Hui Tian Ch37

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Chapter 37

The tortured Yang Xiaodao

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Shenhai city suburbs, Xingye Village hinterland.

Abandoned paper mill.

One after another, vans stopped in front of the deserted factory gate, and then the doors opened, with several different teams unloading their filming equipment.

“Fortunately, we found such a good place before. It’s remote and convenient for handling ‘big livestock’,” said a “producer” as he walked into the factory with a cigarette in his mouth, chatting with the photographer. “Unfortunately, there are fewer opportunities to film ‘big livestock’ now. No one dares to deal with cows or sheep anymore. Last time, I hired a girl to handle a big dog. Damn, that girl couldn’t bring herself to do it. She deserves not to make much money!”

“Ha!” The photographer, carrying equipment, shook his head with emotion. “What money can you make filming small things now? Stepping on a goldfish, turtle, rabbit, cat, or dog—who would pay for that?! Last time, Lao Zhang found someone to dismember a cow alive on the spot, and the scene of the hot guts being pulled out while the cow screamed in pain, and the calf kneeling beside it also screaming—that film sold for tens of thousands!”

The others laughed.

“Lao Zhang always has ideas, and this time is no exception,” someone added. “He said something about a height of 1.7 meters and a weight of over a hundred kilograms. I thought it was a person, but it turned out he had arranged a pony! Hahaha—”

The producer was excited: “Don’t you get it? That’s called a gimmick! When we go back, we’ll use this as the headline, and the traffic password will belong to him…”

Dozens of people crowded at the gate, and the producer pushed it open: “Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang! Everyone’s here; hurry up—”

He paused mid-sentence.

In the dilapidated factory yard, a girl stood with her back to them, not far from a door. She turned around at the sound of their voices and smiled sweetly at them:

“Here already?”

“Oh, where did this girl come from?” The group suddenly became lively. “Did Lao Zhang invite an actress?” “JK white socks, this is a big win!” “How did the girl get into the industry? Where’s Lao Zhang?”

As they surged into the courtyard, they saw the girl smiling at them, with a hint of innocence and sweetness: “Zhang Zongxiao, right?”

She pulled the chain in her hand: “He’s here.”

With a clattering sound, something approached from behind the door, like a pig, dog, cow, or sheep, or perhaps the pony they planned to film today.

Everyone froze.

A shadow emerged from the dimness, crawling on all fours, neck bound by a spiked iron collar, its wails muffled by a horse’s muzzle, only able to emit desperate moans.

It was less like a person and more like some strange horse made from broken bones.

That was Zhang Zongxiao.

Screams, shouts, and roars erupted in chaos simultaneously. Some people rushed forward, some stepped back, and more people subconsciously wanted to escape. However, they didn’t even have time to rush out of the factory courtyard before the iron gate slammed shut with a loud bang, as if an invisible force had locked it firmly.

“Don’t rush to run away.” Chu Yan turned around; the girl’s playful smile had disappeared, her voice cold and condescending: “You all like this, don’t you?”

“The play hasn’t even begun yet.”

***

“Chu Yan, B-class, sixteen years old.” Chen Miao’s voice came through the noise-canceling headphones, overpowering the whirring of the helicopter propellers: “Former Central Research Institute junior class student, dropped out six months ago, started volunteering at various rescue organizations. Calm and gentle in temperament, likes small animals, long-term help in caring for the elderly and children in welfare homes. The evolution mark is on the left side of the chest, so she hides her identity as an evolutionist and prefers to live as an ordinary human.”

The helicopter flew over the mountains, and ahead lay the vast expanse of lush green mountains. The offline activity organized by Chu Yan should not be far ahead.

“This is wicked—” Bai Sheng sat with his legs crossed in the back of the helicopter, one hand instinctively reaching out to embrace Shen Zhuo, but Shen Zhuo avoided it expressionlessly, so he withdrew his hand dejectedly and flipped through Chu Yan’s investigation file, the papers rustling: “To push a ‘calm and gentle’ girl to the point of killing, what kind of people must they be? In fact, they are not worth mourning for.”

Shen Zhuo asked, “What is her ability?”

