94 Puppet Jade
The man cast a sinister glance at them and said, "My brother was injured in yesterday's explosion. His external injuries are not severe, but the wound is large and infected. Our medicine is not effective, and if we can't treat him, he won't survive the next two days. If you can cure him, I can give you gasoline."
Zhuang Yao didn't hesitate and replied, "I refuse."
The man shifted his gaze towards him and said, "You? A little kid like you has quite the audacity."
Zhuang Yao arrogantly responded, "How much gasoline are you willing to give for a life? Saving someone would require a considerable amount of energy, which isn't cost-effective."
"How much do you want?"
"You can't afford it. Get out of our way."
None of the four men spoke. It was evident that Zhuang Yao was intentionally diverting the man's attention towards himself. The man probably began suspecting that Zhuang Yao was the one with the healing ability. From an outsider's perspective, a child with limited powers but the audacity to make decisions in place of the adults must hold a certain position within the team. This position was obviously not due to his strength but likely because of his special abilities. Combined with his words, it planted a psychological suggestion, drawing everyone's focus towards him.
They knew Zhuang Yao had a purpose for doing so and thus remained silent.
The man grew anxious. "How much do you want?"
"How much do you have?"
The man hesitated for a moment. "Around one hundred liters."
"Either give it all to us, or get out of our way."
The man gritted his teeth. "You have quite an appetite for someone so young."
"Our vehicles consume a large amount of fuel. A few dozen liters won't solve much; it will only waste our time and energy. If you want to save someone, show some sincerity, or else leave. We'll find our own solution."
The man squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth. "Fine, one hundred liters. You can come with me now to save the person."
"We're not going anywhere. You go and bring the person and the gasoline here. Then all the unrelated personnel, including you and everyone around here, must retreat two kilometers away."
The man didn't immediately agree but instead instructed his subordinates, "Go and bring the person here."
They waited in place for a few minutes until two tall men, wearing cold-resistant clothing and hats that covered most of their faces, carried a stretcher and walked through the crowd towards them.
One of the men had deep-set eye sockets, a prominent nose, and blue eyes, resembling a foreigner.
When the foreigner saw them, he visibly paused, a subtle movement that went unnoticed by others but caught the attention of two individuals. One was Zhuang Yao, who possessed exceptional analytical abilities and could perceive even the slightest changes. The other was Cheng Tianbi, who squinted his eyes while observing the foreigner, feeling a sense of familiarity in those eyes.
They placed the stretcher beside Abu. On the stretcher lay a person with a purplish complexion. Despite the cold weather, he couldn't wear clothes due to a large wound caused by an explosion fragment on his chest. The wounds were not deep enough to be fatal in civilized times, but now they had all become infected and festering. In this era of extremely rapid bacterial proliferation, hemorrhaging was not the leading cause of death; infection was. The person tightly closed his eyes, looking like he didn't have much time left to live, with weak energy fluctuations in his body.
After glancing at the injured person, Zhuang Yao shifted his gaze to the man with blue eyes and asked, "What about the gasoline?"
The man replied, "It's being brought over."
"We want to see the gasoline."
"Let us first see what you're capable of. What if you're just deceiving us?"
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "Fine. You two stay here, and the rest of your people step back." He pointed his finger at the man and the foreigner.
The foreigner glanced at Zhuang Yao, waved his hand to the other person carrying the stretcher, and the man also turned to give some instructions to his subordinates. The group of forty to fifty people surrounding them gradually retreated toward the rear, stopping more than a kilometer away.
Zhuang Yao reached out his hand and pointed to a three-centimeter-long shrapnel wound on the injured person's forehead. He gently shook his hand.
Cong Xia stood beside him, secretly mobilizing energy and injecting it into the injured person's body. The wound on the forehead visibly healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Both men widened their eyes in astonishment.
Zhuang Yao retracted his hand and coldly stared at them. "The gasoline."
The man made a swallowing motion but remained silent.
Zhuang Yao emphasized with a stronger tone, "The gasoline."
"It's arriving soon."
"You don't actually have one hundred liters of gasoline, do you? But it doesn't matter. I think he does." Zhuang Yao pointed at the foreigner and shouted, "Cheng Tianbi, take him down!"
Cheng Tianbi had already prepared himself, taking a stride forward, and his dagger swiftly aimed for the foreigner's collar.
