Chapter 128 Restraint
In the laboratory, the smell of disinfectant and chemical reagents was cold and oppressive, and the low hum of the instruments was the only background noise.
"Has all the data been copied completely?"
"Yes, all the data has been backed up."
A resolute glint flashed in Fu Jinxing's eyes. "Then let's erase all the data here."
Just then, the superhuman who had successfully conducted the experiment earlier walked in. "Professor Fu, Miss Qiao has just returned."
This was Fu Jinxing's instruction: as long as Qiao Xi returns, he must be notified no matter what he is doing.
He immediately straightened up and said, "Do the rest as I instructed, and finish it as soon as possible."
With that, he strode out of the room.
After telling Xie Jue to go and rest, Josie returned to her own room.
She was going to find Fu Jinxing later, so she only left the door slightly ajar.
Fu Jinxing arrived shortly after, knocked lightly twice on the slightly ajar door, and then pushed it open to enter.
With his usual gentle smile on his face and concerned look in his eyes, he asked, "Xixi, you're back? Did everything go well? Why did you go..."
His words came to an abrupt end.
Josie was turning her back to him, tidying her backpack, and bending slightly over. From this angle, her loose neckline was slightly exposed.
On that fair and delicate neck, near the collarbone, several clear yet ambiguous dark red marks, like dazzling red plum blossoms suddenly blooming in the snow, crashed into his eyes without any concealment!
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
Fu Jinxing's smile was frozen, hanging stiffly at the corners of his mouth.
The storm brewing deep within his eyes was about to burst through his gentle, jade-like facade.
Jealousy gnawed at him like a venomous snake, and a violent magma surged within him, assaulting his reason.
"Yeah, I just got back."
Josie smiled at him, then looked away and continued packing her things.
So they ignored the fact that Fu Jinxing's expression was off.
He stared at the marks with almost self-destructive intensity, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles making a soft "crack" sound from the excessive force, his nails instantly piercing the skin of his palms, a sharp pain and a hint of blood spreading through the air.
The icy, sharp pain, like a needle, pierced his raging fury that was about to spiral out of control.
He forcefully suppressed his surging anger and swallowed back the question that was about to slip out of his mouth.
When he looked up again, the storm in his eyes had been suppressed, leaving only a deeper and colder darkness than usual.
Josie seemed to sense something and looked up at him again.
Fu Jinxing's expression had returned to normal, but his voice was now colder and harder, "Yes, it's good that you're back. Get some rest tonight."
He paused, then reminded him, "The itinerary has changed. We're leaving tomorrow morning. Are you okay with that?"
"Tomorrow morning?" She had already said goodbye to those who needed to, and she had nothing else to do.
So he nodded and said, "Okay, let's set off tomorrow morning."
"Then you should rest well. I'll go and finish up the rest of the work."
After saying that, he didn't even look at Josie again, turned around and strode away, his back view showing a stiffness he was trying hard to control and a chilling coldness.
The tacit understanding they shared growing up together gave her an instinctive sensitivity to subtle changes in his emotions.
After watching Fu Jinxing leave, she shook her head and continued packing her backpack.
After she finished tidying up, she closed the door and went to the bathroom to wash up.
To her surprise, when she looked up, the scene in the mirror astonished her.
The entire side of her neck, even extending to below her collarbone, was covered with varying shades of bright red that stood out strikingly under the cool white light.
"Lu Yuyang!"
Josie blushed and muttered curses at herself in the mirror.
She felt a little guilty, unsure if Brother Jinxing had clearly seen the mark on her neck.
He shook his head in frustration. Oh well, it's already happened, and dwelling on it won't change anything.
Fu Jinxing was very busy and didn't show up all day. Qiao Xi, on the other hand, was fine. She was too tired last night and simply went to bed early to catch up on sleep.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Josie waited at the lab entrance early, and after a short while, she finally saw Fu Jinxing and the other visitors slowly approaching.
She knew Fu Jinxing's plan; it was the least costly way, but it left all the risks to Fu Jinxing alone.
Unable to suppress her worry, she quickly stepped forward, her voice slightly tense: "Brother Jinxing!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Jinxing seemed to regard yesterday's events as if they had never occurred. His face remained as gentle as ever. "Xixi, why are you up so early?"
"Could you go out and... pick something up for me while you're at it?" Josie approached him, tilted her head up, and deliberately softened her tone, as if she were just making a casual request.
"Okay, what do you want?" Fu Jinxing asked cooperatively, his gaze fixed intently on her face.
Instead of answering what he wanted, Josie took another step closer, so close that she could smell his cool, refreshing scent.
She lowered her voice, her tone more solemn than ever before: "Brother Jinxing, you must ensure your safety. No matter what, you must come back safely."
Fu Jinxing's deep eyes trembled slightly. His gentle and refined facade seemed to be pried open by those words, revealing the true warmth beneath.
His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice low and firm, "Okay. Don't worry, Xixi, Brother Jinxing will come back safely. Wait for me."
He raised his hand, seemingly wanting to pat the top of her head, but in the end he only restrained himself and gently pressed her shoulder.
Their eyes met, and without a word, they both understood the danger of this mission.
After giving her a deep look, Fu Jinxing said, "Let's go!"
Josie stood by the door, watching his figure slowly disappear into the sunlight until he was no longer visible.
"Miss Qiao, Professor Fu has asked me to be in charge of your safety. We'll be leaving in half an hour. Is that alright with you?" one of Fu Jinxing's assistants said to her.
Josie looked away and nodded at him, "Okay."
Half an hour later, Josie was in the second wave of people to evacuate from the lab; the remaining people would leave in several more waves.
When she left the safe zone, escorted by Xie Jue and several other lab assistants and superhumans, most of the people in the safe zone were still asleep.
She turned around and glanced at the safe zone where she had lived for several months.
Hopefully, it can stand strong in this apocalyptic world and become one of humanity's unforgiving havens.
"Sister, it's time to go."
Xie Jue's voice brought Josie's attention back. She quickly turned and headed towards the vast wilderness...
Besides Xie Jue, a second-tier ability user, there were seven or eight other ability users escorting Josie and several other professors.
With Xie Jue's teleportation ability as a help, the group avoided several waves of zombies and hurried to the northern town where they were supposed to meet before sunset.
This place was once a bustling hub, but now only ruins and wandering undead remain.
Upon entering the city, they were attacked by an evolved zombie hiding among a horde of zombies.
"Sister, watch out!"
Xie Jue let out a low shout, and his figure vanished from the spot in an instant, appearing in front of Qiao Xi the next second.
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