Chen Miao didn’t come this time; he stayed with the witch to guard the Shenhai City Supervision Office. Without the senior, he was like a free-spirited big golden retriever, casually putting his legs on the office desk and drinking bubble tea: “Well, the problem lies in her ability—At first, I thought she had intellectual ability, but after checking the information, I found out that it’s actually animal empathy.”

Intellectual abilities were different from intellectual evolution. The IQ of each evolutionist would more or less improve, similar to the enhancement of physical fitness. It was considered a basic evolution. But intellectual ability was a very rare and unique ability. When this ability is activated, it can swap Yang Xiaodao with Shen Zhuo in place; the vast difference can be inferred from this.

Chu Yan was indeed a child who could make people mistake her for having intellectual ability. All her academic records could be described as brilliant; she even skipped four grades in school, and at the age of fifteen, she was admitted to the research institute with a special exception because she won an international award, becoming the youngest freshman that year, which can be said to be highly anticipated by everyone.

However, half a year later, she applied for leave because her ability made her unable to bear the burden.

There were too many experimental animals at the institute.

The strongest field in the institute was genetic evolution engineering, and it was impossible to conduct experiments without using animals. For her, it was tantamount to torture, and it was impossible to continue studying. However, for children with such high intellectual abilities, even if they took leave, there were many paths they could take in life. Her supervisor suggested that she switch to nuclear physics, and the central inspection office also sent people to contact her, hoping that she could join the special intelligence department and use her ability to communicate with animals for intelligence work.

Chu Yan refused all invitations.

She returned to Shenhai, living incognito like an ordinary person, doing volunteer work to take care of the elderly and orphans in welfare homes, and helping to look after stray animals for civilian rescue teams, living a peaceful life away from the world.

For some people with extraordinary intellectual abilities and high sensitivity, there would sometimes be a sense of helplessness and confusion that no one could understand, especially Chu Yan, who was only sixteen years old. If this simple and down-to-earth life was not disturbed, this gentle and calm girl would soon regain her peace and find the direction of her future life.

However, half a month ago, the murderer seeking his own death ran into her hands.

Zhang Zongxiao impersonated an adopter, deceived a stray cat from an old lady in the rescue home where Chu Yan had been helping, extorted money, exposed photos, and cruelly killed the kitten, and sold the bloody video for profit.

“How did she contact Rong Qi?” Shen Zhuo frowned and asked.

“It’s hard to say. We’ve traced her movements many times, but we still don’t know how she got in touch with Rong Qi,” Chen Miao said as he sipped his milk tea and quickly browsed through the densely packed data on the computer. He continued, “The worst guess is that Rong Qi has developed a secret network among low-level evolutionists in order to recruit subordinates. Those evolutionists who share his ideology, extreme social Darwinists, or children like Chu Yan who need revenge but are powerless, as long as they are willing to search, can find traces left by Rong Qi and naturally be attracted to him.”

Rong Qi himself had extraordinary abilities to charm people’s hearts, and coupled with the innate obedience of low-level evolutionists to top-level individuals, it was extremely easy for him to recruit like-minded allies.

“Continue investigating in this direction,” Shen Zhuo exhaled and said, “We must cut off his avenues of expanding influence. His power must not grow any further.”

“Yes!”

“I mean, why did we let that guy with the surname Rong take the lead?” Bai Sheng flipped through the file with a clatter, genuinely feeling a pang of pain: “This kind of small matter could have been brought to us. As long as she is willing to help Yang Xiaodao with homework, she wouldn’t have to deal with those perverts herself; just whistle, and Yang Xiaodao would rush out, right?”

“…” Yang Xiaodao turned around from the front passenger seat, obviously having a clear understanding of himself: “Are you sure that by then, she wouldn’t want to kill me more?”

Shen Zhuo took the file from Bai Sheng’s hand and placed it next to himself, preventing him from playing with it: “I advise you to first think about what Rong Qi exchanged with Chu Yan.”

Bai Sheng raised his eyebrows high: “What could he exchange? Secret photos of the Shenhai City Supervisor?”

