128 Mystery of The End Times Part 1
The group walked into the courtyard and saw Abu curled up in its temporary "nest" from afar. It looked much thinner than before, and although short white fluff had grown on its body, it couldn't cover the pink skin. Just as Tang Yanqiu had said, it still looked somewhat bald. Comparing its current appearance to when it had thick and vibrant fur, it was quite comical.
Abu sensed their presence and quickly turned its head around.
"Abu!" Zhuang Yao and Deng Xiao rushed over and threw themselves onto it.
Abu got up and gently licked them, wetting their clothes.
Cong Xia walked over, smiling as he touched Abu's body. "It's growing fast, and the newly grown fur is so soft. Tianbi, try touching it." He grabbed Tianbi's hand and placed it on Abu's body.
Tianbi said, "It's quite warm."
"Of course, cats have a naturally higher body temperature than humans." Cong Xia rubbed Abu's belly and said with a smile, "Look at how pitiful Abu looks."
Abu let out a soft cry and nudged Zhuang Yao's chest with its head, still lacking energy.
Zhuang Yao laughed and said, "Your fur will cover your skin in just a week. By then, I'll take you out to play, to the seafood street for a stroll. We'll buy as much food as you can eat."
Upon hearing this, Abu finally perked up a bit, rolling over on its back to face everyone, its amethyst-like eyes full of anticipation.
They all sat on Abu's belly, rubbing its belly.
Tianbi spoke with a serious tone, "I wonder how Yao Qianjiang plans to explain the attack on us at the seafood street. After all, those people were indeed his men."
Cong Xia said, "He'll probably claim that his subordinates were bribed. This incident shouldn't have been ordered by Yao Qianjiang himself. Someone didn't want him to receive treatment..."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "It could be the Fenglan Society, the Liudao Huangquan, or even the Dragonblood Clan. These four forces have been in open and secret conflict with each other for a long time. Although we all have a common goal, resources are limited, but the desire for power is boundless. They're fighting over energy, resources, talents, weapons, and territories in Beijing. The entanglement and complexity of the various forces here are beyond comprehension. There are too many people who don't want Yao Qianjiang to get better. Even if they use some expendable pieces to delay for a few days, it could change many things. For example, before this incident, Yao Qianjiang's request for treatment from Cong Xia was justified since he was injured while searching for the Puppet Jade. However, now this incident will impact Jiujian Prefecture, and the other factions will have a reason to impeach it. In short, this incident will have a very negative impact on Jiujian Prefecture. It depends on how the opportunists will exploit it."
The group decided to temporarily follow the commander's arrangements. Cong Xia lay down on Abu's belly and said, "I'm quite curious to meet Yao Qianjiang myself."
Not only Cong Xia but also the others were curious about this Water Natural Evolutionary person. Each of them, to some extent, had an inherent curiosity and admiration for powerful beings.
Tianbi said in a deep voice, "We should also settle the score with the people from Sijiangmen who kidnapped Zhuang Yao in Shijiazhuang."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Exactly. From the moment we meet Yao Qianjiang, we will be officially stepping into the conflicts in Beijing. By then, the Fenglan Society will also come after us for reckoning, and many interesting things will happen."
Deng Xiao rolled on Abu's belly, saying, "Forget about Jiujian Prefecture and the Fenglan Society. We are not afraid of them as long as we are together. We are invincible!"
Tang Yanqiu whispered, "Deng Xiao, don't be arrogant."
"It's not arrogance; it's confidence," Deng Xiao rubbed his nose. "Hehe, we are indeed very formidable."
Zhuang Yao nodded and said, "That's right, we are indeed powerful. I will make each one of you even more formidable. Whether it's Devil's Pine, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, or the South Sea Monsters, in the end, only we will survive."
Cong Xia murmured, "But I really didn't expect it. That potted pine tree, in the beginning, grew into a monster over 600 meters tall..." He reminisced not only about the appearance of the potted pine tree initially.
He couldn't remember exactly when that potted pine tree was brought into the company. Perhaps it was shortly after he joined, as the company had acquired a large number of plants. The most expensive one was that potted pine tree, displayed at the front desk for everyone to see upon entering the company. He quite liked that pine tree because its shape was indeed very beautiful. Curious about everything, he had also fiddled with it when the gardener came to care for it. He would never have dreamed that the potted pine tree, which was only slightly taller than his knees, would end up controlling one-third of the Little Xing'an Mountains' forest.
