Chapter 31: P6

Chapter 31 - P6

Sui Xin had already awakened, reaching for the apple she spotted due to her hunger. However, she didn't recognize the person who had appeared before her. Lying on the ground, she could only gaze up at the woman towering above her. The woman looked ethereally beautiful, with an air of intellectual serenity that resembled an angelic healer. Yet, there was a detached, almost cold demeanor about her that made her seem perilous.

Through the woman's rimless glasses, Sui Xin saw a calm, unwavering gaze.

It was like a lantern in the mist of a dark night, emitting a faint light, vaguely illuminating your outline and probing your body.

"Indeed, you have quite the insatiable appetite."

"I heard you haven't undergone any mutation?"

Sui Xin guessed that this woman must be one of the high-ranking officials who had shown interest in her. She probably came from headquarters, judging by the way Wang Si and the others were looking at her with unusual expressions and demeanor, especially the medical staff.

Was she from the Headquarter's Medical Department? Perhaps affiliated with a key research institute?

Tianxi's core business was pharmaceuticals, and the Medical Department held significant power. Given her youth, it was evident that her current and future status would be substantial.

But he couldn't understand why she, a stranger, was so interested in him. It seemed her main purpose for entering was him.

Could it be that she discovered something about him from his live stream?

If she was that powerful and had set her sights on him, then his subsequent plans... Sui Xin was terrified, feeling as if the beautiful fingers resting on his wrist belonged to an old monster's claws.

Ah ah ah!

"Big Sister."

"Hmm?"

"Can you let go of me? I want to eat an apple."

"Just a moment."

Lin Sui casually unfastened her watch from her own wrist and then placed it on Sui Xin's wrist.

Click, it secured into place.

"First, let me run a scan on your data."

Sui Xin felt utterly uneasy.

The atmosphere turned somber among the others. The refugees watched the woman in spotless white lab coat, accompanied by her stern disciple, as if she were an alien from another world.

There was an aura of authority about her that they couldn't help but sense.

It was rumored that those with higher social standing carried an air that made those beneath them feel inferior. Many people dismissed this as mere propaganda used by the elite to reinforce their sense of superiority. Perhaps there was some truth to it after all.

It could also be that she was inherently someone of high rank, and over time, such an aura had developed naturally when she was around people like them.

Regardless, she didn't spare Wang Si and his group a single glance. As soon as she stepped out of the fighter jet, she went straight for Sui Xin.

Now... the apple was in Sui Xin's hand, her glove in hers, and her watch securely on her wrist.

Sui Xin struggled to regulate her heartbeat.

Until...

"Your heart is racing," Lin Sui's fingers, holding her wrist, pressed gently against her pulse. "Nervous?"

Sui Xin forced a laugh. "Big Sister, could you maybe compliment me on my looks?"

"Hmm? That's quite an impertinent request." Lin Sui's eyebrows slightly furled as her gaze roamed over Sui Xin's dirty face. Her lips twitched. "But honestly, you were quite pretty to begin with."

Suddenly, Lin Sui noticed the heart rate data on the wristband spike.

Sui Xin pointed out, "See?"

"You're so easily flattered." Lin Sui gave her a leisurely glance, then checked the data again. "Your physical condition has improved a bit, and there's nothing abnormal about your blood concentration. However, your energy expenditure is significantly higher than that of an ordinary person."

Sui Xin felt numb inside. "Big Sister, are you saying that my high energy consumption indicates I'm a mutant? Doesn't that make me incredibly fortunate?"

In fact, everyone was also puzzled. Did Mutated Humans have a higher energy consumption rate?

However, A' Li, Jian Siye, and the others present felt nervous — how could they not know about energy depletion?

Every energy expenditure within their bodies was clearly felt.

As for that Prophet Evolution Level... no one had mentioned it yet, but it was uncertain when Tiexi would learn of it.

If someone like Wu Shahai, who had pledged allegiance from the start, divulged these core secrets, the situation for Mutated Humans would truly be disadvantageous from the beginning.

No wonder so many had been captured.

"It's uncertain. If your mutations are related to Salmon Tail Spore Worms, then they must also be connected to ATP absorption and conversion. Besides, any action requires energy. Regardless of whether there are genetic fragments in your bodies, there must be some correlation, right?"

