Volume 1: The Rebirth of a Prodigy, Chapter 157: Gene Sample
By the time Zhou Ziwei and Sun Xiaoyu returned to the hotel, it was already past 2 a.m.
Because of the great distance between them, the mysterious soul connection between Zhou Ziwei and the ladybug had become intermittent. Apart from being able to sense the ladybug's location, Zhou Ziwei was unable to perceive the ladybug's current condition.
However, Zhou Ziwei was relieved to find that the ladybug had stayed in one place the whole time.
If Li Yifeng really had any ulterior motives, he would probably have driven the jeep away by now. As for the ladybug, Zhou Ziwei had instructed it not to deal with Li Yifeng if he did something to betray him, but simply to follow him and see where he went.
Now that the ladybug has remained in the same spot, it proves that Li Yifeng has no ulterior motives, which greatly relieved Zhou Ziwei.
He wasn't worried that Li Yifeng would actually steal his batch of jade fragments worth a billion, but rather he was relieved that he hadn't lost a good friend.
When Zhou Ziwei and Sun Xiaoyu returned to their guest room upstairs, they found that Liu Xiaofei was not there either, presumably staying at Gu Dongfeng's house.
This surprised Zhou Ziwei somewhat. He knew that Liu Xiaofei had been clinging to him a lot lately, especially with Sun Xiaoyu's close protection, which made Liu Xiaofei feel very insecure. She was afraid that the two of them would eat and sleep together every day and eventually develop feelings for each other and something would happen.
That's why Liu Xiaofei disregarded a girl's modesty and insisted on staying in Zhou Ziwei's room, with the three of them sleeping together every night.
After these few days, Zhou Ziwei has gotten used to living with these two beauties, one cold and one warm. Apart from the first night when he slept with Liu Xiaofei, but couldn't do anything in front of Sun Xiaoyu, which tormented his kidneys, things have been peaceful these past few days.
But tonight, only Zhou Ziwei and Sun Xiaoyu were left, which immediately made Zhou Ziwei feel a little awkward.
Fortunately, the person who stayed behind was Sun Xiaoyu, that cold, icy woman, like an ice sculpture.
Although the woman was also very beautiful, the coldness she exuded made it difficult for her to arouse any desire in a man. Therefore, Zhou Ziwei was not too worried that he would lose control and do something beastly; at most, he would just feel a little embarrassed.
On the contrary, if he and Liu Xiaofei were staying together tonight... then Zhou Ziwei couldn't guarantee anything.
"You go to sleep first! I...I'm going to take a shower..."
Sun Xiaoyu also looked a little unnatural. She was obviously as embarrassed as Zhou Ziwei because Liu Xiaofei was not there. Even her perpetually icy demeanor showed signs of melting.
Zhou Ziwei originally wanted to take a shower before going to sleep, after all, he and Li Yifeng had been digging a pit for most of the night and were covered in sweat. It would be uncomfortable to go to sleep like this.
But... in Sun Xiaoyu's memory, he had been taking saunas at the bathhouse for several hours. If he were to take another bath as soon as he got back to the hotel... that... is a bit too much to believe!
Left with no other choice, Zhou Ziwei could only swallow his pride and agree, then consciously walked towards the sofa with the towel.
Unexpectedly, Sun Xiaoyu stopped abruptly at the bathroom door, turned around, glanced hesitantly at Zhou Ziwei, and said, "Miss Liu isn't here tonight, you...you should sleep in the bed!"
"Ah...this...this isn't quite right!"
Zhou Ziwei hadn't expected Sun Xiaoyu to make such a request again. Last time, because Liu Xiaofei was there, Zhou Ziwei hadn't thought too much about it. But now, with only the two of them in the room, if they slept in the same bed, even if Sun Xiaoyu was so cold and unappealing, what if... once the room lights were off, and they couldn't see Sun Xiaoyu's cold face, only smelling her pleasant scent? If they accidentally made physical contact while they were asleep, then... Zhou Ziwei really wasn't sure he wouldn't have any impure thoughts.
"What's wrong with it?"
Sun Xiaoyu snorted and said, "After all, you are the person I am ordered to protect, and I am essentially your bodyguard. How can a bodyguard sleep in the bed while the person being protected sleeps on the sofa? Usually, it's because Miss Liu and I are both here that there isn't enough room for both of us to sleep on the sofa, but today... I'll sleep on the sofa for the day!"
Sun Xiaoyu rarely spoke so much at once, and seemed to be getting a little impatient. She ignored Zhou Ziwei, who was standing dumbly in front of the sofa with a towel, and turned to walk into the bathroom. However, whether it was because of her trust in Zhou Ziwei or for some other reason, she didn't lock the door when she took a shower this time, and even left a small gap in the bathroom door.
