Lu Xinghe stopped between Luo Ning and the mutants chasing them and began shooting at the mutants. He didn't go directly to Luo Ning because he wanted to give her a chance to leave.
However, things did not go according to his plan. Because Du Lu was there, Du Lu did not know the relationship between him, An Xiaoruo, and Luo Ning, nor did he know that Luo Ning had been deliberately released. In Du Lu's eyes, Wen Xi and Luo Ning were escaped experimental subjects, and he had to catch them.
So while he and An Xiaoruo were holding off the mutants, Du Lu rushed towards Luo Ning alone.
Luo Ning was very anxious when she saw Du Lu arrive. She was not familiar with Du Lu and was afraid that he would shoot them, so she wanted to run away. However, she was worried that Lu Xinghe and An Xiaoruo would be in danger if she ran away, since those mutants were not easy to deal with.
Several gunshots rang out, and Du Lu indeed fired at her, but the bullets did not hit her vital organs but grazed her cheeks and did not hurt Wen Xi. This was a clear warning.
"Don't even think about escaping, or the next bullet will be your heads," Du Lu said coldly.
"No, I... I'll go back with you, please spare my friend." Wen Xi nervously shielded Luo Ning with her body. She knew that Du Lu meant what he said, and she couldn't let Luo Ning get into trouble any further.
Luo Ning reached out and touched the wound on her face; blood was seeping out.
"Do you think you'll survive even if we let you both go?" Du Lu finished speaking and fired a shot into the sky. A winged alien that was about to attack them fell from the sky, struggled a few times, and then went still.
Luo Ning was shocked. She hadn't expected that someone who had spent three years in prison would have such good marksmanship and judgment.
"Subject Seventeen, if you want to survive, go inside the plane. You are important test subjects for the base. As long as you are willing to accept the injection of inhibitors, we can protect you and keep you alive." Lu Xinghe shouted to Luo Ning while suppressing the mutants. There were too many mutants now, especially since there was no infrasound from the base to drive away the winged mutants. There were a large number of winged mutants circling in the sky, which was a very unfavorable situation.
Luo Ning immediately understood the meaning behind Lu Xinghe's words. He was telling her that the situation was urgent and that if she did not resist and accept the inhibitor injection, the other security officers would not kill them, so she should not be afraid.
After thinking for a moment, she said to Du Lu, "Okay, we'll go with you."
This stalemate will only put everyone in danger.
Under their cover, Luo Ning carried Wen Xi and ran quickly toward the plane. Du Lu glanced at Lu Xinghe with a puzzled look, but still went to help.
The male mutant also overheard their conversation. He knew that the base was conducting experiments on mutants, but he didn't know what the specific experiments were, let alone that Luo Ning and Wen Xi were experimental subjects. When he saw Luo Ning and Lu Xinghe together that day, he thought that the humans she was raising had let her into the base.
When the people on the plane saw Luo Ning carrying Wen Xi running over, the security officers and mining team members all looked solemn. This was the first time they had rescued an alien species, even though the other party was indeed an important experimental subject of the base.
"Captain Song, are we really going to let them in? They're mutants, you know," the mine team leader said worriedly.
Song Pei replied, "If they are willing to be injected with inhibitors, it is permitted according to the base's policy. If you are worried, you can go to the safe room first. We will take care of things here for now."
"But how will we get back? These alien species will definitely surround our plane."
Song Pei coldly looked at the mutants: "Even if these mutants kill those two test subjects, they will come back to surround us. We haven't had time to refuel yet, so even if we want to leave, we can't. We might as well take a gamble."
After he finished speaking, he took out the inhibitor and filled it. The inhibitor was always provided for every mission, but the quantity was not large. So even if the two test subjects received the injection, they had to be immediately locked in the metal cabin for isolation.
Luo Ning quickly ran to the plane, where Song Pei was already waiting for her, along with several dark gun barrels.
Lu Xinghe and his team also retreated at this time. The heavy firepower on the plane suppressed the mutants. The mutants who ran in the front were all blown to pieces. As a result, the leading male mutant had to retreat, but they did not leave. Instead, they stayed outside the range of the firepower.
The atmosphere inside the cabin was extremely tense, not only among the humans, but also among Luo Ning and Wen Xi.
Luo Ning looked at Lu Xinghe and An Xiaoruo. Although it had been two months since they last met, it felt like they had just parted yesterday. She was both happy and hesitant.
She didn't know if her choice was right or wrong, but it was the most advantageous option at the moment.
Lu Xinghe looked at her too. He had thought he would never see her again in this lifetime, but now she was standing in front of him. He had tried to forget and start a new life.
But in the quiet of every night, he would see her figure when he closed his eyes; in every dream no one knew, she would appear, sometimes close, sometimes distant, and sometimes even weeping in his arms, beneath him…
However, he didn't show any emotion because dozens of eyes were watching him, and he also had to be responsible for others.
