Chapter 129

Chapter 129

"Do you realize how easily you're led into a trap?" Wu Yin couldn't help but criticize. "I merely mentioned a name, not even a name but a codename, and said nothing else, yet you react like this, everything written all over your face, almost as if you're about to show me your underwear."

Geng Wu had never heard such a blunt statement before.

Because his [core] skills were weak, unable to control a human body for long, he mostly let Wu Zhe move around outside. Switching accounts was exhausting, requiring long rests, so his encounters with Xie Linyuan were few. But he always felt that the other wouldn't speak in such a tone, essentially saying it was out of character.

Geng Wu's suspicious gaze circled Xie Linyuan's face, then he coughed lightly to save face, saying, "Get to the point. You specifically sought me out and mentioned the ferryman, surely not just to mock my gullibility?"

If it were just Wu Yin standing there, he might have actually nodded, his mocking ability maxed out. But Xie Linyuan, being more sensible and aware of the bigger picture, straightened his neck before Wu Yin could nod, avoiding further damage to their already fragile brotherly bond.

"You first," Wu Yin said, unable to control his neck but still able to control his voice, "Why won't the ferryman speak? Was it you... who carved words on Wu Yin's bionic body, leading Wu Yin and me to the zoo, acting as if inviting us to reconcile and be a loving family, only to pretend to have amnesia about such a crucial matter, saying nothing... Geng Wu, what else are you hiding from us?"

Geng Wu, accused by 'Xie Linyuan' in such a manner, was left dumbfounded, "I... I only have a vague memory of this person, it's so blurred I'm not even sure of it myself, that's why I didn't say anything."

"Do you think I believe that?"

"..." After a moment of silence, Gengwu, considering Jielin Yuan merely an outsider, yet so audaciously bold in front of him, reluctantly spoke the truth, "Do you really need me to say that the existence of the Boatman is crucial, and I distrusted you, hence deliberately kept it hidden?"

Wu Yin: "..."

Wu Yin: "You—"

Before Wu Yin could erupt, Jielin Yuan quickly reclaimed the conversation, effectively silencing him.

Parasites, each harboring their own schemes, is a well-known fact; there's no point in wasting time arguing over the truth. Thus, shifting from his previous contentious demeanor, Jielin Yuan succinctly moved past the topic of fraternal discord, earnestly and in detail shared what they knew about the Boatman with Gengwu.

He also did not conceal that their source was Gui You, whose Decay skill was vital, but Jielin Yuan tactfully conveyed that Gui You believed it wasn't yet time for the brothers to recognize each other, hence had left after disclosing the Boatman's information.

"..." Gengwu seemed to barely pay attention to Jielin Yuan's additional explanations. Upon learning about the Boatman's actions at the northern camp, creating sapient aberrations and synthetic mutants, his expression grew solemn, and upon hearing about an experimental vessel there, he immediately declared, "I must also go to the northern camp."

Gengwu lifted his dark eyes, "I need to see the Boatman myself, to verify if that vague shadow in my memory is truly him."

"What do you remember?" Jielin Yuan felt entitled to ask this question now.

Gengwu, now privy to a wealth of information, no longer withheld anything, sharing his clues truthfully, "Before the Boatman's code name came up, I didn't know who the person in my memory was, couldn't even recall what exactly he did. I just instinctively felt a strong disgust and aversion towards him... But the moment you mentioned those two words, I immediately matched him with the nameless figure in my memory."

"In my fuzzy memory, he is cruel, greedy, foolish yet pretentious. He seemed to think that conducting parasitic experiments was as simple as casting a net for fish, anyone would do... Somehow, he managed to steal data from the experimental island, recruited a bunch of ignorant doctors and professors to conduct inhumane human experiments based on research data, and then..."

"Due to rough handling and irresponsible staff, one of the subjects malfunctioned, giving rise to a... an inferior core that proliferated uncontrollably like cancer cells. These inferior cores quickly invaded human bodies, seeking suitable hosts. They could determine the outcome in just seconds, then lurk within the human body, absorbing nutrients and energy to self-divide and reproduce. In just a few hours, they could turn a living person into a walking corpse, then spread through blood and other means to find the next suitable host."

Gengwu, massaging his temples in frustration, "My memories are fragmented and chaotic... I've been thinking that these disjointed memory fragments are not only due to amnesia after my separation from the main body but might also be related to my symbiotic ability. I might not have been conscious the whole time, and my memories were inherently incomplete...

"Forget it, none of that matters. Like you, if the Boatman is indeed the person from my memory, then he must have the coordinates of the experimental island, as well as the genetic data of what I call the 'father of calamitous contamination.' This will undoubtedly be of significant assistance in researching the calamitous contamination inferior cores."