Were they really going to snatch back the Puppet Jade from that colossal entity? Well, it wasn't their sole responsibility. He liked the idea of someone else dealing with the Devil's Pine... But Cong Xia also understood that even if it wasn't them who went to retrieve the Puppet Jade, the task assigned to them would definitely not be easy.
Tianbi said, "On the second day of the earthquake, we passed by your company and were attacked by that pine tree. At that time, it should have been just over ten meters tall."
"Yeah, it was no more than twenty meters long. When it disappeared, it had reached nearly a hundred meters. By that time, it was attacking all the surrounding mutated plants and animals, crazily absorbing nutrients. Now, it has become a super life form that is beyond our imagination."
Liu Fengyu said, "Thank goodness it didn't kill me back then. Thinking about it, it was really scary."
Deng Xiao widened his eyes, "Wow, Lao Liu, you've seen the Devil's Pine?"
"I've seen it. It even knocked me unconscious. Perhaps it was interacting with human mutants at the time. In any case, it didn't kill me, and when I woke up, it was gone," Liu Fengyu replied.
Cong Xia asked, "Do you think it will remember us?"
Liu Fengyu shrugged, "I hope not, since I attacked it."
Cong Xia raised his eyebrows, "Its human consciousness must be gone, or else it wouldn't willingly stay in the primal forest and coexist with a bunch of plants. However, it must possess human intelligence now. A super pine tree with human-like intelligence, it's indeed difficult to deal with."
As they were chatting, Cong Xia's phone rang. He answered the call, and it was Xiao Wang on the other end. "Hello, Xiao Wang."
"Hello, Mr. Cong, please come with me. The professor wants to see you now."
The group exchanged glances, and speculations arose in their minds. Upon returning to the experimental area, Cong Zhenzhong and Cao Zhixian were waiting for them.
Inside the room, Cao Zhixian made a gesture inviting them to sit down. His gaze shifted between Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia.
Cong Zhenzhong spoke, "Xiao Xia, I just discussed Yao Qianjiang's situation with Commander Cao. We hope that you can heal his injuries. He has been injured for over a month now, spending eight hours a day in the sterile room. Though there hasn't been any deterioration in his condition, with our current medical techniques, it's challenging to eliminate all the bacteria. Only you can completely heal his injuries."
Cheng Tianbi whispered, "What was his response regarding the attack on us at the Seafood Street?"
Cao Zhixian replied, "He adamantly claims that those people were not acting on his orders and that they were bribed to frame him."
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Do you want him to recover?"
Cao Zhixian replied, "Of course. Yao Qianjiang is one of our highest combat powers. If he dies, Jiujian Prefecture will definitely fall apart. We definitely don't want that to happen."
Zhuang Yao smiled gently, "If that's the case, we've been in Beijing for several days already. I see that you don't seem to be in a hurry to treat him."
Cong Zhenzhong adjusted his glasses and said, "Yao Qianjiang is arrogant and has his own ideas. Among the four natural evolutionists, he's the most difficult to control. We just wanted to give him a lesson and humble his arrogance."
Cong Xia said, "I have no objections, you've made the decision, and I can go today." He glanced at Cheng Tianbi and asked, "Tianbi, is that okay?"
Cao Zhixian narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the scene where Cong Xia sought Cheng Tianbi's opinion.
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "It's fine."
Cao Zhixian asked, "So, all six of you will go together?"
Cong Xia nodded without hesitation, "Yes, we'll all go together."
After leaving the Academy, they boarded a military jeep and followed Cao Zhixian's car, heading north.
The gasoline-powered vehicle reminded them of Road Bully, and they discussed hiring someone to bring Road Bully to Beijing from Luoyang.
In less than eight hours, the cars stopped, and they arrived at the entrance of a large residential area. The neighborhood had high-rise buildings, twin villas, and even two traditional courtyards. Jiujian Prefecture was the largest mutant organization in Beijing, boasting over a thousand members, thus requiring such a large space to accommodate them all.
At the entrance, more than ten people were already waiting to welcome them. When they saw Cao Zhixian get out of the car, they all respectfully saluted.
A middle-aged man with glasses said, "Commander Cao, thank you for coming. Please come inside."
Cao Zhixian stood with his hands behind his back and replied, "I won't go in; you can take them in. I'll wait here."
