Luo Ning asked Lu Xinghe for his name again, and Lu Xinghe finally told her, because he couldn't be sure whether Du Lu would do anything retaliatory to the eleventh test subject after seeing the bloodstains on Du Lu's gloves earlier that day.

This wasn't the first time Subject Eleven had been captured by the base. She had been captured once before, three years ago. Du Lu was one of the team members who captured her back then, but something happened later, and he somehow managed to open the iron cage that was holding Subject Eleven and was bitten by her.

Fortunately, the eleventh test subject had been injected with inhibitors at that time; otherwise, Du Lu would have died in the desert, and his body could not have been brought back.

"That officer was a bit extreme in character, but he wasn't a person without principles."

This is Lu Xinghe's evaluation of Du Lu.

But Luo Ning's face still showed worry; she didn't trust anyone except Lu Xinghe and An Xiaoruo. In the novel, humans harbored absolute hatred for other species, while other species were driven by absolute hunger and lust for humans—an irreconcilable contradiction.

Although she saw in the file that Wenxi voluntarily bred with Zhuangyu, she also suspected that Wenxi did it with the purpose of escaping. The relationship between her and Zhuangyu was still one of conflict between a different species and a human.

The desire for freedom is an instinct of all living beings, but often we are not in control of our own destiny.

She looked at Lu Xinghe pleadingly. Lu Xinghe was reluctant to tell her, but somehow she blurted out, "His name is Du Lu."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he immediately realized that he had actually said Du Lu's name because of just one look from her.

This is extremely dangerous.

He could hide her away, give her food and clothes, and even believe her words that she "had never eaten a human" and "would not harm a human," but he could never grant her any request.

The security officer should always have the initiative in her own hands, never in the hands of the aliens, even if she looks different from the other aliens.

When he reminded Du Lu not to overstep his bounds today, he was also reminding himself.

He decided to forbid her from leaving the room, or she would have to bear the consequences. However, before he could even open his mouth to speak, Luo Ning suddenly approached him, stood on tiptoe, and reached out to pat his head.

She was so close to him, her face just inches away, that he could feel her breath and smell her fragrance. The words that were on the tip of his tongue were forgotten.

Luo Ning waved the small bug she had taken from his hair in front of his eyes, then opened the window and threw it out.

He was somewhat disappointed to learn that she hadn't actually gotten the bug for him.

Then Luo Ning disappeared too. She actually jumped out of the window and disappeared into the darkness like a night elf.

She's increasingly disregarding him; this time, she even left right under his nose. Is she certain he won't do anything to her?

After arriving at the alien prison, Luo Ning still climbed in through the ventilation duct. She quickly found Wen Xi, who was indeed still locked in that small, dark room. The heavy shackles made it impossible for her to stand up, and she could only sit quietly on the cold floor.

Wen Xi quickly sensed Luo Ning's arrival. She was somewhat surprised, thinking that Luo Ning would not return after leaving.

Luo Ning tossed the note through the gap in the blinds. Wen Xi picked it up and saw the two characters "Du Lu" on it. She smiled at Luo Ning and said, "Thank you."

Wen Xi swallowed the note, then stood up and walked to the vent, looking up at Luo Ning.

Luo Ning looked at Wen Xi's face. Although she looked the same as before, still elegant and serene, it was heartbreaking.

Wen Xi reached out her hand, and Luo Ning also reached out her hand and took it.

“You’re still the same as before, you haven’t changed at all, but I’m afraid of the cold now,” Wen Xi said.

Luo Ning felt that Wen Xi's body temperature was not low, and her hands were even warm. Was she afraid of the cold because her heart was cold?

"Have you ever been intimate with the man the lab arranged for you?" Wen Xi asked again.

Luo Ning shook her head.

"That's such a pity, such a wonderful thing," Wen Xi said softly, her eyes still filled with tenderness, as if she really missed it.

Luo Ning paused for a moment, then quickly wrote on the paper: "You like your breeder?"

"Yes, I like him," Wen Xi said frankly, but then added, "I like his body."

Luo Ning was somewhat confused about Wen Xi's feelings, because liking a person and liking a body are two different concepts, and mutants also have desires.

“You know what? He and I had a child together.” Wen Xi brought up the child herself.

"But the child died."

"Killed by me."

Luo Ning was terrified. Had Wen Xi killed the embryo?

"Why kill him?" Her hand trembled slightly as she wrote these words.

Wen Xi was also somewhat bewildered: "I don't know, that's what they told me."

"Them?" It must be those people from the gene department.

Luo Ning believed that the people in the genetics department wouldn't lie; they valued the embryo even more than Wen Xi did.

"Luo Ning, take me with you, let's go back to where we used to be," Wen Xi pleaded, like a lonely and helpless child.

