Chapter 103 (1/2)

”It isn't impossible that a super life might have absorbed nutrients from the underground of the whole Kaifeng. It's intelligent and capable enough to even plunder human brains as its source of growing intelligence. Its strength exceeded 5000 if I were to convert it into a number. And that is merely my conservative estimation.” Qing Shui's expression changed when he talked about the first time he had met Willow. ”The correct estimation should be about 6000, and it's still growing.”

”Then what about Yessie?” Zhuo was affected by Qing Shui, his courageous spirit was chilled by his words.

”We shouldn't be worrying about Yessie. Because there were soldiers who returned to report, it means that this super life isn't as strong as it was described.” Qing Shui beamed. ”There are differences between super lives. They are like humans, some of them are just more competent than the others.”

”Then what is its number if you were to quantify Yessie's lethality?”

”It won't exceed five hundred. Let me tell you how this works, for every digit an organism climbs up, the power grows exponentially. For example, although each of your special force's soldiers is about thirty, it can effortlessly kill three hundred humans. Therefore, Yessie isn't comparable to the Willow I met,” Qing Shui explained. ”Yessie isn't intelligent, and it's bulky. I suspect that it isn't too muscular but flabby. Its skin won't be too enhanced. I'd be surprised if its skin is stronger than your gene-altered soldiers' scales. It's beatable with mortars and artilleries.”

”Then, I will collect information about Yessie.” Zhuo's eyes were sparkling with insanity. ”Qing Shui, what do you think my soldiers will become when I transfer Yessie's gene in them?”

”They will be invincible,” Qing Shui said with the corners of his mouth sliding upwards.

”I thought so as well.” Zhuo shed his mania as he walked out of the lab. ”I'll gather my team, and you get the antibiotic ready.”

”I got it.” Qing Shui's still tone squeezed through the closing gap of the door.

Zhuo was always a man of action, and he didn't tolerate any sloppiness.

In the same afternoon that Zhuo had made up his mind to slaughter the Yessie, three companies of soldiers were gathered and then dispatched with a considerable amount of mortars and artilleries, as well as additional one hundred gene-altered soldiers. The army advanced toward the Yellow River to confront Yessie.

On the same day, there was a series of homicides occurring at midnight. The remaining higher ups were either a.s.sa.s.sinated, poisoned with neurotoxin, or ended up as lab rats for the hypermutable bacteria.

The storm was brief. It all happened in a blink of an eye, and no riot was caused.

On the second day at noon, a cohort of soldiers besieged Chang's safe house.

The siege was rather peculiar, as if those who encircled them already knew their abilities. The company formed a circle from far away, and the size of the circle rapidly reduced, leaving Chang and Zhizhi no time to react. They were like turtles in a jar when faced with such a strategy.

Surrendering himself in the courtyard, Chang raised his hands as he was faced with more than fifty automatic machine guns.

”I didn't know that I was worth that much to you, Zhuo. You have us now,” Chang shouted out.

”It wasn't Zhuo, it's me.”

A shade of white surfaced from the camouflage uniforms. It caught Chang's eyes immediately.

”Mr. Li?” The white lab coat raised Chang's mood from h.e.l.l to heaven. ”Why are you here?”

”I have a plan, and now I need your vision, Jing's perception, and this lady's...” Qing Shui tilted his head so that he could stare into Zhizhi's eyes. ”And I need this lady's olfactive ability.”

”And the reason behind all these arrangements?” Chang's heart started thumping.

”It's time. It's time to settle what is between me and Zhuo.” Qing Shui raised his head, looking at the sky. ”I've been waiting for so long. I just finished reconstructing the power center of Zhengzhou and managed to take control of the situation with my alliance. The last thing that we need to be worried about is Zhuo himself.

”He led a few companies to the Yellow River. As long as we make sure he won't return to Zhengzhou, the city will never be his.” As Qing Shui spoke, he gestured with two fingers to ask a man with delicate and pale skin to step away from the soldiers. ”Let me introduce you, he is the expert in deductive reasoning from Group Beta, and he specializes in weapon manufacturing. It was all his work that we were able to find you today.”

”Nice to meet you.” The fine man was attentive to Qing Shui and Chang's conversation. He was courteous and friendly, extending his hand to Chang.

”Pleasure to meet you as well.” Chang held his warm hand but his heart palpitated. If this man had helped Zhuo instead of Qing Shui, they would have been captured long time ago.

”Zhuo was dictatorial in the research inst.i.tute for quite a long time already. He took possession of our funding and resources to support his own group, leaving less than one fifth of the allowance for the other four groups. I was irritated by the way he did things since day one. It was my pleasure to be able to help Qing Shui,” explained the fine man who seemed to read Chang's fear. He eased the situation by stepping back. ”I'm merely a pathfinder, don't worry about me. Qing Shui has waited long to reunite with you.”