The man nodded and turned his gaze towards the group. His eyes behind the glasses shimmered with sharpness as he said, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Liu Yan, the chief steward of Jiujian Prefecture. Please follow me; our Prefecture Lord has been waiting for a while."
"Haha, Prefecture Lord? You guys really know how to entertain yourselves," Liu Fengyu mocked without reservation.
Liu Yan's expression remained unchanged, and he calmly explained, "Mr. Liu, it's not the Prefecture Lord's self-proclaimed title. He named the organization after his mother's hometown, and the title 'Prefecture Lord' spread by word of mouth, so everyone started calling him that."
Deng Xiao's eyes lit up, "I want one too! I want to give myself a nickname, let's all come up with impressive names, like, I could be called Lizard Hero or Crocodile Hero?"
Liu Fengyu patted his head, "Sure, we'll think of one for you when we get back."
Liu Yan said, "Please follow me, everyone."
They followed Liu Yan and the group of Jiujian Prefecture members into the residential area. There were indeed many people in this community, filled with mutants and ordinary people serving them. As they passed by, the gazes of these people were filled with caution, curiosity, and inquiry.
Liu Yan led them into a courtyard. The security was tight, with guards stationed almost every five steps, indicating that it was the residence of an important figure.
Finally, they followed Liu Yan into the main house. He pointed to a bedroom in front of them and said, "The Prefecture Lord is inside." Liu Yan then looked at Cong Xia and said, "Mr. Cong, please come in."
Cong Xia replied, "We all want to go in together."
Liu Yan calmly stated, "Mr. Cong, due to the injuries suffered by our Prefecture Lord, it's not convenient to have too many people see him."
Cong Xia didn't back down, "We're all men here, what's there to be inconvenienced about?"
Liu Yan nodded slightly, "You have a point."
Liu Fengyu coldly sneered, "If it's inconvenient, then we're leaving."
All the mutants in the living room stood up, staring coldly at them.
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "What's the meaning of this? Do you want to fight?"
Liu Yan waved his hand, instructing them to back off, and he smiled, "Our Prefecture Lord is an important figure in Beijing. Due to his weak condition, it's not appropriate to let too many people see him. I believe you can all understand. Moreover, Mr. Cong will be treating him inside, and there's only one door and one wall separating you. I don't see any reason for concern."
128 Mystery of The End Times Part 1
The group walked into the courtyard and saw Abu curled up in its temporary "nest" from afar. It looked much thinner than before, and although short white fluff had grown on its body, it couldn't cover the pink skin. Just as Tang Yanqiu had said, it still looked somewhat bald. Comparing its current appearance to when it had thick and vibrant fur, it was quite comical.
Abu sensed their presence and quickly turned its head around.
"Abu!" Zhuang Yao and Deng Xiao rushed over and threw themselves onto it.
Abu got up and gently licked them, wetting their clothes.
Cong Xia walked over, smiling as he touched Abu's body. "It's growing fast, and the newly grown fur is so soft. Tianbi, try touching it." He grabbed Tianbi's hand and placed it on Abu's body.
Tianbi said, "It's quite warm."
"Of course, cats have a naturally higher body temperature than humans." Cong Xia rubbed Abu's belly and said with a smile, "Look at how pitiful Abu looks."
Abu let out a soft cry and nudged Zhuang Yao's chest with its head, still lacking energy.
Zhuang Yao laughed and said, "Your fur will cover your skin in just a week. By then, I'll take you out to play, to the seafood street for a stroll. We'll buy as much food as you can eat."
Upon hearing this, Abu finally perked up a bit, rolling over on its back to face everyone, its amethyst-like eyes full of anticipation.
They all sat on Abu's belly, rubbing its belly.
Tianbi spoke with a serious tone, "I wonder how Yao Qianjiang plans to explain the attack on us at the seafood street. After all, those people were indeed his men."
Cong Xia said, "He'll probably claim that his subordinates were bribed. This incident shouldn't have been ordered by Yao Qianjiang himself. Someone didn't want him to receive treatment..."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "It could be the Fenglan Society, the Liudao Huangquan, or even the Dragonblood Clan. These four forces have been in open and secret conflict with each other for a long time. Although we all have a common goal, resources are limited, but the desire for power is boundless. They're fighting over energy, resources, talents, weapons, and territories in Beijing. The entanglement and complexity of the various forces here are beyond comprehension. There are too many people who don't want Yao Qianjiang to get better. Even if they use some expendable pieces to delay for a few days, it could change many things. For example, before this incident, Yao Qianjiang's request for treatment from Cong Xia was justified since he was injured while searching for the Puppet Jade. However, now this incident will impact Jiujian Prefecture, and the other factions will have a reason to impeach it. In short, this incident will have a very negative impact on Jiujian Prefecture. It depends on how the opportunists will exploit it."
