Chapter 156 – Fire Seed (26)

◎ Wildcat ◎

Ning Rong still had that serious appearance of sleep deprivation, with white streaks in his temples, looking tired. His drooping eyes fixed on the snake tail on Song Ke:

“I know you harbor hatred towards me, but today… cough, I am not your enemy.”

He covered his bruised neck, his voice hoarse and dry: “Cough… this kid and I made a deal, he asked me to come here tonight as his experimental assistant.”

For someone like Ning Rong, a giant in his field, serving as an assistant to a nobody like Zhuang Qingyan? Saying it out loud would probably drop the jaws of everyone who heard it.

“Aren’t you from He Qiuhong?” Song Ke narrowed her eyes, expressing doubt about his words.

Just as Ning Rong was about to speak, a sudden chill ran down his back, a cold sensation as if he were being stared at by a crawling creature. He raised his head slightly, and vertical pupils appeared in Song Ke’s eyes, indicating that her transformation was deepening.

“I belong to no one,” Ning Rong sighed, “He Qiuhong wanted my research results, so she provided money and equipment. I need a team and space for independent experiments, so I temporarily accepted her protection. In the end, we’re just in a mutually beneficial relationship. That time before, I suggested her to bring you here, but I didn’t expect her to use such an aggressive approach.”

“He Qiuhong is skilled in political tactics but knows nothing about academics. She thought I wanted to use you for human experiments, like those mutated zombies, but she was wrong.” There was a certain fanaticism in Ning Rong’s eyes as he took a step forward involuntarily. “Since I saw your awakener report, I had a premonition. Your ability to withstand strong radiation will be the key to my breakthrough in research.”

People involved in research are not quite normal to begin with, and Ning Rong’s persistence and madness surpassed that of ordinary people.

Suddenly, Song Ke raised her hand and threw a blue flying knife, nailing Ning Rong’s shoe tip, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground with a “plop.”

“Ning Rong, she is not your experimental subject,” Zhuang Qingyan slowly stood up, picked up his glasses and put them on, giving a cold warning.

“…I understand. I promised you I wouldn’t have any ideas about her again, but you better keep your word too,” Ning Rong seemed quite wary of him.

“Why did you look for him?” Song Ke, displeased, bumped her head against Zhuang Qingyan.

“Sorry, I…” Zhuang Qingyan straightforwardly admitted his mistake, but his tone was somewhat hesitant.

Ning Rong, leaning against the wall, awkwardly spoke, “Anti-genetic experiments are extremely dangerous. If any step goes wrong, it could spiral out of control. This kid doesn’t have full confidence, and he was afraid you might get hurt, so he had to find someone to assist.”

Song Ke was momentarily stunned, recalling Zhuang Qingyan’s mention of the “first time.” Just as she was feeling disoriented, she almost overlooked this statement.

Does Zhuang Qingyan also have times when he’s uncertain? He always seemed indifferent, as if he had everything under control. Could it be that because she was the subject of the experiment, he dared not take any risks?

Ning Rong exerted force with both hands, finally pulling out the flying knife that had pierced through the tip of his shoe, and handed it back to Song Ke, saying, “And I, I have participated in the ‘Fire Seed’ and ‘Eternal Life’ projects before. The current research topic is also closely related to genetic engineering. Among the living geneticists in the entire Alliance, you won’t find anyone with more experience and suitability than me.”

“Furthermore, I am still a member of the Qinglan Research Institute. When he was a child, I even…”

“Dr. Ning, there’s no need for some of this nonsense,” Zhuang Qingyan interrupted.

Ning Rong waved his hand, “Okay, your situation can’t be delayed. Come in quickly.”

Song Ke stared at him warily without moving.

Ning Rong sighed again, “Even if you don’t believe me, shouldn’t you trust this kid beside you? I promise, whatever happens here tonight, no fourth person will know.”

Zhuang Qingyan quickly wrote an ‘S’ in Song Ke’s palm.

Song Ke instantly understood and nodded silently. Even though Ning Rong was just an ordinary person, he dared to come here alone, facing two S-level awakeners. The risks he had to bear were much greater, considering that they could easily kill him with their abilities.

Song Ke swayed her tail, not very proficiently maneuvering through the corridor. The three entered the interior of the laboratory.

Without paying attention to the sealed capsule compartments, Zhuang Qingyan chose the most spacious examination room and brought over the necessary instruments.

The room had a constant, slightly cool temperature. Zhuang Qingyan deliberately dimmed the light, making it bright but not glaring. Then, he brought out a soft leather reclining chair, removed the restraints on it, and with a single push from Song Ke’s hand, she jumped onto it. Her tail coiled up halfway, with the remaining sharp end hanging down to the floor.

On the spacious and messy experimental table, various instruments were arranged. Ning Rong was about to operate the equipment when Zhuang Qingyan stopped him, saying, “I’ll do it.”

He lowered his gaze, quickly recalling relevant information in his mind. Frowning slightly at the center of his eyebrows, he seemed unsure of where to start.

