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墨書 Inktalez
Shui Su and Xin Yi had not yet finished their shift, and the medical staff accompanying them had not indicated they would come looking for them. At this moment, anyone standing outside could not possibly be one of their own. Song Bunan quietly moved towards the door, eager to see who dared to eavesdrop on their conversation.
If his analysis was correct, then their earlier movement towards the east must have been noticed by the laboratory personnel. In fact, every action they took was likely captured by machines outside the visible monitoring devices.
The visitor was quick-witted, covering the peephole with something. Song Bunan leaned closer to the door crack and caught a familiar stench. The scent of decaying flesh wafted through the gap into his nostrils, and he could even associate this odor with the person who had come to find him last night.
It seemed that the other party was still not giving up. Song Bunan slipped his finger back into the knuckle duster, planning to swing the door open suddenly to catch the intruder off guard. He took a deep breath to relax himself, reached for the doorknob, and carefully recalled the figure of Ghost Messenger, calculating where he could strike to incapacitate him.
The person outside stood silently. Just as Song Bunan was about to open the door, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from down the hallway. The newcomer moved quickly, arriving at the door without a word. Then came a rustling sound of fabric as their footsteps grew heavier.
The shadow by the door vanished. Song Bunan gently lifted a corner of the curtain and caught sight of someone in nurse attire walking away.
The person had been taken away. He slowly opened the door, confirming that no one was around before stepping out to look around. Sounds occasionally emerged from nearby dormitories, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
Once he was sure that both individuals had completely left, he returned to his room and found Xiao Mei waiting at the door, asking where he had been.
"The corporeal Ghost Messenger from last night dared to appear in the hallway. He can't seriously be thinking about negotiating a split with you," Song Bunan said. Upon hearing his description, Xiao Mei's eyes widened in disbelief as she analyzed the situation. "It seems he really likes Xin Yi's body."
Song Bunan felt displeased; such behavior was nothing short of a challenge directed at him. To covet something or someone he cherished after clearly expressing a refusal to share was a test of his limits, igniting a primal urge within him to confront this rival.
"If Xin Yi knew how combative you are, she would definitely like you even more," Xiao Mei remarked, clearly noticing the long-dormant fire reigniting in Song Bunan's eyes. She was curious about how this seemingly gentle yet explosively violent dual-natured person would deal with that individual.
After all, in their ten years of acquaintance, nothing that Song Bunan desired had ever been taken from him or lost. Perhaps it was due to his upbringing that gave him such confidence; he believed that everything he claimed must be fought for and protected from being shared.
"I guess he still hasn't pieced together my true self; after all, I’m not even sure myself," Song Bunan shrugged. He didn't directly answer Xiao Mei's question and used the excuse of taking a shower to slip into the bathroom.
According to his speculation, those in the laboratory must have included many individuals from Mighty Falcon on their list; they were just waiting for an opportune moment to utilize them. Xin Yi's choice to cooperate with him stemmed largely from internal issues within Mighty Falcon—identities were no longer clear, and trust had plummeted.
What if some high-ranking members of Mighty Falcon were also involved with the laboratory team? He let warm water cascade over his skin, enveloped in comforting steam that relaxed his mind while numerous thoughts surfaced for him to analyze without interruption.
The first to take the spotlight was Xin Yi. He could almost piece together the entire story from the tales told by the men, after all, there was a fundamental difference between a typical superior and one who existed in the clouds for an organization like Mighty Falcon.
The captain, who favored glamorous dresses, would never place her team members below her own interests. She cared for every brother who fought alongside her. After an incident, her first instinct was to direct everyone to what she deemed a safe location and to keep them alert, clearly stating that the danger came from within.
As for Old Otter, he was so reluctant to let go that even as a ghost, he wished to accompany his teammates for a while longer.
Mighty Falcon had been established long enough that if the higher-ups truly wanted to destroy their own careers, it would be as easy as pie. This group of people who were paid to do their jobs, no matter how loyal they were, would prioritize their tasks without considering whether the reasons behind those tasks were justified.
The laboratory managed to remain hidden even under pursuit across multiple cities; aside from connections with several families, it likely had people from Mighty Falcon providing protection. Looking at it from a darker perspective, it was possible that those elusive figures from Mighty Falcon, Heavenly Department, and Renbu had treated their people as mere cattle since the moment they decided to involve themselves with the laboratory.
At this thought, Song Bunan suddenly recalled some unsettling details from the information he had seen regarding Mighty Falcon. Many of Mighty Falcon's missions resulted in casualties; most deaths were justifiable and directly related to the tasks at hand, but some were quite abrupt.
He remembered a particular squad whose previous missions had gone smoothly without any issues. Yet, in the related documents, there was no specific reason recorded for their demise—only the word "killed in action." Calculating by time, the date of their deaths coincided closely with when the laboratory was sealed off.