The group decided to temporarily follow the commander's arrangements. Cong Xia lay down on Abu's belly and said, "I'm quite curious to meet Yao Qianjiang myself."
Not only Cong Xia but also the others were curious about this Water Natural Evolutionary person. Each of them, to some extent, had an inherent curiosity and admiration for powerful beings.
Tianbi said in a deep voice, "We should also settle the score with the people from Sijiangmen who kidnapped Zhuang Yao in Shijiazhuang."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "Exactly. From the moment we meet Yao Qianjiang, we will be officially stepping into the conflicts in Beijing. By then, the Fenglan Society will also come after us for reckoning, and many interesting things will happen."
Deng Xiao rolled on Abu's belly, saying, "Forget about Jiujian Prefecture and the Fenglan Society. We are not afraid of them as long as we are together. We are invincible!"
Tang Yanqiu whispered, "Deng Xiao, don't be arrogant."
"It's not arrogance; it's confidence," Deng Xiao rubbed his nose. "Hehe, we are indeed very formidable."
Zhuang Yao nodded and said, "That's right, we are indeed powerful. I will make each one of you even more formidable. Whether it's Devil's Pine, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, or the South Sea Monsters, in the end, only we will survive."
Cong Xia murmured, "But I really didn't expect it. That potted pine tree, in the beginning, grew into a monster over 600 meters tall..." He reminisced not only about the appearance of the potted pine tree initially.
He couldn't remember exactly when that potted pine tree was brought into the company. Perhaps it was shortly after he joined, as the company had acquired a large number of plants. The most expensive one was that potted pine tree, displayed at the front desk for everyone to see upon entering the company. He quite liked that pine tree because its shape was indeed very beautiful. Curious about everything, he had also fiddled with it when the gardener came to care for it. He would never have dreamed that the potted pine tree, which was only slightly taller than his knees, would end up controlling one-third of the Little Xing'an Mountains' forest.
Were they really going to snatch back the Puppet Jade from that colossal entity? Well, it wasn't their sole responsibility. He liked the idea of someone else dealing with the Devil's Pine... But Cong Xia also understood that even if it wasn't them who went to retrieve the Puppet Jade, the task assigned to them would definitely not be easy.
Tianbi said, "On the second day of the earthquake, we passed by your company and were attacked by that pine tree. At that time, it should have been just over ten meters tall."
"Yeah, it was no more than twenty meters long. When it disappeared, it had reached nearly a hundred meters. By that time, it was attacking all the surrounding mutated plants and animals, crazily absorbing nutrients. Now, it has become a super life form that is beyond our imagination."
Liu Fengyu said, "Thank goodness it didn't kill me back then. Thinking about it, it was really scary."
Deng Xiao widened his eyes, "Wow, Lao Liu, you've seen the Devil's Pine?"
"I've seen it. It even knocked me unconscious. Perhaps it was interacting with human mutants at the time. In any case, it didn't kill me, and when I woke up, it was gone," Liu Fengyu replied.
Cong Xia asked, "Do you think it will remember us?"
Liu Fengyu shrugged, "I hope not, since I attacked it."
Cong Xia raised his eyebrows, "Its human consciousness must be gone, or else it wouldn't willingly stay in the primal forest and coexist with a bunch of plants. However, it must possess human intelligence now. A super pine tree with human-like intelligence, it's indeed difficult to deal with."
As they were chatting, Cong Xia's phone rang. He answered the call, and it was Xiao Wang on the other end. "Hello, Xiao Wang."
"Hello, Mr. Cong, please come with me. The professor wants to see you now."
The group exchanged glances, and speculations arose in their minds. Upon returning to the experimental area, Cong Zhenzhong and Cao Zhixian were waiting for them.
Inside the room, Cao Zhixian made a gesture inviting them to sit down. His gaze shifted between Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia.
Cong Zhenzhong spoke, "Xiao Xia, I just discussed Yao Qianjiang's situation with Commander Cao. We hope that you can heal his injuries. He has been injured for over a month now, spending eight hours a day in the sterile room. Though there hasn't been any deterioration in his condition, with our current medical techniques, it's challenging to eliminate all the bacteria. Only you can completely heal his injuries."