But in this human world, which is like an impenetrable fortress, Luo Ning herself has no way to get out.

“Okay, if we have the chance to leave, let’s do it together, just like before,” Luo Ning wrote.

“There will be an opportunity, just wait for me,” Wen Xi said confidently.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor, so Luo Ning had no choice but to leave. She slowly backed away, but then she heard Du Lu's voice, so she stopped again.

She saw Du Lu close the door, leaving only him and Wen Xi in the solitary confinement room.

This man is incredibly audacious, daring to be alone with a mutant. Moreover, the room is so small that his tall stature makes it feel cramped. If Wenxi were to bite him, he wouldn't even have anywhere to hide.

Wenxi knelt on the ground; she was too hungry to stand up.

Du Lu sat in the chair in front of her, leaned over, and lifted her chin with his hand: "Do you remember now?"

"Mm," Wen Xi replied.

"What's my name?"

“Du Lu.” Wen Xi’s voice was soft and pitiful.

The solitary confinement room fell silent. Luo Ning could only see Du Lu's back and couldn't tell what expression he had on his face.

However, he remained silent for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. Even though Wen Xi had already said his name, his hand was still gripping Wen Xi's chin.

“I’m hungry, sir,” Wen Xi said weakly, then she stuck out a bit of her pink tongue and gently licked Du Lu’s black-gloved fingers.

Then, just like that.

Water stains were left on the black leather gloves.

Luo Ning was worried about Wen Xi. Wasn't she afraid that Du Lu would think she was going to bite him and take action?

But Du Lu did nothing. He even gently stroked Wen Xi's lips with his fingertips, and then pressed his thumb into Wen Xi's mouth.

Wenxi didn't bite him, but just looked at him with watery eyes, a silver thread spilling from the corner of her mouth.

"Sir, my stomach hurts a little," Wen Xi mumbled incoherently.

"What would you like to eat?" Du Lu's voice finally rang out, tinged with a hint of hoarseness.

"I'll eat whatever the officer gives me," Wen Xi replied softly, a private thread slipping into Du Lu's hand.

Luo Ning watched all this, wondering if Wen Xi had encountered something here that made her personality so weak, or if she was seducing Du Lu.

A knock at the door interrupted everything.

"Warden, Major Lu is here and waiting for you in your office."

"Understood." Du Lu released her hand with some displeasure, stood up and walked to the door: "Take her to the regular solitary confinement cell and give her some food."

The people outside immediately came in and took Wenxi away, even removing her shackles.

Luo Ning knew that Lu Xinghe's appearance here was a reminder that she should leave, so she carefully backed away.

The warden's office.

Du Lu walked into the office, looked at Lu Xinghe sitting in his chair, took off his gloves and threw them on the table: "Didn't we just part ways half an hour ago? You miss me so soon."

Lu Xinghe glanced at the gloves: "Looks like I'll have to start preparing a eulogy soon."

"Whose eulogy should be prepared?"

"Your cause of death was being bitten by a different species," Lu Xinghe replied.

Du Lu said nonchalantly, "Let's get down to business. What are you doing here?"

"Give me three inhibitors."

"If you need inhibitors, go to the genetics department. Why are you coming to me? I don't have any."

"The genetics department is also short of reagents. You have the most right now. If you don't give them to me, I'll have to report to the higher-ups."

Du Lu had something to hide: "I can give it to you, but not three, only one. You know all the test subjects are concentrated here with me, and I need to prioritize ensuring I have enough."

“Okay, one is fine.” Lu Xinghe didn’t argue; he hadn’t come for the inhibitor in the first place.

Du Lu had someone bring the inhibitor. The reagent was already loaded into the needle gun. Any incident that happened in the prison would be sudden and serious, so the reagent was already loaded.

Lu Xinghe put away the needle gun: "Let's go."

"No need to see me out."

After Lu Xinghe left, Du Lu picked up his gloves, which still had a little bit of saliva from Subject Eleven on them. Little liar, did she think he couldn't see through her tricks?

Ten minutes later, Lu Xinghe returned to the room. Luo Ning had already returned and was helping him tidy up his things. He quietly put the inhibitor in the drawer.

He walked over and picked up the folder: "Three days later..."

"Hiss." Luo Ning gasped. Her finger had been accidentally cut by the edge of the folder, and blood was flowing from the wound, interrupting his words.

Although the wound will heal naturally, she still subconsciously puts her fingers in her mouth. It's a habit she retained from her childhood and can't change it.

Looking at her current appearance, Lu Xinghe recalled the scene of her biting his finger that night.

Just now, Du Lu came out of the room of Experiment No. 11. Obviously, he did something to Experiment No. 11 that he couldn't tell outsiders, but Experiment No. 11 did not bite him.

