"Cleo, don't dump your trash here! How many times have I told you, your trash needs to be disposed of at the main station on that block ahead!"
An elderly man from the Allied Powers, with a protruding belly, emerged from behind the garbage dump, holding a bottle of liquor, startling the freckled young man pushing a garbage cart.
"I understand..." The freckled youth wore a mask and a hat, revealing light gray eyes that darted around, looking rather listless. He sighed, annoyed that he would have to walk another 500 meters today, and pushed his cart along a shortcut.
The weather was bad today; there was a thick fog this morning. It has dissipated quite a bit now, but the air is still damp, making me feel uncomfortable.
Cleo muttered to himself, calculating his wages and when he would leave work, and finally arrived at his destination, feeling slightly warm.
Waste disposal should have been handled entirely by the intelligent cleaning system, but there are special regulations for laboratory waste. Clio, originally a graduate student from a mediocre university, was introduced to this job by his advisor. The salary and benefits were decent, so he accepted the job, only to find that his job was to handle laboratory waste.
"Oh my god," Cleo thought, "I've become a cleaner!"
Therefore, he always looks like he's still half asleep.
Experimental residues need to be treated with special reagents, and after treatment, they must be inspected before being thrown into the designated boxes. He handled it skillfully, yawned, and pushed the cart back home.
For some reason, his heart was pounding. Cleo scratched his head, but his lazy will still prevailed, and he retraced his steps into the alley.
Just as he reached the corner, he heard a whooshing sound behind him. Startled, he turned around, but before he could even scream, a sharp, tingling pain shot through the back of his neck.
She then collapsed softly, unconscious.
Wen Zheng put away the anesthetic needle, dragged him to a secluded corner, and took off his white coat to put it on.
He had changed his hair color and contact lenses, and was also wearing a specially made bionic mask.
He applied a special gel to his finger, took the fingerprints of the cleaner named Cleo, recorded his iris, and checked everything. Then, Wen Zheng pushed the cart, bent over, and slowly walked towards the research lab.
"Wen Zheng," Wendy whispered in the earpiece, "go in a bit, follow the directions, and go straight down to the seventh floor."
"Hmm," he replied softly.
Wen Zheng pushed the cart through a small iron gate, across an open space resembling an abandoned factory, and arrived in front of a square building. After several scans, verifying his iris and fingerprints, the electronic badge on his chest beeped.
"Researcher Clio. Please come in."
The research institute was built in a hurry, and many details are quite rough. Some of the exposed walls were not even painted, revealing the mottled cement color underneath.
He discreetly observed the surrounding signs, selected a storage room, delivered the car inside, and then followed the directions to the elevator.
Clio needs to clean the lab every day, and he can access many areas. Wen Zheng swiped his electronic card and pressed his fingerprint, and the elevator slowly descended to the seventh basement level.
"This place is so dilapidated."
The voice rang directly in his mind, startling Wen Zheng. His eyes twitched, and he lowered his head slightly.
"Don't speak." He was wearing a mask and spoke very softly. The cat spirit that was following him invisibly grunted in dissatisfaction and said, "I can block the camera and bring you in. Why go through all this trouble?"
They had discussed this when formulating the plan and unanimously agreed to have Bei Sining remain undetected and handle any emergencies, without initially participating in the operation. After all, the purpose of gathering evidence was to shut down this place and protect Bei Sining. There was no need to emphasize his presence when handing over the evidence.
The seven underground floors contain experimental areas and data centers.
Wendy gave him a chip, and he needed to find the main control unit in the data center, insert the chip, and then Wendy could remotely control and collect evidence.
Meanwhile, Liu Lao's side has also completed preparations and reached a consensus with the allied countries that once there is solid evidence, they will immediately stop the arrests to prevent information from leaking out.
The task was not difficult. Wen Zheng walked all the way to the control room and didn't even encounter many people.
Cleo wasn't popular; people would just nod at him when they saw him, without exchanging warm greetings with him.
Wen Zheng walked hunched over to the side of the control room, glanced discreetly to the left and right, and was about to press his fingerprint when someone called him from behind.
"Cleo?"
The voice sounded very familiar, with an indescribable sense of warmth.
Wen Zheng's body stiffened, and he slowly turned around.
It was Xu Ji.
Author's Note: I'll deal with him tomorrow!! Update at 6 PM sharp, or you're not human!!
(It's really almost over, so I'll leave the ending for the epilogue =333333=)
Chapter 112
Xu Ji has lost a lot of weight.
These were Wen Zheng's initial impressions upon first seeing him.
Xu Ji used to be thin, but he was thin like a normal person, unlike now, with sunken cheeks, protruding wrist bones, and even his skin looking much looser.
It had only been six months since we last met, and he had already gone from a middle-aged man to an elderly man.
But he is only in his forties this year.
With the advancement of modern medicine and increased life expectancy, young people who pay attention to health maintenance will not show many signs of aging before the age of fifty. Xu Ji was once quite refined; aside from being thin due to lack of exercise, he was the epitome of a debonair intellectual. A stark contrast to his current appearance.
It's clear that he hasn't been doing very well lately.
Wen Zheng met his gaze, his eyes revealing nothing, but his heart pounded like a drum.