Beside them, Wu Shahai, who possessed the ability to see through objects, didn't recognize Lin Sui and wore an expression of displeasure.

Did this woman think he was mistaken?

Was Su Xin still an Ability User?

A' Li and the others were also puzzled.

Wang Si stepped forward, "Lin Zhu, does this high energy consumption of Sui Xin prove that she has undergone mutation?"

Sui Xin was frustrated. Every time she put up a fierce fight, she would encounter obstacles.

Was she really that unlucky?

"Maybe not. We need to look at her gunshot wound..."

Lin Sui bent down, placing his finger on Sui Xin's shoulder and lifting her collar to examine the wound. He then looked back at her.

Sui Xin couldn't tell if his expression was one of disappointment or indifference.

Regardless, he seemed quite calm.

He touched the wound with his finger, dabbing a bit of blood, and rubbed it between his fingertips.

Lin Sui frowned slightly but quickly relaxed, saying calmly, "The wound keeps getting infected, indicating inflammation within her body. Naturally, her energy consumption is high."

"It seems I was indeed overthinking it."

The others: "..."

Wu Shahai heaved a sigh of relief. With this, the accuracy of his judgment remained, and his value was still intact, allowing him to continue being valued by Tianxi.

Wang Si was somewhat disappointed. After all, capturing more ability users would result in a larger bonus for them.

"Assistant Lin knows her? You're so eager for her to be an Ability User?"

In fact, Sui Xin was also puzzled. Was this person simply short of a test subject?

Lin Sui didn't have any airs either. She pulled up a chair and sat down, casually remarking, "She's not quite like the others."

She had no desire to chat with Wang Si. Sui Xin noticed that she was about to use the team's computer to perform some calculations.

Perhaps the data collected from her needed additional tests compared to other ability users, and they would need to contact the headquarters' laboratory for assistance with the experiments.

This was not optimistic news for Sui Xin.

She truly detested these obsessive medical fanatics.

Fortunately, the bodyguard passed her the communicator at that moment.

It was a call from headquarters.

"It's Young Master Lane," Lin Sui noted as she paused typing on her computer and took the communicator, listening for a moment before frowning slightly and walking to a distant corner.

Sui Xin, with Barlang's sensory abilities, could hear her soft whispers.

"I don't really care whether it's human or animal experimentation; either way, it doesn't make much difference to me. But considering that the First Laboratory already has abundant data on human experiments, and with the revelation of the mutants through the live broadcast stirring public opinion and the Federation's legislative council, other conglomerates who missed their chance are now plotting to use human rights issues against Tiexi. Moreover, they're planning a crackdown on mutants. Are you sure you want to conduct these experiments on refugees?"

"I know human rights are merely an empty notion now, and everyone is carrying their own burdens. They wouldn't dare act too recklessly, but those rights mean nothing in the hands of ordinary citizens. In the hands of other factions, especially those rivalling Tiexi, they might prove useful."

"Our accidents due to this project have already leaned our corporations in favor of certain interests, but we'll still have to pay the price for it."

Lin Sui's voice carried a calm composure in the wind. "Moderation is key. You should understand this better than I do, so I won't take responsibility for this proposal. However, if it's your personal decision, then there's nothing more to be said."

In essence, this was a massive unintended consequence of the Second Red Calamity. However, as one of the developers of the Salmon Sporocyst, the Third Laboratory, where she was based, and the First Laboratory, which primarily focused on human experimentation, both had significant influence over the project.

But there were risks involved too, which was why she had come to M City to avoid the spotlight.

While her contributions might be downplayed, the risks were reduced as well.

Lane, who was on the other end, wasn't actually offended by her words. "You do have a point. Have you resolved your situation? Did that junior analyst satisfy your conjectures?"

"Not really. I was overthinking."

"Then come over. In Sector B01, we're currently apprehending an invisible person. He's quite high-ranking and must have consumed a considerable number of genetic fragments, but we've obtained his blood sample."

"I'll be there shortly."

Lin Sui couldn't afford to continue dealing with Sui Xin's affairs, as her work here was done, and the team she brought had already completed the collection of blood samples from the mutated humans.