Even though Experiment 11 was restricted, she still had the strength to bite through the glove, yet she allowed Du Lu to play with her.

The answer is obvious: she wants to directly arouse a man's desire, perhaps intending to use the same methods she used on Zhuang Yu on Du Lu, but Du Lu is not as good-tempered as Zhuang Yu.

Luo Ning is very similar to Subject Eleven. Whether it was that night or now, he doesn't think she made those actions unconsciously. He thinks she is testing and seducing him.

Luo Ning looked up at him in confusion, wondering why he had suddenly stopped talking.

Three days later, he will leave the base on a transport plane to the rare earth mine, where he will have the opportunity to send her away.

"There will be meat distribution in three days, so don't go out hunting for food during these days." He abandoned his idea of ​​sending her away.

Luo Ning nodded. She could endure three days of hunger. She took her finger out; the wound had already healed.

There was a knocking sound at the door. It was so late, and someone was still bothering us.

"Who?" Lu Xinghe gestured for them to hide first.

"Xinghe, it's me." Zhou Yun's voice rang out from outside the door.

Lu Xinghe walked to the door and opened it, not intending to let her in: "What brings you here so late?"

Zhou Yun replied, "It is a bit late, but you haven't replied to my messages. I just finished taking care of things here, so I came over to discuss it with you. If you have time later, you can come home for a meal."

"I don't have time, you should go back." Lu Xinghe refused directly.

Zhou Yun pulled him back: "Xinghe, it's not just about dinner. I have a suitable girl I'd like you to meet. You're not young anymore."

"My marriage partner will be arranged by the higher-ups, thank you for your concern." Lu Xinghe closed the door.

Zhou Yun looked at the closed door, wondering why Lu Xinghe was still so resistant to marriage. If he was simply uninterested in women, she had also heard that he had had intimate contact with the experimental subject, so he must still hate her. That's why he would refuse no matter what she did, so she had no choice but to go back first.

Zhou Yun left, but Luo Ning still didn't dare to come out of the closet, because the atmosphere would definitely be strange if she went out now, after all, she and Lu Xinghe had been locked in a passionate kiss for a minute or two.

It might have been three minutes or even longer; she didn't know the exact time, but the lack of oxygen was real.

Lu Xinghe didn't call her out either; the two shared the same tacit understanding in this regard.

But he'll get married sooner or later, right? No one in the base can violate the requirement to reproduce, because it's the only way for humanity to continue.

Luo Ning looked at his clothes in the closet and subconsciously reached out to touch them. The scent of his clothes was pleasant. If it weren't for the apocalypse, he would have been the epitome of many girls' youth, able to freely fall in love and have children with the person he loved, instead of being arranged to breed with a different species.

Zhou Yun saw An Xiaoruo and her friend returning from outside halfway. An Xiaoruo greeted the elder politely, "Hello, Auntie."

Zhou Yun also liked An Xiaoruo quite a bit. She put two pieces of candy in An Xiaoruo's hand and noticed that the girl's clothes were old, so she asked, "Why aren't you wearing the new clothes your uncle bought for you?"

An Xiaoruo asked in confusion, "Did my uncle buy me clothes?"

"Yes, I bought it. I bought two or three sets. Hasn't he given it to you yet?" Zhou Yun asked.

An Xiaoruo immediately realized that the clothes might not have been bought for her: "Oh, you mean that one? I already got it, but I haven't worn it these past few days because I've been moving things and I was afraid of getting it dirty."

Zhou Yun had no doubts, gave a few instructions, and then left. However, Su Ling looked at An Xiaoruo with a calm gaze. When An Xiaoruo spoke to her, she reverted to her gentle demeanor.

When she was ten years old, Dai Wanglin arranged for her to become friends with An Xiaoruo, with the aim of observing her.

"Xiao Ruo, let me sleep with you tonight. I'm scared here since we just moved in," Su Ling said, linking her arm with An Xiao Ruo's.

An Xiaoruo looked around. This was the most remote part of the temporary area, which was indeed a little scary: "Okay, let's keep each other company."

As night deepened, Luo Ning fell asleep and then woke up again. There were too many rats in the house, and they were not afraid of people at all, running around inside. She got up to chase the rats out, but then she sensed someone standing at the door.

This is a temporary area, so it's normal for people to move around here. But this person stayed by the door the whole time, which means he wasn't just passing by but was listening to what was happening inside.

Lu Xinghe hadn't slept for two days and was now fast asleep. She tiptoed to the bedside and shook Lu Xinghe awake.

"What..." Lu Xinghe was about to ask her what she was doing when she immediately covered his mouth and pointed to the door.

