Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The research lab was vast and pure white. Ruan Yunchu walked through the entrance; the crown that had always been hidden in his sleeve was nowhere to be seen, and only an extra discarded special crown remained in the medical waste bin of the changing room.

He changed into a protective suit, pulled his hair back neatly, and followed the researcher inside, where he saw countless animals.

Their bodies were covered with uneven swellings, some of which had festered, looking like balloons about to burst, making Ruan Yunchu, who had just eaten, feel sick to his stomach.

"These are all animals that have been injected with our latest research, each showing varying degrees of mutation."

Listening to the introduction, Ruan Yunchu frowned slightly, realizing something. "Are you reverse-engineering a drug?"

"Yes."

Many thoughts flashed through Ruan Yunchu's mind, but he felt the symptoms didn't match.

"With your capabilities, obtaining any drug you want should be easy."

"Yes, but this one is a top secret within the Alliance; our people almost got their hands on it once..." The researcher's tone had a hint of regret.

Walking slowly toward the back of the cages, Ruan Yunchu suddenly sensed something, paused, and gently touched the glass with his fingers.

The cages behind held many separate animals, many resembling those suffering in the front. The most notable were five monkeys huddled together, piled up like garbage.

"These... were they genetically replicated by you?"

There was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in his voice, but the researcher was proud. "Yes, we tried mass replication recently, producing up to eleven at once, but seven of them were completely unusable defective products."

Ruan Yunchu finally understood what drug they were reverse-engineering.

He recalled the face of that 04 reflected on the screen while looking in the mirror.

Almost identical to him, yet with more innocence and naivety, like a newborn child.

His throat dry, he asked after a long while: "Do the replicated subjects suffer a lot?"

"Yes, some severe cases end up like those in front. We are striving to alleviate their pain and hope you can join us."

Ruan Yunchu shook his head, finding it absurd. "Why does the Alliance have such a special drug?"

The researcher's face showed a hint of mockery. "Do you really think the Alliance people are upright gentlemen? They started researching this much earlier than we did, even, but were forced to suspend it. Their technology far surpasses ours."

Ruan Yunchu was silent.

After a while, the researcher opened the back door and led him into a glass room deeper inside, where people in research suits were. Some hugged their knees in corners, closed off and timid; others stood by the glass, sizing up the unexpected visitor with curiosity.

Various faces and expressions, the only similarity being that they all looked like innocent children, as if they had only recently arrived in this world, still curious about everything.

"These are our latest works, 502. Look at him, how perfect." The researcher's tone was full of awe and affection, his eyes burned with obsession, as if gazing at his own child.

Ruan Yunchu frowned slightly, then froze when he saw the person's face.

The boy met his eyes, walked slowly toward him, placed his hand on the glass, and studied him seriously.

That face was exactly like Ruan Yunchu's friend Lin Zheng, only younger, showing some childishness.

The researcher's breath almost caught. "He seems to like you. 502 has a strange personality, usually very proud and unfriendly to everyone."

Ruan Yunchu took a deep breath, calming the turmoil inside.

"Is he also newly created?"

"Yes, his physical condition is excellent. The Chief originally wanted to transfer those excellent genes into his own body, but... later for other reasons, 502 is no longer suitable for the Chief."

After speaking, the researcher added: "We have replicated many models in the past, but in the end, something went wrong, not even about side effects. Maybe alphas with violent factors in their blood are trickier."

Ruan Yunchu looked up to meet 502's unwavering stare, then after a moment, he averted his gaze.

"That's all?"

"Some mature ones have already been dispatched."

The researcher led him out of the glass room, and 502's reluctant gaze followed Ruan Yunchu until the latter left.

Seeing Lin Zheng's face with such dependent expression only gave Ruan Yunchu a strong sense of wrongness.

"These people all need proper education to become real 'humans.' So, actually, besides developing drugs, we also invited Mr. Ruan to help tutor them."

"Me?" Ruan Yunchu smiled sarcastically. "Aren't you afraid I'll guide them toward justice?"

Unexpectedly, the researcher gave a confident smile. "You think that way now because the Alliance still holds that position. But soon, when our forces are formed, they won't be a threat. Perhaps you haven't even seen it—the secret replicated soldiers, when they see enemies who look exactly like them, what shocked expressions they make, as if seeing a ghost."

