Chapter 12 012

Chapter 12 012

The door was knocked on and then opened.

A young woman appeared at the doorway. Seeing Xiang Xian, she immediately asked with evident joy, "Brother Xiang, any progress?"

Xiang Xian shook his head.

Mo Yao visibly deflated but quickly put on a smile again. "It's okay, Brother Xiang. You're so capable; you'll definitely find a way!"

"Hmm, keep her company for a while," Xiang Xian said briefly before leaving the room.

Mo Yao gently closed the door and walked to the fish tank, bending down. "Xiang Qin, good evening."

On the screen connected to the brain, the line representing brain activity became slightly more pronounced.

Mo Yao watched it and sighed. "Every time I see your emotions, I can't help but marvel at how incredible life is. You're just a brain now, yet you're still alive. And not only that, do you still have consciousness?"

The line on the screen showed increased activity.

"Xiang Qin, thank you." Mo Yao leaned close to the fish tank, her face twisted in a radiant yet somewhat distorted smile. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive today. You're truly my best friend, my only friend."

The line fluctuated even more intensely.

Mo Yao looked at it as if seeing a pitiful soul trapped in this fish tank, unable to speak or cry, with no one knowing what she was thinking or trying to express.

How tragic. Who would have thought that this brain once belonged to such a lovely and beautiful girl, so popular in school? She was so kind, always helping those who were bullied or ostracized, trying to bring warmth to others. How could she be so poised and brave?

Because she had an incredibly talented brother.

Why, then, is my brother just trash?

Mo Yao couldn't help but think about this every time her brother beat her, called her worthless, and forced her to leave school to work. She would remember Xiang Qin, who also had no parents but a brother. Xiang Qin's brother wouldn't treat her like that; he would encourage her to study, buy her books and pretty clothes, protect her when she was bullied, and even earn special treatment from the school principal because of his influence.

So envious, so jealous.

Fifteen years ago, during the massive evacuation in the west, people ran frantically, fearing they would fall into hell if they were too slow. The streets were chaotic, filled with people, and countless individuals died from stampedes. Even the slightest person was at risk, and some suffocated due to the crowd's density. The danger was comparable to monster attacks.

Xiang Qin hid with Mo Yao in the school dormitory. "Yao Yao, don't be afraid. My brother will come for us, and we'll leave together."

Terrified, Mo Yao still felt a twinge of jealousy. She held Xiang Qin's hand and said, "What if he doesn't come?"

"That's impossible," Xiang Qin said firmly.

Days passed, and they stayed hidden in the school. Outside, chaos continued, but it seemed quieter now, a terrifying silence that made the city feel like it was dying. Even the wind sounded like the city's last breath.

"My brother will come for me," Xiang Qin said, her eyes bright and determined.

Finally, they were found by a team looking for Xiang Qin. "Is this Miss Xiang Qin?"

"It's me!" Xiang Qin pulled Mo Yao out.

"We finally found you. If we hadn't, Mr. Xiang would have come in himself. Let's go."

Outside, the crowds had thinned, and instead of people, there were many corpses—both monsters and humans. A few large creatures wreaked havoc in the distance, with explosions and gunfire echoing.

The commotion should have attracted many monsters, making it safer, but they encountered a snake-like creature that had just laid eggs and was starving—a monstrous giant snake akin to those in "Anaconda."

This creature was agile and difficult to handle.

"Damn..." the team leader cursed in despair. Driven by duty, he gritted his teeth and said, "Little Three, Little Four, take Xiang Qin away. Ensure her safety at all costs."

Xiang Xian was a rare and valuable talent. To ensure he could work effectively and contribute to society, the state provided him with certain resources, including this team to find Xiang Qin. Mo Yao was merely along for the ride, benefiting from Xiang Qin's presence. This fact deeply hurt Mo Yao, reminding her of the hierarchy where Xiang Qin was higher than her.

When the team members protecting them were devoured by the snake, the two helpless middle school girls ran aimlessly. When they encountered a salamander-like creature, Mo Yao's mind went blank. In a moment of panic, she pushed Xiang Qin away and fled.

Her mind was blank, focused solely on survival.

She was lucky. Running frantically, she didn't encounter any more monsters and even met Xiang Xian, who had come to find his sister.

"It's you? Where's Xiang Qin?" Xiang Xian recognized Mo Yao, having seen photos of her with Xiang Qin.

Mo Yao panicked, her mind racing. At the critical moment, she displayed Oscar-worthy acting skills. "Brother Xiang, hurry, save Xiang Qin!"

She led Xiang Xian, using her knowledge of the area to deliberately take a longer route. By the time they found Xiang Qin, she was barely alive, with only half her body left.

"Xiao Qin! Xiao Qin!" Mo Yao rushed over, sobbing uncontrollably. "Brother Xiang, please save Xiao Qin, save her quickly!"

