In an instant, Jia Lan felt her blood freeze. She stared wide-eyed in terror, shrinking into the garbage heap, too afraid to even move. Lu Ting and Xu Wenshan beside her were the same, their breathing gradually becoming softer.
Meanwhile, outside the garbage truck, several teams of superhumans stopped the staff and casually and contemptuously ordered, "Don't move, everyone get out of the truck, we need to do an inspection."
"Yes, yes, yes—"
The staff bowed repeatedly. In this apocalyptic world, those with superpowers held absolute control. Apart from the technicians, no one else could even raise their head in front of them.
Hearing the commotion outside, Jia Lan's heart pounded even faster.
They had never heard of garbage trucks being inspected. So many fugitives had used garbage trucks to escape before, and nobody seemed to care!
The members of the superhuman team, who were usually arrogant and haughty, stepped into the garbage truck and began to search carefully, quickly approaching the corner where Jia Lan and his two companions were hiding.
Jia Lan tensed up completely—as soon as they got close, she would use her mental abilities to control them.
They couldn't stop her from escaping!
As the searchers approached, Jia Lan appeared instantly, but then her eyes widened in shock. In the hands of the searchers were a vial of eerie green injection.
Behind her, Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting realized what was happening.
"Lanlan, don't go!"
"That's a superpower suppressant!"
Before Jia Lan could even react, the injection was plunged into her neck, as brutally as administering a sedative to a raging animal.
...
When Jia Lan woke up again, she was tied up quite tightly, while Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting were locked up on the other side. After looking around, Jia Lan realized that this place was somewhat similar to a research institute.
"Welcome to my containment chamber."
"Thank you for making things happen, letting me sleep... Well, four hours and seven minutes, that's far too short for an adult who needs rest."
A voice, tinged with amusement yet sending chills down one's spine, rang out.
Jia Lan's body trembled uncontrollably. When she looked up, she saw Zhou Ziqi standing not far away: "Mr. Zhou..."
Seeing her pupils suddenly shrink, Zhou Ziqi sneered.
"You seem surprised to see me?"
"..."
"The ability user who revealed the secret passage was at my behest, as were the ability users you cultivated in the outer area, and even the ability user who came to inspect the garbage truck was one of my people."
Hearing the man's smiling words, Jia Lan finally realized that what they thought was being cautious was actually an open and aboveboard performance in front of Zhou Ziqi—this feeling was just like the last time they schemed against him, with a strong sense of powerlessness and being controlled.
She gritted her teeth, her voice trembling: "Mr. Zhou, since you know everything, why don't you—"
"Because it's interesting."
Zhou Ziqi paused, a smile playing on his lips: "Just when you're about to see hope, to escape from danger, only to have it all turn around again, isn't that interesting?"
Zhou the Madman, renowned throughout the base, is a typical pleasure-seeking criminal.
Jia Lan had never felt so desperate. She slowly closed her eyes, overwhelmed by regret. But it was too late. If she had known this would happen, how could she have provoked Ruan Qing'an and this madman? How could she have!
At this moment, Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting, who had been locked up to the side, also woke up and immediately saw Jia Lan lying on the ground, looking dejected.
Xu Wenshan felt a surge of anxiety and shouted.
"Zhou Ziqi, you may have the guts to mess with me, but don't touch Lanlan!"
"..."
Zhou Ziqi paused, looked up, and suddenly chuckled, "Do you know why I didn't go all out against you, Xu Wenshan? It's because you're a rare smart person, what a pity."
"The woman you protect, the brother you trust..."
Zhou Ziqi's eyes showed even more interest. He casually tossed a USB drive in front of Xu Wenshan: "There's a computer over there, you can take a look yourself. Oh... and Lu Ting too, you can come along too."
"If you're disturbing my sleep, then put on a good show for me."
As Zhou Ziqi spoke, he turned and left the containment room.
After he left, Xu Wenshan glanced at the USB drive on the ground, feeling a strong sense of unease, but he still subconsciously picked it up and plugged it into the computer. Lu Ting followed silently.
There are only two files inside, one video and one audio.
The video showed Xu Wenshan and Jia Lan drinking in a villa, exchanging flirtatious and suggestive words—in an instant, Lu Ting felt as if he were being utterly cuckolded.
Before he could confront Xu Wenshan, the audio recording was released. It was a conversation between Lu Ting and Jia Lan outside the conference room. It not only contained the plot to scheme against Zhou Ziqi, but the ending of the call was also exactly the same flirtatious and ambiguous.
The entire containment room was completely silent.
Xu Wenshan and Lu Ting, who had always been good brothers, faced each other, unable to even speak. Jia Lan, who was not far away, made them even more at a loss for how to deal with each other.
Finally, Xu Wenshan spoke first, giving Lu Ting and Jia Lan a cold look: "Fine, fine... I got picked on by Zhou Ziqi just because of you two idiots?!"
"Your superpowers were crippled, you lost your leadership position, and yet you still have your woman sleeping with your brother? You two are something else!"
Lu Ting's face darkened: "Xu Wenshan, shut up!"
Xu Wenshan ignored him completely and suddenly looked at Jia Lan: "Damn it, tell me, did you cause Zhou Ziqi's sudden madness?!"
"I, I..."
Jia Lan stammered, unable to utter a word. Was she supposed to say that she was the one who took Zhou Ziqi, whom she cherished most, out of the base?
Just two documents instantly shattered the ridiculous relationship between the three.
Not long ago, they were supporting each other on their escape, but now they are blaming each other and looking at each other as if they were enemies!
At that moment, outside the containment room, Zhou Ziqi leaned against the observation window, his narrow eyes peering at the scene inside, a hint of malicious mockery in his gaze: "Heh..."
"That's really a twisted sense of humor."
Shi Yi's voice suddenly came, and Zhou Ziqi subconsciously looked up, his phoenix eyes widening in surprise: "Xiao Ruan?"
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