As she walked back, she pondered about how to handle Sui Xin next. Eventually, she stood before Sui Xin's stretcher. "Consultant Sui, have you ever considered what would happen if you weren't a mutant?"

Sui Xin was about to take a bite of the apple when he heard her question and hesitantly put it back down. "Kill me?"

"In this world, everyone is data, useful data running in their designated programs. The useless data gets processed or simply discarded."

Lin Sui glanced at the refugees huddled outside and then back at Sui Xin.

"Do you know the Viking Algorithm?"

"What's that?"

"You have a photographic memory, don't you? Or perhaps an exceptional ability to learn efficiently."

"Hmm..."

Lin Sui continued, "I went through your assessment records on the way here. Your fellow analysts, all of whom were in the same batch as you, would purchase relevant pre-assessment data to prepare. Yet, there's no record of you accessing the database."

This meant that she was certain that Sui Xin, who had climbed up from the bottom with only an E-level identity, had always relied on self-study to pass each assessment.

That required remarkable learning abilities.

Sui Xin replied, "Could it be because I'm poor?"

Lin Sui: "After this is over, come with me to Nurves and work in my lab as an analyst. How does that sound?"

Sui Xin: "That doesn't seem appropriate..."

Lin Sui: "As long as you can handle or learn the Viking Algorithm to do the job, you'll receive top-tier P6 benefits."

At that moment, she witnessed the frail figure, who had been about to take another bite of the apple, suddenly sit up straight.

Wow!

Everyone: "!!!"

Jian Siye and the others were stunned.

Wang Si even held his breath – he was only at the P5 salary level.

"S-serious?" Sui Xin asked, surprised.

Lin Sui was taken aback by her reaction, feeling somewhat depressed inwardly: It seems capturing this young lady's interest won't be too difficult.

She glanced at Sui Xin and nodded. "Two million LBs in full, with additional profit sharing from the project."

Sui Xin struggled to sit up, his heart racing. "Where's my ID? My credentials... Are we signing the contract now? Don't play tricks on me."

A laborer's soul is in their wage; a proper salary ensures a grave to be lain.

"I don't deceive people when it comes to hiring."

"If you don't betray me, I won't betray you... How about this, can you ask him to peel an apple for me?"

Damn!

Sui Xin directed that remark at Wu Shahai.

Wu Shahai's expression was grim.

Wang Si and the others were surprised because Sui Xin was undoubtedly offending Wu Shahai, and she seemed to do so without any hesitation.

It was clear that she was retaliating for what had happened before.

Wu Shahai's contempt for her and his revelation that she didn't possess any abilities had deeply wounded her pride.

A' Li flinched, while Wu Shahai laughed sarcastically at Sui Xin, "You? You can also...?"

Lin Sui glanced at him, and the disciple beside her suddenly drew a long sword from his waist, sweeping it in a swift motion.

The blade spun like a returning bird, swooping past Wu Shahai's throat, barely missing the black cloak fastened by buttons beneath it with a whoosh.

The buttons were precisely sliced apart, and with a pat, the entire robe fell to the ground.

The long sword smoothly returned to its wielder's hand, who then sheathed it with ease.

Wu Shahai stood frozen, still feeling the icy chill of the sword's edge as if it had brushed against his throat, beads of cold sweat streaming down his face.

All the abilities present were shaken to their core... Wang Si pursed his lips.

There were ranks among the disciples too. The younger ones were typically Single Ability Responders, while more experienced or gifted ones like Mo Si and Chen Mo could achieve Dual Abilities.

But those who had mastered all three disciplines and received headquarters' cultivation usually advanced to another level altogether.

In M City, the highest-ranking triple-discipline practitioners like himself typically served as protectors for the branch's upper management. They were likely on par with this guard, if not inferior.

Those from headquarters were a different breed.

They didn't know what higher levels existed, but at least they knew what kind of strength the other party possessed.

Damn, that spinning longsword didn't seem to rely on technological magnetism, but rather some skill.

Insiders saw the essence, and Wang Si, as an initiate, was envious of this technique. However, as an esper, he could see how Tianxi treated them with indifference.