Zhou Ziwei scratched his head in frustration. He had initially thought that Sun Xiaoyu was making him sleep on the sofa, and that this icy woman's spring had finally arrived... But after all that fuss, it turned out she just wanted to switch places with him. This whole thing was a mess... Looking up at the crack left on the bathroom door, Zhou Ziwei didn't believe that Sun Xiaoyu had deliberately left it for him to spy on.
Moreover, if Zhou Ziwei really wanted to peep, he wouldn't need to peep through the crack in the door. He could simply release his soul power and scan her body to see everything, even her height and the number of moles on her body. Even if she was wearing clothes, they wouldn't be able to hide anything.
So Zhou Ziwei didn't idly peek through the crack in the door, but he also didn't go to sleep on the big bed as Sun Xiaoyu had suggested.
After all, Zhou Ziwei is a man, so he couldn't possibly hog the big bed and make Sun Xiaoyu sleep on the sofa. So, in the end, Zhou Ziwei lay down on the sofa.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Through the slightly ajar door, the sound was particularly enticing.
Immediately afterwards... a delicate fragrance spread everywhere along with the "splashing" sound of water, giving people a feeling of great comfort and tranquility.
Zhou Ziwei was exhausted that night, and digging out the jade fragments from underground took a lot of his energy.
This was only because his body had been strengthened several times over during this period; otherwise, if he were still the same small-statured man, he would probably be too tired to even walk. Even so, Zhou Ziwei felt a little tired, so as soon as he lay down, he felt drowsy. In less than five minutes, he unconsciously closed his eyes and began to snore evenly.
After another ten minutes or so, the sound of water in the bathroom gradually stopped, and then there was a soft creaking sound from the door. Sun Xiaoyu slowly peeked out from the crack in the door.
She breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw Zhou Ziwei asleep on the sofa. Then, dressed in black pajamas, she came out of the bathroom, walked to the sofa, stared at Zhou Ziwei for a moment, then gently pressed the tiny earpiece hidden in his ear and whispered, "He's asleep..."
Less than two minutes later, there was a gentle knock on the door. The knocking was rhythmic, like a drummer playing a drum, only much quieter.
Sun Xiaoyu stiffened slightly, hesitated for a moment at the door, and without asking who the person outside was, immediately opened the door and let them in.
The person who arrived was none other than Zhu Junli, Sun Xiaoyu's former partner... who had just completed a mission a few days ago and had disappeared for some time.
As soon as Zhu Junli entered, he immediately closed the door and locked it with a "click" before slowly walking towards Zhou Ziwei on the sofa.
What exactly do you want?
Seeing this, Sun Xiaoyu, for reasons unknown, stepped forward and blocked Zhu Junli's path almost without hesitation, saying with a stern face, "I'm already doing everything you said, so you should tell me why."
Zhu Junli stopped and gave Sun Xiaoyu a cold look, then turned his gaze back to Zhou Ziwei and said calmly, "Because of this person's secret..."
“His secret? What…what does that have to do with us?” Sun Xiaoyu frowned slightly when she heard the word “secret.”
"You should know this better than I do..."
Zhu Junli snorted coldly and said, "Being able to predict the sniper's attack location, and being able to shatter two logs weighing several thousand kilograms with the strength of one hand... is that something an ordinary person could do? Moreover, Li Minghui's death is very likely related to this person... At the time, you were all hiding in positions that would avoid the sniper's attack. After just experiencing an attack, almost no one would be unafraid. But Li Minghui, who was hiding on the shopping mall rooftop, died less than three seconds ago, and he was able to rush out again without hesitation. Clearly, he hadn't missed anything that happened there, which is why he was able to seize the initiative immediately. But at the time, he didn't have any electronic devices or communication equipment on him, so it shouldn't be someone notifying him. Therefore, Li Minghui's death is very likely related to this person..."
Sun Xiaoyu had long suspected what Zhu Junli had said, but she had kept these suspicions buried deep in her heart and had never shown them.
Because she knew that even if she asked, she would definitely not get any answer, so why should she humiliate herself? But hearing Zhu Junli's words made Sun Xiaoyu immediately nervous.
"So how do you intend to obtain these secrets you speak of?"
Zhu Junli sneered and said, "As long as we bring him back to the laboratory, Dr. Hong will naturally find a way to get all the secrets from him. We don't need to worry about that."
After saying that, Zhu Junli lifted his foot again and took another step forward, about to bump into Sun Xiaoyu.
"No... I won't allow it."
As Sun Xiaoyu spoke, she raised her eyebrows and with a wave of her hand, pulled out a small knife as thin as a cicada's wing from her pajamas.
