Chapter 75: The Wang Family's Search (Part 3 of 2 Combined)

This corpse indeed had many unusual injuries, which Xia Yi could confirm with just his eyes.

"I asked Yibei to help investigate Jiang Zhendong and their team. They didn't stay long in Lu County and rarely acted in front of others, so there isn't much information about them. But I thought you might need it."

Xia Yi pulled up Jiang Zhendong's photo on a tablet. "Jiang Zhendong, leader of Hongshan Base, a Level 4 lightning ability user with formidable offensive power. He also commands a large group of ability users, covering most types, showing strong leadership."

Xia Yi switched to the next photo. "Zhong Botao, an ordinary person without any awakened abilities, is an expert in life sciences. He has unique insights into ability users, zombies, and crystals, and likes to take unconventional approaches."

The picture showed a man in his fifties, still bearing traces of youthful handsomeness. He wore a spotless white lab coat, meticulously buttoned, gold-rimmed glasses, and had graying temples. He was wise, scholarly, and non-threatening.

Yet standing among powerful ability users, his presence remained undiminished.

Shenchi looked at him, clenching his fists tightly.

Xia Yi said, "Because Jin Shufan was close to him, I investigated him before, but much of the data was lost during the apocalypse. We only know he was once a professor at Kaiping University, later expelled, and reappeared in ChuanShan Province with Jin Shufan four months ago."

"We can confirm that Dr. Zhong was the researcher rescued by Jin Shufan in Wanqian City. During this time, Dr. Zhong conducted human experiments and achieved success."

Xia Yi zoomed in on a scar-faced zombie's arm, showing a red stamp. "From a psychological perspective, stamping implies ownership and pride. However, this stamp is for categorization, indicating he is proud and skilled at analysis. He wouldn't be satisfied with just one ability user or just strength-type ability users as subjects."

Cao Kun: "Wanqian City suffers severe magnetic interference, making satellites unusable. Could their communication method be related to his human experiments?"

Xia Yi nodded. "I thought the same... Unfortunately, Wanqian City is destroyed, and humans can no longer enter."

Next was a photo of a middle-aged man, unremarkable at first glance.

Xia Yi: "This man is Zhao Xiong, a trusted subordinate of Jiang Zhendong. He has been with Jiang since before the apocalypse, usually silent but fiercely loyal. He is a Level 3 wind ability user, like Yibei, and his abilities are not to be underestimated."

"Shen Tian, a Level 3 water ability user, not very offensive but reportedly combines well with Jiang Zhendong's lightning abilities, easily killing Level 3 zombies. Water conducts electricity and is everywhere, making it difficult for anyone except ice ability users to face him."

Xia Yi then introduced other key figures under Jiang Zhendong, noting the variety and coordination of high-level ability users, rivaling natural ability users.

The morning passed quickly. Xia Yi organized the records, led them to the cafeteria for lunch, and then said, "Anna's child is here. Let me show you."

He bent down and poked Shenchi's arms where Ping'an was held. "An'an, little darling, Uncle will take you to see Brother Zhuangzhuang, okay?"

Ping'an, sucking on her fist, stared at Xia Yi with big black eyes, suddenly pulling out her wet fist and extending it to him.

Xia Yi was surprised but delighted.

It was the first time Shenchi and the others saw such a reaction; they immediately lined up to request Ping'an's fist. Everyone pretended to bite it, except Cao Kun, who actually bit it and savored it.

Ping'an, initially amused, froze for a few seconds before bursting into tears, wailing uncontrollably.

Cao Kun was shocked, receiving disapproving glances from everyone, and sheepishly rubbed his nose.

The Research Institute was heavily guarded, requiring access cards everywhere. Fortunately, Anna trusted Xia Yi, so her son was brought to the 11th district of the institute, where dedicated caretakers looked after him.

