Chapter 155 – Fire Seed (25)

◎ Reward in Advance ◎

“It’s ridiculous!!!” The roar of Ye Zimei echoed through the communication, shaking the eardrums of those in the compartment.

Song Ke quickly adjusted the volume down.

This upright third-generation official was obviously shocked by their audacious operation, and her voice trembled as she spoke:

“You… the dignified S7 level, an all-A awakener team, how could you, how could you do something like stealing a starship?!”

“It was Zhuang Qingyan who said that borrowing and returning doesn’t count as stealing…” Xu Xing muttered softly, betraying his teammate without loyalty.

Ye Zimei heard it and immediately retorted, “That’s still ‘committing a crime and getting away with it.’ At most, it’s considered voluntary surrender. Besides, did you return it?”

“Last time, we did return it.” Captain Song, with a sense of responsibility, stepped forward and sincerely admitted, “This time, there was a small accident.”

The energy source of that starship had been absorbed by the ascending utopia, and its main body had long been reduced to debris in the underwater vortex.

“What?! There was a last time?!” Ye Zimei was almost out of breath.

“…” Song Ke sighed, guiltily covering his mouth.

Ye Zimei earnestly advised, “If you need a starship, you can tell me. I can help you apply.”

Lin Youyou sarcastically commented, “By the time the approval process of your Awakener Department is completed, the dishes would have been cold.”

Ye Zimei choked up. The starship was the most advanced flying terminal in the Alliance, with all public routes fully automated. However, for private travel with an undetermined route, it required a specially trained pilot, and the application process was very lengthy. Sometimes, waiting for a schedule could take half a month.

“You can’t steal either…” Ye Zimei sighed weakly. “Forget it, forget it. I’ll handle the damaged starship for you. I’ll also apply for another private one for you. Without a pilot, the approval process can be much faster. With my grandfather supporting you, you can take the backdoor route…”

“Miss Ye, how is the progress of the laboratory you mentioned earlier?” Zhuang Qingyan suddenly spoke up.

“Oh, I’ve already arranged it. Once you land, Bai Qi will take you there. Don’t worry, this time, no one dares to kidnap you.” Ye Zimei vaguely knew that Song Ke had some health issues, and the conflict with He Qiuhong was also related to this.

When Zhuang Qingyan proposed having a separate laboratory, she didn’t ask much and readily agreed, efficiently arranging the location in less than a day.

Song Ke made a “magnanimus old man” gesture on the opposite side.

Zhuang Qingyan understood and said, “Thank you then. After we handle our current affairs, we will go to see General Ye at the earliest opportunity.”

After ending the communication, his gaze dropped. It had been over 24 hours since Song Ke grew a snake tail. During this time, they tried various methods, intentionally frightening, stimulating with awakened energy, and even having Su Cha cut Song Ke’s tail with a knife, but it still wouldn’t revert.

Afterward, they were sternly educated by Fang Zhixu who criticized them for acting recklessly just because they had a healer and Song Ke could self-heal her wounds.

However, for Song Ke, these signs of transformation were very dangerous. Genes also had their own awareness. If they considered the existence of a snake tail as normal and solidified it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Zhuang Qingyan urgently wanted to take her for a recovery experiment.

Although, theoretically, he could handle this matter independently, he didn’t dare to take the risk with Song Ke. After pondering for a moment, he tapped out another communication.

…

The next morning, the groggy-eyed group heard good news. Zhuang Qingyan’s submitted explanatory report smoothly passed the supplier audit, and the rewards for the S-level commission came belatedly.

Whether it was shutting down the weather simulation system, killing the armored sea turtle, or investigating the truth behind the disappearance of the Elderly People’s Nation, V587 played a crucial role. They became the biggest winners of this mission, receiving a substantial amount of points, totaling several million!

As for the ranking that Song Ke was most concerned about, V587 finally made a breakthrough. From the awkward position of neither high nor low, they leaped to the 52nd place in the Northern Base and the 1314th place in the New Asia Alliance.

*

Five days later.

Outside the perimeter of the Northern Base, at the Starship Port of Qianzhan City.

No matter when, this place was always bustling with people. Those who wanted to join District B hurriedly moved about, and the enthusiastic shouts of intermediaries echoed continuously.

Seven people, including Song Ke, descended from the starship and quickly blended into the crowd in the dim night.