Lu Xinghe also sensed someone outside, but that person quickly walked away. Even though the footsteps were very light, Luo Ning still felt that they were those of an adult man.

Because she was nervous, she forgot to let go of his mouth. In the darkness, the two leaned against each other, Lu Xinghe's body was hot, the heat of a young man's skin.

Luo Ning's body temperature was already low, and after feeling his heat, she couldn't help but want to get closer.

"The person has already left," Lu Xinghe reminded her.

She then came to her senses and let go of his hand. Feeling that they were too close, she hurriedly got up, but Lu Xinghe pulled her back into the quilt. He also crawled in at the same time. Because the sound of the drone patrol was approaching, and the curtains had not yet been installed on the windows of the room, she could easily be spotted by the drone.

The drone's lights swept across the room, and the red dot on the camera kept flashing, recording the surrounding situation. It didn't leave immediately, which seemed deliberate.

The bed was narrow, so the two had to be pressed close together, with Luo Ning almost entirely nestled in Lu Xinghe's arms.

Her palm touched his arm, and her hand was a little hot. She subconsciously curled her fingers, but her fingertips gently glided across the man's skin. She seemed to feel his body tremble slightly.

This was far too intimate. She shifted her body, trying to move away, but he grabbed her and held her down.

"Don't move." His large hand pressed against the back of her head, his chin resting on her forehead, the woody scent completely enveloping her.

She nodded gently, not daring to move, for even the slightest movement would create ripples.

Although the drones outside were almost touching the window, she felt very safe. Was this what it felt like to be protected? This was the first time she, a woman who had never been in a relationship, had experienced this.

The drone finally left, but Lu Xinghe still hadn't let go of her. She nudged him, indicating that she remembered.

“We’ll be back soon. We should be the ones being suspected,” Lu Xinghe replied. Although he didn’t know what the problem was, he was certain that the people who suspected him didn’t have any concrete evidence, and their position was lower than his, otherwise they would have come in and arrested him long ago.

Sure enough, the drone flew over again right after he finished speaking. The searchlight swept across the room once more before leaving. This time, it didn't stay for long, clearly indicating that the other party was also cautious and didn't want anyone to realize that his purpose was to monitor.

Luo Ning was a little nervous. She reached for the paper and pen and wrote: "Who suspected me? I seem to be very cautious."

"It shouldn't be your fault. Maybe I'm the one being suspected." Lu Xinghe felt that he had given something away. Could it be that Zhou Yun discovered it when she came over?

"What should we do then? Should I leave now and find a place to hide, and then come and call me when you have a chance to leave?" Luo Ning felt that she couldn't cause him any trouble.

Lu Xinghe looked out the window; the night resembled a beast with its jaws wide open. "Leaving now might really expose us. Let's see what happens tomorrow morning. You should go to sleep."

Luo Ning nodded and prepared to get up again, but Lu Xinghe pressed her back down.

"I'll sleep here; the drone will likely come back."

Luo Ning felt a little embarrassed, as this was too ambiguous. She quickly wrote, "Then I'll go to the bathroom; the drone shouldn't be able to see me from there."

Lu Xinghe recalled the scene that had flashed through her mind before: she and he were sleeping in the same bed, and although they were separated by a curtain, their relationship was obviously very close.

"What are you afraid of? We've slept together before, haven't we?" He meant for her not to worry, but when he said it, he realized that he just wanted to be with her like this, even if it was just for a little while.

Luo Ning blushed slightly, and her hand trembled as she wrote: "The past is the past."

She hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself. He's all grown up now, and back then, conditions didn't allow it. The basement was so small, and three people had to squeeze in. She had no choice.

Hearing her admit that they had slept together before, Lu Xinghe's heart skipped a beat. Although he knew that most people who were kept as pets couldn't escape this kind of thing, it was still different when she said it.

He couldn't remember the specific details, but he could imagine that he had submitted to her and pleased her time and time again. Perhaps it was during that time that she was happy, which is why she didn't hurt him when they met again, and even tried to seduce him.

She does know how to play hard to get.

But she smelled so wonderful, the scent of orchids that he loved, a light yet distinct fragrance that he didn't find offensive.

He held her tighter, as if it were the only thing he should do.

Even if he hadn't been kept by her, even if they had just met in a normal way, he would still have desires for her.

Yes, his current indulgence and protection of her must all be due to that damned lust.

Luo Ning felt his arms tightening. She was taken aback and felt that his emotions seemed a little off. Although they had been close before, he had never done this before.

She suddenly felt a little flustered.

She tried to pry his hand away, but he grabbed it instead, even pinning it to her waist.

In the darkness, she saw his burning gaze and his warm breath; something was definitely wrong with him.