Chapter 78: Am I Qualified Now?

Chapter 78: Am I Qualified Now?

Shenchi looked at Shen Tian's contorted face, feeling as if he hadn't hated himself this much when he sent him to the lab in his previous life.

So, why did he hate himself so much this time around?

Shenchi smiled maliciously.

Shen Tian’s scalp tingled with anger, and he rushed forward to slap Shenchi, who was knocked onto the bed, his head reeling as if struck by a massive wave.

Shen Tian looked down at him, "You're in such a sorry state, yet you still have the nerve to laugh!"

Shen Tian grabbed Shenchi by the neck, "Do you think what you've experienced these past few days is all there is? Let me tell you, worse things are coming. They will strip you naked, lay you on this bed, cut you open, implant machinery, and inject drugs to stimulate your abilities. Under prolonged X-ray exposure, your skin, muscles, and bones will mutate until you're no longer useful. Then, they'll slit your throat while you're alive and graft your head onto machines to provide endless energy without rest. Of course, before that..."

Shen Tian looked down at Shenchi's lower body, "You might even have more than one child."

Shenchi retched and vomited on Shen Tian's face.

"You..." Shen Tian's eyes widened, the vile liquid bending his eyelashes and dripping down his cheeks. He wiped his face, nearly losing his mind.

When Jiang Zhendong arrived, Shen Tian was beating Shenchi, who was too weak to fight back.

Jiang Zhendong stepped forward and held him back, "Enough, Xiao Tian."

Shen Tian's rage had not subsided. He turned to see Jiang Zhendong, took a few quick breaths, then glanced at Li Jiu standing behind him, puzzled, "Zhendong, why are you here?"

Jiang Zhendong didn’t look at him but instead at the battered Shenchi on the ground, "Li Jiu said you have a way to solve this plague. Is it true?"

Shenchi glanced at Jiang Zhendong. Though he could barely see clearly, he looked intently.

In their previous life, their interactions were minimal; most of the time, Jiang Zhendong only visited the lab to check progress and offer opinions and praise.

He was generous with compliments and seemed like a kind leader who trusted his subordinates.

But Shenchi could tell from Shen Tian's behavior that Jiang Zhendong was likely very suspicious.

Seeing Shenchi silent, Li Jiu, fearing trouble, urged, "Didn't you say you had a way to treat those infected? Speak up!"

Shenchi glanced at him, his voice hoarse, "Do you believe everything I say?"

Li Jiu: "You damn—"

"Enough," Jiang Zhendong looked at Shenchi, "I hope what he said is true. Otherwise, your fate won't be any better than today's."

Shenchi laughed, as if hearing a clown claim he wasn't ugly while making ridiculous gestures, which made him uncomfortable.

"It's true," Shenchi said, "but I'll only tell you alone."

Shen Tian's heart skipped a beat, looking incredulously at Shenchi, then at Jiang Zhendong.

Jiang Zhendong told Shen Tian, "Go wait outside for now."

Shen Tian's eyes filled with hurt.

Jiang Zhendong looked at him.

Shen Tian bit his lip and angrily turned to leave.

Jiang Zhendong turned to Shenchi, "What you did was unnecessary. I could have told him the result later."

Shenchi didn't bother arguing; he struggled to sit up, "How about a deal?"

Jiang Zhendong was curious, "After all we've done to you, don't you hate us?"

Shenchi: "I do. Saying I want a deal doesn't mean I don't want to kill you."

Jiang Zhendong laughed, casually sitting down in front of Shenchi, showing no airs of being the city's ruler, "Honest words. Why do you think I'd agree? Besides, what makes you think you have the right to negotiate? Your life is in my hands."

Shenchi: "If you came here, doesn't that mean my leverage is enough?"

Jiang Zhendong: "I'm just curious. How can you solve something no one else can?"

"Want to know?" Shenchi smiled, "Simple. Turn off the shielding first."

Seeing no movement, Shenchi sneered, "Afraid?"

Jiang Zhendong shook his head helplessly, tapped his wristwatch, and said, "Done."

As soon as Jiang Zhendong spoke, a bottle of mineral water appeared in Shenchi's hand, causing Jiang Zhendong to narrow his eyes.