Wu Shahai, who had previously maintained his arrogance towards Wang Si, now reacted with a touch of realization after the shock. He wanted to ask if the other party wasn't afraid that he might refuse to cooperate.

He was still needed to screen the mutants.

But he didn't dare to inquire.

Lin Sui didn't look at Wu Shahai but instead turned slightly to glance at the control room, listening to the music still playing.

"Not bad taste, quite pleasant to the ear."

She turned and left, followed by the guard, while the flight team was waiting outside.

It seemed that no one cared whether Wu Shahai knew how to peel an apple or not.

But... Sui Xin knew that Wu Shahai could, and if he wasn't stupid, he should understand the reason behind Lin Sui's gesture.

After a moment of silence.

Sure enough, Wu Shahai came over with a grim face, peeled the apple, and handed it to Sui Xin. He gave a cold smile but said nothing, then was assigned to search for someone in the stone caves.

Jian Siye and the others naturally followed.

Among the medical team, a young doctor, slightly puzzled, quietly asked her superior, "Why would these mutants, especially Wu Shahai, submit?"

She had seen how arrogant Wu Shahai was on their way here.

Was it due to the authority of Assistant Lin?

Looking around discreetly, the superior whispered, "Are you naive? Can you guess what the company's real purpose is in capturing these mutated beings?"

"Creating abilities?"

"Exactly. If they can be manufactured, their value will only decrease. The company won't tolerate them holding too much power and becoming uncontrollable. Unless they possess irreplaceable and formidable rare abilities, then they would be true elite talents to be cherished."

"But if not, isn't Assistant Lin risking offending these mutated beings? What if they retaliate?"

If it's not possible.

The old physician's expression held a profound meaning.

If they cannot be controlled or replicated, these mutants would be considered outliers among humanity. No consortium, federal power, or organization would allow these mutants to flourish and potentially undermine those who currently hold authority.

They would be eradicated.

There would be no other option.

Thus, Lin Sui's move was to put Wu Shahai, whose ego had swelled, back in his place, and also to give a subtle warning to the other mutants.

She wasn't afraid of offending these people.

Because once she could create them, she would be one of those who crafted them.

And if she couldn't, they would be mere corpses.

At present, the Disciples still held an absolute advantage over these non-elite rare ability users.

But pondering this situation inversely... the old physician glanced at Sui Xin, who was happily lying down and eating a peeled apple, and realized: This girl must have known this all along. That's why she deliberately countered Wu Shahai, knowing that Lin Sui would take the opportunity to suppress these mutants.

How cunning.

No wonder she could deceive those high-ranking, red-eyed officials even without abilities.

No wonder someone like Lin Sui would take an interest in her.

From the looks of it, intelligence wasn't something that could be mutated.

Indeed, Sui Xin had lain down obediently.

Mainly because she was genuinely exhausted.

To prevent her physical condition from being exposed, she had kept the gunshot wound, and the inflammation was real.

Now, all she was waiting for was to leave this Crimson Zone that had been sealed off by Tiange.

Yes, the backup plan she had prepared earlier was to escape the Crimson Zone through Tiange's flight team.

Being caught and then leaving still counted as leaving, right?

There was nothing wrong with that logic.

However, as she rested, Sui Xin had the constant feeling of being watched. She turned her head, and from her perspective lying on the stretcher, she could align her gaze with the refugees in the shallow pit on the square, hugging their heads.

She saw that girl again, who had been looking at her several times.

Recognized her?

That couldn't be.

Sui Xin didn't kill her earlier because she was just an insignificant refugee with no means to find and report to someone like Sol, let alone with no evidence. Besides, after executing her plan, Sol and his ilk were completely manipulated, their actions ranging from investigation to pursuit all occurring around the frostfall, leaving them with no time or capability to locate her. Even if the girl had spoken up, they could have dismissed her as the Three-Shot instead and never suspected her.

Unless the girl possessed x-ray vision to see through her disguise.

Later on, she carried out her tasks under the guise of Chen Mo... If this girl could connect those dots and identify her, it could only mean that she possessed extraordinary insight and intuition beyond her years.

Would she expose her then?