"Though they are soldiers, they have weak points in their hearts. They will think those are their siblings. Even if they are cruel, just a tenth of a second of hesitation is enough for our people to kill them."

"Don't tell me this. I'm a normal person; I can't understand the thoughts of you madmen." Ruan Yunchu interrupted coldly.

"After you spend some time with us, you'll understand."

The researcher led him quickly to the actual drug development room, and without hesitation, he handed over top-secret documents to him.

"Please take a look and tell us where our direction has gone wrong." The researcher's tone was humble and polite, but Ruan Yunchu remained unmoved. "Sorry, I didn't finish college and can't understand these things."

The researcher's expression shifted slightly, then he chuckled. "You must be joking. We all know that T021 drug was originally developed by you, when you were only 12. Now you're 21, you should know even more. As your father Ruan Mingyi used to say—this is talent."

Ruan Yunchu's eyes sharpened. "Ruan Mingyi?"

"Mr. Ruan used to be a very good partner of ours, but in the end, he was too greedy, wanted too much, and we no longer wanted to give. Out of spite, he sold the T021 drug technology to a medical company cooperating with the military department and split and hid the gene replication technology."

The researcher's face darkened gradually, clearly hating this person who had caused them so much trouble.

"If it weren't for him, our army would have been built long ago. A greedy businessman, he died a fitting death."

Ruan Yunchu's heart lurched, and a realization dawned on him. "So... the fire at the Ruan residence was not an accident."

"Of course." The researcher showed his teeth in a smile. "Noah personally set that fire. To ensure a survivor, he deliberately sent Ruan Jing to the basement, allowing him to escape."

"..."

Vaguely, the long-shadowed part of his heart gradually shifted slightly. Ruan Yunchu took slow, steady breaths, his mind blank for a long time.

Soon, the fire from that night resurfaced—the desperate cries and pleas, like auditory hallucinations, seemed to echo in his ears. He hadn't wavered from start to finish, but every dream after that day turned into a nightmare.

At this moment, it all seemed to dissolve into thin air.

The researcher gave a wry smile. "Mr. Ruan, we all know your past. Ruan Mingyi was cruel to you and didn't value your gift. We cherish talent—we have taken revenge for you. In the future, we will also respect your research. So, become our partner."

""

Five minutes later, Ruan Yunchu took a deep breath, raised his hand, and tapped the terminal screen, adjusting a few values on the screen.

-

When Ruan Jing returned to the research room, the roomful of researchers were already deep into their experiments.

Ruan Yunchu sat on a high stool, idly watching the blurred figure moving inside the glass house not far away.

"Having a brain sure helps—even in a place like this, you get treated like a VIP." Ruan Jing sat down beside him.

Ruan Yunchu still ignored him, his eyes cold as he looked down, lost in thought.

Ruan Jing couldn't stand how calm he looked and couldn't resist provoking him again. "I just saw that Noah seems to like you quite a bit. You're good at getting alphas to fall for you wherever you go. Back when I set you up with an alpha for your heat, you acted all reluctant, and now you're not so reluctant anymore, huh?"

"Ruan Jing." Ruan Yunchu snapped out of it and interrupted him. "You think I can have you killed with a single word right now?"

"..." Ruan Jing felt stifled with frustration, but he didn't dare take that risk here.

These people were only too eager for Ruan Yunchu to kill himself working for them, they didn't give a damn about anyone else's life.

He had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

Before long, the researcher came back, beaming with excitement. "We've tested it and it works—your method is indeed effective."

"That's good."

"You can go back and rest now. I'll send someone to pick you up."

Ruan Yunchu thought for a second. "Wasn't I supposed to be training them? Let 502 come with me."

"This..." The researcher hesitated for a moment. "Actually, it's possible, but 502 hasn't undergone proper education yet—it could be risky."

"No problem. I like a challenge."

He was the hero of the moment. The researcher thought for a moment and did not refuse, he just had someone bring 502 out right away.

502 had changed into a simple casual outfit, fresh and clean, like he'd just showered.

When Ruan Jing saw him, he blurted out, "Lin Zheng?"

The researcher glanced at him and said proudly, "He was indeed cloned from the genes of a Major Lin in the Alliance. An S-level alpha is very useful."

