After paying the shady agent to clean the room, Nguyen Thanh An walked down the dilapidated floors toward the cramped, run-down house.
Although Jia Lan felt that her relationship with Zhou Ziqi had broken down, she probably wouldn't dare to openly monitor her, lest she become an innocent bystander if things went wrong. Therefore, her escape from the base is probably still unknown.
Just as Ruan Qingan was preparing to return and find a way to leave the base, a cry suddenly came from downstairs—
"Don't arrest him!"
"Please, spare my child..."
Downstairs, an old woman was crying out in a frail voice. Ruan Qing'an paused, peeked over, and squinted his eyes.
Nearby, people were whispering among themselves: "Something's happened. I heard it's the action team. They want to kidnap people to do missions, but they're probably just using them as cannon fodder."
"Yes, how could the action team suddenly bring people along?"
"They're in big trouble."
Ruan Qing'an was slightly taken aback. This seemed like a good opportunity, but before she could go downstairs, a series of chaotic footsteps came from the dilapidated stairwell, and the people who were still watching the commotion scattered like birds.
Soon, the team surrounded Ruan Qing'an, blocking her path aggressively.
"You, keep up!"
"The action team is recruiting special personnel; those who disobey will be executed."
Ruan Qing'an hadn't originally intended to run. She merely glanced at the other ability users around her, her hand on the hilt of her sword slowly loosening. She did indeed seem to be trying to escape from the base, but...
This scene, however, made her vaguely feel that something was wrong.
037: [Ancestor, the female lead came looking for you. Could it be her doing? Maybe we should find another opportunity to leave, otherwise we'll fall into her trap!]
"No, we can't delay any longer."
Ruan Qing'an paused, his tense body gradually relaxing as he looked at the leader of the superhumans: "What do you want to do with these people, your action team?"
"Why do you care so much? Take him away!"
As he spoke, the superhuman next to him tried to take Ruan Qing'an's Tang sword away, probably fearing she would resist. But just before his hand touched it, he said, "Zhou Ziqi gave it to me. You dare touch it?"
"..."
The superhuman paused, then scratched his head in a mock manner.
When they arrived at the entrance of the outer area, the action team was already pushing the captured fugitives into the container truck, while Jia Lan was standing aside, watching Ruan Qingan walk over.
She chuckled softly, "We meet again, Ruan Qing'an."
Ruan Qing'an did not answer, but looked around to observe the situation. At this moment, Jia Lan took half a step forward and tried to straighten her cloak, but Ruan Qing'an dodged to the side.
Jia Lan only stepped forward under a pretext, and then lowered her voice: "Ruan Qing'an, if you had agreed to my request, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths."
"Be careful, it's very dangerous outside the base."
"You don't need to worry about it."
Ruan Qing'an, with one hand on the hilt of his knife, turned and walked past Jia Lan with a subtle threat in his eyes, his attitude so cold that it was as if she were not worth his attention.
Seeing Ruan Qing'an's expression, Jia Lan's face twisted for a moment, but she quickly recovered and said loudly to the other ability users in the action team, "Everyone, get ready to get on the bus, we're leaving soon!"
"Yes, Captain Jia!"
...
The events in the outer areas have no impact on the higher-ups in the central area of the Third Human Base. Even the fact that one of their dogs got sick is more important than the deaths in the outer areas.
This is what the end times are like.
Meanwhile, in the central area, inside the research institute with the highest level of defense.
A tall, slender man wearing a loose white lab coat was standing in front of the lab table, looking down at something under a microscope when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.
"Mr. Zhou."
"The jewelry you commissioned two weeks ago has been delivered to the research institute. Where should I put it for you?"
Zhou Ziqi was focused on adjusting the microscope and studying it intently when he heard the sound. He casually replied, "Put it in the small wooden box over there, so it doesn't get damaged."
"Okay, Mr. Zhou."
The research assistant said this as he went to put his things away.
As Zhou Ziqi observed and furrowed his brows while taking notes, he heard footsteps again. Busy as he was, he instinctively said, "If you're bored, go to the little wooden box where I prepared the gift for you. Don't wander off, little—"
"What's wrong, Mr. Zhou?"
The research assistant stood there, stunned, and asked back hesitantly.
Upon hearing that unfamiliar voice, Zhou Ziqi's words came to an abrupt halt. He snapped out of his focused study and sat down in his chair, leaning back in frustration.
Seeing the research assistant's awkward expression, unsure whether to leave or stay, it was clear that Zhou Ziqi's words had left him somewhat bewildered.
Zhou Ziqi pinched the bridge of his nose with his slender fingers and sighed softly, "It's nothing, you can go now, I... I'm tired from doing experiments."
"Okay, okay, Mr. Zhou."
The research assistant readily agreed and jogged away.
Only after the unfamiliar breathing and footsteps disappeared did Zhou Ziqi lean back in his chair, tilt his head back, and his prominent Adam's apple bob.
In his peripheral vision, there was no one just a step behind him.
That spot originally belonged to Ruan Qing'an—only now did Zhou Ziqi suddenly realize that he seemed to have gotten used to Ruan Qing'an always standing a step behind him.
Or perhaps out of boredom, he was fiddling around in the lab;
Or perhaps their tone was sullen, holding the crystal core with a blank expression, yet they were visibly happy;
Or perhaps, with puffy cheeks, they are forced to try on clothes.
Zhou Ziqi covered his narrow eyes with his arm, closing them to rest: "How did it... become a habit..."
【Affection Level: 80】
It was like a small hammer hitting his heart, slowly cracking open, and he suddenly realized that "that knife" was no longer a weapon to him.
After a long while, Zhou Ziqi finally sat up straight and suddenly laughed out loud: "Never mind, it doesn't matter why she left."
It is his, nothing more.
Just then, the research assistant who had left brought a superhuman to the corridor outside the research room.
"Mr. Zhou, this man claims to be your subordinate."
"Okay, you go to work first."
Zhou Ziqi glanced at the person who came in, waved his hand, and only after the research assistant left again did he look at the superhuman: "I asked you to take charge of Xiao Ruan's matter, why did you come here?"
"Or...is she planning to come back?"
Zhou Ziqi paused, then muttered to himself that he had personally given the order to force Ruan Qing'an to live in the outer district.
"No, it's not..."
The superhuman was sweating profusely: "It was...it was Miss Ruan, she left the base...It was Captain Jia's side, she led the action team and took Miss Ruan away. Our people didn't dare to confront Miss Ruan directly in the first place."
"The shady brokers sent the message, but it was too late..."
After the superhuman finished speaking, he cautiously glanced at Zhou Ziqi. Zhou Ziqi had a smile on his face, and his eyes were gentle and affectionate, as elegant and handsome as a gentle breeze and a bright moon. Yet, the superhuman shuddered.
Zhou Ziqi spoke slowly and deliberately: "You mean, my Xiao Ruan has already left the base?"
"Yes, yes..."
"Very far away from me, very far away?"
"yes……"
The next moment, Zhou Ziqi stood up and slowly straightened his clothes: "Everyone else, leave the base immediately to chase after them."
"But what about the leader—"
"Don't worry about it, I've just been giving them too much face."
Zhou Ziqi spoke softly, his slender fingers gradually tightening around the test tube on the table. Suddenly, he laughed out loud. How could his big little Ruan suddenly disappear?
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