The man moved with incredible speed, swiftly stepping backward, but he only managed to evade the dagger's attack range. An invisible blade of wind neatly sliced open his collar, just two inches more inward and his neck would have been exposed.
The standing collar collapsed.
The foreigner sneered coldly, removed his hat, and revealed an extremely handsome face to the others. His radiant golden hair, like sunlight, danced in the cold wind, appearing particularly captivating in the pure white surroundings. He spoke in fluent and articulate Chinese, "So, you are the natural force manipulator. I underestimated you and was careless. I never expected to see you here, Cheng."
Cheng Tianbi stared at him expressionlessly. "Al Moray."
They looked at the two of them in astonishment.
Al glanced at the man beside him and said, "Step aside."
The man didn't dare utter a word and quickly turned and left.
Al's gaze shifted between Cheng Tianbi and Zhuang Yao before finally resting on Cheng Tianbi. He spoke calmly, "I received a mission to bring the Natural Force Evolved and the individual with healing ability back to Beijing."
"Just you?"
"Just me."
"Feel free to try, Al Moray."
Al smiled faintly. "Using force is my second choice. I would still prefer to talk with all of you. After all, you're also going to Beijing, right? I can take you back, which would be more convenient."
"On what grounds do you bring us back? Who gave you the order?"
"I cannot disclose that, but I can guarantee your safety. Once you reach Beijing, you can enjoy the same conveniences as the civilized era. Life will become much easier. However, there are only two more seats available on the aircraft. For your remaining companions, if they still wish to go to Beijing, I can provide sufficient gasoline and supplies."
Cheng Tianbi firmly replied, "No one will go with you."
Within the group, Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia were inseparable, just as Zhuang Yao and Abu were. Not to mention that they couldn't go together, even if they could, they would never accompany someone with an unknown identity back to Beijing. After all, Cheng Tianbi carried out a crucial mission, and the consequences would be unimaginable if Zhuang Yao's impersonation of Cong Xia was discovered.
Al's gaze swept across the faces of the five individuals and indeed found hostility in their expressions. He sighed softly, "Cheng, it's quite a surprise to meet you here. I never expected that the Natural Force Evolved individual would be you. About three months ago, your father sent people to Yunnan to find you. We all thought you were dead."
Cheng Tianbi said coldly, "Al Moray, you cannot tell anyone about encountering me here."
"Why?"
"Because of a reason I cannot disclose to you."
"What if I don't agree?"
"Then I will have no choice but to kill you."
Al tilted his head slightly. "Cheng, are you so confident that you can kill me?"
"Put away your Dragonblood superiority. I have never been afraid of any of you."
When Zhuang Yao heard the term "Dragonblood individuals," he raised an eyebrow, while the other three showed puzzled expressions.
"In that case, you might as well put away your Natural Force Evolved superiority."
Cheng Tianbi positioned the dagger horizontally in front of his chest. "Al Moray, keep this secret forever." The force of the wind suddenly concentrated around his body, causing his clothes and hair to sway.
Al raised his hand and spoke in a deep voice, "Cheng, whether you believe it or not, I will not disclose that you're still alive. However, I will certainly share this secret with my companions. I know that you have a top-secret mission, and many people in Beijing have already guessed its nature. The person who assigned this mission happens to be someone we don't want to know that you're alive, at least not until you reach Beijing. No one, including your father, should know that you're alive before you arrive. This is our way of protecting you, or rather, protecting your mission. As for what happens to you after you reach Beijing, neither you nor I can predict. Cheng, as former comrades-in-arms who fought side by side, we once had trust, even if it was just once. From my personal standpoint, I advise you not to go to Beijing."
Cheng Tianbi gazed deeply at him, his face showing no trace of emotion.
"I understand your concerns. You're worried that once the news of your survival is exposed, those who know about your mission will come to harass you. I can assure you that the secret of your survival will only be shared among me and my companions, and we won't come to bother you. Besides, we won't disclose it to anyone else. If you still want to silence me, then let's give it a try."
Cheng Tianbi assumed an attacking posture.
Al's finger touched the trigger of his holster as he calmly looked at Cheng Tianbi.
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Wait." He walked over to Cheng Tianbi and said, "Let him go. Let's not engage in a pointless fight."
Cheng Tianbi contemplated for two seconds and lowered his dagger.
Al also opened his hand, sighing softly. "You've completely disrupted my plans... Oh well, I've gained something valuable. Cheng, I hope we'll meet again someday."
