Chapter 44 – Research Value
Moreover, it seemed that in this small team of twelve, the one leading them was the supposedly useless her.
She had to be responsible for the safety of these people.
“Besides, alien species have very strong sensory abilities. If we hide nearby, they will definitely sense us, and then they won’t show up. So it’s better to use surveillance.”
Tubin had no response to that.
After the guards brought over the half-eaten carcass of the Tibetan Mastiff and Ding Naiqing connected both sides’ equipment, the group boarded a helicopter and flew to their temporary headquarters.
On the helicopter, the noisy sound of the rotors drowned everything out. Inside their noise-canceling helmets, Ding Naiqing and Tu Ran had a private conversation.
Ding Naiqing asked, “Sister Ran, why did we leave? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to stay at the farm? It would also save time from going back and forth.”
Tu Ran, with her arms crossed and lazily reclining in her seat with her eyes closed, replied sarcastically without even opening her eyes, “Because I’m a coward.”
She really was scared.
But Ding Naiqing didn’t believe it.
He smiled broadly, “Sister Ran, you must be joking.”
Tu Ran sighed inwardly.
To Ding Naiqing, she was almost an idol. Any words that might shatter that image would be taken as a joke.
Tu Ran explained each word carefully, “If mere contact allows possession, then staying overnight at the farm is too risky. While we might have the experience to detect it in time, the guards with us would be in great danger.”
Ding Naiqing suddenly understood and nodded in agreement, looking at Tu Ran with great admiration. “Sister Ran, you are very thorough in your consideration.”
She had to be thorough to avoid total annihilation.
As they reached their destination and the helicopter prepared to land, Tu Ran connected to Ding Naiqing’s earpiece. “Ask them how they plan to sleep tonight—together or separately?”
“Why ask that?” Ding Naiqing blinked, curious.
“Just ask them casually, like it’s small talk. I’ll explain everything to you later tonight. Got it?”
“Got it.” Ding Naiqing nodded obediently.
After the helicopter landed, Tu Ran got off first and headed to the hotel prepared for their team.
Ding Naiqing didn’t follow her immediately but mingled with the ten guards, chatting and bonding.
Unlike the aloof and quiet Tu Ran, the guards preferred the seemingly harmless and straightforward young man, quickly warming up to him.
Ding Naiqing soon completed the task Tu Ran had given him.
At 8 PM, in the hotel restaurant, Tu Ran and Ding Naiqing ordered several local specialty dishes.
While they looked and smelled great, the taste didn’t quite meet expectations, lacking the essence of authentic ingredients.
Tu Ran chewed mechanically.
“Sister Ran, they said they’re each staying in their own rooms. The Federal Government of Reigaken State has arranged rooms for them,” Ding Naiqing said. “What’s going on? Why so secretive?”
Tu Ran sighed, putting down her chopsticks. “It’s about the risk we discussed. If the alien species can possess people through mere contact, staying close to the guards increases the risk.
If one of them gets possessed, it could jeopardize the entire team. By knowing their sleeping arrangements, we can ensure they’re safe and monitor any suspicious behavior. We need to be vigilant and ready to act if anything unusual happens.”
Tu Ran swallowed the tasteless “boiled meat slices” that were harder to chew than a shoe sole, and wiped her mouth. “Why do you always think things are so mysterious? I’m just worried that the guards who were out of our sight might have been possessed by the alien parasites.
If they’re staying together, it could become a breeding ground for the alien parasites. That’s why I asked you to find out. If they’re staying together, we need to separate them.”
“I see,” Ding Naiqing said, enlightened once again and full of admiration for Tu Ran. “Sister Ran, you really think of everything.”
Tu Ran felt numb to yet another compliment from Ding Naiqing.
“Alright, you finish eating. I’m going to rest.” Tu Ran stood up and turned to leave.
Just then, she caught sight of a familiar figure—Xie Xu.
He was also dining, his short, dark hair still a bit messy, with a small tuft sticking up, contrasting sharply with his serious, stern face.
As their eyes met, Tu Ran hesitated about whether to greet him.
After all, he had saved her life from the hands of the monster Herog monster. She had wanted to thank him, but he disappeared before she could after she changed clothes. The only other time she saw him was in a meeting room, which was hardly the place for a thank you.
This seemed like a good opportunity to thank him, but Tu Ran didn’t want to move.
She always felt that Xie Xu was very shrewd, shrewd to the point of being dangerous.
As a fake, she dared not approach him.
Fortunately, Xie Xu only glanced at her before lowering his head.
Maybe he didn’t recognize her? Tu Ran felt a bit relieved. If he didn’t recognize her, that was good; he could just forget about her.
Tu Ran prepared to leave quickly, but her communicator beeped before she could.
She glanced at it and saw a message.
Just two simple words: “Come here.”
Sender: Senior Researcher Xie Xu.
Tu Ran was at a loss for words.
Why did she feel like a student who tried to avoid the class teacher, only to be spotted and called over for a scolding?
Dragging her feet, Tu Ran reluctantly walked over to sit across from Xie Xu, her mind racing with possible reasons for his summons.
Forcing a polite smile, Tu Ran asked, “Researcher Xie, what can I do for you?”
Xie Xu set down his chopsticks, his long, slender fingers naturally elegant and quite pleasing to the eye.
“Wasn’t your team supposed to be in Fengli County? Why are you here?” Xie Xu’s voice was indifferent, his expression stern.
Tu Ran silently wondered if he thought they were slacking off.
“We are responsible for investigating Mr. Kenny Egan’s farm in Fengli County. Our investigation revealed that there are more than one alien species of the snake order on the farm. However, we can’t determine the exact number. For the safety of the team members, I decided we should return to headquarters for the night,” Tu Ran explained calmly.
Xie Xu’s brows furrowed, his expression serious. “Snake? That type of alien species has the strongest reproductive ability, capable of producing hundreds of offspring in a single day during its breeding period.”
Tu Ran felt a chill. “Does Kenny Egan’s farm still need investigating?”
Given that it was likely their breeding period, how many humans could survive the night on the farm? The risk outweighed the benefits, making further investigation unnecessary.
Xie Xu understood the implication of her words. After contemplating for a moment, he said, “Continue the investigation. Find the first alien species that entered the farm; it has significant research value. As for personnel, I will assign two experienced pioneers from my team to assist you.”