He picked up the inhibitor and walked to Luo Ning's side: "Now we are going to inject you with the inhibitor. If you do not cooperate, we will eliminate you on the spot."
Luo Ning's chest heaved slightly. Although she was nervous, she trusted him, so she brushed the hair off her neck to reveal her slender neck so that he could inject her.
Lu Xinghe reached out and pressed her veins, injecting the cool liquid little by little. Luo Ning's strength was fading, and the wound on her face where Du Lu's bullet had grazed her stopped healing, leaving a burning pain in the wound.
Wen Xi was injected by Du Lu himself. She had been in abdominal pain, and her pale face was covered with fine beads of sweat, but she did not make a sound. After the inhibitor was injected into her body, she felt that her abdominal pain was relieved a lot, but her body also became weak and limp, and she slumped softly towards Du Lu.
Du Lu instinctively supported her, but the next second he ruthlessly dragged her towards the metal cabin, pushed her inside, and then slammed the door shut.
He was clearly angry, but everyone present assumed he was angry because Subject Eleven had escaped from his prison and didn't know what had happened between them.
"You go in too," Lu Xinghe said, pointing to another metal cabin.
Luo Ning nodded, then looked at An Xiaoruo gently. She could tell that An Xiaoruo had been worried about her. When their eyes met, An Xiaoruo nodded slightly, indicating that she would protect her.
After entering the metal cabin, Luo Ning stood in this cabin, which was less than two square meters in size. This cabin was used to imprison alien species. She was sent to the base in a cabin like this last time. It was very sturdy.
Since they were already there, they might as well make the best of it. The inhibitor's effect only lasted for half an hour, after which it would wear off. As long as they dealt with the mutants outside, she and Wenxi would still have many opportunities to escape.
Inside the cabin, Lu Xinghe looked at the screen. The mutants didn't approach; they were all gathered about 300 to 400 meters away, numbering around 27 or 28. He didn't know how many winged mutants were in the sky, but based on his earlier assessment, there should be as many as 40 or 50.
"We haven't had time to refuel yet, and there are winged aliens in the sky. I'm afraid we can't get back now," Song Pei asked from the side.
Lu Xinghe asked, "How much food and drinking water is left?"
"If we're careful with our spending, it can last us ten days."
Lu Xinghe nodded: "That's enough. You take four people to keep watch tonight, and the rest of you can go and rest."
"But what about those two test subjects..."
"The experimental subjects will be under the supervision of Major Du and me." After saying this, Lu Xinghe walked towards where Du Lu was standing.
Du Lu was loading bullets into his gun. When he saw him coming, he looked up briefly and then continued what he was doing.
"The plane can't return to base immediately," he said.
"I know," Du Lu said absentmindedly.
"You will continue to be in charge of Experiment No. 11 until we return."
“Let someone else take charge,” Du Lu refused.
Lu Xinghe was somewhat surprised. He thought Du Lu would care a lot about Subject Eleven, but he didn't expect him to be so calm.
“Okay.” Lu Xinghe agreed: “Then you need to fix the sonic device in the next few days. The plane can’t take off without driving away the winged aliens.”
"I understand," Du Lu replied, but Lu Xinghe felt that he didn't seem to have taken his words to heart.
There were fifty people on the plane, including safety officers and mining team members, with twenty-five safety officers and twenty-five mining team members. However, because there were alien species both inside and outside the plane, no one was in the mood to rest and they were all staring at the two metal cabins.
Lu Xinghe then went to the place where the mining team members were resting to reassure them: "You don't need to be afraid. There aren't many alien species outside. Our firepower is still sufficient. Don't worry about the two experimental subjects inside the cabin either. They are not as scary as you think."
The team members didn't dare to speak and all sat behind the isolation fence.
Lu Xinghe lay down fully clothed outside the quarantine fence, silently looking at the metal pod in the corner. An Xiaoruo walked over and whispered, "Uncle, can I go see my sister?"
“Not now,” Lu Xinghe stopped them. “If we act too close, it will be detrimental to them.”
An Xiaoruo nodded: "Okay, I will be careful. I originally thought I would never see my sister again, but I didn't expect to meet her again so soon. The world is so big, and we actually met here. Uncle, do you think this is destiny?"
Lu Xinghe's heart skipped a beat. Was it destiny?
“Go and keep Song Pei company. You’re already married to him, so don’t stick around me every day,” Lu Xinghe said.
An Xiaoruo frowned: "Why can't I stay by your side? I've been following you for years, why can't I?"
“Look at the look in his eyes right now.” Lu Xinghe said, then covered his face with his hat and prepared to rest.
An Xiaoruo turned to look at Song Pei and saw him looking in her direction. His eyes were a little cold, but that's how he always is.
