Chapter 84: Genesis Tech

Chapter 84: Genesis Tech

The Anomaly Incident Team is the most mysterious department in the entire Clean Center; many employees have never even seen this department despite working there for years.

There's also a saying that if you see the Anomaly Incident Team, you're about to face great misfortune.

They operate independently from other departments, investigating and handling all anomalies.

After the technical department detected abnormal data, they reported it to Lu Qiqin. This matter was not handed over to the War Section but to the Anomaly Incident Team, who led two teams of cleaners and two teams of demon hunters to the ant nest.

The protective suits of the Anomaly Incident Team are pure white, symbolizing supreme purity. They remain absolutely neutral and do not participate in any factional struggles within the Clean Center.

They investigate all anomalies, some of which are assigned tasks, while others are leads they discover and follow up on their own.

The entire Anomaly Incident Team consists of only fifteen full-time members, but they strictly control membership, preferring quality over quantity.

The leader of the Anomaly Incident Team is named Huo Wenxi.

She is very young, only 25 years old, making her the youngest minister in the entire Clean Center.

At this moment, she is fully dressed in a white protective suit, leading the way with two teams of demon hunters standing behind her.

If Zhu Ning were present, she would be quite surprised. Many demon hunters are arrogant, and cleaners must always let them pass first when they encounter them. Now, the demon hunters are obediently standing behind Huo Wenxi.

No one dares to speak unless she does, and the demon hunters must unconditionally obey the commands of the Anomaly Incident Team.

Before entering the ant nest, they received a report from the technicians on the road.

The video transmitted back showed an unidentified creature inside the ant nest.

Additionally, they received the death report of the technician. The researcher who detected the mutant and made eye contact with the unknown creature exhibited abnormal symptoms. It took them only ten minutes to arrive, but during those ten minutes, the technician had already died from ineffective resuscitation efforts.

The speed of death was extremely fast, and it was initially determined that it could spread electronically.

The technical department is generally the safest, and in the past ten years, no technician has ever died. This incident broke the zero-fatality record.

The technician is currently undergoing an autopsy, and the specific report will be available later.

The technical department activated Prometheus' protective network to prevent further casualties.

As the primary reporter, Prometheus unsurprisingly participated in this mission, with human-machine interface devices attached to the members' temples, allowing them to share internal networks.

"Why are there mutants in the ant nest?" Huo Wenxi asked.

Many demon hunters have never seen mutants, but the Anomaly Investigation Team has encountered them before.

Prometheus' voice sounded very calm: "Suspected high concentration of metal pollution, creating an environment similar to outside the wall."

Huo Wenxi frowned; the situation was more complicated than they had anticipated. Some areas can be purified, allowing humans to continue living, but others cannot be thoroughly cleaned.

When they encounter areas that cannot be purified, they have no choice but to abandon the land and evacuate.

Humans have already lost too much territory.

Huo Wenxi: "Initiate Level A protocol, activate the protective shield to prevent anything inside from escaping."

The Anomaly Incident Team has the highest authority, and opening the Level A protocol requires only Huo Wenxi's verbal command.

Huo Wenxi gave her second order: "Mutants inside the wall, suspected to have a gaze attack. Those who make eye contact may experience sudden respiratory arrest. Avoid direct eye contact. Everyone, enter!"

...

Zhu Ning had lost Pei Shu.

But with the Anomaly Incident Team already on the scene, Zhu Ning couldn't go back to retrieve him. Considering Pei Shu's past survival outside the wall and his ability to work for a tycoon, he must have exceptional skills.

Without the interference of outsiders like Zhu Ning and Liu Niannian, Pei Shu might have a better chance of getting out.

Moreover, Liu Niannian seemed completely unconcerned about Pei Shu's whereabouts; they likely have a special means of communication. As Pei Shu is Liu Niannian's teacher, Zhu Ning didn't need to worry about him.

She followed the original plan and took Liu Niannian home. She expected Liu Niannian to live in a palace or mansion, but the address Liu Niannian provided was a high-end residential complex.

Just emerging from the ant nest, Zhu Ning keenly felt the stark contrast between the slums and the luxury district.

This was definitely not Liu Niannian's family residence; it was probably a temporary apartment for the young lady, designed with one household per elevator, ensuring maximum privacy. If desired, one could avoid seeing anyone from entering the complex to reaching home.

Since leaving the ant nest, Zhu Ning had felt someone watching her. Chu Qing once mentioned observing Zhu Ning, and she suspected this pervert might indeed be watching.

Even if she didn't care, she couldn't stop Yongsheng Pharmaceutical from watching her. The best she could do was cover her face to avoid being photographed head-on.

Once Zhu Ning entered Liu Niannian's home, all the tracking eyes disappeared.

They were wary of this place.

It was as if one monster had encountered another behemoth, each aware of the other's strength and knowing certain lines should not be crossed lightly.

Liu Niannian commands immense respect from Yongsheng Pharmaceutical, so much so that they dare not offend her in any way. Her status might be even higher than Zhu Ning imagined.

