Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Cloud Peak.

Gu Lin led Jin Gao through the laboratory corridor, with busy researchers on both sides.

They stopped at a glass room at the end of the corridor, watching a person crouched in the corner of the empty room. A researcher who followed behind whispered, "This is Test Subject No. 18. We injected him with the newly adjusted serum last night."

"Was it effective?" Gu Lin asked.

The researcher hesitated for a moment, "It had some effect."

"What do you mean by 'some effect'?" Jin Gao asked.

Before the researcher could answer, the person crouched in the corner suddenly lifted his head. His face was no longer that of a normal human; his pale skin was covered with purplish-black veins, and his eyes were pitch black.

Seeing Gu Lin and the others, he roared and lunged forward, crashing into the glass wall with a loud thud, his long nails scraping against the glass with a grating sound.

Although they knew the glass wall was very strong, the researcher still took a half-step back at the sight of the man's fierce expression.

Gu Lin glanced at him, and he quickly stepped forward again, trembling as he said, "Test Subject No. 18 did indeed turn into a zombie, but he has no consciousness."

"You've made several adjustments already. Why can't you preserve the zombie's consciousness?" Jin Gao's face turned cold.

The researcher explained to Gu Lin, "Chairman Gu, as you know, the data in the chip is incomplete, and the missing parts are the most crucial information, so we really can't preserve the zombie's consciousness."

"Even if the data in the chip is incomplete, it was still researched by the Morning Star Club itself. Can't you complete and repair it?" Jin Gao accused.

The researcher replied, "Previously, Chairman Chu—Chu Chengyu obtained a virus sample, which he has now destroyed. Therefore, we cannot conduct our own research and need complete data."

Silence fell in the corridor as all three watched the zombie inside the glass wall, still snarling and clawing at them.

After a moment, Gu Lin raised his hand, and the researcher breathed a sigh of relief, quickly leaving.

"We were too careless," Gu Lin slowly shook his head. "I should have anticipated that Uncle would not put all the data on one chip, and he must have had a backup plan, intending to leave it for Chu Ya."

"Don't blame yourself anymore. Now that we know Chu Ya is in Linya City, we just need to capture him again. Although our people can't enter the city, and the Morning Star Club garrison there won't follow our orders, we can send a group of people in secretly."

Gu Lin lowered his head in thought and then said, "Go ahead and arrange it."

Yun Tuo had told Chu Ya that he would be away from Linya City for no more than three months. Today was the last day of the third month, so Chu Ya took Shen Juanjuan to the dock to meet him.

"Are we going to the seaside? Then I'll wear the hat given to me by Chairman Xiao." Hearing they were going to the seaside, Shen Juanjuan hurriedly took out his sun hat from the wardrobe.

It was a light blue children's sun hat that Shen Juanjuan loved since the day he got it. Even when it rained for a week in Linya City or when they stayed at home, he would always wear it.

Chu Ya helped him put on the sun hat, and the Teddy Bear pulled out a pair of sunglasses from the bag and handed them to him.

Its head was too big, even adult hats wouldn't fit, so it tried to snatch Shen Juanjuan's hat. Xiao Rui then gave it this pair of sunglasses.

The sunglasses were also too small for the Teddy Bear, so Chu Ya removed the earpieces and fixed them to its head with elastic bands.

Once Shen Juanjuan had his sun hat on, the Teddy Bear wore its sunglasses, and the Black Wolf tied its tie, Chu Ya set off with them.

At the dock, Chu Ya met a familiar subordinate of Bitao Tang. The subordinate pointed to a round, small building by the sea: "Chairman Xiao is in that watchtower. You can go up directly."

There were also black-clad men guarding below the watchtower, but they didn't stop Chu Ya when they saw him. Shen Juanjuan noticed someone repairing a car on the ground below the tower, with the car almost completely dismantled, and squatted down to watch. Chu Ya let the two quantum beasts accompany him while he climbed the spiral staircase to the top floor of the tower.

Xiao Rui stood by the edge of the tower, hands resting on the railing, looking into the distance. Hearing footsteps, he didn't turn around, and Chu Ya walked up beside him to stand together.

The view here was quite expansive, not only the entire sea but also every ship arriving at the dock was visible.

Xiao Rui looked deeply into the distance and suddenly said in a low voice, "The war has begun."

Chu Ya's expression turned serious, "When?"

"Right now."

"Is it Cloud Peak or another force?"

Xiao Rui gave him a strange look, "Below."

