Chapter 2033: The Ancient Castle at Night
If she hadn't mentioned it, Yan Jiayu wouldn't have thought of it, but now she immediately lifted the man on the ground. "Did you tamper with me again?"
Hearing that this wasn't the first time, Yan Jiayu grew a bit angry. She threw him aside and activated a detection device, having it scan her body from every angle, even lifting her shoes to check. The problem was indeed in her shoes. She removed the modified footwear, used both arms to snap them in half, and extracted the tracking device embedded in the sole.
"A B-level tracking device." The scanning instrument gave its rating.
"No wonder you found me so quickly." Yan Jiayu slapped him across the face. The man, who had just sat up, was knocked to the ground. Clutching his nearly fractured shoulder, he gazed at her with affection. "Little Fish, I'm sincere about you!"
Yan Jiayu dismantled the tracker, then said to Xu Huo, "Don't believe his nonsense. He didn't track me with his trait. He's good at modifying items and instruments. He used to run around with a band of robbers."
"He must have used some special item." She glanced at the man. "Earlier, he could find me when I crossed zones, and now he can find me even after I cross wormhole points."
"Is that so?" Xu Huo grew interested. With a wave of his hand, a full set of interrogation potions appeared on the table. He pointed at the man. "Pick one?"
Qi Congming's real name was Qi Cong. Qi Congming was a nickname given to him by the person he had killed—his former companion and current object of pursuit. Qi Cong didn't mind because he felt Yan Jiayu had her limits, but with Xu Huo, he wasn't so sure. So he threw himself at Yan Jiayu's feet, hugging her leg and wailing, "Little Fish, you can't do this to me! I've been without parents since I was young, bullied as I grew up, wandering everywhere, sometimes not even having a bite to eat. When I finally became a player, I still got bullied, beaten, and scolded every day. The day you appeared, I really thought I saw a goddess. All those years of suffering were just waiting for you—you're the light of my later years! You can't let others bully me!"
The three people in the castle watched his performance in silence, none of them moved by his fake story. After listening, Yan Jiayu found it a bit troublesome. She patted his head as if talking to herself, "My master's words must have some truth, but people can be flexible. I can't kill you, but that doesn't mean others can't... Next time, I'll take you to a zone infested with xenomorphs."
Qi Cong wiped away the tears he had forced out and immediately raised his hand to swear, "I promise I'll never follow you again! Heaven is my witness!"
"Forget it," Xu Huo interrupted them at this point and asked Yan Jiayu, "Why did you suddenly come back?"
"I forgot something." Yan Jiayu pointed at Qi Cong. "I'll take him with me."
"Since you're here, consider him a guest." Xu Huo had Mr. Dong prepare a room for him, informing Yan Jiayu that he would keep an eye on the man and let her and the Painting Woman enjoy themselves.
Yan Jiayu didn't stand on ceremony. She went back to her room and then left again.
Temporarily freed, Qi Cong quickly downed two bottles of self-healing agent, then clutched his stomach and said to Mr. Dong, "Can you get me something to eat? I haven't eaten all day."
With Xu Huo's nod, Mr. Dong instructed the kitchen.
The man, whose wounds hadn't even healed, started to perk up again. He poured himself a cup of tea and said leisurely, "I always say there are more good people in this world. My luck can't be this bad forever... The flowers in the garden outside are too fragrant. It's a bit stuffy. I think it's better to trim some."
Dr. Deng, who happened to be passing by, heard this. He stared at Qi Cong. "Are you the new gardener?"
Qi Cong set down his tea cup with dignity. "I am Miss Yan's guest."
Dr. Deng gave him a thorough once-over. "I heard someone howling earlier. Miss Yan hit you, didn't she?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face, but Qi Cong steadied himself and made up a story on the spot. "The deeper the feelings, the more intense the expression. What do you know?"
Even Dr. Deng felt embarrassed for him. He picked up his small leather case and went upstairs.
In the study, he placed the prepared potions one by one on the table. "Made according to your requirements. They have pain-relieving, sedative, and stamina-restoring effects. The darker the color, the stronger the effect."
"Use the black-gray two tubes with caution."
He paused and added, "You're asking for these potions because of mental evolution, right? Haste makes waste. I think it's better to let nature take its course."
Xu Huo glanced at him. "Did you see other mental evolvers at Stellar Pharmaceuticals?"
"I heard a bit from others." Dr. Deng said, "My area of responsibility is potions. Occasionally, I also prepare medicine for super evolvers, so I come into contact with them somewhat. Mental secondary evolution is different from other evolutions. Just look at Meng Cun. Even if you successfully start mental evolution, it doesn't mean there won't be problems later. The brain is very complex. If handled improperly, it could easily lead to a situation like Meng Cun's."
Once the brain itself has a problem, turning back is very difficult.
"I'm not rushing for quick results." Xu Huo understood his meaning. "It's something I have to deal with."
"Alright, I can't help with anything else. Find me if you need potions." Dr. Deng nodded and mentioned the man downstairs. "Better not let him into the back laboratory."
"I'll let Mr. Dong know."
After seeing Dr. Deng off, Xu Huo took out two potions and injected them into his arm, then entered the sealed space Mr. Dong had prepared.
He didn't come out for the rest of the day. By the time night fell and the Painting Woman and Yan Jiayu returned for dinner, he still hadn't come downstairs.
The Painting Woman understood Xu Huo's situation and wanted to check on him, but Mr. Dong, following Xu Huo's prior instructions, didn't let her in. "Sir is busy."
"Is Old Xu in trouble?" Yan Jiayu overheard and patted her chest. "If he needs help, just say the word."
Mr. Dong thanked her on Xu Huo's behalf, arranged for them to have dinner, and then escorted them back to their rooms before turning off most of the lights in the castle.
The entire castle suddenly became dim.
In the dead of night, Qi Cong, who had been pretending to sleep in bed, finally got up. He quietly slipped out of his room, groped his way along the second-floor corridor to the stairs, and then grabbed the railing to go downstairs.
The staircase from the second floor to the first wasn't long, but after walking three full circuits, the first floor was still ahead of him, as if he could never reach it.
Qi Cong's expression grew serious. He stood on the stairs for a moment, looked around to see no one else, and then silently turned back.
Unfortunately, the situation didn't improve. The stairs going back were just like going down—suddenly stretching endlessly. Afraid to call out or make too much noise, he could only keep walking along the staircase until his legs cramped.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto the stairs, sweating profusely as he looked up. But his vision blurred, and he saw a dark shadow flash by.