Liu Niannian's home is a large apartment in this world where every inch of land is precious, and the vast space alone demonstrates her family's power.

Zhu Ning originally intended to drop Liu Niannian off and leave, but she inexplicably followed her upstairs, marveling at everything along the way like someone who had never seen such luxury.

Is this where a tycoon's daughter lives?

If Liu Niannian has such a preference, waking up on a ten-meter bed isn't impossible?

A mechanical butler manages the house, without synthetic skin, exposing its metallic frame. However, it exudes a sense of advanced technology and a light, powerful presence, suggesting it can do more than just handle chores, perhaps even perform acrobatic feats.

It should be capable of protecting Liu Niannian.

The mechanical butler greeted Liu Niannian first, then smiled at Zhu Ning when he saw her, "Miss, hello."

Zhu Ning felt a bit uneasy: "Hello?"

Liu Niannian's home had a bit of the old family hierarchy, and the butler's attitude gave Zhu Ning a sense of being a noble lady.

The butler guided them to sit on the sofa. The living room had a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of District 103. Zhu Ning was always amazed when she first saw District 103 from above, but whether she was in a flying car or driving on the aerial highway herself, she could only stay at that vantage point for a short time.

The aerial highway had an end, and ordinary people couldn't stay in the clouds for long.

This scenery was effortless for Liu Niannian; it was her everyday perspective on the world.

What a wicked capitalist.

Although Zhu Ning didn't really want to sigh, she still thought of this phrase at the moment.

Liu Niannian let out a breath of relief when she got home. After experiencing the contaminated zones and mutants, seeing her familiar home made her instinctively relax, as if she had finally returned to a safe nest.

Liu Niannian sat down next to Zhu Ning. After a moment's thought, she took off her protective helmet in front of Zhu Ning.

Zhu Ning had already taken off her helmet, and Liu Niannian had seen Zhu Ning's face. She felt it was polite to let the other person see her appearance as well.

Zhu Ning had been dealing with Liu Niannian for so long but had never actually seen what this young lady looked like. Today was the first time.

Liu Niannian's appearance was easy to describe—she was very beautiful.

If beauty could be graded in this era of widespread beauty, Liu Niannian would be at the top level. Her skin was fair, her hair black and smooth, and her eyes were her best feature—black and bright, with a gentle yet firm gaze.

Even though her protective suit was covered in stains, you could easily call her a goddess. It seemed that such a person didn't need any expensive jewels to match; she was the most radiant, and nothing could dim her light.

Zhu Ning, who was somewhat obsessed with beauty, stared at Liu Niannian's face for a while.

She felt that her impression of Liu Niannian might have been wrong. She had always thought of her as a frivolous young lady.

Now, seeing her, Liu Niannian was indeed a young lady, but not the kind of frivolous one Zhu Ning had imagined. Zhu Ning guessed that her image must be very popular among the upper class.

Her photo must have been published in some media.

Liu Niannian handed her helmet to the mechanical butler and then looked deeply at Zhu Ning. Liu Niannian was so beautiful that her striking features left a strong visual impact. Zhu Ning was a bit dazed, and when Liu Niannian looked at her, it felt like she had something important to say.

Liu Niannian opened her mouth and said, "Boss, are you okay?"

Zhu Ning: "..."

Sure enough, still a frivolous young lady. Zhu Ning had always been called "boss" by Liu Niannian, which she had just accepted casually. Now, seeing Liu Niannian's home and appearance, this title of "boss" suddenly made her feel very inflated.

Me, Long Ao Ning, the boss of a young lady!

Zhu Ning's heart was in turmoil, but she kept a calm face, determined to maintain this facade: "I'm fine."

Liu Niannian looked at Zhu Ning suspiciously, "But your head is covered in blood."

Zhu Ning now looked like a wild person from a primitive tribe, with the blood on her face serving as a totem of her battle.

Zhu Ning: "..."

Great, can't keep up the act anymore.

The mechanical butler kindly handed Zhu Ning a wet towel. Zhu Ning wanted to wipe her face in front of the mirror, but as soon as she moved, she realized it hurt. She had injured her head earlier.

The mechanical butler took over, carefully wiping away the blood on Zhu Ning's face, then disinfecting it with alcohol, and finally applying a powerful healing patch.

The butler then took out a bottle of powerful mental healing agent and handed it to both Zhu Ning and Liu Niannian. Zhu Ning noticed that the medicine in Liu Niannian's house didn't have the name of Yongsheng Pharmaceutical, but instead had a strange logo.

The logo was somewhat abstract, and she couldn't recognize it immediately, but it felt familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Where could I have seen it?

Zhu Ning took a sip of the mental healing agent and found that it was graded. The one Prometheus gave her was probably of medium-high quality. The mental healing agent from the Clean Center Medical Department was similar to the one from Prometheus.

But this stuff was different from what she had tried before. It tasted clearer and had a stronger effect, almost immediate.

Zhu Ning: "What is this?"

Liu Niannian: "A household staple."

Zhu Ning: "..."