Cheng Tianbi didn't speak but nodded with an indiscernible meaning.
Zhuang Yao didn't forget to ask, "The gasoline."
"I will have them prepare it for you. If there are other things you need, you can ask them as well."
Zhuang Yao continued, "I have one more question for you."
"Go ahead."
"What exactly is inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Al glanced at the majestic building enveloped in silver attire in the distance. "There are Puppet Jades and monsters bred from Puppet Jade. It's not something you can challenge. Give up."
Cong Xia expressed confusion, "I don't understand. If there are monsters that people can't handle, why not just use weapons to level the Big Wild Goose Pagoda? If the Puppet Jade survived the earthquake without turning into powder, it shouldn't be destroyed by mere artillery fire either."
Zhuang Yao joined in, "What's even more puzzling is that if the monsters are so powerful, what do they eat and drink? They never need to come out for hunting, to the extent that no one in Xi'an knows what resides inside. Moreover, if they have evolved to such a powerful state, why are they still confined within the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Al said, "I don't know the answers to these questions myself. The part I do know, I won't tell you. Just remember not to overestimate yourselves."
Zhuang Yao paused and asked, "One last question. Can you guarantee that man over there won't blab?"
Al nodded and said, "I can guarantee it."
"He definitely wouldn't dare," Cheng Tianbi declared.
"You may leave," Cheng Tianbi gave him his dismissal.
Al glanced at them one last time before turning away and leaving.
Cheng Tianbi looked at Zhuang Yao, but before he could speak, Zhuang Yao said, "I can be certain that he's not lying now, but I can't guarantee that he won't change his mind for some reason after returning to Beijing."
"Then why let him go?"
"Because our situation can no longer be concealed. Even without him, other forces would come to 'pay a visit.' By letting him go, the faction he relies on can prevent a wave of individuals with ill intentions from harassing us in Beijing. If we were to kill him, it would only bring more trouble. Additionally, although I wasn't directly involved in the research on Dragonblood individuals, I still have some knowledge about them. A Dragonblood individual who hasn't fully evolved shouldn't be your match, but he displayed full confidence when facing the five of us. This suggests that he is likely a mutated individual. However, we couldn't sense any energy from him, which is a concern for me. I once mentioned that theoretically, it wouldn't be difficult to develop a device that can shield one's own energy. I just didn't have the means at the time. I believe Beijing should have already..."
Cong Xia couldn't help but interrupt him, "What is a Dragonblood individual? Tianbi, what is your relationship with this foreigner?"
Cheng Tianbi replied, "A Dragonblood individual is a genetically modified person. He and I once carried out a mission together."
"Genetically modified person?" The group exclaimed in surprise.
Zhuang Yao said, "Let me tell you about Dragonblood individuals. The concept of genetic modification is a vast topic that would take three days and three nights to explain fully. In a way that you can understand, the creation of Dragonblood individuals is somewhat similar to crossbreeding in animals. Their origin lies in a marine organism. In the 1980s, when our country was developing offshore oil, an unknown marine creature was accidentally discovered. It had golden scales, massive wings, sturdy horns, and a powerful tail for attacking. Additionally, this creature's blood was highly acidic. Through research, it was found that the blood of this creature acted as a potent stimulant. Just a small amount of its extract could grant immense strength to humans. Gradually, they began to study the fusion of the genes of this organism with human genes to create super soldiers. These super soldiers, after successful genetic modification, would possess the characteristics of the marine creature. They would transform into beings covered in tough scales, with horns, wings, and tails. Furthermore, the acidity of their blood would vary based on the degree of genetic modification. They would exhibit strength and speed dozens of times greater than humans, and their senses would be significantly enhanced. They became formidable biological weapons. Due to their limited numbers, they were used only for special missions and were kept away from individuals who weren't involved in core national secrets. My field of expertise wasn't in biological genetics, so I had minimal exposure to them, but I had heard about them. During the civilized era, Dragonblood individuals were undoubtedly the pinnacle of human combat power. Even now, they still possess strong survival abilities. However, with the emergence of widespread mutated species, their advantages have become less apparent. I heard about Dragonblood individuals six years ago when I was still young and my intellectual development was incomplete. If it weren't for this person appearing, I would have almost forgotten about the existence of such creatures. Now that I think about it, the creation of Dragonblood individuals bears a striking resemblance to crossbreeding in animals. If those people in Beijing conduct research on genetic modification to create human crossbreeds, the over twenty years of research on Dragonblood individuals would undoubtedly prove invaluable."
