Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Four years prior, Gui You and his mother escaped the experimental island, landing through a northern port city, which coincidentally was also where the first case of calamity contamination appeared.

Jie Linyuan had already suspected a link between the calamity contamination and the Sixty Jiazi experiments, and the information now undoubtedly strengthened this connection.

Though the timelines didn't quite match, there was a boatman, mentioned by Gui You, who seemed deeply involved. After Gui You and his mother returned to the mainland, this boatman likely continued traveling between the experimental island and the northern port, and after the outbreak of the calamity, suddenly approached Gui You's mother, stealing part of the experimental data, along with creating intelligent aberrations and synthetic mutant animals in recent times...

Jie Linyuan was almost certain that the Sixty Jiazi and the source of calamity contamination bore a mimicry relationship, the latter being a crudely made imitation. It was a case of Li Kui and Li Gui, with some amateurish deviation occurring during the cultivation process, filled with the recklessness of the ignorant, leading to the current irreversible state of the world.

Similarly, Jie Linyuan could easily deduce the role the boatman played—a wildly arrogant, greed-driven ambitious person, attempting to replicate parasitic experiments for massive profits, only to have his plans backfire spectacularly.

He shared his speculations with Wu Yin and Gui You; the former remained silent within his body, pondering, while the latter's eyes widened in shock, "How did you know?"

Jie Linyuan smiled slightly, indicating that this was just basic deduction, nothing extraordinary.

Gui You continued, "It took a lot of effort to sneak into the boatman's yacht hidden at the northern camp port, where I saw their laboratory on the ship and the warehouse full of data drafts. Fortunately, their experiments were killing people one after another, allowing me to hide on the ship day and night, eavesdropping on their conversations. That's how I learned the boatman was attempting to replicate parasitic cores, and not just that, but also trying to create some sort of super-evolved humans, evolved creatures..."

"Sounds interesting, I'd like to take a look," Wu Yin blurted out, "Shall we go? Jie Linyuan, let's visit your old haunt. They're in chaos, we might sneak in unnoticed, and maybe we'll find if they've secretly kept a copy of your highest directive. Aren't you always worried about that? A visit might resolve your only concern."

Jie Linyuan knew Wu Yin would insist on visiting the northern camp upon learning of the boatman's existence, yet he hadn't anticipated this particular concern. Despite feeling slightly moved inside, he feigned indifference, "I'd rather not go. For all I know, they've forgotten about me. And to show up now, at such a critical time? The moment they see Z1932 is still around, without the highest directive copy, they'd dredge up my original data to fabricate one. Where would I even begin to lament?"

"You're not going?" Wu Yin countered, his tone turning dangerous.

Since Wu Yin was speaking directly in Jie Linyuan's mind, Gui You could only hear Jie Linyuan's side of the conversation. He saw the silver-haired man, who had just demonstrated his logical analysis, suddenly adopt a contrived expression, as if waiting to be coaxed.

"Not going..." Jie Linyuan deliberately paused, before adding a twist, "Unless—"

Wu Yin didn’t let him finish, cutting in coldly, "Forget it then. I'll find someone else to go with me. Lu Ba seems like a good choice."

Jie Linyuan perked up his ears like a wary rabbit, "Lu Ba? Good in what way?"

"He's good because... he's very good."

"Why mention Lu Ba specifically?"

"Ah, just a casual mention, don't take it seriously," Wu Yin suddenly realized something was off, as if Jie Linyuan's reaction was getting serious.

"In this context, why is your first thought Lu Ba? Are you close with him?"

"No," Wu Yin denied firmly, "I don't know him."

"You're trying to cover up, Wu Yin. I need a reasonable explanation."

“……”

From a distance, Gui You watched Jie Linyuan frown and mutter to himself, feeling utterly hopeless. If possible, he wished he could return the bionic body to Wu Yin right now and flee as far as he could, hoping to escape the suffocating aura of these absurd lovers.

