Chapter 141 – Fire Seed (10)
◎ Yes! I just like him! ◎
“Here, crystal.” Song Ke handed over the level 4 crystal she had rescued.
Neither Yin Xiao nor Zhao Yuqing wanted it. Although the mutated whale was not captured, at least it wasn’t taken by Tokushima. All in all, everyone considered it a draw.
The crystal was retrieved by Song Ke, rightfully hers because of her violent intervention. Lei Zhao and Yuko Noguma were both pinned under the whale, making it unlikely for them to escape easily. Although with S-level physique, they wouldn’t lose their lives, the scene of the explosion with a foul stench was definitely something they had to endure.
“You take it, thanks for your help. This is an A-level commission, and I’ll transfer the mission points to you.”
Yin Xiao wanted to help her tidy up a bit. However, after lifting his arm for a while, he was at a loss.
Song Ke was oblivious to his dilemma and felt delighted inside: 200,000 points credited at once. This trip was not in vain!
The cockpit door opened, and Lu Xiaoyu slid out from inside. “Captain, our trustworthy captain, please fulfill your promise and take me to buy…”
The rear compartment was filled with various unbearable smells. Exhausted awakeners lay scattered on the floor. Lu Xiaoyu slammed the brakes, revealing a clear expression of disgust on his face. The wheelchair slid back again without stopping.
Not only that, he even reached out and slammed the door shut with a bang!
Ah! Song Ke gritted her teeth secretly. What a great team member she has – not only did Lu Xiaoyu not help when the captain was dirty, but he also slipped away faster than anyone else.
Zhao Yuqing smiled on the side. With her gentle and plain temperament, no one would have thought she was an S2-level awakener.
She moved her fingertips slightly, and the water vapor in the rear compartment gradually condensed into two elastic water balls. Rubbing against Song Ke’s face and coat, the balls absorbed most of the dirt and debris. Then Zhao Yuqing lifted her slender arm, swish—single-handedly opened the thousands of kilograms heavy skylight. With a snap of her fingers, the dirty water balls obediently flew outside.
Song Ke lowered her head and smelled herself. Much better, at least not as foul as before.
“Thank you.”
“It’s me who should thank you for your help. I’m not good at fighting. Without you today, we might have suffered a loss,” Zhao Yuqing’s voice was also light.
As an S-level awakener, Zhao Yuqing had pushed the ability to control water to its extreme. When water met a square, it’d become square, and when it met round, it’d become round. Versatile and inclusive of all things, but lacking the domineering attack of the metal element.
Strictly speaking, Zhao Yuqing’s ability leaned more towards a mixed element. Ice arrows were her only effective means of attack, so she usually played the roles of control, flank, and support. Before, Lei Zhao was her partner in fighting side by side. However, circumstances had changed, and they now stood on opposite sides.
Song Ke and Zhao Yuqing’s abilities were similar in terms of transformation, and the two exchanged some insights and experiences, learning from each other.
After they finished speaking, Yin Xiao poked Song Ke’s shoulder with his finger.
“Captain Song Ke, done chatting? Is it my turn now?”
“What?”
Yin Xiao sat cross-legged in front of Song Ke, his abdominal wound hastily bandaged. His eyes, tinged with a deep gray, stared intently at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me when you came to the base?”
“Uh…” —Zhuang Qingyan didn’t allow her to say.
“And why didn’t you tell me about being S-level?”
“It’s a long story.” —Also Zhuang Qingyan didn’t allow her to say.
“If I hadn’t heard about the new S-level with the same name at the base, I would still be in the dark.”
Yin Xiao moved forward, his knee touching Song Ke’s shin, relentlessly asking, “During the Throne Race, I thought we had a camaraderie of fighting side by side, at least we were friends. Did you plan from the beginning to make me do the dirty work?”
“Of course not!” Song Ke hurriedly defended.
“Then why didn’t you tell me? Were you planning to take advantage of me?”
Yin Xiao’s words became more and more absurd.
“Don’t, don’t talk nonsense,” Song Ke warned him, holding her fist.
Yin Xiao narrowed his eyes slowly, “Could it be… because I confessed to you, you deliberately avoided me?”
Zhao Yuqing had a surprised expression, as if she had just tasted a delicious melon: “!”
Yooooooo~
Members of the Tustan team whistled, enjoying the spectacle.
In the rear compartment, except for Tustan, other awakeners whispered to each other, “Damn, Yin Xiao is really bold…”
“He dares to pursue an S7. Isn’t he afraid of getting his head blown off?”
“I misunderstood Yin Xiao. He’s simply a role model for our generation, the wildest wolf in the Northern Base…”
Song Ke didn’t forget the purpose of her trip, facing the constant teasing. She calmly said, “First, bring me into the channel.”
Without a second word, Yin Xiao lightly touched the ruby earring, pulling her into the channel of the “B10 District High-level Ability Matching Conference”.