Cong Xia broke out in a cold sweat as she listened. So, even before the apocalypse, such extraordinary creatures already existed. How many secrets were held by a select few in this world?
Zhuang Yao sighed, "I wish we could reach Beijing sooner. It must have changed beyond imagination."
Cong Xia asked, "Zhuang Yao, why did you impersonate me?"
Zhuang Yao didn't hesitate to answer, "You are our biggest trump card, more important than both me and Cheng Tianbi. For now, just pretend to be an ordinary person."
Cong Xia looked at him with surprise.
Tang Yanqiu suddenly said, "That person is coming."
They turned their heads and saw the man from earlier approaching with another person on the stretcher. His tone was noticeably more polite as he spoke, "I will prepare the gasoline for all of you as soon as possible. My brother..."
Zhuang Yao glanced at the barely conscious person on the stretcher and nodded, "No problem." With the cooperation of Cong Xia, he pretended to repair the injuries on the person's body. These wounds, although large in size, were not deep and didn't consume too much energy.
The man looked at Zhuang Yao with a mixture of astonishment and trepidation, and whispered, "Wait at your residence. We will deliver the gasoline tonight. Do you need anything else?"
"We need some food. Additionally, we need to make some iron arrows. Is there a place where we can find materials and machinery? If there is no electricity, we can figure something out. If you can help us with this problem, we'll give you weapons in return."
The man's eyes lit up, "Electricity won't work, it has been abandoned for too long. But materials are not a problem. However, we can only make them using primitive methods. If you can wait, I can give you fifty arrows within three days."
"Fifty arrows it is. For anything beyond fifty, we'll trade with bullets, one arrowhead for two bullets."
"Deal."
"Furthermore," Zhuang Yao said coldly, "regarding today's events, if you..."
"No, rest assured. I was just ordered to find out which one of you had the healing ability. I don't know anything else, and I absolutely have no ill intentions. That person warned me before leaving, and I will keep it to myself. I hope you can take your things and leave immediately, so we can settle the matter."
Zhuang Yao glanced at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, lost in thought.
94 Puppet Jade
The man cast a sinister glance at them and said, "My brother was injured in yesterday's explosion. His external injuries are not severe, but the wound is large and infected. Our medicine is not effective, and if we can't treat him, he won't survive the next two days. If you can cure him, I can give you gasoline."
Zhuang Yao didn't hesitate and replied, "I refuse."
The man shifted his gaze towards him and said, "You? A little kid like you has quite the audacity."
Zhuang Yao arrogantly responded, "How much gasoline are you willing to give for a life? Saving someone would require a considerable amount of energy, which isn't cost-effective."
"How much do you want?"
"You can't afford it. Get out of our way."
None of the four men spoke. It was evident that Zhuang Yao was intentionally diverting the man's attention towards himself. The man probably began suspecting that Zhuang Yao was the one with the healing ability. From an outsider's perspective, a child with limited powers but the audacity to make decisions in place of the adults must hold a certain position within the team. This position was obviously not due to his strength but likely because of his special abilities. Combined with his words, it planted a psychological suggestion, drawing everyone's focus towards him.
They knew Zhuang Yao had a purpose for doing so and thus remained silent.
The man grew anxious. "How much do you want?"
"How much do you have?"
The man hesitated for a moment. "Around one hundred liters."
"Either give it all to us, or get out of our way."
The man gritted his teeth. "You have quite an appetite for someone so young."
"Our vehicles consume a large amount of fuel. A few dozen liters won't solve much; it will only waste our time and energy. If you want to save someone, show some sincerity, or else leave. We'll find our own solution."
The man squinted his eyes and clenched his teeth. "Fine, one hundred liters. You can come with me now to save the person."
"We're not going anywhere. You go and bring the person and the gasoline here. Then all the unrelated personnel, including you and everyone around here, must retreat two kilometers away."
The man didn't immediately agree but instead instructed his subordinates, "Go and bring the person here."
They waited in place for a few minutes until two tall men, wearing cold-resistant clothing and hats that covered most of their faces, carried a stretcher and walked through the crowd towards them.
One of the men had deep-set eye sockets, a prominent nose, and blue eyes, resembling a foreigner.