Sui Xin blinked, and the girl, noticing her gaze, lowered her head without a sound.

----------------------

The capture operation in the caverns could be considered both successful and unsuccessful.

On the one hand, most refugees lacked the ability to escape and were swiftly apprehended. However, without Wu Shahai's assistance, these disciples, relying on their experience, could tell that they weren't metahumans.

Too weak.

Faced with certain death without any resistance, it's most likely not the case.

However, out of caution, blood samples were taken, and they also passed through Wu Shahai's scrutiny.

Wu Shahai utilized his telepathic abilities multiple times, stopping only when his brain throbbed with a pulsating pain.

"No, there are no mutated beings here."

In the vast and labyrinthine cavernous stone forest, Wang Si's expression was grim. "There's no doubt that those people's testimonies are true. This person must exist, but she managed to escape."

"She shot the refugees precisely to create this situation, to blend in and make it difficult for us to pinpoint her location for capture."

"Is everyone present?"

One person chuckled bitterly. "No way could we find them all. With so many people and such a vast cavern, the aerial team can only establish a perimeter lockdown. The interior is too dark, filled with stone pillars, making it impossible to spot those at the bottom. Besides, due to Bruce's presence, the temperature here is too complex, causing thermal sensing systems to malfunction. Otherwise, we would have a clear view."

"That is to say, if there are any hidden caves or secret tunnels here, and that person is agile enough and familiar with the terrain, they could be hiding or have already escaped. We'll have to spend more time sealing off the area and conducting a thorough search."

"It's highly unlikely to be absolutely certain right now."

It would simply take time.

In reality, there was no escape from this situation unless the opponent had an ability specifically designed to counter such containment measures.

But even if they managed to escape here with the help of a mutant like Wu Shahai, combined with the nationwide lockdown and the rapid research being conducted in the laboratories on the differences between a mutant's internal thermal energy, blood, and energy compared to that of ordinary humans, any attempt at concealment would be transparent once the appropriate equipment was deployed.

By then, Wu Shahai might not even be necessary.

In summary, it wouldn't be easy for other mutants to escape from this environment in the short term.

Again, unless their abilities were potent enough to disregard these obstacles.

But here was the issue with Wang Si's operation to capture them—Bo5 was too unique, and there were too few mutants!

It seemed... too many had perished during the explosion?

Other outposts might not have exploded yet, as some mutants had undergone their transformations ahead of schedule. They had gained extraordinary powers and decisively disrupted the self-destruction system within the quarantine zones. Some of these mutants even held onto their outposts, engaging in fierce battles against Tianxi and other arriving factions. The battles were often gruesome on their side, for when their numbers were numerous, the variety of abilities displayed by their opponents was bizarre and terrifyingly effective.

In the case of someone like A' Li, who could emit toxic gas, as long as they were covered while charging into a crowd, they could virtually wipe out scores of people in minutes without protective masks.

That was the situation in those ruins, not to mention the terrifyingly abnormal sniper, Danben Xi, who could fly and strike from afar.

Wang Si found himself in a dilemma; he couldn't make the call alone, so he naturally reported it to his superiors.

Soon, they received orders.

The remaining disciples and a fleet of flyers were to maintain lockdown, while the other mutated beings would be returned.

It wasn't worth making such a big fuss over just one mutant; the best tools should be used for the most critical tasks.

Due to this order, Wang Si sensed that the battles in other regions might not be going as smoothly as anticipated. As time passed, Tiexi's research progress might not keep up with the rate at which these mutated beings recovered and gained control of their powers.

Hence, expediting the study of the other mutated beings had become an urgent matter.

With a composed glance at the weakened mutants, whose energy had been drained, Wang Si silently mused: The higher-ups must be growing impatient.

They were desperately craving powers that didn't belong to humans, and even more terrified of these terrifying mutants breaking free and seeking revenge.

It was uncertain how many of these mutated humans would survive.

-----------------------

Sui Xin and the others returned to City M on a flight crew. As the aircraft took off, they could see that the Red-Eyed group paid no attention to the refugees.

Sui Xin overheard a few staff members discussing this matter.

