It was clearly just a casual strike from Shi Yi, with the force of swatting an annoying mosquito, yet it was only after Jia Lan had almost exhausted all his strength that he was able to barely withstand it.
Even so, she collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.
Standing before the broken observation window, Shi Yi looked down at her and suddenly said, "Now we know, don't we?"
Wh-what...
When Jia Lan came to her senses, she felt herself being locked onto by two hateful gazes, as if they wanted to devour her alive. Her body trembled uncontrollably—it was Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting.
The thought of this filled her eyes with overwhelming fear.
Finally, Xu Wenshan's voice came from the side: "Jia Lan, you have psychic abilities, why didn't you tell us? Was it because you were afraid, or because... you wanted to use us?"
"I...I've never used it..."
"You fucking—"
Lu Ting wanted to curse, but he was so angry that he couldn't even speak. Was this a matter of whether or not to use it?
Just thinking about how all his previous affection and everything he had done might have stemmed from Jia Lan's scheming, and that this woman might have even secretly mocked their foolishness while keeping them hanging on—just thinking about this made Lu Ting's shallow love turn into intense hatred.
Xu Wenshan, however, let out a mocking laugh. He seemed to be lamenting his own fate, his expression twisting slightly: "So this is why I've fallen to this state..."
'Pat pat pat—'
Applause erupted as Zhou Ziqi leaned against the edge of the containment chamber: "You've finally discovered the truth. I won't kill you. After all, I'm just a weak and pitiful researcher; I don't do these things."
"Don't worry, I will send you to the outer area of the base, where there are only ordinary people without superpowers. You are a good fit there."
Zhou Ziqi's voice was very kind, as if it were a gift.
The moment she heard it, Jia Lan felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She stared blankly at Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting not far away. Their eyes, which used to make her feel at ease, now looked like vengeful ghosts.
If she really went back to the outer area like that, although she would survive, she would truly be living a life worse than death from then on!
Jia Lan wanted to struggle again. She subconsciously raised her head, but met Zhou Ziqi's smiling eyes, and her voice caught in her throat.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling: "Don't make me angry."
"I've had a good show, and I'm in a fairly good mood. But if you're going to make me feel bad, then I might not let you leave unscathed in the next round."
"Yes, I understand..."
Jia Lan smiled bitterly, the last glimmer of light fading from her eyes.
She knew in her heart that this was Zhou Ziqi's ultimatum, and if she dared to continue making trouble, she would not even have a chance to survive.
Through her blurred vision, blurred by tears of despair, Jia Lan looked up and saw Ruan Qing'an standing beside the observation window. Due to the angle, she had only just seen him now.
Ruan Qing'an was still the same as before, fierce and proud, with a long sword slung across her waist, and she gripped the hilt with one hand. Even standing next to the dazzling Zhou Ziqi, she was not inferior in the slightest. In fact, even that monster-like man seemed to be standing behind her.
They were like evil dragons guarding a treasure, and only their gaze upon the "treasure" could be considered gentle—Jialan suddenly laughed, how similar this situation was to her.
But why is her ending so different?
"Nguyen Thanh An".
Can I ask you a question?
Looking out the window, Ruan Qing'an looked up at her.
Beside her, Shi Yi frowned slightly, her slender hand covering Jia Lan's eyes, her dark green eyes giving Jia Lan a warning look, and said, "Don't look around, Qing An, you should go back to rest after the show."
"Don't always do the same thing as before, and don't... always look at trash."
"It's alright, Eleven."
Ruan Qing'an paused, pressed down on Shi Yi's strong arm, moved his hand away, pushed open the door of the containment room, came to Jia Lan's side, and looked down at the woman.
She lowered her eyes: "What do you want to ask?"
"...I've always felt that love is fake. After putting in so much effort, you still end up being betrayed. But why?"
Jia Lan said bitterly, "Why is it that you can? They are clearly two men, so why?"
"..."
Ruan Qing'an was silent for a moment. She raised her head and glanced at Shi Yi and Zhou Ziqi watching from the observation window. She could still remember 037's words, perhaps—
She suddenly said, "I probably won't be in a relationship. I'm not good enough to be loved. I'm not good at all."
"From beginning to end, it was only the same person who favored me."
After saying that, Ruan Qingan turned around and left through the door of the shelter, while Jia Lan slumped to the ground, head down, looking dejected.
037: [Ancestor, how...how did you know it was the main god?]
"I've been entangled with him for longer than you were manufactured, little system. How could I not recognize you, even if it's just a piece of data similar to his?"
Ruan Qing'an lowered her eyes. This favoritism, even before he became the supreme god, remained constant from beginning to end—until her "Xie Huainan" became the supreme god.
037 seemed to want to say something, but hesitated and stopped. The constant warnings from the main system silenced it, and it dared not say anything.
...
Soon, under Zhou Ziqi's arrangement, the superhuman team came to handle the aftermath. Just as he had planned, they took Jia Lan and the other two to the outer area. As for what happened next... there was no need to put in any more effort. Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting had long since lost the power to resist, and as for Jia Lan, the only one left, she was practically a cripple.
Not to mention, Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting hated her to the core.
After finishing up here, Shiyi prepared to leave with Ruan Qingan. Zhou Ziqi just leaned against the elevator entrance, not seeing her off, his eyes half-closed as he watched her back.
He seemed exhausted, and the short rest was futile.
"You're running out of crystal cores. Go get some from the little wooden box. I had someone deliver them to your shabby little house. How can you live in a place like that... If you can't stand it, go back to the villa."
"Mr. Zhou, you..."
Ruan Qing'an paused, turned around, and saw the obvious dark circles under his eyes. She couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to rest?"
"No, I'm very busy. I'm handling all sorts of things at the base, and I also have research projects to push forward at the research institute. There's just too much to do, I can't stop."
Zhou Ziqi paused, then pinched his brow: "Before I regret binding you to my side, before I finish what I'm doing, you can go crazy for two more days."
"You know I've always spoiled you, Xiao Ruan."
As he spoke, Zhou Ziqi turned around, his tall and thin figure swaying slightly, as if he still had to go back to the research lab to work, which made him look somewhat pitiful.
Ruan Qingan narrowed his leaden-gray eyes and sighed.
That bastard...
He was really tired, but given his crazy personality, how could he let his emotions show like this? Clearly, when she said she was terminating the employment relationship, Zhou Ziqi was able to hold on.
There was no way around it; her target was that scoundrel of a man.
Eleven stood beside her: "Let's go, Qing'an."
"...I'm sorry, Eleven, I'm going to check on Mr. Zhou. It's because I'm unwell that I made him work so hard."
Shi Yi was slightly taken aback, his dark green eyes suddenly darkening as he looked at the hand that had been released and the girl running towards Zhou Ziqi.
He met Zhou Ziqi's gaze, and the man, whose face resembled his, had a wicked smile in his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes. He mouthed to Shi Yi, "This is an advantage unique to humans."
'A tireless, inhuman thing that never needs rest.'
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