Chapter 80
First the villain, then the gentleman. In a partnership, by assuming this attitude one can avoid a lot of trouble.
The three of them set out on the road after drawing lots.
To prevent technological fraud, they used the the most traditional way of drawing lots.
Lin Jiali picked up a handful blades of grass from the ground and used those as lots.
The final result were Lin Jiali was first, Si Chen was second and Chen Zhizhou was third.
No one had any objection to this.
According to the map estimates, the residential area on the outskirts of Kuafu Science and Technology City was at least 40 kilometers away from the Khaos Manufacturing Institute in the middle.
Walking there would be too inefficient. Lin Jiali had an auxiliary power system so she could directly fly there. However, with no charging stations in the entire city and having only a power bank with her, she was unwilling to waste energy on such a trivial matter.
She turned on her scanner. “There are motorcycles 300 meters away. We’ll drive there first. For today, we won’t head to the laboratories. While its light out, we’ll search the residential buildings to see if there are any staff IDs. Along the way, we’ll look for the other candidates.”
Two motorcycles were parked alone on the side of the road.
Next to it was a building that was obviously different from the single occupant residential buildings. The sign read “Canteen No. 2”.
The canteen was also outfitted with a metal door. Not a single window was visible. It was airtight, like a lump of iron.
As soon as he approached the canteen, Si Chen felt hungry.
There was the vague aroma of roasted pork belly floating in the air.
Si Chen could even imagine the golden fatty juices oozing from the meat and the sizzling sound of it as it drips onto the iron plate.
But the other two people present seemed unaware of this.
He stared at the canteen for a couple of seconds and then looked back.
He didn’t like dealing with extraneous matters.
After Lin Jiali checked the motorcycles, her tone was rather excited. “These are still usable and they both have half a tank of fuel left. Looks like we can use them for about seventy or eighty kilometers.”
The only problem was that there were only two bikes.
Fortunately, the tragedy of offing one to fit the two didn’t occur. Chen Zhizhou voluntarily withdrew from the competition. “You two drive. I want to sleep. I’ll ride with Si Chen.”
“Why with him and not with me?”
Chen Zhizhou replied slowly, “I’m afraid that if I ride with you, I’ll find myself abandoned on the side of the road once I wake up.”
Lin Jiali said angrily, “I’m not that kind of person!”
She took out the loudspeaker and clipped it to the motorcycle.
Lin Jiali’s voice came from the loudspeaker: “Hello, exam candidates. This is Lin Jiali…”
It was still the same as what Si Chen had heard before.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Chen Zhizhou hugged his waist from behind and rested his head on his back.
“Your body…” Chen Zhizhou said softly, “It’s hotter than ordinary people’s. It feels so good.”
By ordinary people, he meant Evolutionaries.
Lin Jiali glanced back. “Don’t say such ambiguous words. Listening to you makes me want to hug him too.”
Si Chen just smiled shyly.
He was actually not used to being so close to strangers, but that grilled sausage smell coming off Chen Zhizhou was really delicious.
What’s more, Chen Zhizhou couldn’t be left behind.
He reminded aloud. “Sit tight.”
With that said, Si Chen stepped on the accelerator.
The moment the motorcycle started, it moved crookedly like a dragon wagging its tail.
Chen Zhizhou was about to go to sleep but his eyes opened slightly. “Si Chen, if you want me to ride with Lin Jiali, just say so. Or are you unhappy with your treatment at Serpent Staff Gene? You could just tell me.”
Si Chen coughed in embarrassment. “It’s my first time driving a motorcycle, so I’m not used to it.”
His learning ability has always been good. And after two or three kilometers, Chen Zhizhou was able to sleep peacefully behind Si Chen.
The city was built atop a plain and the residential buildings in the living area were all of the same style. The scene at every intersection looked pretty much the same.
If it weren’t for the little dots indicating their position moving closer to the Khaos Manufacturing Institute on the map, Si Chen would have thought they were in an infinite loop.
“How do all these researchers find their way home when they get off work?” Lin Jiali’s handsome brow furrowed.
Si Chen glanced at the residential building next to him. “Have you noticed? The further in we go, the farther away the doors are to each other. The rooms in the buildings are getting bigger.”
Lin Jiali said casually, “That’s normal. The closer you are to the center, the higher your rank. The higher your rank, the better the treatment.”
Si Chen shook his head: “When I lived in the Disaster Zone, the place I lived in was much larger than my place in the Safe Zone. But everyone wants to get into the Safe Zone. Even if you can only live like an ant in the Safe Zone, it’s better than dying.”
Lin Jiali was stunned.
She understood what Si Chen was implying. “You mean, the senior researchers live on the outskirts and the ordinary researchers and the other staff live in the interior?”
“Yeah. But these are just my guesses.” Si Chen said slowly, “I suggest that if we’re looking for an ID, we should search the rooms at the outskirts first. If I’m wrong, then we can still search in the interior apartments.”
If Si Chen guessed correctly,
The “Number 5” written in the experiment record he found in the wardrobe referred to Child of God Number 5.
This was certainly not something that an ordinary scientific researcher would have had access to.
Lin Jiali: “I’ve never lived in the Disaster Zone and even in the Safe Zone, I live in a villa. But I’ll listen to you. After all, if there’s a lab leak, the residents closest to the laboratories would definitely be the first to suffer.”
“Also, I scanned for weapons.”
Lin Jiali pointed to the roof of a tall building. “There is an energy cabin there, but it’s empty. The barrel is pointed in the direction of the laboratories.”