The knife was only a little over a finger's length, and it looked soft yet full of resilience. It had no sheath, and the blade was so sharp it was unsettling. It was a mystery how Sun Xiaoyu had managed to hide such a small knife on her person.
Facing the thin scalpel in Sun Xiaoyu's hand, Zhu Junli finally stopped again, sneered, and said, "What... you finally couldn't hold back? Even under these circumstances, you still want to protect him?"
Sun Xiaoyu nodded without hesitation and said, "Yes... He is the person I was ordered to protect. As long as I am here, no one is allowed to take him away..."
Sun Xiaoyu spoke with absolute certainty, as if it were a matter of course, which immediately made Zhu Junli snort coldly again, saying, "Sun Xiaoyu... I didn't expect you to really take the role so seriously, actually thinking you're some kind of SWAT team squad leader?"
"Am I not?" Sun Xiaoyu retorted, a hint of pride and self-satisfaction even radiating from her face.
"Hmph... Of course you are, but so what?" Zhu Junli curled his lip in disdain and said, "But don't forget how you got your squad leader position. Who arranged for you to get into the SWAT team? So... no matter what you're doing now, I hope you remember your true identity. Otherwise... if Dr. Hong really holds a grudge against you, I can't help you."
“I didn’t ask you to help me… I just don’t want him to be ruined by you.” Sun Xiaoyu said, her voice slightly agitated. “I think if he falls into Dr. Hong’s hands, the misery he’ll suffer will be worse than death. If he could make a choice at this point… I think he would rather jump off a building and commit suicide than go down this path… And he’s been good to me lately, I don’t want anything to happen to him, so… you can’t touch him… Zhu Junli… don’t forget, you still owe me a life… If you insist on taking him away today… then don’t blame me for taking back the life you owe me.”
Zhu Junli was taken aback that Sun Xiaoyu would go to such lengths to fight him for a man who seemed unrelated to him. He then recalled how he had nearly died in a mission last year, and how Sun Xiaoyu had protected him and saved his life… He paused for a moment, then finally took a step back as if to concede, shrugged, and said, “Fine! If you really don’t want him to go down that path, then… at least I have to fulfill Dr. Hong’s second request…”
Sun Xiaoyu used the thin blade in her hand to force Zhu Junli back, but she had no intention of pursuing him. After all, she had no hostility towards Zhu Junli; she just didn't want him to hurt Zhou Ziwei.
Zhu Junli said, "Dr. Hong instructed that... if it's impossible to take the whole person away, then at least enough gene samples must be extracted from him... How about that? That request isn't too much to ask, is it?"
"Extract gene samples?"
Sun Xiaoyu breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this and said, "If you just want to draw a little blood plasma from him, that's not difficult... Bring me the syringe! I'll draw it for you..."
Zhu Junli didn't waste any words. He reached into his pocket, took out two medical syringes, and tossed them to Sun Xiaoyu.
Then he said, "Normally, extracting a gene sample from an ordinary person would only require drawing a little blood plasma, but... Dr. Hong said that this person is special, so if we want to collect a gene sample, drawing blood plasma alone is not enough; we also need to draw a little semen."
"What... semen... how... how do you extract that!" Sun Xiaoyu was only going to draw some blood and was about to give Zhou Ziwei the syringe that Zhu Junli threw over when she heard this and was immediately stunned.
“That’s right, it’s semen… Dr. Hong specifically instructed that this sample is absolutely essential. As for how to extract it… well…” Zhu Junli gave a wry smile and said, “If I were to extract his semen sample myself, I would simply puncture his… that semen well with a syringe and extract what I need directly from it. How about it… do you want to try it too?”
"No...this...is just too...too cruel."
Upon hearing this, Sun Xiaoyu was startled and nearly dropped the two syringes in her hand. She shook her head repeatedly and said, "No... absolutely not."
Zhu Junli shrugged and said, "Then what do you suggest? If we can't get the useful gene sample, Dr. Hong will definitely be furious, and then it will all be... well! If you think directly drawing semen with a syringe is too cruel, then you can also get the sample by helping him with his semen. This... it's up to you to choose..."
Upon hearing the word "semen," even the icy aura that had remained unchanged for millennia around Sun Xiaoyu quickly warmed up, and two faint blushes rose on her cheeks.
Sun Xiaoyu was caught in a dilemma. After a while, checking the time and fearing that Zhou Ziwei might regain consciousness at any moment, she reluctantly picked up a syringe and, with a "swish," gently inserted it into a vein in Zhou Ziwei's arm, carefully drawing out a small amount of blood plasma. She then pulled out the syringe, tossed it to Zhu Junli, and said, "Take this first, then find a place to stay nearby… Once I get… that gene sample, I'll contact you again…"
Zhu Junli gave a wry smile and said, "There's no need for all this trouble! If you're worried about me feeling awkward here, I can go outside and wait... Judging from this kid's drunken and womanizing state, he probably won't last more than a few minutes. Maybe... maybe if you just touch him there, he'll just hand over what we need... Uh... but you actually want me to find a place to stay... Well... Dr. Hong is still waiting for it..."