It seemed that not joining Mighty Falcon had turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him. Song Bunan's hand brushed against the fresh scar on his side and he resolved to find a time to have an earnest conversation with Xin Yi about these suspicions regarding Mighty Falcon. He wanted Xin Yi to find an opportunity to leave Mighty Falcon; even if he didn’t work anymore, he could still support himself.
He wondered what was wrong with the hospital's hot water; Song Bunan felt that the initially suitable temperature was gradually dropping. In a flurry of activity, he failed to escape the bathroom before icy water hit him. Perhaps this was karma for spreading rumors about their hot water supply.
When Shui Su and Xin Yi returned to their dormitory and opened the door, they heard Song Bunan cursing loudly from the bathroom. Xiao Mei lay on her bed chewing gum as if it were nothing unusual. Upon seeing them enter, she pointed back at the bathroom and mentioned that today’s hot water was intermittent.
Worried about her partner catching another cold, Xin Yi approached the bathroom door intending to check on him but was unexpectedly knocked over by someone rushing out.
“Hey! What the—” The rest of his words were lost as he collided into a broad chest. The person covering their face had wet hair. Xiao Mei nearly choked on her gum from laughing too hard while Xin Yi stood there stunned by this sudden embrace.
“You sure know how to curse,” he said awkwardly. It was indeed an embarrassing situation since Song Bunan had hardly ever uttered any harsh words in front of Xin Yi. In her mind, Xin Yi had already labeled him as lively and obedient; now she silently crossed that off her list. Meanwhile, Song Bunan forced a smile, his nose turning red from the impact.
Xiao Mei pulled out a new snack pack and shooed them away: “Alright, alright, go back to your room and be lovey-dovey. This one has plenty of surprises waiting for you to discover; don’t keep me from my sleep.”
Xin Yi didn’t hesitate either; he wrapped his jacket around Song Bunan’s still-dripping head and headed back inside. Although it was only a short distance of two steps, he remained concerned that this delicate person might catch another cold and be unable to speak again.
Shui Su closed the door and asked about the infiltration today. Xiao Mei, dropping his casual demeanor, carefully explained the situation. "While I was taking a shower, Song Bunan mentioned that the Ghost Messenger from his dream had come by, but before he could open the door, someone pulled him away."
"This so-called meeting we are attending tonight is merely a work summary. During the meeting, I roughly counted the number of attendees, and it didn't match the information we received. Based on what you discovered, we can confirm that during the half-hour from seven to seven-thirty, those who didn’t show up must have gone down to the laboratory," Shui Su said.
Xiao Mei showed a conflicted expression upon hearing this and raised an eyebrow, signaling that there were cameras in the room. Shui Su understood and gently shook his head to indicate that it was unnecessary to worry. "They won't see or hear anything; don't be concerned."
Someone who values privacy had already devised a plan upon discovering this situation. The urgency they felt over the past few days stemmed from realizing that their so-called "surveillance" was completely ineffective. Even though they knew the others had ulterior motives for coming here, they still had no idea what those motives were after nearly a week.
"So, their sudden movements are because of this?" Xiao Mei realized, comfortably shifting into a more relaxed position. Shui Su nodded in agreement. "They must know our presence isn't coincidental but can't pinpoint our exact objective. The laboratory is contemplating whether we are here for them. During tonight's meeting, it was mentioned that before we leave, we could accompany the staff to check out the eastern side."
Xiao Mei scoffed at this notion. By the time they were allowed to leave, it was likely that everything on the eastern side of the fourth floor would be cleared out; visiting would only amount to a tour of the building.
"However, the most useful information is still what you mentioned about them keeping nightmares there," Shui Su said with a gentle smile, a hint of madness flickering in his eyes. Xiao Mei recognized this emotion well. The elegant and composed man was deeply fond of hunting, especially when it came to creatures that were neither human nor ghost.
The fact that nightmares could be kept in one place was already rare enough, let alone being so close at hand now. If it weren't for his need to maintain a low profile, he would have rushed in as soon as he discovered there were nightmares here.
"However, it seems there's only one left; there should have been several before, but their scent has faded." Xiao Mei scrutinized his partner's face and detected some joy in his expression. Oh, so he has already made a move. He settled comfortably under the covers.
The two embraced as they fell asleep. Before drifting off, Xiao Mei advised Shui Su not to act impulsively for now; his partner might have something significant planned for them. The man's strong arms held him tightly, warm breath brushing against his neck as he softly claimed he had never acted rashly.
"Then there's Xin Yi; I feel like he might really be targeted by that Ghost Messenger. Did you notice today? There's something dark on his forehead."
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