Xia Yi swiped his card to access the third floor, registered with security, and entered a room decorated like a princess's dreamland, filled with pink bed curtains, lace edges, fruit-themed decorations, and dolls lining the walls.

Ming Jing almost felt like he had entered a girl's bedroom.

Cao Kun chuckled. "Are they raising a son like a daughter?"

On the pink princess bed lay a baby wearing a red belly band, bare-bottomed, refusing food from the nanny.

Hearing the commotion, the baby turned around, revealing beautiful green eyes curiously observing the strangers. He propped himself up and looked at Ping'an, sobbing in Shenchi's arms.

Xia Yi gestured for Shenchi to bring Ping'an closer. Ping'an, seeing another creature like herself, stared intently. Shenchi placed her next to Zhuangzhuang, who did not reject her.

As Shenchi withdrew his hand, Zhuangzhuang unexpectedly slapped Ping'an. Shenchi was startled, but fortunately, the two-month-old's strength was minimal, causing Ping'an to whimper but not cry further.

The nanny apologized, gently scolding Zhuangzhuang. "Zhuangzhuang, don't hit. This is your little sister. You should love and protect her. Here, set an example and eat."

Zhuangzhuang obediently opened his mouth, latching onto the pacifier while keeping his eyes on Ping'an.

Ping'an smacked her lips, putting her fist in her mouth, then offering it to Zhuangzhuang again.

The adults watched, smiling.

Cao Kun asked, "Is Zhuangzhuang a nickname? What's his real name?"

"Dazhuang."

"What?" Cao Kun thought Xia Yi was joking.

Xia Yi laughed. "His father's surname is Gao. His mother wanted a simple, easy-to-raise name, so they called him Gao Dazhuang."

Zhuangzhuang wasn't shy either, dropping his pacifier and leaning towards Ping'an. However, his poor balance caused him to fall over.

The nanny reached out to catch him, but Zhuangzhuang refused, whining and crying when Ping'an put her hand back in her mouth.

Ping'an cried heart-wrenchingly, while Zhuangzhuang cried silently, tears streaming down his face, looking incredibly pitiful.

The adults couldn't bear it, but Ping'an repeated her gesture, offering her hand to Zhuangzhuang, making everyone laugh.

Ming Jing exclaimed, "Look, An'an has dimples! Just like Kun Ge, only one!"

Everyone leaned in to see Ping'an's smile, revealing a charming dimple on her left cheek, adding to her cuteness.

Shenchi instinctively looked at Cao Kun, who was visibly pleased, his own dimple showing. He gently poked Ping'an's dimple, saying softly, "Little demon."

While they were playing with the children, Xia Yi approached Ming Jing. "What's going on with them?"

They seemed fine, talking normally, but noticeably less interactive.

"They fought last night," Ming Jing said. "Did they always act like this?"

Xia Yi recalled how Cao Kun had called Shenchi a shrew and nodded with a smile.

Ming Jing looked at Cao Kun and recited a compassionate Buddhist chant.

That night, Lu County City was drenched in rain again. The heavy downpour continued relentlessly, effectively cooling the air and replenishing water resources. However, Shenchi felt uneasy, knowing that the melting snow in the north would inevitably lead to a series of problems.

Days passed, and although everyone sensed they were being followed, their pursuers took no further action. Shenchi knew that Shen Tian and the others would eventually leave Lu County, and he also knew that with his current abilities, it was impossible for him to kill all three of them at once. So, he spent these days training himself.

Xia Yi was also extremely busy. Gu Yibei had returned, bringing news that many people with special abilities and pregnant women had gone missing from various safe zones.

In this day and age, disappearances were not uncommon, but the fact that even pregnant women protected within safe zones had vanished was suspicious.

They suspected it might be related to Zhong Botao, but they lacked evidence.

Shenchi knew where Zhong Botao had hidden his laboratory. If they raided it now, they would surely catch him red-handed, but this information should not be known by him at this stage.