“…” Shen Zhuo said, “Don’t judge others by your own standards. What Rong Qi wants is HRG, and you are indeed his biggest obstacle. All his actions cannot escape the purpose of ‘restraining causality.’ Be careful; he might have Chu Yan deal with you.”

Bai Sheng was shocked and somewhat touched, and he reached out his hand: “Darling, I didn’t expect you to care about me so much…”

Shen Zhuo immediately raised a forefinger to indicate maintaining distance.

“…I’m willing to die for you.” Bai Sheng sincerely held Shen Zhuo’s forefinger with both hands.

Yang Xiaodao in the front row covered his eyes with a twisted expression of disgust, and Luo Zhen in the driver’s seat patted him sympathetically.

“Chu Yan deliberately left cat and dog fur on the first two people to lure us to find Zhang Zongxiao, and then followed all the way here. She really hopes we will go see her.” Shen Zhuo forcefully took back his finger from Bai Sheng’s hand, shook his wrist, and said, “This little girl thinks meticulously and acts quickly. I suggest you don’t underestimate her.”

“Huh? No, no.” Bai Sheng smiled with his legs crossed, “The little girl has already proven with her actions that those who despise her will eventually kneel before her and cry—and I’m more relaxed because of it.”

He smiled sideways, radiant with sunshine, his white hair boldly standing on end:

“Evolutionists in the philosophy department have resistance to mental attacks and are completely immune to A-class and below.”

Very good, very Bai Sheng.

“…” Shen Zhuo said, “It’s Rong Qi we’re dealing with, so you’d better be cautious.”

He paused and was just about to give some advice when suddenly he caught sight of something outside the helicopter, his gaze slightly freezing, and he casually patted Bai Sheng: “What’s that?”

Following his indicated direction, the distant mountains undulated, lush, and verdant.

Bai Sheng didn’t even look: “My barbaric growth of love and longing for you.”

Yang Xiaodao: “…”

Luo Zhen: “…”

Shen Zhuo calmly said, “I think you’ll spend your whole life just longing.”

Bai Sheng was taken aback, immediately stopped shaking his legs, and quickly sat up straight to look. In the distance, deep within the mountains, there was a forest shimmering with a faint blue light, almost indistinguishable in the daylight, while subtle energy fluctuations emanated from the front.

It was an ability.

Bai Sheng’s face changed slightly, and he didn’t mention his love and longing anymore: “Turn, turn. Quickly.”

Luo Zhen immediately called the other two helicopters nearby through the radio, determined their position, then turned back and shouted loudly, “Supervisor, rest assured, we’ll speed up and fly over right away!”

“At this distance, even if you speed up, it’ll still take a while. The day lilies will be cold by the time you land.” Bai Sheng unfastened his seatbelt with a click, shocking Luo Zhen: “Bai-ge, what are you doing?”

“What can I do? I’m going to exercise.” Bai Sheng opened the helicopter door with one hand and reached out to Shen Zhuo with the other, asking strangely, “Excuse me, respected inspector, can a civilian volunteer have the honor of giving you a ride without having to pay for a seat or a salary?”

Shen Zhuo turned expressionlessly to the front row: “Take me into the mountains, now.”

Yang Xiaodao: “Okay.”

Bai Sheng grabbed Shen Zhuo’s arm incredulously and asked Yang Xiaodao, “Do you have any sense of market economy? You want to take advantage of both of us?!”

Yang Xiaodao couldn’t stand it anymore: “Is there any possibility that I’m just a normal person with a sane mind?!”

Bai Sheng: “You’ll never find a wife in your life!”

Yang Xiaodao: “I’m still underage!! I…”

The young man’s roar disappeared in an instant behind them. Bai Sheng hugged Shen Zhuo with one hand and jumped down from the helicopter. He descended from a hundred meters high and landed on the top of an ancient pine tree like an arrow, then darted toward the depths of the mountains.

***

The pine forest roared like the sea, and the dense canopy quickly receded from underfoot.