Mo Yao couldn't remember Xiang Xian's expression at the time, but she knew her performance was flawless. People sometimes unleash unimaginable abilities in moments of desperation.

For fifteen years, Mo Yao benefited from her status as Xiang Qin's "best friend," gaining protection from Xiang Xian and growing up like a princess in District Six.

"I still envy you, Brother Xiang hasn't given up on you," Mo Yao said. "But I'm not jealous anymore, because... the living are the real winners."

Mo Yao laughed happily.

This brain was still alive, but Mo Yao didn't consider Xiang Qin alive. It was impossible, or at least not for another twenty or thirty years. By then, she might have lived enough or found another way out, making it irrelevant.

Xiang Qin's death was Mo Yao's doing, a secret that would remain unknown during her vibrant youth.

The brain waves on the screen fluctuated intensely, filled with unspoken pain and anger.

...

Unknown fear is the most terrifying. Zhou Jin, tied up in the lab for days, had lost several pounds from sheer terror. Even the sexy nurse feeding him made him eat nervously, fearing it might be his last meal.

When the door finally opened, Zhou Jin shouted, "Mr. Xiang! Mr. Xiang, I'm telling the truth, I have evidence, real evidence!"

"Where?" Xiang Xian asked, his gaze already fixed on the spot where Zhou Jin had hidden the cards.

Zhou Jin was no longer concerned about the cards being taken. "In my underwear! The cards are in my underwear!"

Even now, Xiang Xian did not believe what Zhou Jin said, but he still ordered someone to strip Zhou Jin.

Sure enough, two cards were found in his underwear. The nurse disinfected the cards thoroughly several times before Xiang Xian, wearing rubber gloves, took them.

The cards were well-made, looking very high-end, without a single scratch, as if cast from ice...

Zhou Jin said, "Mr. Xiang, think of the word 'change' and then turn the card."

Xiang Xian glanced at him indifferently and followed the instructions. In the next second, the card in his hand disappeared, and a pair of wings sprouted from his back.

Xiang Xian: ...

Xiang Xian: ......

Xiang Xian: ..........

His worldview was severely shaken.

Facts speak louder than words. Even Xiang Xian's pupils involuntarily contracted.

The wings behind him were so large and real, even getting stuck in the backrest of his wheelchair. It was impossible to claim it was hypnosis or an illusion.

Zhou Jin became inexplicably excited. "Mr. Xiang! Look, Mr. Xiang, I'm not lying! This is real! If you still don't believe me, go find An Rui! An Rui got a steel body, and he even drew an SSR-level Healing Pill, which made his leg grow back after it was cut off!"

Xiang Xian suddenly looked at Zhou Jin. "What did you say? A leg grew back?"

Zhou Jin had mentioned An Rui drawing cards before, but he never mentioned An Rui's leg regenerating, as he felt guilty and feared such behavior might get him killed.

"That's right!"

The wings transformed back into cards and returned to Xiang Xian's hand. The invisibility cloak activated, making his legs disappear from sight.

Xiang Xian had to accept that there were indeed supernatural beings in this world. He gripped the cards tightly and turned to leave.

"Mr. Xiang! Mr. Xiang, please spare my life, please spare me..."

Xiang Xian ignored him and gave orders to his subordinates.

"Find An Rui and bring him here. Tell him it's about the cards and the mysterious person."

Though confused, the subordinate immediately set out to find An Rui.

Xiang Xian's men found An Rui in District 9. Upon hearing that Xiang Xian wanted to talk about the cards and the mysterious figure, An Rui paused for a moment before following the people from District 6.

An Rui was unsure whether Xiang Xian had encountered Jiang Xingzhuo or heard about it from others, but regardless, he was willing to discuss the matter and Him.

"Mr. An."

"Mr. Xiang."

They lightly shook hands and then sat down facing each other.

"Frankly, I am very interested in your encounter that night, and I believe that mysterious creature was summoned by you." Xiang Xian went straight to the point. He had made Zhou Jin recount every detail of the scene.

An Rui did not deny it. He also believed that Jiang Xingzhuo was summoned by him, as she had explained clearly that because his core card appeared in her pool, she was called forth.

Thinking of this, his heart warmed slightly.

"Can you tell me what you were thinking at that time?" After experiencing such betrayal, having his naive fantasies shattered, and enduring both physical and mental torment, what was An Rui thinking when he summoned something like that?

An Rui looked at Xiang Xian with a different expression than before, which made Xiang Xian pause. An Rui's eyes used to have a certain light, rare in the Wasteland. Now, his eyes still had light, but it was peculiar, very peculiar. Xiang Xian could not quite grasp what it meant.

An Rui said, "I was praying. Praying for a devil to appear and make a deal with me."