Little Eight peered out the window, waving his little tentacles and humming, "There are so many humans, and they've been living in groups for so many years, they'll definitely adapt to the group environment much faster."
Unlike their mutant forms, their numbers are nowhere near those of humans.
They can't even compare to zombies, let alone humans.
The mutants are inherently different from humans; they are inherently antisocial. Destruction, evil, and growing stronger—this is the essence of their lives.
If it weren't for his older brother, Xiao Ba felt he would definitely be a lawless brat!
Yu An looked at the sky above the base with the children, occasionally chatting. Perhaps because she had been thinking about Xie Chiyuan these past few days, Yu An looked up at the sky and it seemed as if she could see a big-headed face in it.
"Kids, do you want to get married?"
Yu An suddenly asked, "Not all mutants are bad. If you want to find wives, I'll keep an eye out for you."
Upon hearing this, all the children immediately shook their heads.
"Brother, I don't want a wife!"
"I don't want it either!"
"I'm going to stay single for the rest of my life!"
Yu An was speechless. He pulled Xiao Ba, who had just blurted out the last sentence, over and said, "If you're going to be single, then be single. Why did you have to say it with such pride?"
Xiao Ba, being dragged along, explained with a straight face, "Being single is something to be proud of!"
They are inherently xenophobic; their first reaction to seeing another of their kind is not to be friendly but to kill them! So they are extremely proud of themselves for not marrying and for not allowing other mutants to get close!
Yu Anxin looked at Xiao Ba with exhaustion, feeling that even if this cub were a human, it would be destined to be a bachelor.
The reason for Xiao Liu's bachelorhood is different from that of Ba Zai. He looked at the other two Zai with a noble and aloof gaze: "Foolish humans are not worthy of me, and other mutants are only fit to be eaten by me."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiu smiled sweetly at Yu An and replied, "I don't need to find a wife, because I only need my older brother!"
The two cubs from before: "?"
Tea Xiao Jiu is at it again, isn't she?!
Yu An looked at the children in front of him, feeling a little helpless. He patted each of their heads without saying anything.
"Big brother, do you want to be in a relationship?"
"have no idea."
Yu An truly had no idea that what sustained him all the way after he left the research institute was finding the lost children.
Aside from that, he seemed to have no idea what else to do.
All his memories are of recuperating in the research institute; he feels unfamiliar and lost about the future and the outside world.
Now, Xie Chiyuan has suddenly barged into his and his baby's world.
He doesn't seem to be opposed to it.
After Yu An finished speaking, he stopped the topic. He didn't want to talk to the kids about whether he was in a relationship or not, because he was currently struggling with this issue himself.
Time passed little by little.
Yu An, carrying the baby, went back to bed to sleep.
Ever since Xiao Ba arrived, Yu An's bed has become too small to sleep in. Xiao Ba was supposed to sleep in the water, but to stick close to his older brother, he would climb up at night wrapped in a wet towel to sleep with him.
He has terrible sleeping posture; he lies sprawled out on his back and even flails his little tentacles around in his dreams!
Xiao Liu and Xiao Jiu have been jolted awake by the tentacles several times, and they are now teetering on the edge of assassinating Xiao Ba.
That night.
Yu An slept relatively soundly, and Xiao Ba's tentacles never lashed out at him.
The next day at dawn.
Yu An got into the car and left with Xie Chiyuan. They didn't plan to return to the island; instead, they headed directly to the vicinity of the Secret Shield Research Institute to find Ying Jian, who had appeared there.
Pei Si had a very bad impression of the Secret Shield Research Institute, where he almost lost his entire squad.
"Brother Xie, the Secret Shield is too dangerous."
Pei Si looked at them with concern: "Let me bring a few more people to go with you."
Xie Chiyuan didn't let him come: "There's a base near the Secret Shield Research Institute. I'll transfer people from the base later. Base 5 is more important. You stay here and guard it."
Pei Si was persuaded by him and had no choice but to stay at Base 5.
Yin Feng didn't follow either. He planned to go back to the island first and then meet up with Xie Chiyuan later.
Some left, some stayed.
When Yu An came to his senses, only he, Xie Chiyuan, and the three little ones who had hidden away remained.
Xie Chiyuan sat in the driver's seat and turned his head to talk to him: "Don't worry, I often carry out missions alone in the past. I'm taking you with me this time, so you won't be in any danger."
Yu An had no doubt about this.
He nodded and fastened his seatbelt: "I know there's no danger."