Unfortunately, he was under surveillance, so all he could do was hint to Gu Yibei and the others to search Hongshan Base. However, the base was heavily guarded, and any slight disturbance would reach Jiang Zhendong's ears, making progress difficult.

One day, the test results for Shenchi and the others came back. Like other ability users, their genes had undergone some changes, but fortunately, these changes were positive so far.

Xia Yi: "I've tested that water repeatedly, and there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, it contains many minerals and trace elements beneficial to the human body. Through experiments, I found that this water not only heals wounds but also regenerates damaged cells, including reshaping bones and organs!"

Gu Yibei: "That's terrifying."

Xia Yi laughed, "Not quite that extreme. The more severe the damage, the longer it takes to heal. For humans, the process would be even longer, so don't get complacent just because you have the Spirit Spring."

After finishing their serious discussion, everyone relaxed. They lazily gathered together in the cool air-conditioned room, munching on fruits and snacks Shenchi had brought out.

Gu Yibei pulled out two decks of cards, and the five of them started playing poker, with the loser getting flicked anywhere on their body.

Xia Yi noticed how forcefully Cao Kun threw his cards. "Doesn't your arm hurt?"

Shenchi remembered Cao Kun's injured arm and frowned at him.

Cao Kun smiled, "This level of injury doesn't hurt."

"Really?" Xia Yi played five twos as a bomb, successfully taking control of the game. He happily threw down a plane with wings, then covered his last card, indicating he had only one left. "Still, I suggest you take a little bit of the water daily to prevent future issues with your arm."

Gu Yibei smiled, remembering all the cards that had been played, easily guessing Xia Yi's remaining card.

Cao Kun clearly calculated this too, so he began to intentionally lose. Unfortunately, Gu Yibei always overpowered him when seated next to him.

The results were interesting. In the first half, whenever Gu Yibei and Cao Kun were on the same team, they always won. In the second half, if they were on the same team, they always lost.

As the sun set, Gu Yibei and Xia Yi prepared to leave. Coincidentally, the guard called to say someone surnamed Wang was looking for Shenchi.

Shenchi, being new, didn't know anyone, especially someone with the suspicious surname "Wang." He had a vague suspicion.

Going downstairs, he saw a thin man, less than 175 cm tall, grinning obsequiously.

Seeing Shenchi and the others dressed smartly, the man nervously and excitedly stepped forward. Cao Kun cautiously held Shenchi back. "Xiao Chi, it's President Wang!"

Shenchi's expression changed. He had met President Wang only twice, remembering him as a middle-aged man with a potbelly and an oily demeanor, very different from the person before him.

But Shenchi's intuition told him this was indeed President Wang.

Shenchi sneered, "I remember President Wang as someone who looks down on everyone. You're just a scrawny old man."

President Wang, once a powerful figure, was now being mocked by a young man who had once sought his cooperation. His anger flared, but he remembered his purpose today. Seeing the two intimidating men with Shenchi, he loudly exclaimed, "Xiao Chi, how could you forget me? We were so close at the Magpie Bridge Hotel!"

Before Shenchi could act, Cao Kun waved his hand, sending a fire dragon crashing into President Wang, knocking him several meters away.

President Wang cried and rolled on the ground, but the flames did not diminish. Cao Kun stomped on his hand, grinding it into the ground. "Filthy mouth."

The patrol team, patrolling continuously, rushed over to stop Cao Kun.

Cao Kun, thinking about how Shenchi had believed he had been with such a person, ignored the patrol team and continued beating him.

The patrol team spread out, aiming their guns at Cao Kun and the others. "Last warning! Stop or we'll shoot!"

Shenchi pulled Cao Kun back, who spat on the ground near the writhing President Wang.

President Wang hid behind the patrol team, gasping in pain. He briefly regretted coming here but, bolstered by their presence, shouted, "Give me a hundred kilograms of rice and ten level-two crystals, and I'll keep our secret!"

