Chapter 171: The Most Concerned Question

Chapter 171: The Most Concerned Question

Just when Zhang Jue's fist was only 0.01 centimeters away from Vaughn, he could no longer move anymore. He felt as if his fist was being pulled by something. A very thin silk thread extended from his hand. It was like a spider web restricting his movements.

In the next second, Zhang Jue quickly let go of Vaughn and took a step backward. A very thin crack appeared on the ground in front of him, as if it had been sliced through the middle, and Zhang Jue was very aware of it.

What nearly sliced his wrist off just now was not a knife at all but an extremely thin thread. Vaughn regained his posture, floated up in the air, and quickly drifted backward. His whole body was pulled by countless thin threads, hanging like a weave if you look closely.

Zhang Jue looked at his backward figure and did not pursue it. Because in these few seconds, the space between them had pulled up countless thin threads horizontally and vertically, and each of the threads was very sharp.

Zhang Jue tried to touch it with his hand, and it sliced through his skin. After SCP-682's continuous refinement, his body is now so strong that a sword and bullet couldn't do much to his body. The scar was nothing to him. The thread can leave scars on his fingers. He can imagine how sharp it was.

Vaughn floated a few meters away from him, and the midget pastor stood together. Behind them, a black figure appeared as if it were a ghost. A few moments later, a middle-aged man in a black robe appeared, like a vampire.

Countless silk threads spread out from inside his sleeves like a tentacle.

"Young Master Vaughn, I'm late." He said.

"No, just in time, Mr. Fredel." Vaughn looked at Zhang Jue, "I'm sure Advisor Zhang feels the same way."

"Ah, yes, just in time." Zhang Jue shrugged, "If you had come any later, his face would have been full of my footprints."

Zhang Jue had been prepared for this man's appearance. Vaughn's status was so high that it was impossible not to have a powerful person around to protect him. Their infiltration into the Foundation's site would require a powerful person to break through it.

Zhang Jue could sense that this Fredel person was dangerous. His ability should be to manipulate these threads. A weakened version of Doflamingo?

Zhang Jue laughed and looked at the three of them. Reinforcements have arrived, and Vaughn once again resumed that poised swimming movement.

"Advisor Zhang, I have a proposal. I wonder if you want to hear it."

"Oh?" Zhang Jue raised his eyebrows, "You want to be my little brother?"

Zhang Jue took a step ahead and blocked out what Vaughn was planning to say later, as he did want to talk to Zhang Jue about cooperation.

He shook his head and laughed, "No one is anyone's little brother, Advisor Zhang. There is no doubt about your abilities, and I can see that although you are a Special Advisor of the Foundation. You don't seem to be in much harmony with them. How about joining the Chaos Insurgency? I guarantee that you will definitely be treated much better than at the Foundation."

"Oh?" Speaking of which, Zhang Jue's eyes instantly lit up. "Does the Insurgency have a lot of insurance and pension benefits?"

"Huh?" Vaughn had no idea what Zhang Jue was talking about. But he still smiled blandly and said, "As long as Advisor Zhang is willing to agree to join, everything is negotiable."

"You can keep it to yourself." Hearing him say that, Zhang Jue waved his hand in disgust. "That's what Yang Wenbai said at first. In the end, he didn't pay me enough, and I had to help him take care of his niece. I lost a lot, okay? When will your employers stop promising big rewards? I'm asking you to at least change how you approach me with it."

Zhang Jue rattled off a lot of words, but Vaughn had no idea what he was talking about. But the meaning was clear. He didn't believe him. Zhang Jue didn't explicitly refuse it, and Vaugn felt as if there was some hope.

"Advisor Zhang, I know you are capable enough to do things alone, but the Foundation puts so many restrictions on you. I'm sure you can't just do anything when you're working at the Foundation. I heard about you and Lei Shui's affair. It's obvious that the Foundation is intentionally targeting you. If you join Chaos Insurgency, I guarantee that no one will restrict your actions. You can do whatever you want." He spoke nicely, but Zhang Jue was noncommittal.

He looked at Vaughn, "There's something I want to confirm. A few months ago, I went to Switzerland and was ambushed by a reality bender on a plane. He was one of your people, right?"

"He was indeed one of us. I won't lie to you about that." Vaughn said, "But it was my brother Dulle who sent him to kill you. It had nothing to do with me."

"What if I want to take revenge on it?"

