In truth, Si Nan just wanted to wander around. Both he and Zhou Rong knew he didn’t have intracranial hemorrhage requiring complete bed rest, and while there might be some nerve compression, he certainly didn’t need to be blindfolded 24 hours a day.
It wasn’t a big deal, but everyone said he should “cooperate,” and Si Nan had been cooperating for nearly a week before deciding he was no longer so willing.
The base was a temporary renovation of an artificial island, but well-planned, with white dormitory buildings scattered across the military living area, separated by green belts, with soldiers training in the distant playground. He passed the cafeteria, seeming slightly thirsty, and turned to walk inside.
The special ops personnel’s mission was to prevent him from running around freely without causing his suspicion or alerting him, and certainly not letting him get into trouble. So after quickly exchanging glances, one of them followed him inside with some money.
However, upon entering, the agent was stunned.
The cafeteria was empty, with only a piece of white gauze for blindfolding hanging on the corner’s vending machine.
Si Nan emerged from behind the vending machine, dusting himself off like a high school student who’d just pulled off a prank, a corner of his mouth raised as he left the cafeteria.
In other words,” Ning Yu said, “only people with exceptionally good genes are more likely to survive after being injected with serum antibodies and overcome the virus.
Si Nan closed his notebook and said, “This is just your inference.”
Si Nan rarely showed obvious emotions when facing anyone other than Zhou Rong, but Ning Yu still sensed a hint of dissatisfaction in his flat tone.
“I thought you were a supporter of equality among all beings,” Ning Yu said sarcastically.
Si Nan did not refute, simply responding calmly, “But everyone has the right to survive, Dr. Ning.”
Ning Yu suddenly fell silent, as if recalling something, with a slightly flickering gaze behind his glasses.
“Yes,” Ning Yu finally spoke after a long pause, then added, “But if this inference is proven, the antiviral vaccine would become impossible. We can’t first develop a virus to raise everyone’s genetic level. And what about frontline soldiers? Are we supposed to inject them with serum, send out those who don’t die, and bury those who do?”
Si Nan gently tossed the notebook back on the desk, stepping down from the high stool and said, “There will always be a way.”
“No way,” Ning Yu said coldly. “I’m not a god. Human intelligence is limited. I think everyone should just eat, drink, and wait to die on this island.”
Si Nan’s hand paused on the doorknob.
“Don’t say that, Dr. Ning,” he said calmly. “Otherwise, I’ll have to send you down with a bullet to make up for those ninety-five experimental subjects. Do you think you’ll still get to eat and drink?”
Ning Yu: “………………”
Si Nan walked out leisurely, and Ning Yu suddenly twitched, seeming to remember something and chasing after him for two steps: “Hey!”
Si Nan waved his hand without looking back, indicating no need to see him off.
“The military just sent a message that the rescue team rescued three A-country people from Changsha and brought them back to the base!”
As soon as the words fell, Si Nan’s footsteps momentarily stopped.
“Zheng Xie is going to meet them today,” Ning Yu said softly. “These people might be old acquaintances of yours, so I’m just giving you a heads up.”
He closed the laboratory door with a click.
Si Nan stood still for a moment, with increasing sounds of people nearby, and special operations personnel were almost ready to release guard dogs.
Ning Yu’s subtle hint was like countless fine needles, causing Si Nan’s brow to furrow, deepening the fine line between his eyebrows. Suddenly, he grabbed the railing and leaped down, landing as gracefully as a leopard, quickly descending three floors; the armed police at the gate holding submachine guns were changing shifts, and in a brief half-second, Si Nan had left the military research institute along his original path.
★ Chapter 68
General’s Office. Zheng Xie put down the photo, his aging yet still rigid face expressionless: “Never seen him.”
With his movement, the photo was laid flat on the desk – a medium-height, lean-bodied Asian young man wearing a gray-white urban camouflage uniform and aviator sunglasses, standing with his hands behind his back, quietly staring at the ceiling.
Only half of his face was visible behind the glasses, yet beautifully shaped; the corners of his mouth naturally drooping, as if they had never curved upward in this lifetime.
Therefore, Zheng Xie wasn’t exactly lying. He truly had never seen Zhou’s Omega look like this.
A blonde, blue-eyed Caucasian man sat across from him, his fingers interlaced on the desk, revealing a hint of mockery upon hearing this: “Oh, is that so? It seems my brother is likely dead.”
Zheng Xie said, “Yes. I personally feel very sorry. I hope the family can accept this and move on.”
“It’s fine. I’ve already admitted to you his dangerous nature. In the apocalypse, someone like him probably won’t die so easily, but he’s more likely to bring disaster to those around him.”
Zheng Xie couldn’t immediately respond, and the Caucasian man had already retrieved the photo and was preparing to leave.
“Wait!” Zheng Xie suddenly stood up: “Colonel Romule!”
Romule stopped, hearing the old general’s voice from behind: “…Where are you going?”
“Back to my country.”
Zheng Xie subconsciously asked, “How?”
Romule turned his head: “That would be my expertise.”
The deputy general’s eyes reflected the A-country man’s sharply defined face, seeing a subtle, restrained cold smile: “Some of our military personnel have already entered the Florida laboratory and restarted vaccine trials. Since your government can’t spare personnel to help search for my brother, I can only return to my country to request assistance – as for how we’ll conduct the search, given your country’s current state, I’m afraid you’re powerless.”
Though it was his own territory, Zheng Xie felt overwhelmed by the tall Caucasian military man’s momentum.
Zheng Xie’s eyes narrowed, quickly thinking, as Romule again walked towards the office door.
“Stop!” Zheng Xie blurted out, pausing before adding: “I can agree to your conditions, Colonel. But you must also tell me why your country’s military is searching for this person. Is it related to the vaccine?”
Unexpectedly, Romule didn’t dodge, turning directly and straightforwardly: “Yes.”
This direct response caught Zheng Xie off guard.
Romule unbuttoned the third button of his shirt, revealing his muscular chest with three long, purple-brown scars crossing it: “Two days ago,” he said coldly, “my subordinates urgently administered the last second-level serum antibody. After the wound healed, we were discovered by your country’s rescue team. This serum antibody was left behind by my brother before he defected from the Florida laboratory.”
Zheng Xie was extremely surprised: “Second-level… antibody?”
Abbas lit a cigarette, sitting on the steps, and looked at his watch.
3:15 PM.
Romuel has been up for forty minutes, and Jane, the female Alpha waiting with him below, has already wandered off impatiently for quite a while.
Abbas rolled up his sleeves, revealing his robust arms. The muscular sinews were marked with purple-black tooth marks, crisscrossing and particularly horrifying. He exhaled a deep breath of smoke, suddenly hearing a sound behind him, like leaves brushing against the ground, extremely subtle.
Abbas turned back, and behind him was an empty corridor.
Did he mishear?