Shenchi remained calm. "Tell me how you found me, and I'll give you five level-two crystals. How about that?"

Without hesitation, President Wang blurted out, "It was Shen Tian! He told me to harass you because you have many crystals! Don't blame me; I'm just trying to survive. He approached me first."

President Wang betrayed Shen Tian without a second thought. That kid wanted to share the profits without doing any work—no way!

Shenchi didn't believe him. As a nature ability user, Shen Tian had many admirers, and with Jiang Zhendong, he wouldn't lack crystals.

Shenchi's fourth-level spatial ability was developed with Jiang Zhendong's help.

Of course, Shenchi didn't need to explain this to a dying man.

He turned to the patrol team leader and said, "I won't kill him; I just want to ask him a few questions."

Gu Yibei, familiar with the leader, chatted briefly. The leader gave Gu Yibei a strange look but didn't argue, coldly saying, "Go ahead."

Seeing they knew each other, President Wang retreated in fear, while the others stepped back.

Shenchi squatted down, looking at the once-powerful President Wang, his voice icy. "You knew you never touched me that night. Why come here?"

President Wang was stunned. "You knew? Damn it, Shen Tian really had ill intentions! He said you slept with me and now have a new backer, so you'd definitely pay off to keep this secret quiet. Safe zones can't kill, so you'd spend some crystals to settle things."

Shenchi: "So what?"

Shenchi never expected President Wang to spill the beans with just one sentence. At this point, he was completely convinced that the person that night was Cao Kun.

Shenchi recalled how Cao Kun had fawned over him in the air-raid shelter after learning about his pregnancy. Even though he had guessed that Cao Kun was likely after Ping'an, confirming the truth still made his chest feel heavy and suffocated.

— Damn!

Seeing Shenchi's expression change, President Wang didn't dare to divert the topic and stammered, "That night you were drugged, dazed and confused. I thought someone else had taken advantage of you and mistook it for me, so I went along with it..."

Shenchi had a bad feeling, "What kind of drug?"

President Wang lowered his head, "Just, an aphrodisiac..."

Shenchi tightly pressed his lips together, barely restraining the urge to kill someone.

True to his word, Shenchi immediately threw five Grade 2 crystal cores at him. Unfortunately, the delighted President Wang didn't even get the chance to feast on the crystal cores before he was cornered in the restroom and killed.

News of President Wang's death quickly reached Jiang Zhendong's ears.

In the hall, Zhong Botao's face darkened, "What happened? That person is dead; our plan must be exposed now."

Shen Tian: "I didn't reveal my identity, just cooperated with him. We agreed he would get seventy percent of the crystal cores, and I would get thirty. The fool believed it."

Zhong Botao snorted, "I say we should have just knocked him out and brought him here directly to avoid any complications."

"Although that method is feasible, the risk is too high." Kidnapping Shenchi was easy, dealing with Gu Yibei and Doctor Xia wasn't difficult either, but the challenge was getting him out from under their noses.

Luyi wasn't like those small safe zones where anyone could come and go freely. Even flying was monitored by missiles at all times.

Jiang Zhendong reassured him, "Doctor, don't worry. There will be other opportunities. Since Shenchi hates Xiao Tian so much, he'll definitely try to kill Xiao Tian. On the day they leave the city, give Xiao Tian a chance to act alone. Then, I'll distract the fire ability user, and you guys can take Shenchi away."

Shen Tian: "What if he really can hide in a higher-dimensional space?"

Jiang Zhendong smiled slightly, looking at Zhong Botao, "That's why we need to see when your research succeeds."

Zhong Botao took a sip of tea calmly, "It will be done in a couple of days. Once everything is set up, we'll move forward."

Jiang Zhendong: "Of course."

Author's note:

Sorry for the wait~ Thank you for your support, my dear angels. Kisses and hugs ＾3＾

I've merged three chapters into two.

Thank you, "Bing Yingz," for dropping a mine~ Kisses and hugs～