Hearing Zhu Junli's words, Sun Xiaoyu felt even more ashamed and angry. Her face darkened, and she growled, "Get out of here... or I'll kill you!"
Zhu Junli stuck out his tongue with a wry smile and said, "Okay... I'll go first... You take your time! Call me when you're done..." After saying that, he saw that Sun Xiaoyu's expression was not right and immediately ran away.
Volume 1, Rebirth of a Prodigy, Chapter 158: The Madman
After Zhu Junli left, Sun Xiaoyu immediately went over and closed the door tightly and locked it. Then, Sun Xiaoyu leaned against the door and stared blankly at Zhou Ziwei, who was fast asleep on the sofa.
"What should we do?"
Sun Xiaoyu muttered to herself, "It's just extracting a gene sample, why can't we have blood plasma? Why do we have to... why do we have to have that stuff..."
"Because he also wants to copy my genes."
"What, copy your genes?" Sun Xiaoyu was taken aback when she heard someone answer her, then suddenly became shocked. When she looked up at the sofa, she saw that Zhou Ziwei had actually sat up at some point.
"Ah...you...how did you wake up?" Sun Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise, instinctively trying to back away, but forgetting that she was still leaning against the door. Her sudden retreat caused the door to slam with a "thud".
Zhou Ziwei smiled slightly and said, "I originally wanted to get a good night's sleep, but I suddenly dreamed that someone was giving me an injection... Sigh, I've always been terrified of injections since I was a child, so I woke up quickly after having this nightmare."
Upon hearing this, Sun Xiaoyu's pretty face flushed slightly. She then lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to hurt you, but..."
Seeing Sun Xiaoyu's troubled expression, unsure of what to say, Zhou Ziwei waved his hand and said, "You don't need to explain. I know you must have your reasons, and you've been quite good to me lately. Besides... you defended me just now, so I won't hold it against you. However..."
Zhou Ziwei's expression darkened slightly as he said this, and he said in a cold voice, "But your friend surnamed Zhu... I have to settle this score with him properly."
"Ah... this..." Upon hearing this, Sun Xiaoyu knew that Zhou Ziwei would not let Zhu Junli off the hook, and hurriedly defended Zhu Junli, saying, "Mr. Zhou, please... please forgive him this time! He was just following orders, and it was not good for you... he had no choice... please, please don't hold it against him?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziwei chuckled, then shook his head and said, "Yes... he was acting under orders, he had no choice... but can that be a reason for me to forgive him?"
Zhou Ziwei pursed his lips at this point, then continued, "Back when the Japanese invaded our country, how many of those Japanese devils weren't acting under orders, and how many weren't acting against their will? Just because those ordinary Japanese soldiers were only following orders, does that mean we can be merciful and let them go, only to wait for them to raise their butcher knives and chop off our heads again? The reason I won't hold it against you isn't because of your predicament, but simply because you didn't intend to harm me, and even defended and protected me in front of Zhu Junli… So… even though you used a little bit of a sleeping potion on me just now, which actually disrupted the harmony between us, because of your subsequent behavior, I can still consider you my friend. As for Zhu Junli… his only fate is—death!"
With a low growl from Zhou Ziwei, the ladybug not far away received his signal and instantly transformed into a black meteor, swiftly entering Zhu Junli's mouth, which was wide open as he yawned...
Sun Xiaoyu had never seen Zhou Ziwei so ruthless and decisive. When she heard him utter the word "death," even she, an elite expert who had received special training, couldn't help but tremble slightly for no reason. She couldn't help but worry more about Zhu Junli. Just as she was about to say a few more words to Zhou Ziwei, a shrill scream suddenly came from outside.
After a moment of surprise, Sun Xiaoyu looked out the window following the sound and saw a dark shadow falling from above... A few seconds later, a muffled "thump" came from downstairs, and then the whole world seemed to fall silent again.
Although it was still dark outside and the dark figure was falling too fast, Sun Xiaoyu could still tell from the pitiful scream that the person who had just fallen downstairs must be Zhu Junli.
Sun Xiaoyu didn't know why Zhu Junli suddenly fell from the building, but she knew that even if Zhu Junli was unharmed before the fall, there was absolutely no chance of him surviving a fall from such a height of more than ten stories. He would definitely be a pile of minced meat by now, dead beyond any doubt.
Although Sun Xiaoyu and Zhu Junli weren't particularly close, they were from the same place, so Sun Xiaoyu couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow at Zhu Junli's death.