"It's strange to me," Wu Yin suddenly said, drawing the attention of both Jielin Yuan and Gengwu, "Shouldn't the experimental island, if not impregnable, at least have a strong sense of privacy? After all, they're engaged in illegal activities. Why would they allow a mere supply boatman to access a wealth of core research data so easily?"

"There must have been some incident on the island," Gengwu speculated, "that allowed the ferryman to fish in troubled waters."

Both Wuyin and Jie Linyuan thought of Guiyou's mother fleeing with him, surmising that she was likely not the only one privy to certain information. Perhaps following her escape, the remaining researchers on the island turned on each other over the sole successful subject, Guisi, resulting in chaos that the nefarious ferryman exploited.

All questions would be answered after meeting the ferryman at the northern camp.

As long as they could find the person, Wuyin was confident in prying open his mouth.

……

The next day, just as dawn broke, someone knocked on Jie Linyuan's bedroom door. Upon opening it, he found Guiyou standing straight outside, gazing intently at him.

The next moment, without a word, Guiyou left Wuyin's bionic body, which, no longer controlled, slumped softly and was caught in Jie Linyuan's arms. Just then, a white fox with three tails appeared out of nowhere. Jie Linyuan recognized it as the mutant white fox from the mutant's family. It swiftly scooped up something that looked like a meatball from the ground with one of its tails and stuffed it into its mouth without swallowing, just holding it obediently.

After doing this, it shyly glanced at Jie Linyuan, raised its front paws to bow, and then quickly jumped out the window and ran off.

Initially, Wuyin feared his brother might be chewed up by the mutant white fox, but it was now clear the fox was colluding with Guiyou. It was a mystery how Guiyou had managed to win over the mutant white fox in the past few days, making it serve as a free mode of transport for Guiyou in his [Core] state.

"Should we follow it to see where the fox goes, to deduce how Guiyou plans to accompany us to the northern camp?" Jie Linyuan suggested, lifting the bionic body by the back and knees, carrying it to the bed. "Tracking the [Core] is difficult, but the fox is much simpler."

"No need," Wuyin replied indifferently. "I have a rough idea where he is."

"Oh?" Jie Linyuan was genuinely puzzled about Guiyou's whereabouts and couldn't help asking, "Where?"

Wuyin couldn't miss the opportunity to tease Jie Linyuan, offering a mysterious smile, "Guess."

"…You don't know, do you? Just pretending to be smart here," Jie Linyuan bent down to tidy the bionic body's hair and compulsively straightened the collar of its shirt.

"Provocation won't work on me."

"You, a literary ignoramus, actually know what provocation is?" Jie Linyuan responded casually, but then suddenly looked up in confusion, "Why are you still inside my body, especially when the bionic body has returned?"

"No rush," Wuyin said languidly.

"..." Jie Linyuan suddenly had a very bad feeling, "What are you planning?"

"Aren't the mutants likely to capture a follower of the ferryman today?" Wuyin mentioned, "I plan to save some energy and parasitize that person. To successfully make contact with the ferryman, using his identity would undoubtedly make things much smoother."

Jie Linyuan: "..."

Noticing his hesitation, Wuyin asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Jie Linyuan's reserved and restrained "nothing" instantly enlightened Wuyin. After a pause, he burst into a bright smile, "Seems like someone yesterday afternoon told me to find any body at all, they couldn’t wait to kiss me. Who was that, I wonder?"

Who: "..."

Seeing Jie Linyuan not responding immediately, Wuyin's smile grew even more mischievous, "Didn’t you say anyone would do? Going back on your word?"

"Are you sure?" Jie Linyuan, not one to be teased without retorting, also flashed a sinister smile, "I have no problem with it, as long as it’s the one you’ve parasitized. Indeed, then it doesn’t matter who I kiss."

Thus, a four-year-old and a twenty-four-year-old began provoking each other, until Lu Ba sent a message to Jie Linyuan saying the mutants had returned to the zoo around 4 a.m. and had indeed captured the instigator who was flaunting his control over a deformed intelligence outside the zoo.

Initially, Sister Bai planned to immediately imprison the misbehaving follower in the zoo's jail, following the interrogation process of the Four Forces Alliance. However, because Jie Linyuan had alerted them in advance through Lu Ba, wanting to meet the follower, the mutants did not hesitate to sneak the follower down, intending to let Wuyin meet him first before deciding what to do.

—And then, in the mutants' courtyard, they met a short man as round as a ball, with a fat face, big ears, and a face full of pockmarks.

Jie Linyuan: "..."

Jie Linyuan: "Are you really going to parasitize him?"

Wuyin: "..."

Jie Linyuan: "I take back what I said earlier; even if it's you, I can't bring myself to kiss this person."

Wuyin declared solemnly, "Your love is very superficial."

Jie Linyuan affirmed decisively, "Yes, you're right."