……

After a minor quarrel that seemed to lighten the mood, Wu Yin and Jie Linyuan once again approached the border of sectors 429 and 1305, with Gui You reluctantly tagging along, feeling like an accessory.

Jie Linyuan had mentioned his visit for today, hence the two silver-haired mechanical war gods eagerly awaited his arrival since morning. They had thought they would be establishing a foothold at the zoo under Jie Linyuan's lead, embarking on a new chapter of life. However, to their surprise, Jie Linyuan's first words announced his plan to set off for the northern camp in three days, advising 429 and 1305 to do as they pleased without minding him.

“？？？”

What was even more unexpected was Professor Jie's excited declaration of his intention to return to the northern camp upon hearing Jie Linyuan's decision, citing urgent research materials left behind and his desire to return the baby to its biological mother.

"Professor Jie, please don't add to the chaos," 1305 implored, pushing the professor back, "With the northern camp in such disarray, isn't it obvious why his mother entrusted him to you? It was to take him away from there, not to send him back."

"You don't understand..." Professor Jie insisted, cradling the baby with determination, "I must go back. A child can only grow up healthy by his mother's side."

1305 despaired, "What if I become his mother from now on, would that work?"

429：“……”

"Research materials?" Wu Yin was intrigued by something else, "Isn't Professor Jie a professor of Chinese? Why does he have research materials?"

"Who told you that?" Jie Linyuan countered quietly, speaking to himself, "He's also a professor of biology."

Speaking of biology professors, Wu Yin immediately thought of the Border Collie Princess, chuckling, "I wonder who has deeper expertise in biology, Professor Jie or the Border Collie Princess? Speaking of the princess, I wonder if His Highness misses his parents? Didn't you leave a way to contact the southern camp? How about we video call tonight, let His Highness see the Black Knight and the Princess?"

Jie Linyuan: "...You truly are a caring pet owner concerned about their psychological well-being."

The office was in turmoil, and despite 429 and 1305's attempts to persuade him otherwise, Professor Jie was adamant about returning to the northern camp, asking only for a ride from Jie Linyuan, promising not to be a bother upon arrival.

Jie Linyuan couldn't refuse Professor Jie's request, and with Wu Yin not objecting, he readily agreed, much to the professor's relief.

After leaving, Jie Linyuan headed to the pawnshop where Jia Chen worked. Despite Gui You's reluctance, Wu Yin insisted on informing Geng Wu and Jia Chen about the boatman, at the very least making Geng Wu aware.

The reason being, the hospital near the Beast Kingdom, where Wu Yin obtained his current bionic body and which was also the site of the first major incident caused by a group of immunes, spreading the divisive rhetoric that the disaster's pollution was incurable, necessitating elimination, and declaring immunes as the pinnacle of evolution, while others were merely struggling to survive, wasting immune resources.

It was in this remarkable hospital that Professor Liu, responsible for safeguarding Wu Yin's bionic body, revealed the possible truth behind the disaster's pollution, claiming it was not viral but parasitic from an unknown organism. He mentioned that these assertions were informed to him by a boy claiming to be Geng Xiaoma.

Therefore, Geng Wu must know something.

As for Jia Chen... well, since Geng Wu has already been informed, what harm could telling one more parasite do?

Wu Yin's assessment of Jia Chen is that of a vain little bug who, fond of his bio-body, leveraged his looks to gain advantages in the zoo, thus envying Wu Yin and harboring intentions of replacing him. However, when it comes to major issues, Wu Yin trusts that Jia Chen, who once said, "Those not of our kind must have a different heart," knows where his allegiance should lie.

After hearing their conversation, Gui You pondered briefly and agreed to share the information about the Ferryman with Geng Wu and Jia Chen, on the condition that he would not appear in person and that after leaving Wu Yin's bio-body the next day, he would disappear again. This time, he wouldn't inform Wu Yin and Xie Linyuan of his whereabouts nor should they seek him out. Upon their arrival at the northern camp, he would naturally reappear.