She didn't even want to ask about the price.

Zhu Ning: "Is Pei Shu really okay?"

Liu Niannian: "I would receive a notification if he died. No news means he's fine."

Zhu Ning: "..."

If Pei Shu died, Liu Niannian would receive a death notification?

Liu Niannian extended her hand to Zhu Ning, "I want to get to know you again."

Liu Niannian had escaped twice following Zhu Ning, and she really wanted to become friends with her, true friends.

Zhu Ning loved making friends, and Liu Niannian suited her taste.

Zhu Ning extended her hand and said, "My name is Zhu Ning, a cleaner from the Clean Center."

Liu Niannian had known Zhu Ning's real name before.

Zhu Ning paused, thinking about the self-introduction process in this world, and said generously, "Fifth-class citizen, defective."

Liu Niannian wasn’t surprised when Zhu Ning said she was a cleaner; she had known Zhu Ning was a cleaner the first time they met. But she was still taken aback to hear that Zhu Ning was a fifth-class citizen.

Zhu Ning was so powerful, and she even possessed special abilities. How could she just be a defective?

Liu Niannian didn’t discriminate against defectives; in fact, she had never even come into contact with a real defective. She was just a bit shocked.

Was Zhu Ning really a defective, or was she using this identity as a disguise?

Liu Niannian always felt that Zhu Ning had other more mysterious identities, but she didn’t plan to tell her.

Liu Niannian suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I’m a natural."

Zhu Ning didn’t seem to have any particular reaction. Liu Niannian was indeed a first-class citizen, but it was the first time Zhu Ning had been so close to one.

The nobles, the pride of heaven.

The wasteland world was structured like a pyramid, and Liu Niannian was among those standing at the very top.

She and Chu Qing were of the same kind, categorized under the Creators. From Liu Niannian’s appearance, her genes were also excellent.

Liu Niannian was a pure, natural human. The five classes of citizens created by humans were meant to protect the natural genes of people like her.

Fortunately, Liu Niannian wasn’t as unpleasant as Chu Qing. Perhaps because she had been well-protected by her family, she exuded a sense of innocence.

In the contaminated zones, there was no barrier between them, but in this expensive apartment, sitting side by side on the sofa, they couldn’t help but face the differences between them.

Zhu Ning, who came from the zombie world, didn’t care much about class distinctions. Moreover, she had lived as a natural person all her life, so she felt no different from Liu Niannian. She asked, "What’s your name?"

Liu Niannian: "My real name is Lu Yuan. Liu is my mother’s surname. My nickname is Niannian, but I prefer to be called Liu Niannian."

Lu Yuan, indeed a name fitting for a young lady.

But, surnamed Lu?

There were only a few families in the Federation's financial elite, and Zhu Ning quickly recalled them in her mind. Because she had seen related information before, it was easy for her to make the connection.

Genesis Tech, their controlling shareholder was named Lu Yao.

"Genesis Tech will provide consciousness upload services."

"The body has been brought back, it’s a mechanical prosthetic, Bao Ruiming uploaded his consciousness." Fang Ying’s words echoed in Zhu Ning’s ears.

Zhu Ning finally remembered where she had seen the symbol on the medicine bottle. Even if she hadn’t paid much attention to it, she had passively absorbed information about the world whenever she took public flying cars, waited for traffic lights, or glanced up while on the subway.

She often saw advertisements and news about Genesis Tech.

Big companies’ news and ads permeated the lives of ordinary people, making you think you weren’t paying attention, but you never truly ignored them.

They were everywhere, all the time.

Zhu Ning had looked into consciousness upload services before; Xu Meng also wanted to take this path.

She had seen Lu Yao’s face in financial news, a young and handsome visage, a real-life version of a domineering CEO.

Now, this face overlapped with Liu Niannian’s, and their features were very similar, possibly siblings.

Zhu Ning frowned. Was Liu Niannian the young lady of the Genesis Tech family?

The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became. A chill ran down her spine, different from the fear in the contaminated zones. This was a strange feeling of being manipulated.

Because what happened in the contaminated zones was someone else’s business, no matter how terrifying, it would pass. But now, the terror was descending upon her.

An invisible hand was controlling her, and it was extremely precise.

The first tombstone task Zhu Ning accepted was to enter the Good Again Hotpot Restaurant. She had long known that entering the hotpot restaurant was to save Liu Niannian, and the system task was written that way.

At the time, she had always thought Liu Niannian’s role was to provide information about Yongsheng Pharmaceutical.

But at this moment, she realized how simplistic her previous thoughts were. Prometheus’s true intention in having her enter the hotpot restaurant was to bring her closer to the Lu family behind Liu Niannian.

More accurately, to get her to the doorstep of Genesis Tech.

Big data algorithms can input each person’s personality traits, adjust event parameters to predict everyone’s life.

There’s a saying that big data knows you better than you know yourself. Artificial intelligence can predict a person’s life outcome.

It ensured that every step Zhu Ning took was on the right path.

It was as if... it had predicted her life.