Song Ke then realized that the earring was his terminal, quite in line with Yin Xiao’s personality, flashy and arrogant.
After confirming the channel name several times, she spoke with emphasis, “Focus on your work, don’t think about it. There’s no chance between us.”
Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, asked three times in a row, “Why no chance? Why reject me? Because of that guy in the wheelchair?”
Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, flexed his fist, “He’s sick, what makes him better than me?”
Yin Xiao, dissatisfied, rubbed his hands, “Why is the coward not here today? Let me compare with him!”
“Or is it that you just like someone like him?” Yin Xiao hesitated for a second, then disdainfully sneered, “But his face isn’t even his own, he stole it from Vincent…”
Seeing him becoming more and more uncontrollable, Song Ke didn’t care about the details. Her only thought was to shut Yin Xiao up.
“Yes! I just like him!”
“…” Yin Xiao indeed shut up.
“He is my person. Don’t mention the matter of his face again.”
Song Ke lied with her eyes wide open, “Also, he’s physically weak. In the future, don’t bully him when you meet him.”
“… Bully him?” Yin Xiao incredulously asked, covering his abdominal wound, feeling a chill in his heart.
He was so angry that every part of his body hurt. When he turned his head, countless pairs of prying eyes in the rear compartment were staring at him without blinking.
“What are you looking at?” Yin Xiao roared, “Are you all happy to see me rejected?”
The awakeners on the scene quickly averted their eyes, afraid to breathe loudly.
Damn, witnessing Yin Xiao’s failed confession, they won’t be silenced, right?
…
The flying ship, traveling at a steady speed, brought a group of people back to the Northern Base, and the time was nearing midnight.
After bidding farewell to Lu Xiaoyu at the elevator entrance, Song Ke took off her shoes, carefully held them in her hands, and tiptoed towards the bathroom.
To her surprise, even at this late hour, there was someone inside. The warm yellow light cast a hazy shadow, and the sound of the showerhead echoed. Through the steamed frosted glass, a tall figure was faintly visible… taking a shower.
Song Ke silently turned around, preparing to exit silently.
But it was too late.
The water abruptly stopped, followed by a “click” – the bathroom door opened from the inside.
“Back?”
“…Ah.” Song Ke’s back stiffened, and she dared not turn her head.
“Did you settle it?”
“Settled.”
A low, faint laugh sounded, “What are you hiding for? Turn around and talk.”
Song Ke turned around clumsily, and Zhuang Qingyan pushed his wet hair back behind his head. His features were clear and handsome, with deep and charming eyes.
He was dripping wet from head to toe, only wearing a towel around his waist, revealing well-defined abdominal muscles and a narrow mermaid line.
Zhuang Qingyan casually wiped himself with a towel and asked, “Do you need the bathroom?”
“It’s fine. I don’t need it.”
Perhaps due to the steam, Song Ke’s cheeks felt like they were burning, and her heart pounded uncontrollably.
Zhuang Qingyan took a step forward, his imposing body slowly lowering, his hands supporting the sink, enclosing Song Ke in his arms.
“There’s only one bathroom. You don’t need this…”
His expression suddenly froze, and he delicately lifted a strand of Song Ke’s hair, sniffing it, “What’s this smell?”
Immediately, Zhuang Qingyan’s face changed dramatically as he realized something. He kept stepping back, repeatedly retreating, “Did you roll in the zombie pile again?!”
Song Ke: “…” What kind of nose is this? It’s even more sensitive than Taotao’s! She had been outside in the wind for half an hour!
Zhuang Qingyan furrowed his brows tightly, endured for a moment, endured again, couldn’t hold it any longer, and began to meticulously wash his hands.
Song Ke: “…” I’m very angry.
The romantic atmosphere dissipated instantly. Song Ke’s face puffed up like a bun. She walked over arrogantly, deliberately bumped into Zhuang Qingyan’s shoulder, then rubbed her head against him a couple of times, pushing him out of the bathroom, closing the door, and locking it.
There’s only one bathroom anyway. If it’s going to smell, let’s both suffer!
*
The next morning, Ye Zimei, accompanied by Song Ke and Zhuang Qingyan, went to Central Antique Street.
Central Antique Street was a street reconstructed in the style of an old civilization, with a variety of antique shops, specialty restaurants, fortune-telling stalls, and rows of yellow taxis on both sides of the road. Normally, it was bustling with people, and the residents were ordinary people with District B household registration.
The three of them meandered through the winding streets until they almost reached the end. The continuous noise finally quieted down, revealing a large and tranquil three-story villa area in front of them.
After confirming the house number, Ye Zimei spoke to the visitor system, “Hello, I’m Ye Zimei from the Awakener Department. I’d like to visit Mr. and Mrs. Ming Gang.”
She scanned her ID in front of the camera.
The mechanical electronic tone sounded flatly, “Verification in progress, please wait.”
Ten minutes later, the gate opened automatically with the owner’s permission: “Please come in.”