Ruan Jing shook his head, finding it simply absurd.

Ruan Yunchu turned and left, and 502 obediently followed behind him.

After going out, Noah was waiting there. His eyes suddenly lit up when he saw him, but when he noticed the person following behind, he looked a little hostile.

"I'll take you back to rest."

"Thank you."

Ruan Yunchu didn't say much. He followed him back to the room, said a quick goodbye, and was about to close the door when the man outside suddenly stepped forward.

"Mr. Ruan, what color do you like?"

Ruan Yunchu looked at him and answered after two seconds, "White."

"Okay."

As the door closed in his face, Noah turned and left thoughtfully. "A white wedding would be nice too."

"..." Back inside, Ruan Yunchu motioned for 502 to sit on the stool and wait for him, then went into the bathroom to wash up.

When he came out, 502 was still sitting exactly as he had been, looking very obedient.

Ruan Yunchu sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "Do you have a name?"

502 thought for a moment. "502."

"Are all the people like you in the glass house?"

"No, there are others who went somewhere else." 502's way of speaking was somewhat clumsy, obviously not used to communicating with people.

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know."

Looking at that face identical to his friend's, Ruan Yunchu felt a bit more patience welling up.

"I know you. We are very good friends."

502 looked puzzled. "But this is the first time I've seen you."

"Because the one I met was your older brother. Actually, you can be considered the same person—he's your spitting image, but with a hotter temper."

"Older brother?" 502 repeated slowly, word by word, a look of surprise and expectation appearing on his face.

"If you are willing to listen to me, I can take you to see him."

With that one sentence, Ruan Yunchu won over the replicant who had been a test subject in the cold glass house since birth.

502 had felt a strong liking for this person from the very first moment he saw him, so without a second thought, he nodded. "Okay, but you can't lie to me."

"I promise I won't." Ruan Yunchu thought for a while. "Go take a walk around the starship. If someone asks, say the teacher is teaching you socialization training—talk more with people and ask around where the excellent replicants were sent."

"Okay."

502 didn't ask further. He got up and left the room.

Ruan Yunchu let out a sigh of relief.

Just as he thought—although these replicants seemed naive and innocent, since they were products of the rebels' heavily researched technology, they were certainly far from stupid.

An hour later, 502 returned.

He recounted his experiences in detail, including asking the maintenance worker what coffee he drank, the material of the starship's interior walls, and where the high-level replicants were stored, as Ruan Yunchu had asked.

"It sounds like they're kept on the lower level, in a blue room, undergoing secret training."

Ruan Yunchu nodded. "You did well."

He reached out and ruffled 502's hair. The boy hunched his shoulders, seeming very unaccustomed to it, but his face showed a mix of surprise and flattery.

For him, this was a very novel feeling. When Ruan Yunchu pulled his hand away, he felt a little reluctant to lose the touch.

"Oh, right." He remembered something and slowly pulled a round thing out of his pocket. "Just now someone stopped me and pressed this into my hand."

Ruan Yunchu took it curiously, gestured for him to go play by himself, and sat cross-legged on the bed to examine the thing.

Not sure what he touched, but a faint sound suddenly came from inside.

"Young master?"

Yan Zhuo's deep voice abruptly rang out, and Ruan Yunchu almost felt his heart skip a beat.

It seemed like an illusion, but after a long hesitation, he finally responded: "Yan Zhuo?"

The breathing on the other end paused. "Are you safe now? I've received the good signal and am on my way. Don't worry."

"I'm fine." Ruan Yunchu quickly got down to business. "The person beside you is Rebel Copy 04."

"I know. How could I ever mistake you?" Yan Zhuo lowered his voice, a mix of relief and reproach in his tone. "You still don't trust me."

Ruan Yunchu's heart skipped a beat, his tone softening. "This is not the time for that. How do you plan to deal with him?"

Yan Zhuo: "I..."

"Listen to me." Ruan Yunchu sensed his hesitation. "He is just a copy, a murder weapon specifically developed by the rebels, with blood on his hands. This time, he came intending to kill you. Once he makes a move, kill him without hesitation."

"Yan Zhuo, you said I am unique, so you shouldn't be soft on him. Unless... you don't mean what you say."