Cheng Tianbi whispered, "What was his response regarding the attack on us at the Seafood Street?"
Cao Zhixian replied, "He adamantly claims that those people were not acting on his orders and that they were bribed to frame him."
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Do you want him to recover?"
Cao Zhixian replied, "Of course. Yao Qianjiang is one of our highest combat powers. If he dies, Jiujian Prefecture will definitely fall apart. We definitely don't want that to happen."
Zhuang Yao smiled gently, "If that's the case, we've been in Beijing for several days already. I see that you don't seem to be in a hurry to treat him."
Cong Zhenzhong adjusted his glasses and said, "Yao Qianjiang is arrogant and has his own ideas. Among the four natural evolutionists, he's the most difficult to control. We just wanted to give him a lesson and humble his arrogance."
Cong Xia said, "I have no objections, you've made the decision, and I can go today." He glanced at Cheng Tianbi and asked, "Tianbi, is that okay?"
Cao Zhixian narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the scene where Cong Xia sought Cheng Tianbi's opinion.
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "It's fine."
Cao Zhixian asked, "So, all six of you will go together?"
Cong Xia nodded without hesitation, "Yes, we'll all go together."
After leaving the Academy, they boarded a military jeep and followed Cao Zhixian's car, heading north.
The gasoline-powered vehicle reminded them of Road Bully, and they discussed hiring someone to bring Road Bully to Beijing from Luoyang.
In less than eight hours, the cars stopped, and they arrived at the entrance of a large residential area. The neighborhood had high-rise buildings, twin villas, and even two traditional courtyards. Jiujian Prefecture was the largest mutant organization in Beijing, boasting over a thousand members, thus requiring such a large space to accommodate them all.
At the entrance, more than ten people were already waiting to welcome them. When they saw Cao Zhixian get out of the car, they all respectfully saluted.
A middle-aged man with glasses said, "Commander Cao, thank you for coming. Please come inside."
Cao Zhixian stood with his hands behind his back and replied, "I won't go in; you can take them in. I'll wait here."
The man nodded and turned his gaze towards the group. His eyes behind the glasses shimmered with sharpness as he said, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Liu Yan, the chief steward of Jiujian Prefecture. Please follow me; our Prefecture Lord has been waiting for a while."
"Haha, Prefecture Lord? You guys really know how to entertain yourselves," Liu Fengyu mocked without reservation.
Liu Yan's expression remained unchanged, and he calmly explained, "Mr. Liu, it's not the Prefecture Lord's self-proclaimed title. He named the organization after his mother's hometown, and the title 'Prefecture Lord' spread by word of mouth, so everyone started calling him that."
Deng Xiao's eyes lit up, "I want one too! I want to give myself a nickname, let's all come up with impressive names, like, I could be called Lizard Hero or Crocodile Hero?"
Liu Fengyu patted his head, "Sure, we'll think of one for you when we get back."
Liu Yan said, "Please follow me, everyone."
They followed Liu Yan and the group of Jiujian Prefecture members into the residential area. There were indeed many people in this community, filled with mutants and ordinary people serving them. As they passed by, the gazes of these people were filled with caution, curiosity, and inquiry.
Liu Yan led them into a courtyard. The security was tight, with guards stationed almost every five steps, indicating that it was the residence of an important figure.
Finally, they followed Liu Yan into the main house. He pointed to a bedroom in front of them and said, "The Prefecture Lord is inside." Liu Yan then looked at Cong Xia and said, "Mr. Cong, please come in."
Cong Xia replied, "We all want to go in together."
Liu Yan calmly stated, "Mr. Cong, due to the injuries suffered by our Prefecture Lord, it's not convenient to have too many people see him."
Cong Xia didn't back down, "We're all men here, what's there to be inconvenienced about?"
Liu Yan nodded slightly, "You have a point."
Liu Fengyu coldly sneered, "If it's inconvenient, then we're leaving."
All the mutants in the living room stood up, staring coldly at them.
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "What's the meaning of this? Do you want to fight?"
Liu Yan waved his hand, instructing them to back off, and he smiled, "Our Prefecture Lord is an important figure in Beijing. Due to his weak condition, it's not appropriate to let too many people see him. I believe you can all understand. Moreover, Mr. Cong will be treating him inside, and there's only one door and one wall separating you. I don't see any reason for concern."