Ning Rong pursed his lips and couldn’t help but remind him, “Start by operating the blood centrifuge, draw serum, take 400cc from each hand…”

Zhuang Qingyan retorted coldly, “Why do you need so much? It doesn’t hurt if I don’t take yours, does it? Running a lap with 400cc is enough.”

Ning Rong’s lips twitched. He thought, “You’re not like your genius father. Can you ensure there’s no loss when dealing with such a delicate matter?” After all, he still needed replenishment.

But, Zhuang Qingyan indeed made no mistakes. He was more precise and skilled than the assistant who had been with him for four or five years. Ning Rong had nothing to say.

Sensors covered Song Ke’s tail, and she curiously poked at them. Zhuang Qingyan came over with a syringe, saying, “Are you afraid of drawing blood?”

Song Ke shook her head, rolled up her sleeve, and confidently extended her arm.

Zhuang Qingyan carefully drew exactly 400cc, his movements delicate and gentle. As soon as he pulled out the needle and was about to apply the hemostatic cotton, the wound had already healed.

His fingers holding the cotton froze, “…”

Song Ke chuckled.

His actions were too slow; her second ability had already taken effect.

Zhuang Qingyan’s expression remained unchanged. He casually handed over the cotton, “Press it yourself, don’t bleed back.”

Song Ke suppressed her laughter and cooperatively said, “Sure.”

The results of the blood routine came out quickly, showing that Song Ke’s life indicators were basically normal. Zhuang Qingyan lowered his head to control the gene spectrometer, entered the decryption program, and patiently waited for the results by comparing them in the vast database.

Ning Rong, who was observing on the side, sighed silently. This guy had a vacant expression, hands in his pockets. Did he not know he should be recording the critical waveband data?

Opening a holographic screen, Ning Rong diligently started assisting, all the while bringing up another topic, “Last time you asked me whether my research is about the ‘Fire Seed’ or the ‘Eternal Life Plan.'”

Zhuang Qingyan glanced at him, “I told you I’m not interested.”

“Neither.” Ning Rong answered on his own, “Neither of them… I’m researching a third kind.”

Song Ke, with a silver helmet-like device on her head, looked like she was getting her hair done, “What’s the difference between Fire Seed and Eternal Life?”

She never quite understood the relationship between the two. Whenever Zhuang Qingyan and Lin Xiu talked about the “Fire Seed,” they seemed fine, but there was never a good expression when the “Eternal Life Plan” was mentioned.

Ning Rong explained, “Fire Seed is a gene project independently developed by Qinglan, with Vincent as its core. The initial purpose was to make human genes stabilize through selective fusion, thereby reducing the occurrence of diseases and extending the average lifespan.”

“Less sickness, longer life, right?” Song Ke nodded, somewhat understanding. It sounded good, and her body was particularly strong, never falling ill.

“When I joined, a year late and still not part of the core team, the Loak accident erupted. The Fire Seed project went bankrupt, and the Alliance reclaimed all related research permissions.”

“And the Eternal Life Plan is a gene project 2.0 launched by the Alliance later,” Ning Rong’s mouth drooped, “Their ambitions were too great. They not only wanted eternal life but also to awaken powerful abilities in humans. However, the condition was that all results would only serve a specific elite group.”

“The original intention of Fire Seed was completely distorted, and since the Eternal Life Plan involved biological experiments, I withdrew.”

“And my research is 3.0. As the apocalypse approaches, the first batch of selections is completed, and the evolution of awakeners has become a certainty. As long as I find the optimal gene ratio and radiation threshold on this basis, I can make everyone, no, all awakeners…” Ning Rong became more and more excited as he spoke.

“What, is He Qiuhong complaining that her life is not long enough?” Zhuang Qingyan sneered coldly.

He Qiuhong appeared fair and just on the surface, but deep down, she considered herself superior and was an extremely selfish utilitarian. To consolidate her position, she secretly supported Ning Rong’s research, which seemed reasonable.

Ning Rong shook his head, “I’m not speaking for He Qiuhong, but what she does might not necessarily be for herself. As you know, that person’s health isn’t very good, especially this year… relying entirely on an S-level constitution. My research has been stagnant, and she can’t sit still.”

That person… Song Ke blinked. Ning Rong was probably talking about General Ye Zheng, right?

General Ye’s health had deteriorated to this extent?

“Beep, beep.”

During the conversation, the spectrometer displayed the results.

Zhuang Qingyan focused his gaze, “It’s similar to what I thought. This is not an ordinary snake gene; it’s the Hook Snake.”

The Hook Snake, a mythical creature in ancient texts of the old civilization, with a length of over twenty meters, amphibious, and possessing a forked and highly poisonous tail, used to capture and prey on humans and livestock.

“Why would it be a Hook Snake?” Ning Rong was surprised. “This is a replicated gene.”

Replicated genes refer to those extinct creatures in the natural world, resurrected through artificial recombination. The original samples of these genes are extremely precious and are kept by specialized organizations. Ning Rong vaguely remembered it was called “Tianyi” or “Zhengyi.”

“I’m not sure about other organizations, but Qinglan has bulk-purchased replicated genes. At least forty-seven branches, including U—Lab, have preserved copies of the samples,” Zhuang Qingyan accurately reported the number.

