Chapter 322: Since I’m Already Here
With no time for pleasantries, the group hurried into the depths of the facility.
On the way, Mo Sinan asked, "He was fine when I left half an hour ago. How could he have suddenly undergone Beastification?"
"We’re not sure. We wanted to give him a powerful tranquilizer, but we couldn’t get anywhere near him..." The researcher sighed helplessly. "Never mind. You’ll see for yourself when we get there."
When they arrived, Jiang Qingli finally understood the researcher’s helplessness.
Inside the enormous hospital room, countless vines of varying thickness crisscrossed, completely blocking the view.
Outside the glass door, several researchers held laser knives. Beside them was a small mountain of severed vines. They had clearly tried to cut their way in, but without success.
"See for yourself." The researcher who had summoned them sighed. "Mr. Fang seems to have suffered immense psychological trauma. We tried to inject him with a tranquilizer to prevent any incidents before you arrived, Miss Jiang. But the moment the needle went in, he went berserk, transformed into his beast form, and used his Wood Ability to drive us all out."
As she spoke, she took a laser knife and hacked at the nearest vine.
A few pieces of the vine fell away, but in the next second, three or four new tendrils sprouted from the cut, clinging tightly to the doorframe.
Mo Sinan looked at the room’s interior, then at Jiang Qingli, feeling a wave of helplessness.
’It’s a good thing Jiang Qingli is here, but how do we get her inside? We could just blast our way in, but what if Fang Chi goes mad and decides to take everyone down with him?’
Xie Youchen stepped forward and placed his hand on the vines.
A few seconds later, the vines began to wither before their very eyes.
Mo Sinan was stunned. ’Xie Youchen must have used his Superpower to compress the vines’ "time," causing them to age and wither rapidly.’
’He’s already mastered his Superpower to this extent?’
’How terrifying.’
The vines before them withered away, section by section. Sensing the danger, the surrounding vines retreated, huddling together and weaving themselves even more tightly.
In the very center of the room, they compressed into a cocoon, as if protecting a swaddled infant.
Clearly, the one they were protecting was Fang Chi.
Xie Youchen raised an eyebrow. Just as he was about to step forward and continue, he felt a tug on his sleeve.
"Youchen," Jiang Qingli said, then pointed at her feet. "Look at this."
The others followed her gaze. From among the dense vines at her feet, a single, slender tendril had stretched out. It silently wrapped around Jiang Qingli’s ankle and, with a gentle force, began to pull her inside.
Xie Youchen stomped on the vine, and it instantly withered.
He took her slender hand in his and murmured reassuringly, "It’s alright."
Jiang Qingli said, "...No, that’s not what I meant. I think it was trying to pull me in."
As if to confirm her suspicion, another slender vine emerged from her left, hooked one of her fingers, and gently tugged her inward.
Xie Youchen shot it a cold glare, and the vine instantly retreated beneath the withered ones.
But a few seconds later, another thin vine emerged and cautiously tugged at the corner of her shirt.
"It seems Fang Chi is instinctively asking for Miss Jiang’s help," a researcher suggested in a low voice. "Maybe we should let Miss Jiang go in..."
Before he could finish, Xie Youchen cut him off with a cold, "No."
Realizing his tone might have been too harsh, Xie Youchen softened his voice and explained to Jiang Qingli, "It’s too dangerous. I’ll go with you."
"The presence of another male might trigger his aggression. I can go by myself," Jiang Qingli said, unafraid. She had an instinct that the vines wouldn’t harm her. "Que Feiling’s condition was much more severe, and I was fine."
"Miss Jiang, aside from your powerful Superpower, I believe another reason for your success that time was your high Match Value with Que Feiling," a researcher said cautiously. "Your Match Value with Mr. Fang is only 81%. It might not go as smoothly this time."
Mo Sinan glanced from Xie Youchen’s murderous expression to the large green cocoon, looking troubled. "Maybe we should just call it..."
Jiang Qingli said, "Let me try. I’m already here, after all."
The previously silent Baili Jing looked at Mo Sinan. "Director Mo, I recall your facility recently developed stronger protective equipment. Please get the safety measures ready."
Jiang Qingli turned her head. Baili Jing smiled at her, and his trusting gaze gave her a boost of confidence.
Mo Sinan nodded quickly and hurried to have someone make the preparations.
Five minutes later, Jiang Qingli was dressed in a heavy-duty protective suit.
Mo Sinan inspected it carefully and gave her a serious warning. "Miss Jiang, if your life is threatened during the healing process, crush this panic button immediately. The collar on his neck will instantly release a toxin... and kill him."
’Although he didn’t want to see any casualties, when weighed against a precious female, an out-of-control male was clearly expendable.’
Jiang Qingli nodded. "Understood."
Once she was fully equipped, Baili Jing took her hand and whispered a few words of caution.
Unseen by the others, a faint layer of light spread from his fingertips, silently enveloping her in a Barrier.
At her side, Xie Youchen narrowed his eyes. A soft grunt escaped his throat as he pushed a laser gun into her hand.
"If he dares to resist, execute him on the spot," Xie Youchen said. "I’ll write the report."
Mo Sinan: "..."
With all preparations complete, Jiang Qingli entered the room, gun in hand.
The door closed behind her.
Miraculously, as soon as she drew near, the surrounding vines respectfully receded, clearing a wide path for her. The cocoon of vines also slowly unfurled, revealing Fang Chi wrapped within.
Lying amidst the vines was a lynx covered in wounds.
She couldn’t imagine what he had been through. He was emaciated, his fur as dry as straw. He looked wretched and pitiful.
As a female master with several furry companions of her own at home, Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but be moved by the sight.
Still, Jiang Qingli remained vigilant. She approached calmly until she was standing before Fang Chi.
Jiang Qingli waited a moment. Seeing the vines remain docilely retracted to the side and the lynx showing no sign of lashing out, she bent down, touched her forehead to the lynx’s, and entered Fang Chi’s Spiritual Domain.
After a few seconds of vertigo, her vision went completely black.
Heavy, ragged breathing sounded in her ears. From behind came the clamor of frantic footsteps; it sounded like countless things were rapidly closing in.
Someone sobbed in her ear, "What do we do, Captain? They’re... they’re catching up!"
’An escape? Fang Chi was a captain, so am I experiencing this from his perspective, fleeing with his teammates? Who’s chasing them? Mutant Beasts?’
’Judging by the sound, it’s happening inside a building. But I haven’t heard any news about Mutant Beasts infiltrating the base.’
Just as the question formed in Jiang Qingli’s mind, she heard "herself"—Fang Chi—hiss, "Hide!"
Fang Chi pushed his teammates ahead. After rounding a few corners, they ducked into a room.
He pushed the door shut behind them. Only then, in the faint light, could Jiang Qingli see that they were in a completely unfamiliar place.
There was a large hole in the window, and junk was piled haphazardly on the floor. The room was filled with cabinets, looking like a long-abandoned storage closet.
A trembling teammate pulled out a communicator and tried to make contact, but there was no signal.
Fang Chi got up, turned on a flashlight, and scanned the area.
He rummaged around, pulling a large pile of tattered paper files from a drawer in the corner. Jiang Qingli’s gaze swept over them idly, but she froze when she saw one of the photographs.
’...Ye Linyuan?’