Chu Ya looked down and saw the Teddy Bear and Shen Juanjuan fighting, rolling into a ball. Shen Juanjuan's sun hat had been pulled off, and the Black Wolf was holding it in its mouth. The Teddy Bear's sunglasses had slid onto its mouth, and it used its free paws to push them up, giving Shen Juanjuan an opportunity to hit it a couple of times.

"You two, stop fighting!" Chu Ya shouted down from the tower. "Shen Juanjuan, come up. Chu Baolong is playing below the tower."

Seeing the two being separated by the Bitao Tang subordinates, Shen Juanjuan angrily entered the tower, and Chu Ya finally turned his gaze away.

Xiao Rui continued to look out at the sea, his deep voice tinged with a hint of loneliness, "The Crested Goshawk is good at hiding and is alert, often hiding among leaves or perching on branches in open areas. They are solitary and mostly act alone." He slowly exhaled, "Except during mating."

"Cough, cough." Chu Ya couldn't help but cough loudly.

Xiao Rui turned his head to look at him, indifferent, "Yes, you're still a child."

Chu Ya finally stopped coughing and asked, "Are you waiting for him?"

"No, I'm watching my merchant ships," Xiao Rui replied.

"Oh."

Chu Ya responded, but Xiao Rui added, "Of course, I'm also checking if he has returned."

"Oh."

As they spoke, the sound of heavy breathing came from the stairs behind them. Chu Ya turned his head and saw Shen Juanjuan slowly climbing up, leaning against the wall.

"I've been here before, watching the sea with Chairman Xiao," Shen Juanjuan stood next to Xiao Rui, handing the sun hat to Chu Ya, "Miao Miao, put it on me."

Chu Ya put the hat back on him, and Xiao Rui said, "When you fight, turn the brim of your hat to the back of your head. That way, the other person won't easily pull it off."

Shen Juanjuan suddenly realized: "I see."

As they spoke, a small black dot appeared at the horizon, a ship approaching. All three of them watched the ship, and Chu Ya suddenly asked, "Could Brother Yun Tuo be on that ship?"

"No," Xiao Rui said.

"Why not?"

"Just won't happen. He probably won’t come back, leaving me with two hundred oil bottles to drag around," Xiao Rui said casually.

Shen Juanjuan looked around, "Where are the oil bottles? I don’t see any bottles."

"You’re one of them," Xiao Rui said.

Chu Ya found him unreasonable. Though he said Yun Tuo wouldn’t come back, he still waited here every day.

"Don’t be so suspicious," Chu Ya said.

"I’m not being suspicious," Xiao Rui replied.

"Didn’t Brother Yun Tuo say he would be back in three months?"

"So what if he did? Words in bed aren’t to be taken seriously."

"… He said the same thing to Chief Administrator Chen and me." Chu Ya was speechless.

The ship drew closer, a cargo ship returning from a long voyage. Chu Ya read the words on the hull, "This ship comes from the Kalo Strait, a civilian port closest to Cloud Peak."

"Hmm, so what?" Xiao Rui asked.

"If Brother Yun Tuo went to Wenma Heights and Zia Island, the Kalo Strait is the most convenient route for him to return to Linya City."

"But I don’t think he’s on the ship."

"We’ll know once we check." Chu Ya turned to Xiao Rui, "Shall we go take a look?"

"No."

Chu Ya didn’t insist, picking up Shen Juanjuan and heading downstairs. Xiao Rui, who had been facing away from them, suddenly turned and followed as Chu Ya was about to reach the ground. His Whitetailed Sea Eagle also spread its wings and flew swiftly over the sea.

Chu Ya stood by the dock, holding Shen Juanjuan’s hand in one hand and the Teddy Bear’s paw in the other, while Shen Juanjuan’s free hand hugged one of Black Wolf’s legs.

"Are we waiting for Brother Yun Tuo?" Shen Juanjuan asked.

"Yes, we are."

Xiao Rui stood silently behind them, lighting a cigarette. The Teddy Bear, hearing the sound, turned and walked over, standing silently beside Xiao Rui.

Xiao Rui shook the cigarette pack and offered it to the Teddy Bear, which then took one out and nodded at Xiao Rui.

"When fighting, push your sunglasses to the top of your head; it’s less likely to be knocked off," Xiao Rui said.

The Teddy Bear paused, immediately pushing its sunglasses to the top of its head, then extended its paw to mimic a fighting scene, nodding in agreement.

Today, the dock was under the supervision of the Yim Hui. As the cargo ship docked and the crane began moving containers from the deck to the dock, a group of armed Yim Hui thugs boarded the ship. The sailors all came out of the cabins, raising their hands high and standing on the deck, each undergoing an identity check.