Vaughn suddenly smiled, "Advisor Zhang, go ahead and take revenge on him. If possible, I can make it happen for you."

"Wow, that sounds like a good idea."

"So, Advisor Zhang. Are you willing to?"

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhang Jue completely ignored the transparent threads that were coming up behind him and said, "Then let's make a bet? Never mind, there's no point in betting with a dead man."

Looking at Zhang Jue's certainty of death. Fu En felt a little relief for a moment. But then he said, "Stop bluffing."

Zhang Jue laughed, "Whether it's a bluff or not, you'll know later."

Someone had to admit that this person called Fredel was indeed very strong with his offense and defense alone. Someone with no weaknesses. Even within the Chaos Insurgency, he was strong enough to be ranked in the higher rank.

Other than the chief, he only listened to Vaughn. However, he had met Zhang Jue. Zhang Jue who had the aura of the protagonist. No one could stand in front of the protagonist.

In the next second, he frowned slightly and revealed an uncomprehending expression. Because he saw that those golden threads were breaking apart one by one, he didn't know that Zhang Jue had unleashed an ability he had obtained from SCP-049.

Those golden silk threads used for defense were not as sharp as the transparent ones, so Zhang Jue held many of them in one hand. After activating the ability, they turned into ordinary threads that could no longer resist his sword.

With a single slash, Zhang Jue broke all the silk threads. The three of them took a few steps backward and managed to dodge Zhang Jue's sword.

"Well?" Zhang Jue laughed.

Fredel looked at Zhang Jue warily, "This man is beyond our comprehension. Young Master Vaughn, we have to retreat."

Vaughn's eyes narrowed as he pondered for a few seconds, then nodded. He had underestimated Zhang Jue's strength, and the fact that Zhang Jue had broken the attacks of that midget pastor and Fredel one after another had made him extremely wary. The purpose of their trip was to find that patient, and it really didn't matter if they killed Zhang Jue or not.

"Zhang Jue, I still hope you will think carefully about what I said." Vaughn said, "Joining the Chaos Insurgency will only do you good, not harm." After he finished speaking, he glanced at the midget pastor.

The midget pastor pulled out a spell and chanted the words under his breath. A minute later, a black mist rose up from under their feet and wrapped the three of them in it. Fredel kept an eye on Zhang Jue, preventing him from suddenly attacking as he did earlier. But Zhang Jue didn't move, just watched their movements.

After another minute, the black mist disintegrated, and all of them disappeared. There was no need to chase them. Zhang Jue knew that Fredel obviously did not use his full strength. If the two fought seriously, the winner was still unknown.

Even if he couldn't die, Yang Xue and those tied-up medics probably wouldn't be so lucky to survive the situation when the clash happens. Besides, he had no obvious conflict of interest with this man named Vaugh. There was no need to fight him to death.

As for joining the Chaos Insurgency, it was never zero. But he would not join through Vaughn's recommendation. After all, a person who could betray his elder brother should never be trusted.

After the three of them left, the blood mist in the air gradually dissipated. Zhang Jue could feel that the energy of the formation was also gradually weakening. In a short time, the place should return to normal.

Zhang Jue looked back at the Foundation staff who were tied to the crosses, sighed, and untied them one by one from the top. Yang Xue was the last one to be saved. Zhang Jue placed her against the wall and gently patted her cheek.

"Wake up, wake up."

There was no response. Zhang Jue tried again to wake her up but to no avail. Yang Xue's eyes were dull, and it looked like it would be a while before she was completely back to normal.

Zhang Jue remembered that Yang Xue had exercised his willpower through self-mutilation, and just as he had expected, it was useless. Faced with this kind of magic spell, I'm afraid the average person would have no way to resist it.

Zhang Jue looked around, and up until now. He still hadn't seen any of the MTF squad members. It seemed that they should have escorted the mysterious patient's escape.

"These MTFs, they're quick on their feet. I don't know where they've run off to." Zhang Jue grunted.

However, Yang Xue suddenly spoke out, "They... were taken away by Mr. Lei Shui..."

It was still a mechanized answer. It looked like the evil spell she had been under was still at work, and she would answer anyone's question truthfully. Zhang Jue looked at her and watched her for a few minutes.

His expression was somewhat torn. It seemed like she was doing some kind of thought struggle. In the end, curiosity overcame conscience. Well, he really didn't have much conscience either.

Zhang Jue cleared his throat and asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time.

"Dr. Yang, was it you who pushed me toward Shirley at Site-14?"