Shenchi opened the bottle and poured it over the wound on his arm. Miraculously, the three-inch-long, bone-deep wound began to heal right before their eyes.

Jiang Zhendong couldn't stay composed anymore, his gaze filled with mixed emotions as he reevaluated the young man before him.

Compared to his previously clean and delicate appearance, he now looked like a patient tormented by a terminal illness, fragile yet resilient.

Shenchi looked up at him, "Am I qualified now?"

Jiang Zhendong had regained his composure and shook his head, "Not yet."

"It will be," Shenchi placed the remaining water on the ground, "My demands are simple. I don't want to be locked up, and you can't experiment on me anymore."

Jiang Zhendong picked up the bottle of water, "That's difficult. The doctor is very interested in you."

Shenchi: "Is that so? Then you won't get another drop of this water."

Jiang Zhendong looked at him, then stood up after a moment, "I understand."

Shenchi leaned on the bed to stand up.

Jiang Zhendong: "I'll talk to Xiao Tian."

Shenchi walked forward step by step, "It doesn't matter."

At the door, Shen Tian saw Shenchi come out and immediately stopped him.

Jiang Zhendong followed closely behind, "Let him go."

Shen Tian looked incredulous, "Zhendong?"

Shenchi pushed Shen Tian aside and continued walking, "Arrange a place for me. I need to take a bath and sleep."

Jiang Zhendong wasn't annoyed; he gave a nod to one of his subordinates, signaling them to take Shenchi away and meet his needs as much as possible.

Jiang Zhendong watched Shenchi's unsteady back as he made a call, "It's me. Today's operation is suspended... wait for my notification."

Shen Tian was unhappy, "Do you trust him?"

Jiang Zhendong looked at him, "I only trust results. Li Jiu, go bring Doctor to my office."

Shenchi was given a new residence, a suite. He ignored those watching him and casually entered a room, locking it from the inside before entering the space.

Shenchi looked at the pool, undressing as he walked towards it. After finally taking off all his clothes and soaking in the water, Shenchi let out a long sigh of relief.

He had won the bet.

From the moment he woke up, he had planned everything. As long as he wanted revenge and didn't want to be taken by Zhong Botao for experiments that would make life worse than death, he needed to ensure he wasn't too passive.

He couldn't just let things happen; he had to be more valuable than the experiments.

— The Spirit Spring.

This was his last bargaining chip.

So he waited.

He knew that this time of year, various diseases would start spreading in the north, with the resurgence of bubonic plague hitting humans harder than last year!

In the post-apocalyptic world, what was most lacking besides supplies and ammunition were people and medicine. Once this water could treat diseases, countless people would be attracted here!

The ambitious Jiang Zhendong wouldn't be able to resist such an opportunity.

Meanwhile, Cao Kun managed to sneak into the base. He didn't have the other two follow him but instead sent them back to look after Ping An while he searched for Shenchi and investigated the disappearances of psychics in Hongshan Base.

Shenchi rested for three full days. Without continuous medication, his body began showing side effects: weak limbs, occasional spasms, sometimes even throwing the showerhead in frustration due to severe headaches.

But even so, it was much better than in his previous life.

In his past life, he was soon subjected to a cesarean section, and during the experiments, Zhong Botao repeatedly brought his child to him, discussing their research progress.

Shenchi endured constant psychological and physical torture, often behaving like a madman, either in a daze or self-destructively.

In this life, his child was born safely, and he had the Spirit Spring to heal his wounds. He could feel the itch of healing, believing that a few more days of soaking would help him recover.

Shenchi watched a black car slowly stop downstairs, observing the person being escorted into the house. He swore silently that he would find a chance for revenge, even if it meant using others' power.

Jiang Zhendong saw Shenchi standing by the window, concerned, "How are you feeling? Recovering well?"

Before Shenchi could answer, Zhong Botao, who was beside him, looked him up and down with undisguised interest, "You're quite a deep one, young man."

Shenchi sat on the sofa, "Is the water useful?"

"Yes, the results are astonishing." Jiang Zhendong watched Shenchi's expression, "We've investigated, and this water doesn't exist in any known knowledge system. I'm curious, where did you get it?"

