Chapter 45 – Who Are You Really?
Tu Ran was speechless.
It was already difficult to distinguish between humans and alien parasite, and now this person wanted them to find the first alien?!
Wasn’t this asking the impossible?
Her original plan was to throw a bomb into the snake pit. Given the rapid breeding rate of the alien species this time, two nights were enough for them to infect everyone on the farm. Instead of sending more people to investigate and risking further spread of the infection, it would be much simpler to just blow everything up.
Tu Ran muttered to herself, “If you can catch it, then go ahead! You’re not even our team leader, so why should I listen to you?”
“Do you have any other opinions?” Xie Xu suddenly spoke, his voice cold.
Tu Ran calmly pulled at the corners of her mouth, “Nothing, it’s just… I need to consult with Captain Li Wenchuan.”
“There’s no need,” Xie Xu leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the table, playing with a goblet elegantly, “I am the highest authority in this hundred-man expedition to Reigaken State. Li Wenchuan is one of my subordinates. Just follow my orders.”
Tu Ran: “…”
“Alright,” she said faintly, “Does Researcher Xie have any other instructions?”
If not, she was ready to leave! She didn’t want to see him anymore!
Upon hearing her words, Xie Xu remained still. He neither said “yes” nor “no.” His two ghostly blue eyes stared intently at Tu Ran, as if they were trying to see through her body and soul.
Tu Ran didn’t understand, her heartbeat involuntarily quickening. She actually wanted to escape this place, to get far away from Xie Xu’s scrutinizing gaze, but she couldn’t. She could only pretend to be calm and look at him, waiting for his next instructions.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of torment, Xie Xu’s thin lips moved slightly, “You are not Tu Ran.”
Tu Ran’s heart skipped a beat.
Her fingers clenched tightly under the table.
“This joke isn’t funny,” Tu Ran tried to steady her mind, wearing her signature warm smile.
Xie Xu remained unmoved. “You know I’m not joking.”
Tu Ran gritted her teeth, unsure of where she had slipped up.
If the original Tu Ran knew Xie Xu… but they had only discussed work and hadn’t touched on anything personal.
“You’re too indifferent,” Xie Xu stared at her, his eyes a piercing blue, “If you were Tu Ran, you would never have asked if ‘Kenny Egan’s farm was still worth investigating.’ And you wouldn’t have left the farm on a night fraught with danger.”
Xie Xu’s voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact.
Tu Ran scoffed inwardly. The original Tu Ran wouldn’t have left because she had the confidence to survive the night unscathed. But she couldn’t. She was a modern person, raised in a peaceful era, who didn’t even know how to use a gun or watch horror movies. Expecting her to stay in a snake pit without any means of self-defense was foolish! Everyone understands the principle of avoiding harm.
Unexpectedly, Tu Ran felt a sense of calm. Since he already knew, there was no point in pretending anymore. She looked around. There were many people passing by, and cameras were everywhere. Their conversation could easily be captured by AI.
“I think we should discuss this somewhere else.”
“What, planning to kill me to silence me?” Xie Xu retorted.
Hearing this, Tu Ran crossed her arms, leaned back in her chair, and propped her legs up, losing all previous respectfulness. She scoffed, “Since you can guess that I’m not Tu Ran, you must also realize that I’m not capable.”
Tu Ran had reached a breaking point, ready to face whatever came. If it meant dying, so be it!
She was fed up!
Let it all end!!
A bomb to blow her up!
No, a bomb to blow both her and this man up together!
Seeing her series of defiant actions, Xie Xu’s brows furrowed tightly.
The original Tu Ran must never have acted like this in front of him, which was why he looked so disgusted.
“I need to emphasize, I am still Tu Ran, just with amnesia. I haven’t been possessed by an alien species.”
Tu Ran struggled a bit.
“The last time in the Threshold, I witnessed your head hit a boulder. For seven minutes afterward, you didn’t move at all. Your holographic bracelet kept flashing red,” Xie Xu paused, “You probably don’t know what the red light means.”
Tu Ran said nothing, waiting for him to continue. Her intuition told her that the amnesia excuse was about to be debunked.
“The holographic bracelet has a built-in life detection system that doesn’t require a network. When it detects no signs of life, it flashes red. During those seven minutes, you were in a state of no life. And after those seven minutes, you woke up. Not only did you wake up, but your physical actions were also completely unaffected.”
So this guy had been there the whole time. When she passed out, he didn’t attempt CPR or artificial respiration. He just watched to see when she would die, even letting the corpse bird peck at her insides!
This guy! So cruel!
“Who are you really?” Xie Xu stared into her eyes, not missing a single expression.
But Tu Ran keenly caught the key point in his question.
“Human.”
He was asking who she was as a person, indicating he no longer suspected her of being an alien.
This was a significant step forward.
“Hmm… I think we can talk somewhere else.” She still wore a communicator, and she was worried that what she said would be overheard by the AI.
“I had activated the blocking system, Zero couldn’t monitor our conversation temporarily,” Xie Xu noticed her concern and spoke.
Zero?
Who’s that?
Tu Ran didn’t respond immediately.
Xie Xu took a deep breath and said, “Zero is the primary artificial intelligence system used by the Federation to assist in managing various affairs across the forty-two states.”
Tu Ran nodded, understanding now.
What intrigued her more was that Zero could be blocked.
She really needed that device.
“Tell me, who are you really?” Xie Xu urged.
Tu Ran composed her words, “Um… Do you believe in souls?”
Xie Xu narrowed his eyes, “What are you trying to say?”
“Well… I mean, I’m a soul from another world. By some coincidence, I ended up in Tu Ran’s body.”
After saying that, Tu Ran eagerly stared at Xie Xu. Did he understand? Did he have questions? If he did, she would definitely clarify because this wasn’t an easy thing to accept.
“Which world do you come from? What’s your world like?” Xie Xu’s voice was unusually calm.
Tu Ran: His reaction isn’t what I imagined. Why is he so composed?
And the way he asked, his tone, it’s as if he’s encountered many such things before.