Bai Sheng always felt like teasing Yang Xiaodao, like a wolf playing with a little wolf. While holding Shen Zhuo in one hand, he exerted force under his feet, deliberately not letting Yang Xiaodao catch up but also not completely shaking him off. Every time he saw him falling behind, he deliberately slowed down a bit, and when he saw the youth getting frustrated and catching up, he suddenly accelerated his pace. He leaped over the mountain stream, leaving only an arrogant figure behind.

“Stop playing, you’ve gone too far!” Shen Zhuo shouted loudly into Bai Sheng’s ear over the wind.

Bai Sheng looked down and immediately exclaimed. He suddenly stopped mid-air and returned along the same path, catching Yang Xiaodao off guard and knocking him down from the tree.

Not far away on the ground, a dilapidated factory sat at the intersection of mountain roads and streams. Bai Sheng leaped from the abandoned high-voltage wires, landing like a hawk on the eaves of the factory building. He glanced down to ensure Shen Zhuo had landed safely before releasing his grip.

In the spacious courtyard of the factory, dozens of figures cast shadows. Bai Sheng glanced over and couldn’t help but say, “—Huh?”

There was no fighting, no bloodshed, and no self-devouring.

On the dusty cement floor, a group of people with camera equipment, some sitting, some standing, some kneeling, all with wide-open eyes, appeared like dozens of frozen statues.

The only one moving was Zhang Zongxiao. His bones were broken and contorted into a crawling position. His blood covered him, and his mouth gagged with a horse bite, emitting indistinct cries for mercy.

A girl in a school skirt sat cross-legged under the eaves, slender and fair-skinned, with a slightly upturned nose. There was a mixture of innocence and indifference in her demeanor as she looked down at the figures on the ground, her eyes betraying no emotion.

“…Chu Yan,” Bai Sheng murmured, narrowing his eyes.

“I’ve been waiting for you here for a long time, wondering what to do if you couldn’t find me,” Chu Yan said, pushing herself up from the ground with one hand, patting the dust off her uniform skirt, and turning to look at Bai Sheng and Shen Zhuo on the roof of the factory building. Her eyes were clear and distinct, black and white: “Fortunately, you’re finally here.”

“Occasionally, you have to trust the wisdom of adults.” Bai Sheng hooked one arm around Shen Zhuo’s shoulder, standing askew with his legs, smiling as he asked, “Did Rong Qi ask you to lead us here?”

As Yang Xiaodao climbed up to the roof after being knocked down, looking like a small wolf standing guard at the forefront of the pack, he glanced around warily, afraid that Rong Qi would suddenly appear in some corner. When his guardian activated the law of causality, he would immediately follow the luck value.

But unexpectedly, Rong Qi was nowhere to be seen, and looking into the distant mountain forest, there was no hint of any abnormalities.

“No, the person named Rong Qi only made a deal with me,” Chu Yan said unexpectedly calmly and candidly. “He lent me his ability as part of the exchange condition, hoping that I would use ‘daydream’ to launch a mental attack on the S-class evolutionist, Bai Sheng.”

Bai Sheng glanced sideways, briefly exchanging a glance with Shen Zhuo.

“But I have my own plan.” Chu Yan paused, saying, “I want to talk to Supervisor Shen.”

“I want to make a deal with Supervisor Shen that you absolutely won’t lose on.”

Shen Zhuo furrowed his brow slightly, showing no intention to speak, but Bai Sheng became greatly interested: “What deal?”

“Sa… Save… Wuu…”

Zhang Zongxiao crawled on the ground, using his broken joints to move, desperately lifting his head to appeal to Shen Zhuo and Bai Sheng, blood tears flowing from his dark left eye socket. But the next moment, the girl’s face remained unchanged as she forcefully stepped on his entire head on the ground, the back of his skull emitting a terrifying crunch under her shoe.

“Ah! Ahh—!!”

The screams of the torturer echoed through the forest, but the girl remained indifferent, only looking up at Shen Zhuo from below with a calm and composed demeanor, as if she were calmly asking for a piece of fruit or a dessert:

“Do you want to kill the man named Rong Qi?”

“I know where he is hiding. I can help you get rid of that warmonger with terrifying ambitions.”

“As an exchange, I really want to achieve a second evolution. I hope to have the chance to enter the HRG program that was once abandoned under your command.”

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