The recording on Lin Jiali’s loudspeaker was still playing. Unfortunately, they got not a single response.
“Let’s do one lap. I don’t believe we can’t find anyone.”
Si Chen had no objection.
It was actually quite boring riding around in a place with unchanging scenery.
But as long as he didn’t have to face danger, Si Chen was willing to accept this boredom.
But as the hunger that had dissipated surged up again, Si Chen’s expression changed slightly and he shouted. “Stop!”
The strong aroma of food was coming from the road right ahead.
Lin Jiali stepped on the emergency brake, almost falling over in her haste. “What’s wrong?”
There were at an intersection and the road ahead looked no different from the road they passed before.
Chen Zhizhou was still hugging him tightly as he slept soundly. The muscles in the arms are all hard and rigid.
His body temperature was very low, like a snake in hibernation.
Si Chen shook him awake. “Don’t sleep for now.”
Chen Zhizhou opened his eyes blearily. “What’s wrong?”
Si Chen got off the motorcycle, picked up a stone from off the side of the road and threw it forward.
The stone fell on the road ahead. But there was no movement.
Si Chen thought for a moment and took out one of the roasted bugs from his pocket. He tied it to another rock and threw that one in as well.
This time, the surface of the road instantly grew and something pink and fleshy wrapped around the stone, silently swallowing the stone and the insect tied to it into the ground.
The road returned to calm. Si Chen thought he could hear the breathing of some giant creature.
If it weren’t for the missing stone, everything just now seemed to have been an illusion.
Lin Jiali’s eyes suddenly widened. “How’s that possible? Is my scanner malfunctioning?!”
She was too reliant on technology.
In her eyes, weak human eyes simply weren’t dependable.
But now that the fact was presented right in front of her, Lin Jiali had to believe it.
Chen Zhizhou opened his mouth slightly, about to say something, but it was quickly overtaken by a yawn.
He was so sleepy that he could even ignore the stinging pain in his arm.
Chen Zhizhou slightly pushed his sleeve back and took a look.
The blackness at his wrist has spread to the top of his elbow. A new blister had also developed on his wrist. It was like he had some sort of skin disease.
At this rate, his entire body would be covered in 14 days.
“My condition isn’t quite right.” Chen Zhizhou narrated calmly, “While I usually do get sleepy, I don’t get sleepy this easily. I suspect it is because I was bitten last night and was affected by the black mist. My sense of vigilance though is strong. If I encounter danger, my body will automatically wake up… I have received such training since I was a child and have developed a conditioned reflex, so there is no need to worry.”
Chen Zhizhou looked at Si Chen, “I will have to trouble you while we travel. If my condition remains stable like this, I should be fine. But I’m worried that my lethargy will only get worse. We’ll sign an employment contract later. I’ll hire you as my driver.”
“If it comes to a life or death situation, you can just leave me. Show them the employment contract when you get out and the Chen Family will not cause trouble for you. No matter whether I make it out alive or not, the Chen Family will pay your remuneration for me.”
Chen Zhizhou’s words were very polite and minimized the possibility of Si Chen’s refusal.
The reason why he’d chosen Si Chen over Lin Jiali was because any threat from the Chen Family would mean nothing in front of Lin Jiali.
Even if she killed Chen Zhizhou with her own hands, the Chen Gamily would not be able to afford an all out war with the Lin Family. All the Great Families and their businesses were intertwined to some degree. An heir who wasn’t even yet fully mature wouldn’t cause the two families to have a falling out.
Chen Zhizhou: “I will give a very fair price… In fact, I think that even if I hadn’t said anything, you won’t just abandon me. But signing a contract would make us both feel more at ease.”
Si Chen did not refuse. “Okay.”
In any case, since Chen Zhizhou looked like he was going to rely on him regardless, why not take this opportunity to make a bit more money?
Chen Zhizhou breathed a sigh of relief and leaned on Si Chen’s back once again. “Thank you. If you can’t get into Baidi University, I will ensure that you are fully paid to take your postgraduate entrance exams for three years.”
After saying so, he closed his eyes.
Taking the postgraduate entrance exam for three years? Si Chen felt that was actually a bit unlucky.
Who are you looking down on?
Lin Jiali poked her cheek with her tongue.
She was a little hungry. This shouldn’t be though since she had just drank a bottle of nutrient solution before setting off.
Her nutrient solution was not the type that is available on the market but was prepared by her own laboratory at home.
Lin Jiali has been drinking it since she was a child and she knew very well that such a tube of nutrient solution could keep her full for 24 hours.
But it had only been 4 hours and she was already hungry.
This inevitably reminded Lin Jiali of the first question on her test paper.
——What does Child of God Number 5 like to eat the most?*
Lin Jiali suppressed her uneasiness. “Si Chen, you should lead the way.”
No matter how Si Chen discovered the danger, it was at least more sensitive than her scanner.
Everyone has their secrets and no one was going to pester for answers.
She glanced at Chen Zhizhou and lowered her voice, “In addition to what he offered you, I’ll sponsor you to take the postgraduate exams for thirty years. I can assure you that I also won’t be as stingy as this person. If you’re going to choose, you’re better off choosing me. ”
Chen Zhizhou, who was still sleeping, let out his snake’s tongue. “I can hear you.”
The author has something to say:
Little Abyss, in-instance fully automatic radar. Specific manifestation: the better it smells, the more hunger-inducing and the more dangerous it is.
Baby is best to mommy—lmao… Thanks for the update 🤣❤️🤣❤️🤣❤️
After reading the author’s note, I’m wondering who was in the canteen and if the group stole their motorcycles 😟
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️