Chapter 159 - Test Report

Chapter 159 - Test Report

translator: xiin

editors: apricot & juurensha

The cabin was quiet.

The nutrients in the bottle made ‘drip, drip’ sounds as they trickled down the tubes. Wu Jin lay on the bed with his eyes closed, but his rest wasn’t peaceful.

Outside the room, the psychiatrist Zhou Nan was communicating with the nurses.

“Mr Wu has slept for two hours and woken up three times. His blood pressure is a little low, and he hasn’t been talking much…”

Zhou Nan nodded and poured himself a cup of hot water in a paper cup.

The temperature of the water was too hot. Zhou Nan’s hand, which had used real guns before, could tell with a touch. While waiting for the hot water to cool, he looked down at his terminal.

Only six hours had passed since the rescue.

On the virtual terminal screen, Mao Dongqing was conducting a tactical replay with the assault team. Wu Jin had been abducted 13 hours ago. 12 hours ago, the entire city had entered martial law lockdown, and tracking chip signals were sent out along all of Floating City’s hidden lines. Nearly 700 high-sensitivity signal detection instruments went online at the same time across the entire Star Region. 7 hours ago, the tracking signal had been accurately located.

6 hours ago, two star ships had landed quietly in a private star port. With the same efficiency as during any of their training exercises, the assault teams had surrounded and annihilated the Duchess’ entire manor with thunderous force––

Wei Shi wrapped the comatose Wu Jin in a blanket. He had still been trembling when he rushed outside, and it wasn’t until the doctor confirmed that the patient’s physical signs were normal did Wei Shi return to his usual state.

Wei Shi had kept watch until Wu Jin woke up.

During this period, Zhou Nan had gone in to look several times. The shadowless lamp in the operating room cast a harsh light overhead, and Wei Shi had constantly held onto Wu Jin’s left wrist where the chip had been removed, sitting there like a silent sculpture.

He had only left when Wu Jin fell asleep again.

All the way up until now.

Hot air drifted up, and the temperature of the water was suitable for drinking.

Zhou Nan gently pushed open the door and was unsurprised when Wu Jin became alert again.

“Drink some water.” Zhou Nan comforted him and then handed him two small pills, “Sleeping aid.”

Wu Jin sat up slowly. The right hand that held an inserted needle was pale, and his fingernails were bloodless. The paper cup steamed with warm, damp condensation, and the warmth transmitted over as the psychologist gently handed over the paper cup.

Humans always cared about warmth and water.

This was one of Zhou Nan’s tricks to encourage his patients to lower their guard. Wu Jin accepted the paper cup with his left hand, and his shoulders finally relaxed slightly.

Zhou Nan looked at Wu Jin, and he didn’t feel optimistic in his heart.

The youth sat there quietly, but his gaze was silent and empty. There was no focus to his eyes when he looked out the window.

“We’re on our way back.” Zhou Nan controlled his emotions skillfully, “There are still four hours before we arrive back at Floating City, and tomorrow night is the night of the Autumn Festival.”

“What you should do is sleep for a full eight hours.”

Wu Jin paused for a few seconds before finally nodding. He asked, “Brother Wei––”

Zhou Nan turned on the terminal screen projection.

In the room next door, Wei Shi was currently on a video call with the Duchess.

The Duchess, who had been left in the manor, seemed to be arguing about something. Her expression was hysterical, and Wei Shi coldly spat out a few words, causing the Duchess to sweat and slide weakly from her seat.

“Different people are meant for different endings.” Zhou Nan seemed to be telling a story, “She was also one of the founders of the R-Code Base. The Federal genetic transformation research was decades behind the Empire’s, but her former husband was a senior Federal official. It was through the Duchess that a large number of high-risk experimental programs were transferred from the Empire to the Federation, indirectly contributing to the establishment of the R-Code genetic modification base.”

“The Federation needed the technology, and the Empire needed free laboratories.”

“Many of the results of these programs had a survival rate of less than 30%. Most of them have emotional locks and remotely controlled explosive chips.”

Wu Jin lifted his head.

In the terminal screen, Wei Shi finished the video call and quickly pushed open the door. He was anxious to return to Wu Jin’s room.

Zhou Nan closed the terminal, “The carved letters on the chip used to control the genetically modified people are her and her ex-husband’s initials. It was said that the first control chip from the assembly line was the token that the Federal official used to propose to her with.”