About twenty sailors were already lined up along the deck, and no more people came out of the cabin. The Whitetailed Sea Eagle circled anxiously above the ship.

Xiao Rui kept his eyes on the cabin door, his jaw tight, the cigarette in his hand with a long ash hanging from it.

No one else came out of the cabin door, and as it slowly closed, he suddenly turned and strode toward the car parked by the dock.

A sense of disappointment welled up in Chu Ya’s heart. He held Shen Juanjuan’s hand and turned silently, just as Shen Juanjuan pointed to the sky and shouted, "Brother Yun Tuo’s quantum beast!"

Chu Ya looked up, and Xiao Rui, who was walking, stopped and slowly turned around.

High above the ship, a Crested Goshawk appeared, diving down. The Whitetailed Sea Eagle let out a joyful cry and spread its wings to meet it.

The ship’s cabin door opened again, and Yun Tuo emerged with his hands raised, followed by two Yim Hui men with guns.

Yun Tuo walked to the edge of the deck, facing the dock and the line of sailors, his hands lazily raised to the side of his head, smiling at them.

"Brother Yun Tuo!" Shen Juanjuan shouted loudly.

Yun Tuo touched his forehead lightly, giving a shallow bow, "Brother Juanjuan."

Chu Ya couldn’t suppress the smile on his face. Xiao Rui glanced to the side, then lowered his head and continued smoking. Yun Tuo’s gaze fell on Xiao Rui, and he called out, "Hey, no cigarettes at sea, can you throw one up here?"

"Hey? Who’s ‘hey’?" Xiao Rui looked up, a faint redness still lingering in his eyes.

Yun Tuo smiled, "Brother Rui."

Xiao Rui didn’t respond, only fished out the cigarette pack from his pocket, put the lighter inside, and threw it to Yun Tuo.

Ten minutes later, they were all in Xiao Rui’s car.

It was a sedan, with Chu Ya, Yun Tuo, and Shen Juanjuan in the back seat, and Xiao Rui in the front passenger seat. Just as Yun Tuo was about to close the car door, the Teddy Bear squeezed in, then turned to pull the Black Wolf into the car.

"Ao?" The Teddy Bear, seeing no seat left, called out questioningly to Chu Ya.

The car’s interior was small, and the Black Wolf arched its back, tucking its tail, its four legs forming a cone shape.

"Do you two want to ride too? Aren’t you supposed to run alongside the car?" Yun Tuo pointed to the sky, where the Crested Goshawk and the Whitetailed Sea Eagle were flying overhead.

Xiao Rui replied, "They always want to ride."

The Teddy Bear was unhappy and tried to squeeze in, but Chu Ya quickly picked up Shen Juanjuan onto his lap, making room for the Teddy Bear.

After sitting down, the Teddy Bear continued to squeeze to the side, trying to make room for the Black Wolf to sit next to it.

The Black Wolf struggled to move, its massive body slowly settling down. Shen Juanjuan was squeezed against the car door, repeatedly complaining, "Shen Wangwang, can your butt be any smaller? Can your butt be any smaller?"

In the end, Xiao Rui asked the driver to get out and let him drive, with Yun Tuo sitting in the front passenger seat, which allowed both quantum beasts to sit in the back.

The car drove towards Bita Tower. Yun Tuo inquired about the orphanage from Chu Ya, his gaze landing on Teddy Bear's face: "Chu Baolong, hasn't your beard grown yet?"

Chu Ya paused for a moment: "It has been fighting with other quantum beasts recently and hasn't lost a single time."

"Group fights? Have you ever thought about group fights? There should be quite a few quantum beasts in your orphanage; you could organize them," Yun Tuo hinted.

Chu Ya understood his meaning and responded tactfully: "We've organized several group fights before, but it doesn't work. The silver wolf always protects it. The silver wolf has had to retreat to the mental domain for repairs several times, but it has never been seriously injured. We're used to it now; it's not bad."

Xiao Rui glanced at them through the rearview mirror: "It looks good."

Teddy Bear was touching its mouth and dropped its hand when it heard this. Shen Juanjuan put an arm around its shoulder and asked Chu Ya, "Are we going to Brother Yun Tuo's house? Should we shave Shen Wangwang's beard again?"

Yun Tuo turned to look out the window, while Xiao Rui smiled: "The razor Chu Baolong used last time is still there; I'll put it in the bathroom drawer for you."

"Awo!" Teddy Bear patted the Black Wolf beside it in agreement.

The Black Wolf stiffened, looking at Chu Ya for help, who then said, "Chu Baolong has a round face, so it looks good without a beard, but Shen Wangwang's face shape isn't suitable."