They purposely chose to disembark at the previous station to avoid coinciding with Tustan. In case the enthusiastic father-daughter duo, Yin Xiao and Jennifer, had any sudden suggestions for extending their involvement, it would be troublesome.

Upon leaving the station, Lin Youyou turned around, the lower half of her face securely hidden behind a mask: “Let’s head back to the apartment first.”

After Yang Xiaobo’s video spread, V587 was well-known throughout the Northern Base. It was better for them to keep a low profile.

Lu Xiaoyu waved his mechanical arm and joked, “I hope the captain comes back with more legs than now.”

Song Ke had developed a resistance to his sarcastic remarks, “I’ll try my best, try my best.”

Zhuang Qingyan pushed Song Ke towards Bai Qi and walked towards him. Seeing the change in the person sitting in the wheelchair, Bai Qi seemed unfazed.

The two got into a floating car. With V587’s newfound fame, if they were ordinary people, there would surely be some gossip and inquiries about inside information. However, Bai Qi remained silent throughout the journey to the destination.

It wasn’t until the two got off the car that he finally spoke, surprisingly, “Do you need me to wait for you?”

“No need, thank you,” Song Ke politely replied.

Bai Qi hesitated for a moment, breaking his usual silence, “Miss Ye has bought this place, and I have already removed the surveillance inside.”

In other words, whatever they did in the laboratory would not be discovered.

Song Ke gave a mental thumbs-up to Ye Zimei, appreciating her generosity. She had only mentioned “connecting” them with the laboratory, but unexpectedly, she went ahead and directly bought it.

After bidding farewell to Bai Qi, Zhuang Qingyan entered the password provided by Ye Zimei, and the main door opened slowly. The two took the elevator down to the basement.

With no one else around, Song Ke let loose completely. Sliding down from the wheelchair, her long tail covered the corridor as she moved forward silently.

Clattering sounds echoed in the spacious corridor, only the sound of Zhuang Qingyan’s footsteps, slowly following behind Song Ke, trying not to step on her.

However, Song Ke was used to walking on two legs. During the days on the starship, she had been curled up in the compartment without a chance to practice the S-shaped balance of a crawling creature. Without taking a few steps, she fell face down on the ground.

Ouch! Tears welled up in Song Ke’s eyes as she hummed while covering her nose. Suddenly, a pair of long legs appeared in front of her.

Zhuang Qingyan half-squatted down, his hands around her back, attempting to lift her up. Song Ke felt embarrassed, “I can get up by myself!”

Her fingertips touched the ground, trying to stand up on her own, but the floor was too slippery, and her snake tail kept slithering, and she twisted and fluttered from side to side as soon as she stood up.

Snap! A crisp slap sounded, and Zhuang Qingyan’s gold-rimmed glasses fell to the ground.

Song Ke looked at the clear red mark on his face, “Uh…”

The laboratory was silent, and the polished floor reflected the glaring light overhead.

Zhuang Qingyan, with lowered eyes, couldn’t see his expression clearly, but anyone could guess that this young master had never been slapped across the face.

Feeling guilty, Song Ke wished she could hide in the floor, “Sorry…”

“It’s okay,” Zhuang Qingyan sighed and simply sat down on the floor, “Song Ke, let’s talk.”

Song Ke sat up straight, “Okay.”

“Epigenetics, do you know about it?”

Song Ke looked puzzled, using her eyes to convey, ‘Do I look like I know?’

Zhuang Qingyan helped her adjust her hair and naturally switched to a more straightforward explanation, “In simple terms, there are significant differences in chromosome number and genome sequence between different species. Even for the same DNA sequence, tiny changes in regulatory mechanisms can have a significant impact on gene expression.”

Song Ke nodded and shifted forward, hands on the ground, attentively listening.

Without a change in expression, Zhuang Qingyan subtly moved his knee, conveniently encircling her.

“After entering the New Era, the human genome sequencing progress has reached 100%. This also means that, compared to other organisms, our DNA chain is more transparent and complete. However, you are different. About 16% of your genes are unknown.”

Song Ke hesitated and nodded.

“Although the homology between humans and snakes is 85%, a normal person won’t suddenly turn into a snake without artificial intervention… Not even half a snake. Do you understand?”

Song Ke closed her mouth in frustration and continued nodding.