“However, just now,” Zhou Nan smiled slightly, “Brother Wei personally operated the knife and implanted the control chip into the Duchess’ nerve center.”

Wu Jin’s eyes opened wide. The area around his pupils were slightly dark and grey.

Zhou Nan thought about it. Little Witch’s extroversion level was E, and he would often sympathize with others. He explained in the way one would comfort a little rabbit, “Revenge is a process. It’s not for torture, or getting even, but because there are too many genetically modified residents in Floating City. Only by controlling her can we infiltrate the Imperial Institute of Science.”

“These biotechnologies are absolutely critical for the genetically modified. Additionally, they’re also waiting for justice. Some of them were unable to see it happen in their whole life, but the ones who are still alive are waiting in their stead.”

“The Duchess represents an opportunity.”

Zhou Nan carefully observed Wu Jin’s expression and speculated on his opinion.

Wu Jin spoke slowly, “The chip is implanted, but we still owe her an emotional lock.”

Zhou Nan was surprised and then laughed loudly a while later, “That’s a good idea.”

The door creaked open.

Wei Shi stepped in with quick steps. Zhou Nan greeted him with a smile, then left and closed the door behind him.

His smile abruptly disappeared.

“Little Witch’s state isn’t quite right.” He opened up a call to Researcher Song, who was still stationed in Floating City, “Have the results for the blood test come out? Little Witch’s situation is something that I’ve only seen in previous genetically modified subjects who have had their memories wiped at the R-Code Base––”

Researcher Song paused for a moment, “The preliminary blood tests came back normal, and it looks like he should just be extremely tired. Little Witch should have been injected with a considerable dosage of MHCC, but he’s resistant to it, so it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s also an unidentified, complicated agent in the drug test. Little Witch himself said that it’s a N-type memory agent. We’re still screening it.”

Zhou Nan: “He has resistance towards this as well? Will there be any aftereffects?”

Researcher Song sighed, “He’s a scabbard. What do you think.”

Zhou Nan poured himself a cup of water, “Little Witch isn’t in a good state. How about I call Brother Wei back out in a while––”

Researcher Song knocked on the monitoring screen showing the side of the hospital bed and gestured for Zhou Nan to look at it himself.

Wei Shi sat at the edge of Wu Jin’s bed. His back was straight, and his right hand covered the back of Wu Jin’s hand where the little needle was inserted, and whispered something in a low voice.

Wu Jin rolled himself up in the quilt.

And moved towards Wei Shi.

A few seconds later, he shifted closer again.

“……” Zhou Nan was finally relieved, “I guess we’ll let Brother Wei stay inside and not go anywhere.”

In the star ship cabin, on the hospital bed.

Wei Shi helped Wu Jin warm up a little and raised up the room temperature again. The youth’s back was cold and chilly. Two days ago, it had still been soft to the touch, but now, the floating blue blood vessels could all be seen.

The sleeping pills were starting to kick in.

Wu Jin held onto Wei Shi’s hand in a daze, and the man covered his hand with his own. Wei Shi’s gaze was locked on him the entire time.

“Shao Yu’s emotional lock has gone out of control.” Wei Shi spoke succinctly, “We’ll talk about the rest after you’re better. Get some sleep. I won’t leave.”

Wu Jin gave up half the quilt. He was well behaved and didn’t say a word.

Wei Shi turned off the monitoring for the room and lay down by Wu Jin’s side. His solid arm threaded under Wu Jin and held the youth firmly in his arms. “Are you warmer now?”

Wu Jin nodded.

The small curls brushed across the chin covered in stubble. Wei Shi also hadn’t slept for a full day and night. He pressed the youth into his arms, held him firmly, and the anxiety in the depths of his pupils finally eased up.

His gaze swept along Wu Jin’s translucent cheek and earlobe. Every time he looked, it was like a knife was scratching at the tip of his heart.

Wu Jin exhaled slowly and fell into a shallow sleep. A few minutes later, he suddenly started to spasm and shake.

Wei Shi tightened his embrace, “Relax, it’s alright.”

Wu Jin woke up from his nightmare. He didn’t open his eyes and spoke lightly, “It’s snowing.”

Wei Shi: “I’m here.”

Wu Jin: “I’m afraid I’ll disappear.”

Wei Shi bowed his head and dropped dense, shallow kisses against the side of the youth’s neck. There was no desire in his touch, only comfort, and he said, “You won’t. I’ll find you.”