When the foreigner saw them, he visibly paused, a subtle movement that went unnoticed by others but caught the attention of two individuals. One was Zhuang Yao, who possessed exceptional analytical abilities and could perceive even the slightest changes. The other was Cheng Tianbi, who squinted his eyes while observing the foreigner, feeling a sense of familiarity in those eyes.
They placed the stretcher beside Abu. On the stretcher lay a person with a purplish complexion. Despite the cold weather, he couldn't wear clothes due to a large wound caused by an explosion fragment on his chest. The wounds were not deep enough to be fatal in civilized times, but now they had all become infected and festering. In this era of extremely rapid bacterial proliferation, hemorrhaging was not the leading cause of death; infection was. The person tightly closed his eyes, looking like he didn't have much time left to live, with weak energy fluctuations in his body.
After glancing at the injured person, Zhuang Yao shifted his gaze to the man with blue eyes and asked, "What about the gasoline?"
The man replied, "It's being brought over."
"We want to see the gasoline."
"Let us first see what you're capable of. What if you're just deceiving us?"
Zhuang Yao said coldly, "Fine. You two stay here, and the rest of your people step back." He pointed his finger at the man and the foreigner.
The foreigner glanced at Zhuang Yao, waved his hand to the other person carrying the stretcher, and the man also turned to give some instructions to his subordinates. The group of forty to fifty people surrounding them gradually retreated toward the rear, stopping more than a kilometer away.
Zhuang Yao reached out his hand and pointed to a three-centimeter-long shrapnel wound on the injured person's forehead. He gently shook his hand.
Cong Xia stood beside him, secretly mobilizing energy and injecting it into the injured person's body. The wound on the forehead visibly healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Both men widened their eyes in astonishment.
Zhuang Yao retracted his hand and coldly stared at them. "The gasoline."
The man made a swallowing motion but remained silent.
Zhuang Yao emphasized with a stronger tone, "The gasoline."
"It's arriving soon."
"You don't actually have one hundred liters of gasoline, do you? But it doesn't matter. I think he does." Zhuang Yao pointed at the foreigner and shouted, "Cheng Tianbi, take him down!"
Cheng Tianbi had already prepared himself, taking a stride forward, and his dagger swiftly aimed for the foreigner's collar.
The man moved with incredible speed, swiftly stepping backward, but he only managed to evade the dagger's attack range. An invisible blade of wind neatly sliced open his collar, just two inches more inward and his neck would have been exposed.
The standing collar collapsed.
The foreigner sneered coldly, removed his hat, and revealed an extremely handsome face to the others. His radiant golden hair, like sunlight, danced in the cold wind, appearing particularly captivating in the pure white surroundings. He spoke in fluent and articulate Chinese, "So, you are the natural force manipulator. I underestimated you and was careless. I never expected to see you here, Cheng."
Cheng Tianbi stared at him expressionlessly. "Al Moray."
They looked at the two of them in astonishment.
Al glanced at the man beside him and said, "Step aside."
The man didn't dare utter a word and quickly turned and left.
Al's gaze shifted between Cheng Tianbi and Zhuang Yao before finally resting on Cheng Tianbi. He spoke calmly, "I received a mission to bring the Natural Force Evolved and the individual with healing ability back to Beijing."
"Just you?"
"Just me."
"Feel free to try, Al Moray."
Al smiled faintly. "Using force is my second choice. I would still prefer to talk with all of you. After all, you're also going to Beijing, right? I can take you back, which would be more convenient."
"On what grounds do you bring us back? Who gave you the order?"
"I cannot disclose that, but I can guarantee your safety. Once you reach Beijing, you can enjoy the same conveniences as the civilized era. Life will become much easier. However, there are only two more seats available on the aircraft. For your remaining companions, if they still wish to go to Beijing, I can provide sufficient gasoline and supplies."
Cheng Tianbi firmly replied, "No one will go with you."
Within the group, Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia were inseparable, just as Zhuang Yao and Abu were. Not to mention that they couldn't go together, even if they could, they would never accompany someone with an unknown identity back to Beijing. After all, Cheng Tianbi carried out a crucial mission, and the consequences would be unimaginable if Zhuang Yao's impersonation of Cong Xia was discovered.
Al's gaze swept across the faces of the five individuals and indeed found hostility in their expressions. He sighed softly, "Cheng, it's quite a surprise to meet you here. I never expected that the Natural Force Evolved individual would be you. About three months ago, your father sent people to Yunnan to find you. We all thought you were dead."