Ning Rong glanced at him, “Your brain works well.”

After thinking for a moment, Ning Rong said, “Replicated genes are not easy to eliminate. Restoring them to normal requires using reverse radiation stimulation, which can temporarily make them recede.”

“What are the values?” Zhuang Qingyan asked.

“15-20%, I guess. Snake gene activity is very low. Oh, by the way, adjust the radiation intensity next door,” Ning Rong said.

Zhuang Qingyan stood up. Just before leaving, he coldly warned, “Don’t touch the instruments.”

Once Zhuang Qingyan walked away, Ning Rong lowered his voice and complained, “His face does look like Old Zhuang, and his temper is exactly like his mother’s.”

Song Ke moved her ears, “Mother?”

She had never heard Zhuang Qingyan mention his parents.

Ning Rong flipped through the holographic screen without much attention, “A group of bandits stormed into the laboratory back then, wanting to take him away. That’s when we found out that this kid had actually skipped school in Liuponi, ran over to help Old Zhuang, and even lied to him, saying it was a holiday. It infuriated Old Zhuang…”

Zhuang Qingyan had such a black history?! Song Ke listened with relish, but she suddenly realized something, “Bandits?”

“Under his mother’s command, a group of tall soldiers in military uniforms, all of them awakeners. Back then, awakeners were highly valued. Using them to catch truant children was simply a waste of resources,” Ning Rong lamented.

Awakeners… tall soldiers… military…

Song Ke looked at Ning Rong in silence. This person hadn’t even realized how shocking his words were.

Slap! Song Ke’s snake tail once again tightened around his neck, exerting a bit more force.

“Stop talking. You’re not allowed to talk about him, anything at all.”

“Not a word!”

…

When Zhuang Qingyan returned, the examination room fell silent. Ning Rong stayed far away, and the bruise on his neck seemed to have deepened in color.

He didn’t pay it much attention. After adjusting the values, Zhuang Qingyan pulled down the partition board, blocking Ning Rong outside, and went inside to accompany Song Ke while observing her condition.

Even with 15% excess radiation, ordinary people couldn’t endure it, but an S-level could persist for a while.

Leaning against the countertop, Zhuang Qingyan looked down at Song Ke, “The reverse radiation test will emit different wavelengths. We need to find the segment that can stimulate you to revert.”

Song Ke nodded, “Okay.”

Faint radiation surrounded the two, and each time the wavelength changed, Zhuang Qingyan would remind her.

Twenty minutes later, Song Ke’s snake tail twitched, and the scales began to fade.

Zhuang Qingyan’s eyes curved slightly, but he suddenly thought of something, and his smile disappeared abruptly.

Swiftly, he pulled out a blanket from space and covered Song Ke entirely. After a while, two little feet appeared at the edge of the blanket.

“It turned back!” Song Ke’s muffled voice came out, and her toes moved flexibly.

Zhuang Qingyan turned his back, looking somewhat unnatural. “Song Ke, put on your… pants first.”

Rustling sounds followed, and Song Ke urged, “Okay, okay, look at it quickly!”

Zhuang Qingyan slowly turned around, and Song Ke was joyfully examining her legs, happily touching them.

He raised a faint smile. She had finally returned to normal.

Ning Rong, who didn’t know what was happening inside, knocked on the protective glass from outside. “Hey, come out and take a look.”

The radiation was turned off, the partition board raised, and Zhuang Qingyan returned to the instrument. “What’s wrong?”

Ning Rong’s expression was very serious as he pointed to the instrument screen, “Look, this is the Hook Snake’s wavelength. It has weakened, but there are new curves here. Roughly estimating, there are a total of four segments.”

Zhuang Qingyan’s eyelids twitched. New wavelengths meant… new unknown genes.

Inside the room, Song Ke’s nose suddenly itched, and she sneezed, “Ah-choo!!”

Then she saw the sensors on the “hair steaming machine”.

They shone, swaying on top of her head.

Song Ke’s gaze gradually fixed, and an inexplicable longing surged within her. It was as if she was deeply drawn to something. Her hands curved delicately, pressing lightly on the ground, her body’s center of gravity lowered, but her waist and hips raised high. The muscles in her calves were tense, resembling an agile feline, with faint brown spots appearing on her skin.

Then, her two ears moved gently.

As Zhuang Qingyan raised his head, he noticed her abnormality and had a bad premonition, “Song Ke—!”

Startled, Song Ke’s pointed ears stood up instantly!

With a thud, she leaped, jumping a full six meters high, reaching out to grab the swaying sensor while simultaneously smashing through the ceiling.

Lime and debris fell down, dust filled the examination room, and Zhuang Qingyan weakly covered his face.

On the spectrometer, the analysis of the second unknown gene coincidentally appeared—a wildcat.

This was the highest jumping and most ferocious wildcat in the natural world.

Song Ke cautiously peeked half of her head through the hole she had created. She had completely lost control of her physiological reactions, just wanting to grab the shiny thing.

Crack—several more pieces of rubble fell, hitting the ground near Zhuang Qingyan’s feet. He looked up and locked eyes with Song Ke.

Song Ke’s eyes were innocent, and reflexively, she meowed.