her face expressionless like a machine without desire. ¡°Be a good boy and I¡¯ll let you remain with the one who raised you. Let¡¯s go back to the base.¡±


    Cook turned and went back in the car. Only then did Zhou Yu and Wu Yun realize that Dr. Daniel was actually sitting in Dr. Cook¡¯s car.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Wu Yun cursed in a low voice, ¡°Daniel is Cook¡¯s man!¡±


    Zhou Yu looked at Mo Ye and asked in his mind, ¡°Is Dr. Daniel the one who assassinated Song Zhi?


    Mo Ye nodded.


    Zhou Yu mentally drew in a breath, thinking back to every operation Daniel had done for Zhou Qing. Cold sweat dotted his back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wu Yun lifted Song Zhi up and put him in the back seat of the car. ¡°Zhou Qing, Li Qian, and the others are still waiting for us to go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    For Zhou Qing¡¯s sake, Zhou Yu had to go back. But he knew that when they arrived back at the base, Dr. Cook would most likely use Zhou Qing to threaten him.


    The best solution was to find a chance to take Zhou Qing out of the base. But¡­ making an enemy of Juli Corp would mean never being able to return to the world of humans ever again.


    Their fleet headed for the base. All was quiet in the car.


    Wu Yun drove the car and looked ahead, the shadows of trees skimming past his cheeks.


    ¡°I suddenly feel like¡­ S ranked organisms are nothing. People like Dr. Cook and Dr. Turin¡­. are the real monsters.¡±


    Wu Yun spoke.


    ¡°Are you worried about what Cook will do to me after we return to the base?¡± Mo Ye leaned forward and asked.


    ¡°Of course! Look at how they treated Song Zhi! They¡¯re ruthless even to their own people, let alone you. I feel like you and Zhou Yu are the old Song Lin and Song Zhi.¡±


    ¡°No, we won¡¯t be. I¡¯m not like Song Lin. I won¡¯t leave Zhou Yu in a dangerous place.¡± Mo Ye turned sideways and looked at Song Zhi, reaching out to cover the bullet hole at the side of his head. ¡°The bullet that shot Song Zhi was an ordinary bullet, not one containing neurotoxins.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ I see¡­ they¡¯re using Song Zhi¡¯s spinal fluid to lock down Song Lin¡¯s power. If they use a bullet containing neurotoxins, it will contaminate Song Zhi¡¯s spinal fluid. They must still want to use Song Zhi¡¯s remains for something!¡± Wu Yun slapped the steering wheel hard. ¡°If I had known that, I would have let Song Lin take Song Zhi away!¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s Juli Corp¡¯s goal, but I believe¡­ Song Zhi said he wanted me to bring his remains back to the base because he must have had some other arrangements!¡± Zhou Yu said.


    ¡°Do you guys remember when Song Zhi wanted Song Lin to go back to the base to save his ¡®uncle¡¯? Who is that uncle? Song Zhi¡¯s goal shouldn¡¯t be to bring his remains back to the base, but to hand his remains over to that person,¡± Mo Ye said thoughtfully.