She hesitated to go over. The thought of slapping him when he kissed her on their wedding night made her even more reluctant. Although kissing is a normal behavior between husband and wife, she still couldn't accept that her former instructor had become her husband. So she went over to the female safety officers and sat down with them to rest.
Lu Xinghe didn't sleep; the chatter of the team members behind the isolation fence reached his ears.
"Those two test subjects didn't pounce on us when they saw us, which makes them seem a bit different from the other mutants."
“That’s right. All the mutants I’ve seen eat people immediately, but they’re able to hold back.”
"And they're quite pretty, with delicate skin. No woman in the base can compare. I really want to taste what they're like."
"Forget it, you'll become their food before you even get close."
"Isn't there an inhibitor? I heard that after xenograft injection, you become just like a normal person. At that time, you're completely at the mercy of others."
As Lu Xinghe listened to their increasingly nonsensical words, he picked up his hat and gave them a cold glance, immediately silencing the rough men.
Half an hour later, the inhibitors for both Luo Ning and Wen Xi had worn off. Luo Ning's strength gradually returned, and the wounds on her face began to heal. She didn't know how Wen Xi was doing now. Wen Xi was pregnant, and she wondered if the inhibitors would harm her body.
The metal cabin was completely enclosed, so she couldn't see what was happening outside. She could only tell from the occasional voices that the plane wouldn't be able to leave for the next few days and would be stuck for some time.
She wanted to talk to Lu Xinghe or An Xiaoruo, but in order not to arouse suspicion, she decided to remain silent and observe the situation first.
Time passed second by second. She lost track of time and could only hear sporadic gunshots, but silence soon returned.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the window on the cabin door was finally opened, and Lu Xinghe's face appeared before her. He had dark circles under his eyes, so it seemed he hadn't slept much last night.
She walked to the door, and although the two were very close, neither of them spoke first.
"I originally intended to head south."
"Is your injury healed?"
The two spoke in unison, then simultaneously fell silent.
She smiled at him and said, "It's all healed now." Then she turned her injured face to show him, revealing that her fair face had been completely restored.
Seeing that she had recovered, Lu Xinghe was relieved and was about to leave when Luo Ning called out to him, "How is Wen Xi now?"
“She’s fine, what’s wrong?” Lu Xinghe replied.
"Could you give her something to eat? She...she's a very weak mutant," she said hesitantly.
"Okay." Lu Xinghe closed the window after saying that. The whole conversation lasted no more than ten seconds. To others, it was just his routine inspection, and he just wanted to see her.
It was already daylight. He looked out the porthole and saw a shallow river meandering across the meadow, which was covered with colorful flowers. Spring had arrived here, but it was still winter at the base in the north.
The mutants outside the airport had disappeared, and the drones had not found them after patrolling the area. Lu Xinghe found this strange, as mutants generally do not retreat unless they achieve their goal.
"One group of team members, come with me; the second group, keep watch." He decided to go out and scout out the situation.
The team members immediately took their positions, and after the hatch opened, he quickly walked out, followed by the other team members, who were fully armed.
After they left, everyone's attention was focused outside. Only Du Lu took advantage of the absence of others and walked to Wen Xi's metal cabin. He opened the window and looked inside. He saw Wen Xi sitting quietly on the ground. When she saw him, he noticed that her eyes were somewhat evasive.
Upon seeing Du Lu, Wen Xi subconsciously removed her hand from her lower abdomen, then stood up and walked to the cabin door, murmuring, "Is Luo Ning alright?"
"Yes, alive," Du Lu said emotionlessly.
Wen Xi was unaware of the relationship between Luo Ning and Lu Xinghe. She was worried that Luo Ning would be hurt, especially when Du Lu said the word "alive." She felt very uneasy because being half-dead is still being alive.
"I beg you, please let her go. She has never hurt anyone, and she would never hurt you," she pleaded with him.
Du Lu sneered: "How can I possibly believe your words?"
Wenxi's body trembled slightly. She knew she had lied to him many times: "If you let her go, I will go back with you. Prison or lab, I will never run away again, even if..."
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
“Even if what?” Du Lu asked.
She bit her lip, her slender fingers twisting the hem of her clothes tightly, then raised her misty eyes, both innocent and alluring: "Even if you want to do something to me, I will obediently listen to you."
She thought Du Lu would be like before, feeding her and giving her a warm blanket after she complied with him. She felt that she had figured out his preferences and knew how to arouse his desire and please him.
But this time it seemed a little different. His eyes no longer held the possessiveness and determination he had in prison; instead, they held a sense of self-pity and desolation.
But only for a moment before he regained that aloofness, and she thought she had misread it.
Du Lu reached out to close the window. This time he wasn't wearing gloves, and she saw a deep teeth mark on his clean, strong hand.
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