Cheng Tianbi said coldly, "Al Moray, you cannot tell anyone about encountering me here."
"Why?"
"Because of a reason I cannot disclose to you."
"What if I don't agree?"
"Then I will have no choice but to kill you."
Al tilted his head slightly. "Cheng, are you so confident that you can kill me?"
"Put away your Dragonblood superiority. I have never been afraid of any of you."
When Zhuang Yao heard the term "Dragonblood individuals," he raised an eyebrow, while the other three showed puzzled expressions.
"In that case, you might as well put away your Natural Force Evolved superiority."
Cheng Tianbi positioned the dagger horizontally in front of his chest. "Al Moray, keep this secret forever." The force of the wind suddenly concentrated around his body, causing his clothes and hair to sway.
Al raised his hand and spoke in a deep voice, "Cheng, whether you believe it or not, I will not disclose that you're still alive. However, I will certainly share this secret with my companions. I know that you have a top-secret mission, and many people in Beijing have already guessed its nature. The person who assigned this mission happens to be someone we don't want to know that you're alive, at least not until you reach Beijing. No one, including your father, should know that you're alive before you arrive. This is our way of protecting you, or rather, protecting your mission. As for what happens to you after you reach Beijing, neither you nor I can predict. Cheng, as former comrades-in-arms who fought side by side, we once had trust, even if it was just once. From my personal standpoint, I advise you not to go to Beijing."
Cheng Tianbi gazed deeply at him, his face showing no trace of emotion.
"I understand your concerns. You're worried that once the news of your survival is exposed, those who know about your mission will come to harass you. I can assure you that the secret of your survival will only be shared among me and my companions, and we won't come to bother you. Besides, we won't disclose it to anyone else. If you still want to silence me, then let's give it a try."
Cheng Tianbi assumed an attacking posture.
Al's finger touched the trigger of his holster as he calmly looked at Cheng Tianbi.
Zhuang Yao interjected, "Wait." He walked over to Cheng Tianbi and said, "Let him go. Let's not engage in a pointless fight."
Cheng Tianbi contemplated for two seconds and lowered his dagger.
Al also opened his hand, sighing softly. "You've completely disrupted my plans... Oh well, I've gained something valuable. Cheng, I hope we'll meet again someday."
Cheng Tianbi didn't speak but nodded with an indiscernible meaning.
Zhuang Yao didn't forget to ask, "The gasoline."
"I will have them prepare it for you. If there are other things you need, you can ask them as well."
Zhuang Yao continued, "I have one more question for you."
"Go ahead."
"What exactly is inside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Al glanced at the majestic building enveloped in silver attire in the distance. "There are Puppet Jades and monsters bred from Puppet Jade. It's not something you can challenge. Give up."
Cong Xia expressed confusion, "I don't understand. If there are monsters that people can't handle, why not just use weapons to level the Big Wild Goose Pagoda? If the Puppet Jade survived the earthquake without turning into powder, it shouldn't be destroyed by mere artillery fire either."
Zhuang Yao joined in, "What's even more puzzling is that if the monsters are so powerful, what do they eat and drink? They never need to come out for hunting, to the extent that no one in Xi'an knows what resides inside. Moreover, if they have evolved to such a powerful state, why are they still confined within the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?"
Al said, "I don't know the answers to these questions myself. The part I do know, I won't tell you. Just remember not to overestimate yourselves."
Zhuang Yao paused and asked, "One last question. Can you guarantee that man over there won't blab?"
Al nodded and said, "I can guarantee it."
"He definitely wouldn't dare," Cheng Tianbi declared.
"You may leave," Cheng Tianbi gave him his dismissal.
Al glanced at them one last time before turning away and leaving.
Cheng Tianbi looked at Zhuang Yao, but before he could speak, Zhuang Yao said, "I can be certain that he's not lying now, but I can't guarantee that he won't change his mind for some reason after returning to Beijing."
"Then why let him go?"
"Because our situation can no longer be concealed. Even without him, other forces would come to 'pay a visit.' By letting him go, the faction he relies on can prevent a wave of individuals with ill intentions from harassing us in Beijing. If we were to kill him, it would only bring more trouble. Additionally, although I wasn't directly involved in the research on Dragonblood individuals, I still have some knowledge about them. A Dragonblood individual who hasn't fully evolved shouldn't be your match, but he displayed full confidence when facing the five of us. This suggests that he is likely a mutated individual. However, we couldn't sense any energy from him, which is a concern for me. I once mentioned that theoretically, it wouldn't be difficult to develop a device that can shield one's own energy. I just didn't have the means at the time. I believe Beijing should have already..."