Wu Jin lifted his head and asked slowly, “You… did you cry.”

Wei Shi paused, “What.”

Wu Jin: “When you brought me out.”

At that time, his consciousness had been immersed in the R-Code Base during the blizzard. Outside his consciousness, Wei Shi had carried him and run out through the burning fires in the manor. He’d barely managed to open his eyes and could see the terrible bloody color of the man’s eyes, the painful and twisted expression, and a light dampness at the bottom of his eyes. His lips moved over and over and shaped the same words: I’m sorry.

Wei Shi remained silent.

From the other side of the bed, the man refused to admit to it.

Wu Jin’s mouth curved in a smile, and he tacitly agreed to no longer ask about it.

At the same time, countless memories flipped through his brain––

The forced injection of the memory drug dug up his broken memories. The younger version of himself stood in the genetic reproduction room of the R-Code Base, staring out through a crack in the door.

Wu Jin suppressed the memories.

He reached out his hand and hugged the big boss. He seemed to be satisfying a 19 year old wish and spoke carefully, “Wei Shi.”

There are some things that you definitely don’t know.

Thank you, for letting me meet you again.

Four hours later.

The star ship landed in Floating City. Wu Jin had fallen asleep and was picked up and carried by the big boss. He strongly protested being ‘carried off the star ship’ and was able to obtain a wheelchair x1.

However, Wei Shi only pushed it for a mere five minutes before picking up the soft and relaxed Wu Jin once again.

Wu Jin: “……”

Wei Shi: “Get in the car.”

The martial law over Floating City ended at this time. Shao Yu was also escorted into Floating City. In the suspension car, Wu Jin’s head dipped a few times. He was still sleepy and would occasionally look up to confirm that Wei Shi was still there.

He remained in this half asleep, half awake state until evening. After repeatedly communicating with the doctors, Wei Shi picked up the youth and attempted to get him to speak.

“Don’t sleep too long.” Wei Shi peeled several oranges for Wu Jin and added in some vitamin supplements, “The results of the draw for the sixth elimination match has come out. The theme is an amusement park.”

Wu Jin: “Ahh––”

Wei Shi: “When the time comes, I’ll take you to play around.”

Wu Jin: “Wow––”

Wei Shi: “Got you a new terminal. It comes with rabbit ears.”

Wu Jin: “……”

Wei Shi: “We’ll change it if you don’t like it.”

A silver-white terminal that was cool to the touch was handed over to Wu Jin. There were two almost negligible, micro-carved decorative rabbit ears on the back. Wu Jin yawned and reluctantly woke up enough to reply to the captain’s messages. Perhaps because his brain wasn’t yet functioning fully, he couldn’t guess Caesar’s abbreviated messages no matter how hard he tried.

The one who’d sent him the most messages was Ming Yao: Little Witch where are you where are you? Ah holy shit I just went home for new year but I’m going to be nagged to death, my big brother is insisting on giving me more pocket money, and my family even arranged a blind date for me, have you had a blind date before? Ah, ah, where are you…

Wu Jin actually fell asleep reading the messages.

He’d finished off the oranges already. He rubbed against the back of his chair and started snoring silently once again.

Wei Shi: “……”

Wei Shi picked him up again and placed him on the bed, covering him up with the quilt.

That night.

Wei Shi walked out of the laboratory. Researcher Song and Arjun, who were still inside, were expressing their own opinions.

Arjun was full of anger, “Kill him! Kill him! Destroy him with a bullet. That bastard even dared to touch Little Witch––”

Researcher Song proposed cautiously, “Shao Yu is the best research subject. Floating City is short on such relevant data. If we can use him as a test subject––”

There was a knock at the door.

Red stuck his head in, “Brother Wei told me to come and pick up Little Witch’s blood monitoring report! Also, where did I leave my joke book from last time? Did I leave it here? My brother told me to go and tell jokes to Little Witch––”

Arjun complained, “Who the hell can understand your jokes? Do you want to pull Little Witch down to the same IQ level as you?”

The monitoring equipment lit up. The display stated that there were still two minutes until the results were ready.

Two minutes later, Arjun was chewing on an apple as he pulled out the report paper––

There was a thump.

The apple fell to the ground.

Arjun’s lips trembled, “Bro-Brother Wei, hurry and find Brother Wei!”

Juurensha: Noooo what’s going on???