"At such a young age, you've already developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Miss, you should really be more careful."

Finally, someone was keeping him company. Zhang Xiaojuan teased him gleefully, "From now on, you two should take Zhuangzhuang out for some exercise. If you keep going like this, you'll be ready for market by the New Year."

Han Rui's face flushed red with anger, and she whispered to Sun Tiantian, "What does 'out of the pen' mean?"

Pfft.

Sun Tiantian couldn't help but laugh, "Once the pigs are raised to a certain weight, they can be slaughtered and sold for meat; that's when they're ready for market."

"Zhang Xiaojuan! Have you never been beaten since you were a child?!" Han Rui was furious and swung her fist to punch Zhang Xiaojuan.

Zhuangzhuang also meowed a few times indignantly.

Let's talk about Han Rui, but what's with bringing a little kitten along?

As the two were playfully bickering, several people in white coats slowly walked over from the second floor of the research institute.

The leader was a middle-aged man with some gray hair. His sharp, eagle-like eyes swept over the dark crowd, and his expression was authoritative without being angry.

The nominees, who had been discussing amongst themselves, immediately fell silent, straightening their backs with eager anticipation.

Sun Lu lowered her voice and prompted in a tone that only a few people could hear, "Huang Haotian, the director of the research institute, was the chief expert of the Imperial Academy of Sciences before the apocalypse."

"How many people are there this time?" Huang Haotian's sharp eyes were filled with indifference as he slightly turned his head to gesture to the young female assistant beside him.

The female assistant was a cute young girl with a round face. Her name tag read Meng Rui. "Professor Huang, the base has set a quota of 20 people this time, and 100 people have been shortlisted after the initial screening."

A screening ratio of 1:5 is already the best of the best.

Huang Haotian glanced at the diverse faces of people of all shapes and sizes, took the list, quickly scanned it, and circled a few names with his camera. "These few, eliminate them."

After saying that, he turned around and strode away with a few people, leaving his smiling assistant and the finalists to deal with each other.

Facing the eager eyes of the crowd, Meng Rui sighed helplessly and forced herself to read out the names of the people Huang Haotian had personally eliminated.

As soon as she finished speaking, a wave of discontented protests arose from among the candidates.

"Why?! Why were I filtered out?! I'm healthy and have a great appetite!"

"Is your research institute engaging in shady practices? Are you inexplicably weeding out people, trying to pre-select candidates?"

"I'm not convinced! Call that old man back and explain yourself! You're pulling strings!"

Having passed the initial screening, a life of comfort and security seemed within reach, but before they could even put in a fight, they were given an expulsion order. No one would feel good in that situation. The few whose names were called found it hard to accept the cruel reality, and seeing Meng Rui's baby face and easygoing nature, they simply lay down on the ground and started rolling around.

“I understand your feelings, but Professor Huang’s decision must have its reasons. I hope everyone can understand.”

Meng Rui's face flushed red with anxiety as she tried to reason with the troublemakers in a tactful and apologetic manner.

"I don't care, we're not leaving until you give us an explanation!"

"Yes! We must give an explanation."

The few who were not selected were all quite young, and in the prime of their lives. The more politely Meng Rui spoke to them, the more aggressive and domineering they became.

This kind of experimental selection may not come again for a long time, and the next one may be a long time away. Even if it means losing face, I will stay here.

"Everyone, calm down. As the experiment progresses, we will soon have Phase III and Phase IV clinical trials. Being rejected this time does not mean there will be no chance next time!" Meng Rui's nose was red with anxiety, and her voice was trembling with tears.

But these people had reached their breaking point, and some even started shoving Meng Rui, trying to force their way in.

"I don't care, unless I'm dead today, you have to give me a reason!"

One of the young boys, about seventeen or eighteen years old, craned his neck and approached, almost spitting saliva onto Meng Rui's face.

"Sigh, this environment is really pushing people to their limits." Zhang Xiaojuan watched the spectacle from the sidelines and couldn't help but shake her head.

Lu Sheng looked up and sized up the slender little girl not far away.

Meng Rui's shoulders trembled slightly, and she suddenly asked in a muffled voice, "Is it impossible to reason with her?"

The young boy paused for a moment, then continued to shout, "I don't care! You have to give me an explanation!"

The boy's hoarse, duck-like voice abruptly stopped a second later.

The crowd fell silent for a few seconds. Someone looked at the boy curiously, and then a terrified scream erupted.

"Murder!"

The young boy glanced down instinctively, his eyes flashing with confusion and fear.

At his heart, Meng Rui's slender wrist was completely submerged in his torso, thick blood spurting out from her fair wrist bones.

Meng Rui raised her face; her previous helplessness had been replaced by indifference.

"Does it have to be this way to get quiet?"

Her lips trembled slightly, and faint blue veins bulged on her wrist. Then she suddenly pulled her hand away, revealing a still-beating heart in her palm.

As she moved, everyone could see that beneath Meng Rui's wrist was a bundle of tentacles that writhed like an octopus!

The young heart was full and bright red, but the next second it was crushed into a mess of rotten flesh by the tentacles.

The boy, who had lost his heart, swayed a few times and collapsed heavily to the ground.

The people who were just demanding an explanation were instantly stunned and speechless.

"That little girl is really ruthless..." Zhang Xiaojuan stared at the twisted tentacles on Meng Rui's wrist, a chill running down her spine.

Most girls have a natural aversion to tentacle-related things. Sun Tiantian and Han Rui leaned on either side of Lu Sheng, subconsciously pouting slightly.

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