Cong Xia couldn't help but interrupt him, "What is a Dragonblood individual? Tianbi, what is your relationship with this foreigner?"
Cheng Tianbi replied, "A Dragonblood individual is a genetically modified person. He and I once carried out a mission together."
"Genetically modified person?" The group exclaimed in surprise.
Zhuang Yao said, "Let me tell you about Dragonblood individuals. The concept of genetic modification is a vast topic that would take three days and three nights to explain fully. In a way that you can understand, the creation of Dragonblood individuals is somewhat similar to crossbreeding in animals. Their origin lies in a marine organism. In the 1980s, when our country was developing offshore oil, an unknown marine creature was accidentally discovered. It had golden scales, massive wings, sturdy horns, and a powerful tail for attacking. Additionally, this creature's blood was highly acidic. Through research, it was found that the blood of this creature acted as a potent stimulant. Just a small amount of its extract could grant immense strength to humans. Gradually, they began to study the fusion of the genes of this organism with human genes to create super soldiers. These super soldiers, after successful genetic modification, would possess the characteristics of the marine creature. They would transform into beings covered in tough scales, with horns, wings, and tails. Furthermore, the acidity of their blood would vary based on the degree of genetic modification. They would exhibit strength and speed dozens of times greater than humans, and their senses would be significantly enhanced. They became formidable biological weapons. Due to their limited numbers, they were used only for special missions and were kept away from individuals who weren't involved in core national secrets. My field of expertise wasn't in biological genetics, so I had minimal exposure to them, but I had heard about them. During the civilized era, Dragonblood individuals were undoubtedly the pinnacle of human combat power. Even now, they still possess strong survival abilities. However, with the emergence of widespread mutated species, their advantages have become less apparent. I heard about Dragonblood individuals six years ago when I was still young and my intellectual development was incomplete. If it weren't for this person appearing, I would have almost forgotten about the existence of such creatures. Now that I think about it, the creation of Dragonblood individuals bears a striking resemblance to crossbreeding in animals. If those people in Beijing conduct research on genetic modification to create human crossbreeds, the over twenty years of research on Dragonblood individuals would undoubtedly prove invaluable."
Cong Xia broke out in a cold sweat as she listened. So, even before the apocalypse, such extraordinary creatures already existed. How many secrets were held by a select few in this world?
Zhuang Yao sighed, "I wish we could reach Beijing sooner. It must have changed beyond imagination."
Cong Xia asked, "Zhuang Yao, why did you impersonate me?"
Zhuang Yao didn't hesitate to answer, "You are our biggest trump card, more important than both me and Cheng Tianbi. For now, just pretend to be an ordinary person."
Cong Xia looked at him with surprise.
Tang Yanqiu suddenly said, "That person is coming."
They turned their heads and saw the man from earlier approaching with another person on the stretcher. His tone was noticeably more polite as he spoke, "I will prepare the gasoline for all of you as soon as possible. My brother..."
Zhuang Yao glanced at the barely conscious person on the stretcher and nodded, "No problem." With the cooperation of Cong Xia, he pretended to repair the injuries on the person's body. These wounds, although large in size, were not deep and didn't consume too much energy.
The man looked at Zhuang Yao with a mixture of astonishment and trepidation, and whispered, "Wait at your residence. We will deliver the gasoline tonight. Do you need anything else?"
"We need some food. Additionally, we need to make some iron arrows. Is there a place where we can find materials and machinery? If there is no electricity, we can figure something out. If you can help us with this problem, we'll give you weapons in return."
The man's eyes lit up, "Electricity won't work, it has been abandoned for too long. But materials are not a problem. However, we can only make them using primitive methods. If you can wait, I can give you fifty arrows within three days."
"Fifty arrows it is. For anything beyond fifty, we'll trade with bullets, one arrowhead for two bullets."
"Deal."
"Furthermore," Zhuang Yao said coldly, "regarding today's events, if you..."
"No, rest assured. I was just ordered to find out which one of you had the healing ability. I don't know anything else, and I absolutely have no ill intentions. That person warned me before leaving, and I will keep it to myself. I hope you can take your things and leave immediately, so we can settle the matter."
Zhuang Yao glanced at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, lost in thought.