Xie Chiyuan is very capable, and he has also trained himself. He is able to protect himself when he encounters danger.
The engine is started, and the accelerator is pressed.
Xie Chiyuan drove away with Yu An in his car.
Base No. 5 was left far behind, and Yu An was still quite reluctant to leave the planting area inside.
"An'an, my phone is ringing, can you answer it for me?"
"Um!"
Xie Chiyuan was driving; the road was in bad shape and had been vandalized. He couldn't hold his phone, so he had Yu An answer it.
Yu An answered the call and held the phone to his ear.
On the other end of the phone was Yin Qin's voice: "Chi Yuan, how long have you been away from Base 5?"
"It's been almost half a day." Xie Chiyuan jerked the steering wheel, but his voice remained steady and unchanged. He asked in return, "Did something happen at Base 5?"
"The base is fine, but the East District is in trouble. The East District's leader was killed by his illegitimate son. Go to the funeral in my place."
"..."
Xie Chiyuan paused for two seconds before calmly replying, "Dad, I still need to go to the Secret Shield. I can't waste time."
Yin Qin's tone sounded even calmer than his: "Just go through the motions, you don't need to stay for the banquet. You're passing by anyway, it's more convenient for you than for me to go."
Xie Chiyuan pondered whether or not to go.
The next second, a call came in; it was from Akatori.
Seeing this, Xie Chiyuan did not hesitate to have Yu An hang up the phone with his elderly father and go to pick up Chi Niao.
"Xie Chiyuan, East District."
Red Bird reported his location: "The old codger in the East District is finally dead. Shall we go for a feast together? I reckon the person you're looking for is among the people at the feast."
Yu An was a little curious when she heard them talking about the banquet.
After the call ended, he hurriedly asked, "What does 'eating a feast' mean? Is it another way of saying 'having a meal'?"
“Yes, it’s rare to see a banquet in the East District, so all four districts will definitely be there. It’s a good opportunity for us to see if the peace agreement that the four districts are going to sign can still be signed.”
The peace agreement for the four districts includes some distorted provisions.
Upon hearing this, Yu An agreed to attend the banquet without hesitation.
Compared to Yin Qin, who was still in the West District, it was more convenient for Xie Chiyuan to go to the East District. He arrived at Base Number One in the East District in a short time.
Base One is a place slightly inferior to the main base. The leader of the East District died at Base One. His illegitimate son took his life and power, but claimed to the outside world that his father died of a sudden heart attack.
The banquet at Base One is now set up by this illegitimate son.
After hearing the inside story of the death uncovered in the West District, as well as the East District boss's various outrageous romantic affairs, Yu An thought about it seriously for a long time and concluded: "This East District boss is a womanizer and philanderer who has fathered a bunch of children outside and is irresponsible. He deserves to end up like this."
Human offspring also need to be properly raised; if they are not raised and neglected, problems are likely to arise!
Yu An righteously criticized the bad practices of the East District boss.
Xie Chiyuan glanced at him casually and said, "That kind of person deserves it. Unlike me, I'm very loyal, so I won't suffer the same fate as him."
Yu An was stunned.
He seemed to have thought of something and suddenly reminded him, "If you liked me, you wouldn't have a son."
Xie Chiyuan smiled and said, "It's okay. Raising a son is difficult, and I'm too lazy to bother. We can raise a dog instead, and take the puppies for a walk when we have free time."
The scene Xie Chiyuan described was leisurely and pleasant, and Yu An actually pictured it in his mind.
Walking the dog with Xie Chiyuan.
The scene in his mind was of him walking side by side with Xie Chiyuan, whom he had met in the mirror space, on a path after the rain, strolling with a stroller in hand—
A little tiger.
This sudden idea struck Yu An as absurd, even after she came to her senses.
It's one thing for him to have wild imaginations, but why did he have to involve his own tiger cubs!
Chapter 64
Yu An shook his head, trying to recall the image of walking the tiger cubs.
Xie Chiyuan drove very steadily. He didn't continue on the original plan, but instead went to the East District for a banquet.
The two arrived at their destination not long after they started walking.
Outside Base 1 was a checkpoint. When the two of them went over, they saw that there were quite a few people standing at the checkpoint, but the distance between people was within a safe range.
"Xie Chiyuan, should we also be checked?"
"Um."
Xie Chiyuan got up from the driver's seat and started rummaging through the back. He reassured Yu An, "You'll be with me later. Their routine check won't make you take your clothes off."
Yu An nodded nervously.