Chapter 216: Mutation (Part XIV)
Taking a test subject out without permission was a taboo.
Bai Yinnian’s position made it impossible for him to directly agree to Xiao Ji’s request. He called Zhao Yi and made a formal petition:
“Bai Yinnian of 【Divine Wings】, requesting to adopt Subject 3.”
He had expected this to be difficult because Subject 3’s mental state appeared unstable. However, just as Zhao Yi was about to refuse, Dr. Cui spoke up with excitement:
“This is a good thing. It allows for further observation.”
Zhao Yi hung up and asked Dr. Cui, “What if Subject 3 loses control out there?”
Dr. Cui continued recording data. “I trust Captain Bai will handle him.”
After they emerged from that massive cage, Bai Yinnian was pulled aside by Zhao Yi.
“Didn’t I tell you not to interfere?” Zhao Yi asked, pouring himself a cup of tea, his tone laced with dissatisfaction.
Bai Yinnian came from a military background; obedience should have been his primary principle. Although he hadn’t agreed with many of Zhao Yi’s decisions over the past few years, he had never defied an order before today.
But today was different.
First, Zhao Yi had exploited a loophole in his words to force Xiao Ji into the Pollutants’ cage. The test should have ended the moment they saw that Xiao Ji and Subject 3 could coexist peacefully.
The path every member of 【Divine Wings】 had once walked was simply surviving a cage with a High-risk Pollutant using their own abilities without heavy weapons. Xiao Ji had clearly qualified.
His ability was never about raw combat power to begin with. Yet, Zhao Yi had injected other Pollutants with frenzy agents and released them all into Pit 3. That in itself was a violation of the rules.
Bai Yinnian said, “I told you that I would ensure his safety no matter what. When you agreed to let me accompany him inside, I took it as your tacit consent.”
Zhao Yi was the base’s Commander-in-Chief. Even if Bai Yinnian had a special status, he wouldn’t tolerate such defiance.
More importantly, if Bai Yinnian dared to defy him today, he might dare to betray him in the future. That was something Zhao Yi absolutely could not accept.
His face went cold. “I’ve given you too many privileges over the years, Captain Bai. Go and receive your punishment.”
Bai Yinnian licked his lips, saluted Zhao Yi, and walked to the elevator in the corner of Zhao Yi’s office.
Zhao Yi used his iris and palm print to activate the elevator, sent Bai Yinnian inside, and pressed the button, watching him leave.
The elevator descended to the bottom. When the doors opened, a sickly stench immediately washed over him. In the darkness, countless eyes glowing with various colors stared at Bai Yinnian through a tall, dense high-voltage electric fence.
Bai Yinnian stepped out of the elevator, started his timer, and violently unfurled his massive golden wings. Like a descending deity wreathed in flames, he stepped into the cavern that housed countless demons.
Xiao Ji didn’t have the clearance to enter or leave this cage at will. After Bai Yinnian entered Zhao Yi’s office, he had intended to wait at the door.
However, a group of fully armed soldiers soon appeared in the corridor with flamethrowers. They lined up in two rows near Xiao Ji and the boy.
The man at the lead looked at Xiao Ji:
“The Captain asks that you return first.”
Xiao Ji frowned. “I’ll wait for him to come out.”
The man was expressionless. “He won’t be out for a while.”
Hearing this, a sharp light flashed in Xiao Ji’s dark eyes. He didn’t waste words with the man and directly summoned 037.
037 showed Xiao Ji the recording of the conversation between Bai Yinnian and Zhao Yi, then said:
[It’s not a major issue. He’s down there on a killing spree. But the number of Pollutants below is enormous; he’ll likely sustain some minor injuries. Go back and wait for him.]
Xiao Ji’s eyes narrowed slightly. [Minor injuries?]
037 gave a grunt of affirmation. [According to the changes in his mood and physical signs, he is currently in a state of extreme excitement. To him, this should be considered a form of stress relief.]
Given the current situation, Bai Yinnian couldn’t trust Xiao Ji completely, and Xiao Ji had no concrete evidence that this sanctuary had been committing even more insane atrocities since the arrival of 【Heaven’s Punishment】.
Furthermore, regardless of what the researchers in this sanctuary were doing, if it were to be destroyed, they had to be forced to finish developing the reagent that could clear 【Heaven’s Punishment】 first.
Xiao Ji pursed his lips and gave a signal to the boy beside him.
The boy walked behind Xiao Ji, pushed his wheelchair, and followed the armed personnel out of the cage.
Once they were escorted home, the soldiers remained stationed around the perimeter of Bai Yinnian’s house.
Xiao Ji closed the door and began to have a staring contest with the boy.
After waiting for a long time, Xiao Ji said to the boy, “He might be getting punished because of you.”
The boy said nothing, his large, watery eyes filled with innocence.
Xiao Ji looked at him. “Are you mute? Can you talk?”
The boy shook his head. Xiao Ji didn’t know if he was shaking his head at the first question or the second.
So he asked again, “Do you remember what you’re called?”
After thinking for a moment, the boy nodded.
“What is it?” Xiao Ji asked.
This time, the boy spoke. He lowered his gaze and whispered, “Xiao Cui.”
Xiao Ji reached out and rubbed the top of his head. Then, with a hint of disgust, he lifted the boy by his tattered collar, his face cold:
“Go take a shower.”
Bai Yinnian’s refrigerator had some ingredients, but the options were limited.
After cleaning the house, Xiao Ji personally made dinner and sat across from Xiao Cui at the dining table to wait.
Neither of them moved their chopsticks.
It wasn’t until Xiao Cui’s stomach began to growl that Xiao Ji gave up on the idea of waiting for Bai Yinnian. He set aside a portion of the food and let Xiao Cui eat first.
After the sky had darkened completely, Xiao Ji sent Xiao Cui to bed.
Xiao Cui stood at the door to Xiao Ji’s room, refusing to leave and indicating he wanted to sleep with Xiao Ji.
But Xiao Ji refused. “I don’t accept that. Your room is upstairs.”
Xiao Cui had no choice but to head upstairs dejectedly.
Xiao Ji showered, changed his clothes, and sat in his wheelchair in the living room to wait. It wasn’t until the moon hung high in the sky that he heard movement outside the yard.
When Bai Yinnian pushed the door open and saw Xiao Ji sitting in the dark living room, he was startled.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Xiao Ji looked at him. “Waiting for you to come back.”
Bai Yinnian was never one for sentimentality, nor was this the first time he had been punished. Hearing this, he waved his hand:
“Why wait for me? Afraid I’d die?”
Xiao Ji said nothing. He pushed his wheelchair to the dining area to pour a glass of water for Bai Yinnian. He arrived before him and was about to hand over the water.
Bai Yinnian’s legs went weak, and he nearly toppled over.
As the sound of the glass hitting the floor rang out, Xiao Ji suddenly lunged up from his wheelchair and caught Bai Yinnian in his arms.
The lights were off in the living room. Only the moonlight filtered through the window.
In that moment, the atmosphere in the room fell into silence.
After a long while, Bai Yinnian managed to pull himself out of Xiao Ji’s embrace. He looked down at Xiao Ji’s legs, then scrutinized the height of the man—who was nearly as tall as himself. He opened his mouth:
“You can f*cking stand?”
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