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墨書 Inktalez
How could one suspect that the problem lay within the laboratory? Xin Yi wondered.
Yet, the person lost in his own thoughts failed to notice his curiosity. Song Bunan sat at the dining table, maintaining a single posture, his eyes flickering with no expression, and his slightly furrowed brow indicated that he was deep in thought.
This was how Song Bunan transformed when he began to piece together clues in his mind. He arranged and combined everything from his memories—past and present—using other information to assist in weaving a coherent narrative until everything connected smoothly enough to tell a complete story.
"Since the base at Mang Mountain was abandoned, the laboratory has become self-divided," he suddenly rose and murmured as he began to pace around the room, seemingly speaking to Xin Yi but also to himself. "Internally, they analyzed the content and results of this experiment. One faction still hopes to successfully transfer consciousness without losing their identity, while another seeks to exploit this technology for personal gain. The abandonment of Mang Mountain was due to the emergence of traitors within, which led to a surge of rumors about the laboratory. Many secrets that had once been buried resurfaced because of them.
Those associated with the laboratory, in order to avoid exposure or perhaps to eliminate those who opposed their original plans, began diverting our attention back to the laboratory itself under various pretenses. New Life Hospital has likely been abandoned by now as well. As for that person we left incapacitated, he certainly won't survive, especially since it was one of our own who took him out and framed me for it. This way, sending that test subject after me becomes entirely logical.
As for why they would come looking for me at my shop..."
At this point, Song Bunan reached the balcony. Outside, there were far fewer cars than during the morning rush hour. Under the sunlight, many elderly residents were gathered in small groups around the fitness equipment in the community square.
Xin Yi glanced at the scene below before quickly shifting his gaze back to Song Bunan's face. The man smiled broadly, his dark eyes reflecting the sunlight brilliantly. He heard him say, "The oppressed side has little military power at their disposal. Since they couldn't capture you, I, as one of their combatants, hold significant value. As for those behind me, my chances of survival are not as important right now."
"Brother Xinyi, among those still usable in Mighty Falcon, is there anyone willing to go to New Life Hospital?" A cool breeze blew in as he opened the window, bringing an incredibly comfortable sensation. Song Bunan leaned against the window, pushing up his glasses with a slightly mischievous smile.
"It would be best if you could trust them completely." The other party did not give him a chance to respond. "We need to pay another visit to New Life Hospital for some fun."
"Fun?" Xin Yi understood Song Bunan's analytical points but found it puzzling that he referred to an operation as "fun."
Song Bunan nodded with a smile, affirming that yes, it was indeed fun.
"It should also be close to being abandoned now; if we catch them off guard, we might have unexpected gains," he said with a cunning smile on his face, reminiscent of a fox plotting how to steal a chicken.
"Although you two are together now, I still have to remind you: compared to Song Bunan, you are rather naive; so keep your wits about you." This was the last message from Xin Yi's boss after he mentioned his relationship with Song Bunan. At that time, Xin Yi merely thought his boss had some misunderstanding about Song Bunan; now it seemed otherwise.
Song Bunan excitedly called everyone he knew who was aware of the laboratory's situation to share his speculations, including topics related to the so-called Underworld and Ghost Messenger. Xin Yi felt utterly helpless listening to him.
He admitted that his little companion had a considerable sensitivity to matters concerning the laboratory and possessed an exceptional ability to unravel complex clues. However, the tendency to connect everything with the supernatural was a flaw that could not be cured.
At that moment, the person in the bedroom, animatedly talking on the phone with Xiao Mei, paid no attention to the situation in the living room. So when the door was knocked, it was Xin Yi who went to answer it.
The visitor bore a resemblance to Song Bunan, but there was an added maturity and aloofness in his features. His hair was very short, and he had standard almond-shaped eyes with a coffee-brown hue. He was nearly as tall as Xin Yi, dressed in a well-fitted suit, and wore a Bluetooth headset.
“I’ve arrived at my brother’s place; I’ll talk later.” With long fingers, he tapped on the headset to hang up the call. The man’s expression was devoid of emotion, but his gaze scrutinized Xin Yi from head to toe before he spoke again. “Although I know about your relationship, seeing you stand before me still feels somewhat bothersome. Where’s that kid?”
Xin Yi felt an immediate dislike for this person. He recognized him as Song Buxian, but dealing with someone who exuded an inexplicable sense of superiority was quite off-putting. He found Song Buxian's appearance more aggressive than that of Song Bunan, and his tone carried an air of condescension, every gesture dripping with arrogance.