These organizations kept the refugees for their human resources and reproductive capabilities. But to Tianxi, the cost of managing these refugees didn't justify the benefits. Once the situation ended, they would withdraw, and the fate of these refugees would be of no concern to them.

There was no need to kill them either, as it served no benefit. Besides, it would be unnecessary if other conglomerates used it against them in the Federation as a smear tactic.

So, the refugees' survival was left to fate; they might even end up being captured by other organizations and enslaved once more.

This was just how the world worked.

Such was its harsh reality.

-----------------------

In fact, the aircraft wasn't just carrying Ability Users from Base 5; there were also others from neighboring zones who had been captured and were being transported back together, ahead of schedule.

Tianxi was wary of any complications.

However, it was impossible to send them directly to headquarters – it would take too long, and the journey had to be planned more securely. Otherwise, with inadequate security, the plane could become a target for snipers, resulting in a disaster.

Naturally, they were first flown to Tianxi's branch in M City, a metropolis under Tianxi's control as the local powerhouse.

In the cabin, A' Li and the others wore self-destruct necklaces – curiously, Sui Xin did not have one around her neck.

That was because she wasn't an Ability User.

"So, Base 5 only has a few Mutants?"

Five of them were seated against the cabin wall on their side.

On the other side, Base 4's Ability Users sat in a row, a total of eleven individuals.

The dynamics were different. If Wu Shahai, who also came from Base 4, was included, they would be a group of twelve Mutants.

Perhaps they were under immense pressure, fearing that they would be locked up for experimentation upon arriving at Celestial Talisman City. Thus, they kept finding faults.

Jian Siye usually didn't bother with them, as she was dealing with her own stress. However, the other party continued to provoke her.

"The ones captured are only us."

The red-haired buzz-cut man touched the scar on his face and scoffed. "Just the five of you, right? The rest are all gone. Team BO5 is truly weak."

At this mention, the members of Team BO5 felt stifled.

There were so few mutated individuals because many of their people had perished before they could mutate.

The culprit behind it all was none other than Liu Yong, the pig leader.

Of course, those who survived the mutation and then perished were mostly connected to a certain someone. It was just that not many knew about this.

Jian Siye: "You have more mutated people, doesn't that mean more of you were captured?"

Feeling embarrassed and fueled with anger, the other party would have likely started a fight on the spot if not for the self-detonating collars around their necks and Wang Si and others aiming their guns at them.

Wu Shahai, standing aside, maintained his noble composure and refrained from joining in. He simply cast a few cold glances at the person lying on the ground.

He couldn't believe that an unmutated individual like that would be hired by the company with a P6 salary.

That Assistant Lin was most likely deceiving her.

At that moment, Sui Xin, who had taken a short nap, stirred awake. Lying down, she weakly sipped on the nutrient solution provided by the old physician – a formula of higher grade than ordinary ones, with several times the effectiveness and a sweet taste. It was quite enjoyable.

It was a complete replenishment.

As she drank, she glanced at their collars and asked, "What were you talking about? Were you discussing abilities? I really envy you for being ability users."

"Unlike me, who'll have to sit in an office and stress over those numbers in the future."

"Sure, my salary will undoubtedly be much higher than yours, but that doesn't bring any happiness."

"Oh, do you guys receive salaries now?"

In truth, Sui Xin had a good character. She never targeted anyone unilaterally (excluding the previous incident), often addressing everyone equally – in other words, offending them all.

The others who had accompanied them had mostly seen the live broadcast. It had to be said that it felt like ages ago when Ye Chen and the rest initially thought she was a low-key, melancholic, and gloomy introvert.

She'd better not say a word in this lifetime.

"Ye Chen wanting to kill you isn't entirely groundless," Si Tulie commented.

Sol, tied up in the corner, sneered coldly.

Sui Xin's expression froze. She turned over, pulled the thick blanket over herself, and sighed audibly.

"It's my fault."

"Is that why Heaven wants me to reach P6? But Ye Chen risked his life, while I gained money. Does this mean they love me so much that I'm a little fairy? How am I supposed to overcome this hurdle?"

"I'm going to sleep. Remember to wake me up for meals."

What the hell?

In that moment, everyone present instinctively reached for their weapons in silence.

The pilots' faces darkened somewhat.