Shenchi: "Do you think I'd tell you?"

Jiang Zhendong smiled, unperturbed by his hostile attitude, "Didn't Doctor Xia give it to you? You seemed close."

Shenchi: "Don't try to trick me. If it's from Luyue, why don't they use it?"

"I think if the water is from Luyue, you'd be much safer. Conversely, if your water becomes known, even I can't protect you." Jiang Zhendong's words were both sincere and a warning.

Shenchi understood the implication and sneered, "Yes, but I fear Leader Jiang would have already dealt with it before the news leaked?"

Jiang Zhendong laughed heartily, looking at Shenchi with more appreciation, "Interesting."

Zhong Botao spoke up, "Young man, since you've achieved your goal, please hand over the water."

Shenchi placed a bottle of water on the table.

Zhong Botao narrowed his eyes, and Shenchi chuckled, "What, not enough? You should know the value of rarity. Besides, if I gave it all to you, what's to stop you from sending me back to the lab?"

Zhong Botao huffed, "With such a small amount, it's better to dissect and study you, which would be more valuable."

Shenchi: "I doubt you're the only one thinking that."

Jiang Zhendong tried to change the subject, "If that's the case, we'll need your help tomorrow, Mr. Shen."

Shenchi continued, "Doctor is just a dog, can he make decisions for his master?"

Zhong Botao's face darkened, and Jiang Zhendong's voice turned stern, "Mr. Shen, please be more respectful. Doctor is my honored guest."

Shenchi said tersely, "I want to go for a walk."

Jiang Zhendong asked seriously, "Can your body handle it?"

Jiang Zhendong's concern seemed genuine, as if he truly cared about Shenchi's health.

Shenchi found it nauseating and ignored him, heading straight into the room.

Shenchi soon changed his clothes and left without acknowledging the two men in the living room.

Zhong Botao clearly harbored dissatisfaction with Shenchi, a rare look of anger appearing on his face. "Zhendong, this person—"

"Doctor," Jiang Zhendong interrupted him. "The most important thing right now is the plague. Besides, the person is here. Why rush?"

Zhong Botao had never cared about the plague; he only cared about his research.

Finally obtaining a dual-ability user, one of whose abilities was a rare high-dimensional space, losing such a valuable experimental subject was truly unbearable!

In the following days, Jiang Zhendong sent people to collect water from Shenchi's place every day, then began production.

Gradually, news spread throughout the base that plague patients were recovering. Even the television frequently aired footage of leader Jiang Zhendong visiting the infected in the quarantine zone.

Shen Tian, despite his reluctance, still accompanied Jiang Zhendong to the outer city to comfort the patients.

The moment it was confirmed that the water had miraculous effects, Jiang Zhendong ordered the previously expelled patients to be brought back into the outer city. Then, he increased manpower to administer the newly developed medicine.

For a while, the base was filled with praise for Jiang Zhendong, as if they had forgotten overnight who had thrown them out to fend for themselves.

Cao Kun, upon hearing this news, specifically went to the quarantine zone to investigate. The results matched the news broadcast content exactly.

Such quick effectiveness... Is it Shenchi?

After Hongshan Base announced the development of a cure for the plague, Luyue soon received the intelligence and sent people to communicate with Jiang Zhendong at Hongshan Base, requesting him to disclose the formula for Spring.

It was impossible for Jiang Zhendong to disclose the formula for Spring, just as Shenchi had said. As long as Shenchi was still in his hands, he would not reveal this trump card.

Thus, after several rounds of negotiations, Jiang Zhendong agreed to sell Spring to other safe zones, but in limited quantities and at a high price, requiring significant exchanges.

Luyue City

In a conference room, after a heated discussion, the middle-aged man leading the group sneered, "A bunch of scoundrels."

On the projector screen was a screenshot of Jiang Zhendong visiting the patients.

Author's note:

Thank you to those who voted for me or provided nutrient fluid support.

Thank you to those who provided [nutrient fluid]:

Purple Mountain Mist 65 bottles; Windy Like It 30 bottles; Little Fish Wash 1 bottle;

I am very grateful for everyone's support. I will continue to work hard!