When the car fell silent, Chu Ya asked, "Brother Yun Tuo, did everything go smoothly on your trip?"

Discussing serious matters, Yun Tuo's expression became solemn: "It went fairly well. The forces on Zia Island and Wenma Heights actually have similar intentions. I'll tell you the details later."

As they spoke, the car stopped outside Bita Tower. Before anyone got out, a black-clad guard rushed over, saying that Xu Wangduo was looking for Xiao Rui and also wanted to meet Chu Ya.

A short while later, everyone sat in the living room of Xiao Rui's large suite, with Shen Juanjuan and the two quantum beasts playing on the windowsill.

"So the data on the chip is incomplete?" Yun Tuo asked after listening to Xu Wangduo's account.

Xu Wangduo took off his glasses and wiped the fog off with a cloth: "Yes, and the missing data is crucial. Chu Ya, did you notice anything else when you first got the chip?"

Chu Ya spoke in a hoarse voice: "Actually, my father left me two chips."

"Two chips?" Both Xu Wangduo and Xiao Rui were surprised, except for Yun Tuo.

"The other one is with Gu Lin. Now I understand; my father knew I couldn't protect the chip, so he split some important information between the two chips. Even if one was taken, the valuable information wouldn't fall into the wrong hands."

Chu Ya lowered his eyes, his voice seemingly calm, but his nails were deeply embedded in his palms. Xu Wangduo was at a loss for words, while Yun Tuo put an arm around his shoulder, patting him comfortingly.

Xiao Rui twirled a lighter in his hand and said lightly, "Chairman Chu divided the most important information between two chips, indicating he believed in only two possibilities: either you take both chips and get all the information, or you leave one behind, making it impossible for the person who takes the other to get all the information. He believed you could protect at least one, which shows his trust in your abilities."

As soon as Xiao Rui finished speaking, Xu Wangduo nodded frequently, and Chu Ya's dimming eyes brightened again.

"Since the data is incomplete, I'll head to Cloud Peak immediately and try to get the other chip from Gu Lin," Yun Tuo stood up from the sofa.

"No, that's too dangerous," Chu Ya immediately objected. "Besides, Gu Lin is now the chairman of the Morning Star Club; it will be hard to even get close to him."

"It's not that difficult. I'm quite familiar with several high-ranking members of the Morning Star Army; they can help me get close to Gu Lin."

Chu Ya immediately countered, "Those people betrayed my father under Gu Lin's coercion; they might do the same to you."

"I'll go with you," Xiao Rui suddenly spoke up.

Yun Tuo was taken aback: "You can't go; someone needs to stay here and manage things."

Chu Ya stood up abruptly: "I know Father's subordinates; it would be more appropriate for me to go. At the very least, they won't make things difficult for me out of respect for Father. But while I'm in Cloud Peak, please take care of Shen Juanjuan."

Xu Wangduo looked bewildered, glancing from one to another as the three argued about who should go to Cloud Peak. Finally, he spoke up, "Why do you need to go and steal that chip? Are you planning to study zombies?"

All three fell silent and looked at him. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose: "To clarify, the missing data does affect the research progress, but for the black carbuncle disease, it just means more time is needed."

"You mean...the missing data mainly pertains to another research direction?" Xiao Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

Xu Wangduo looked puzzled: "Yes, the missing data primarily concerns mutations, specifically zombies. So I don't understand why you're rushing to Cloud Peak to get that chip."

All three fell silent. After a moment, Yun Tuo clapped his hands twice: "Great, Chairman Chu's move was brilliant. Gu Lin stole the chip to create a zombie army, but now that plan is ruined. I'm curious to see his reaction when he discovers this."

Xiao Rui's expression didn't relax: "Gu Lin will definitely send people to seize the chip. During this time, Chu Ya must be cautious and should stay at Bita Tower."

Chu Ya shook his head: "Gu Lin knows I'm with the people from the orphanage. If they can't find me, they'll target the people at the orphanage. I need to return to the orphanage."

Yun Tuo patted his shoulder: "You're an A-class sentinel with extraordinary combat skills. It's not easy for them to hurt you, but it's simple for them to capture the people from the orphanage. Staying at the orphanage to protect them is the right choice. I'll go with you and stay at the orphanage during this time."

Xiao Rui glanced at Yun Tuo: "Gu Lin will use every means to get the chip. The people he sends won't be few, nor will they be weak. I'll also stay at the orphanage."

Yun Tuo didn't object, and Xiao Rui took out his phone and walked to the window to start giving orders to his subordinates.