“He’s inside.” Xin Yi wouldn’t tolerate any further provocation; he turned to walk back into the room. Unexpectedly, the other man moved to block his path and gestured with his chin for them to step outside to talk.
“I don’t want him overhearing our conversation; let’s go downstairs.”
The autumn weather was gradually turning cooler. Although the sun shone brightly, the wind carried a slight chill that seeped into their bodies. They sat on a bench by the flowerbed, and Song Buxian offered him a cigarette. Xin Yi declined the invitation and watched as Song Buxian skillfully lit one for himself, tilting his head slightly to gaze at a particular spot on the apartment building before them.
“Song Bunan isn’t exactly what you’d call a traditional good kid.” The silence between them was broken after Song Buxian extinguished his cigarette. The crowd around them had dispersed without notice, leaving just the two of them basking in the sunlight in the expansive square. Song Buxian’s voice was low enough that only they could hear it. Xin Yi remained silent, patiently waiting for him to continue.
“Has he told you anything beyond what you know about his specific work?” The second sentence came out as a question, which irritated Xin Yi unexpectedly, but he still asked in return if he meant that kind of matter.
Song Buxian chuckled as he lit another cigarette for himself. It was then that Xin Yi noticed a long scar running along the back of his right hand, its stitching resembling a centipede resting on his fair skin.
“It seems he has shared his past with you.” Realizing both brothers possessed strong analytical skills, Xin Yi chose not to speak but waited instead. “After that Multi-City Joint Training fiasco ended, I went to pick him up. It took him over half a year to recover enough to act like a normal person again, but his body was severely damaged and hasn’t fully healed even now. As his brother, after experiencing two life-and-death situations, my mindset has certainly changed significantly—one of which is my reluctance for him to find a partner.”
Upon hearing this, Xin Yi turned to look at him; Song Buxian still held his head high, his expression cold and unreadable. “He came out to me and our mother in middle school; that kid didn’t know anything about relationships yet boldly declared he liked men when he got home—my mother nearly ended up in the hospital from shock. It took an entire night of deep conversation for me to confirm this wasn’t just a joke. Although I wasn’t happy about it, once that stubborn mule sets his mind on something, it’s hard for him to change course; we’ve just accepted this issue exists without discussing it further.”
“But my father doesn’t know; he’s old-fashioned and holds prejudices against many things—especially relationships like yours; he even harbors discriminatory views. Can you endure that?” Song Buxian met his gaze with cold eyes as if this were not even a question worth considering.
Xin Yi nodded, equally serious in acknowledging his understanding. This response caused the other person's lips to curl into a mocking smile.
"Knowing and doing are two different things." He stood up and discarded his cigarette butt, his tone dripping with disdain. "Even though you live together, don’t think you can do anything out of line. My parents are not home right now, and his safety is my responsibility. The eyes in that house are very sharp. Before our family can accept you, I hope you understand what you should and shouldn't do."
Xin Yi scoffed, feeling a rebellious spirit rise within him due to the man's attitude. He retorted, "Does Song Bunan really need you to ensure his safety? If you were useful, would you even need to threaten me?"
This remark made the other person turn sharply, a fleeting glint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes. Xin Yi easily caught the shift in his emotions and nodded without fear, saying, "The way you just showed your fierce side is indeed very similar to Song Bunan. I know exactly what you're worried about, but I don’t want to make any guarantees. Whatever adult couples do together is consensual; he’s not a child."
"You didn't bring me here just to tell me this trivial matter, did you?" Xin Yi sensed that the other party had no intention of leaving, so he decided to be straightforward, hoping the man would stop being cryptic. "When he called you earlier about New Life Hospital, I was right beside him."
At this, the man regained his composure, sat back down, and pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket, handing it over. "I'm glad to see that you won't lose your judgment over such matters. It seems Song Bunan has indeed found a roommate who can share his worries. This is something from Mighty Falcon; given your current situation within their ranks, it seems safer for you."
Xin Yi took the envelope with skepticism, but its contents made him catch his breath. Inside was a special type of paper used for internal communications within Mighty Falcon, typically reserved for important missions that required specialized teams to handle.
The information recorded on this paper would be destroyed after the event was completed, regardless of success or failure. But now he could confirm that what he held was neither a forgery nor a copy.
"Where did you get this?" He instinctively reached for his weapon at his waist only to realize that the dagger that should have been there was missing.
Looking up, he saw Song Buxian standing opposite him, casually playing with his weapon. The man’s tone carried a hint of amusement as he regarded Xin Yi with disdain and said, "The 'me' that Song Bunan speaks of is probably just a small-time boss running a company selling goods."
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