“So, I suspect that you…” Zhuang Qingyan didn’t finish his sentence. He stared at the girl in front of him, falling into an unusual silence.

“You suspect that I am an experimental subject,” Song Ke raised her head, calmly completing his sentence for him.

Zhuang Qingyan was momentarily stunned, not expecting Song Ke to voice this conclusion herself.

Song Ke wasn’t naive. Ever since Zhuang Qingyan saw the complete report on her awakened energy, he had worn a heavy expression. After experiencing so much post-apocalypse, being exposed to so much, could he truly be unaware of her abnormality? No, in fact, she had a faint premonition.

This premonition received irrefutable confirmation when she inexplicably grew a snake tail.

Zhuang Qingyan nodded slightly, “I suspect you were once involved in a genetic fusion experiment, but you have no related memories. So, we cannot determine the specific location, time, operator, and how to decode it. We need to decode those unknown genes.”

“Decoding? Do you know how?” Song Ke blinked.

“Yes,” Zhuang Qingyan held her hand and slowly brought it close to his forehead, “Here, it contains all the data about genetic experiments, precise to every log, every sequence, every experience of success or failure.”

“As long as we can detect those unknown sequences, I can figure out your origin and find a more stable way for you.”

Actually, Zhuang Qingyan had deeper concerns in his heart, but before confirming, he decided not to tell Song Ke.

“What exactly do I need to do for the experiment?” Song Ke extended her fingertip and lightly poked his forehead.

“You need to attach sensors, inject drugs, undergo instrument checks, and… there might be slight radiation,” Zhuang Qingyan explained.

Song Ke impatiently flicked her tail tip, “I don’t like being locked up.”

The previous experience of excessive radiation was too terrible. She deeply disliked the confined and narrow capsule chamber.

Zhuang Qingyan pinched her cheeks and shook them, “I won’t lock you up, absolutely not.”

He suddenly smiled, and ripples appeared in his profound eyes, “To be honest, even though I have abundant theoretical knowledge, this will be my first time conducting a real experiment. In order to ensure a smooth process, can you…”

“Can I what?” Song Ke asked unclearly.

“…Can you give me a reward in advance?”

Zhuang Qingyan murmured almost inaudibly, his light-colored eyes filled with a teasing smile, and his handsome face seemed to sparkle.

“…Huh?” Song Ke’s heart skipped a beat, not fully understanding, but somehow, her blood circulation suddenly accelerated, rushing to the top of her head.

Their posture was already somewhat ambiguous, with Song Ke nestled between Zhuang Qingyan’s parted legs. So when he slowly lowered his head, and his slightly cool lips covered hers, Song Ke had nowhere to escape. The snake tail instinctively moved and subconsciously wrapped around Zhuang Qingyan’s waist!

It was a light touch with a hint of Zhuang Qingyan’s aura, like delicate butterfly wings.

At first, it was a shallow exploration, drifting and meandering on her lips. Gradually, the mild coolness turned into warmth, and the demanding force became stronger. Then, a faint and teasing laughter echoed, “Silly… open your mouth.”

The thumping heartbeat was deafening, goosebumps erupted on Song Ke’s back, and she was stunned in place, not knowing how to resist. Her fingers curled, and the long snake tail tightened involuntarily, even the scales couldn’t help but stretch.

Zhuang Qingyan’s palm slid from her cheek to the back of her head, about to deepen the moment —

“The instrument is calibrated. What are you two doing, still not coming in?”

A sudden voice echoed at the end of the corridor.

The enchanting atmosphere between the two abruptly came to a halt. Zhuang Qingyan closed his eyes, and his forehead throbbed heavily.

Seeing the newcomer clearly, Song Ke widened her eyes, pushed Zhuang Qingyan away in an instant, and swung her tail, wrapping it around the person’s neck.

Ning Rong’s face turned as red as a pig liver, his feet off the ground, choking out a thunderous cough, “Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!”

Zhuang Qingyan, with his back to the two, pulled his hair back and let out a deep sigh, “Song Ke, I asked him to come.”

Song Ke loosened her grip on Ning Rong slightly, keeping a vigilant gaze on him. If Ning Rong made any inappropriate moves, she was ready to take action.

Zhuang Qingyan awkwardly moved his knee, and in a low, throaty voice, he said with a hint of gritted teeth, “Dr. Ning, my mood is exceptionally bad right now. Explain yourself.”