A wave of nausea washed over him, and a physiological revulsion, along with his anger, pressed down on his body like a Coke bottle being shaken wildly; he had to use all his strength to hold the cap down.
He lowered his eyes, gave a soft "hmm," and reached for the fingerprint lock by the door.
However, when he lifted his hand slightly, he realized that his fingertips were trembling. He then pulled his hand back.
Now is not the time to confront him. Wen Zheng reminded himself not to reveal any clues.
What are you doing in the control center?
Xu Ji chatted with him politely, holding a teacup in his hand, as if he had come out for a drink during his break.
"Cleaning," Wen Zheng said weakly.
Clio usually acts like a lazy bum and doesn't bother explaining himself, making him easy to play. That's why they chose him as their entry point.
His voice was muffled behind his mask. Wen Zheng regained control of his body in a short time and reached for the fingerprint lock.
"Okay." Xu Ji didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
The door was gently closed with a click.
Wen Zheng leaned quietly against the door, listening to the footsteps gradually receding into the distance, his back already soaked with sweat.
"Should I come over?" Bei Sining asked.
“It’s alright. Stay at the door. Call me if anyone comes.” Wen Zheng said, “Wendy, give me instructions.”
He didn't know if Xu Ji recognized him.
Just as he could tell he was lying based on a single speaking habit, Xu Ji, who had raised him, was intimately familiar with his physique.
If he really recognizes it, then we need to hurry.
Wen Zheng squatted in front of a large machine, operating the buttons according to the instructions in his headset. His brain was forcibly split in two; he was calmly operating the machine while frantically trying to rush out, bring the person back, and confront him about those things.
Don't rush, Wen Zheng.
Even if he calls for help, as long as the information is sent out first, he will be caught quickly, and then we'll have time to question him slowly.
Nothing is more important than the safety of Beisining.
The laboratory equipment was very advanced. Wendy kept issuing complex instructions, and Wen Zheng was highly focused, sweat dripping down his face.
"Almost there." Wendy's voice was tense, and the sound of rapid typing could be faintly heard. "Five more minutes, it'll definitely be done."
Their planned decryption time was about five to eight minutes, but the current situation has exceeded expectations. Wendy's side has a large group of people, including ministers, group leaders and secretaries-general from China and the Allied countries, waiting for the information in the huge conference room.
Wen Zheng heard the voices coming through his earpiece getting louder and louder. Many people were saying things like "Wait," "Not yet," and "Stand by."
Did Xu Ji not notice, or was he too slow in calling for help?
Wen Zheng took a deep breath, his gaze gradually calming down. Bei Sining was at the door; he would speak up if anything seemed amiss.
Don't rush.
Thinking this, another five minutes passed, and he typed the last line of characters. A piece of white code rapidly multiplied on the blue screen like fireworks exploding.
"Thank you for your hard work!" Wendy's voice was filled with excitement. "I'll take over now. You just need to block the door and make sure no one gets in!" Someone shouted something, and she added, "Three minutes!"
The Allied envoys were furious. Their expressions were grim, yet they forced smiles. This operation was being watched closely by all nations; they couldn't simply deny it. If the evidence was conclusive, they had to immediately order the arrest and interrogation of everyone involved.
Having come this far, he can only maintain a good image to the greatest extent by being open and honest in his dealings with people.
Old Liu sipped his tea slowly: "Sir, please be patient."
As soon as she finished speaking, Wendy finally cracked the data, and the other technicians enlarged it onto the projector.
All eyes turned to the Allied region. The commissioner's face flushed red as lines of illegal experimental project proposals slapped him across the face like a resounding blow.
"...Arrest them!" he roared through gritted teeth, yelling into his phone, "Arrest them all! They must have had the guts of God!"
…………
Before the fog had even lifted, the secluded laboratory was greeted by the piercing sound of sirens. After a chaotic commotion, Wen Zheng and Bei Sining managed to escape and found an inconspicuous coffee shop.
Wendy chattered on and on in the earpiece, saying, "This is too easy! The Allied countries have really lost face this time! By the time they received our operation notification, it was too late to stop us. Old Liu even specially invited several signatory countries to a meeting, leaving that commissioner speechless! Hehe, what should we eat tonight to celebrate? I want a seafood buffet..."
Wen Zheng listened half-heartedly, noticing that Bei Sining kept frowning and staring out the glass wall.
He took off his headphones: "What's wrong?"
The sun in NQ City had only climbed halfway up the sky at this moment. As the fog dissipated, everything was hazy, as if it were edged with a layer of fuzz.
There were few people, and the streets were deserted, with only the occasional pedestrian or vehicle passing by, making an ethereal sound.
Bei Sining shook her head, still glancing outside every now and then. The female barista brought over a steaming latte, asking with a flutter in her eye, "Would you like anything else? We have a discount on desserts today..."
The feeling of unease reached its peak the moment the phone rang. Wen Zheng answered it, and it was Old Liu's voice on the other end.
“Xiao Wen,” he said sternly, “Xu Ji has run away.”
***
Xu Ji, carrying a shoulder bag, walked briskly down the street, panting.
He hadn't exercised for years, but even just walking made him sweat profusely.
Many thoughts swirled in Xu Ji's mind, ultimately turning into self-blame. It was all his fault for raising Wen Zheng into such a rebellious child.
His genes are perfect; he should have been a perfect person.