The three of them climbed the stairs and passed through a quiet little garden. When they reached the living room, a couple was already sitting there.
Perhaps well-maintained, the two of them looked like they were in their early fifties. Lucia had a bun on her head, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, elegant and dignified. Ming Gang wore glasses, and numerous holographic screens floated around him, displaying dense papers and academic reports.
Seeing Ye Zimei and the others entering, Ming Gang put down the paper he was correcting, raised his head, and with a mature and wise look, he scrutinized the three of them:
“I don’t recall the Ming family having any dealings with the Awakener Department.”
They were an ordinary couple, immigrants from early years, leading a secluded life. Minimally affected by the apocalypse, they usually didn’t interact with awakeners.
Ming Gang had a serious and reserved face with graying hair. When he looked at people, there was a unique sense of scrutiny typical of intellectuals.
Song Ke, pushing the wheelchair, was momentarily stunned. She was certain she had never seen Ming Gang before, but somehow… he seemed somewhat familiar.
This feeling arose for no apparent reason and was quickly pushed aside.
Ye Zimei respectfully said, “Professor Ming, sorry to disturb you. At the request of someone, a gentleman wishes to meet you.”
Lucia politely added, “Miss Ye, please leave. We don’t entertain visitors.”
Zhuang Qingyan wheeled forward, nodding politely to the two of them, “Senior, I’m Zhuang Qingyan, a colleague of Ming Zhi. We used to work in the same project group at the Qinglan Research Institute.”
Upon hearing Ming Zhi’s name, Ming Gang and Lucia’s faces flashed a slight surprise, but they didn’t utter any words to ask them to leave.
“You go ahead and chat. I’ll wait outside,” Ye Zimei tactfully withdrew.
Since guests were being retained, proper hospitality was necessary. Lucia raised her hand, and immediately a robot butler pushed a tea cart, took out delicate tea sets and snacks, skillfully brewed tea, and served it one by one to everyone.
Taking a sip of the hot tea, Lucia’s voice carried an indescribable nostalgia, “It’s been a long time since I heard Xiao Zhi’s name. You’re his colleague? Coming here to see us, is there something on your mind?”
Zhuang Qingyan, keeping an eye on Ye Zimei’s departing figure, got straight to the point, “Do you two know Ming Zhi’s current whereabouts?”
Song Ke’s eyes widened slightly, her face showing surprise. Wasn’t that too direct? No buffering at all?
But what Zhuang Qingyan wanted was a lack of buffering. Subconscious reactions are challenging to hide, even for an outstanding psychologist like them.
He focused intently on the two, not missing any subtle expressions.
Ming Gang showed a momentary surprise, followed by a displeased look.
Lucia’s grip on the tea cup paused imperceptibly, but she quickly recovered.
Zhuang Qingyan’s mouth slowly curved into a smile, a hint of understanding crossing his mind.
It seems like this trip was the right choice.
Ming Gang’s tone was direct and sharp, “Ming Zhi has been dead for a full fourteen years, blown to pieces in Loak by the explosion. The news of his death was personally sent to us by Qinglan. As his colleague, shouldn’t you be aware?”
“What’s the meaning of bringing up these things now? Are you deliberately trying to provoke us?” Ming Gang’s chest heaved, and his breathing became rapid.
“Professor Ming, please calm down. Initially, I also thought Ming Zhi had perished,” Zhuang Qingyan remained calm and explained slowly, “But due to some coincidences, I encountered another surviving member of the project group. She witnessed it herself—Ming Zhi did not die.”
“According to the witness’s account, before the accident occurred, Ming Zhi left the research institute alone,” Zhuang Qingyan’s expression gradually turned colder, “And, he took away an important experimental subject.”
“Impossible! Ming Zhi would never do such a thing!” Ming Gang erupted in anger, “He is already dead, you can’t slander him.”
Lucia almost lost her grip on the tea cup, and a few drops of hot tea splashed out, “Could there be a mistake… Xiao Zhi is an honest and upright child. Stealing an experimental subject would constitute a crime, and he wouldn’t do that.”
The tea used for hospitality by Lucia emitted a fragrant aroma, making Song Ke salivate. Taking advantage of the distraction in the conversation, she stealthily reached out, grabbed a tray, and attempted to taste a bite.
“This matter is indeed unbelievable, so I brought the witness from back then,” Zhuang Qingyan sighed slightly, taking out a holographic screen from his bag, “If you two don’t believe it, you can confront her face to face.”
Witness? In the spacious living room, besides them, there was only one person left.
Ming Gang and Lucia both looked at Song Ke simultaneously—one with a stern gaze, the other with displeasure.
Ming Gang slammed the table suddenly, the powerful force knocking over the tea cup, and the golden tea spilled all over the table.
Pointing at Song Ke, he exclaimed, “Are you the witness? Fourteen years ago, you were so young. Why would you slander Ming Zhi?”
Song Ke stuttered, “…Huh?”
It just occurred to me…wasn’t Song Ke’s grandfather called….