Death Threat

A total of twelve mottled auras.

Three of those mottled auras were above An Qian and Wen Heisen, and two of them had already begun to emit faint pressure.

C-Class Psionicists?

He was already starting to miss that large-caliber anti-materiel artifact.

Wang Jixuan stole a few glances and saw several young men and women in bizarre attire, as well as a few relatively normal-looking people.

After giving it some thought, he did not immediately follow them. Instead, he took his keycard and found his room.

He unlocked it and pushed the door open.

Wang Jixuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

The new dorm was much larger, roughly three by five meters. It had several more pieces of furniture and a narrow bathroom space divided into separate sections.

Zhou Zhengde had assigned him a room that only married couples were supposed to be allowed to apply for.

Mu Liang's belongings were placed on the table. Beside them were the combat protective suit, which had been sterilized, decontaminated, and thoroughly cleaned, as well as the black helmet still bearing traces of battle.

Two sets of light-blue Security Team uniforms lay on the bed.

This was what Wang Jixuan had come for.

He swiftly changed into one uniform, grabbed the pistol from the corner of the desk, and habitually checked the magazine...

Wonderful. No bullets.

—Bullets had to be requested from the Security Office, and the number of bullets in one's possession had to be reported regularly.

Still, with this official uniform, his future actions would be much more convenient.

Wang Jixuan picked up the Security Team riot helmet beside him and put it on with a faint sense of ceremony.

This humble Daoist has actually become a constable. How marvelous.

Since I have chosen to advance alongside Fellow Daoist Zhou, I must naturally keep him safe. I cannot let him be besieged by Psionicists.

To make it easier to find talented disciples, various sects also cultivate mortal forces and support mortal dynasties. I can imitate that to some extent.

Psionicists.

Killing intent flickered in Wang Jixuan's eyes. He turned toward the door and had just pulled open the alloy door.

"Hey! Team Leader Mu!"

A Security Team member who looked somewhat familiar had been about to knock. Seeing this, he simply leaped inside and shoved at Wang Jixuan's chest.

Wang Jixuan gave a light push with his left hand. The backs of their hands stuck together, his arm coiled around, and his knee drove forward.

The young team member only felt the world spin. In the blink of an eye, he was inside the room, dropping to his knees with a thud toward the door.

The door shut, and the unloaded pistol was pressed against the back of the team member's head.

The young team member raised both hands and shouted:

"Team Leader, don't shoot! The captain sent me! My name is Lin Bo!"

"Lin Bo? What is your relationship with Lin Tao?" Wang Jixuan took two steps back and returned the pistol to its holster.

"He's my twin brother from the same test tube! A few of us all came out of the Warrior Institute!"

"Get up. There's no need for such a grand salute."

Wang Jixuan said:

"I smelled you in the Lower City."

Lin Bo hurriedly said, "Right, right! I delivered equipment to you, Team Leader!"

"You need to train more," Wang Jixuan instructed him. "You barely have any muscle on you."

"Ah, yes! We were actually rejected warriors. The captain gave us a hand... Since we had no hope of entering the Defense Force for the time being, I got a little slack... Oh! Right! Business!"

The young team member let out a long breath and hurriedly took out a palm-sized disk from his pocket.

"Look at this quickly!

"The captain was afraid you would impulsively attack once you noticed Psionicists, so he specifically sent me running over!

"This is the captain's mom's mon—cough, this is the surveillance device installed by Minister Kong. We had originally dismantled it, but the captain hurriedly put one back.

"The captain wants you to know how he spoke with the Biological Affairs Minister, so you can rest assured. He definitely won't betray you!"

"Hm?"

Wang Jixuan immediately asked, "The fortress's Biological Affairs Minister came over?"

A perfect opportunity to kill that demon.

Most of the Black Fire Gang's evil originated with the person in charge of the 13th Institute at Fortress No. 76.

"Yeah, surrounded by a whole group of Psionicists! I wanted to shoot him in the head too! Unfortunately, I didn't dare. There were too many Psionicists."

Clear disgust showed in Lin Bo's eyes as he quickly activated the surveillance device.

Several beams of light intertwined to form a simple Projection Screen, displaying surveillance footage from an overhead angle.

Mother Zhou's Gaze: Limited-Time Trial Version.

Inside the captain's office.

Two Psionicists sat on the sofa in the corner. One elegantly sipped coffee, while the other played with a dagger.

Zhou Zhengde leaned back in his office chair, his fingers interlaced over his abs. His two thumbs slowly circled each other, and his eyes held a trace of indifference.

Across the desk, the Biological Affairs Minister in a suit, a somewhat portly man, sat with one leg crossed over the other. He held a cigarette between his fingers and glared darkly at Zhou Zhengde, looking as though he wanted to devour him alive.

This continued for two minutes.

Just as Wang Jixuan and Lin Bo began to wonder whether they had forgotten to turn on the sound, clear voices came from the footage.

"Captain Zhou."

The Biological Affairs Minister crushed out his cigarette and said in a hoarse, low voice:

"You have already achieved your goal. You took revenge on the Black Fire Gang. Their ambush against you can now be considered settled.

"A respected lady died in that Lower City conflict.

"I do not want you to continue investigating this matter.

"Zhou Zhengde, others fear your mother, but to us at the 13th Institute, she is no issue whatsoever. We represent humanity's hope for the future."

Zhou Zhengde smiled. "If humanity relied on people like you, it would have been finished long ago."

The Biological Affairs Minister said calmly, "You do not understand humanity's potential or the energy contained within the human body. I forgive your ignorance, but even your mother would not dare speak to me like that."

Zhou Zhengde smiled. "Please do not mistake my mother's refinement and good upbringing for proof that you are sufficiently powerful, the seventh minister in the fortress's daily meetings of six ministers."

The Biological Affairs Minister's nostrils kept twitching. He squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth. "I can kill you right now!"

The two Psionicists in the corner both looked toward Zhou Zhengde.

In the new dorm, Wang Jixuan's face darkened as Lin Bo clung tightly to his arm.

"Mm—"

Zhou Zhengde pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Do not lose your mind, Biological Affairs Minister... Did you come here today simply to threaten me in such a blunt manner?

"The information my mother gave me clearly said you came to discuss cooperation."

It seemed he had endured it.

"Yes, cooperation."

The Biological Affairs Minister exhaled softly.

"The prerequisite for cooperation is reconciliation.

"The Black Fire Gang's facilities are still under my control. I merely placed eight Psionicists there.

"I have also spoken to the Cleansing Force. Once they leave, the Black Fire Gang will change its name, switch out its personnel, and continue operating.

"I know everything that happened in the Lower City.

"A girl named Ye Zi survived that fire. She is considered my younger sister, and she was fortunate enough to come before me.

"Your Psionicist... To be honest, I must thank him.

"I know you definitely would not be willing to hand him over directly, so I will not discuss that with you today. But I will catch him and send him to my dissection table.

"Thomas worked with your mother's secretary, Ban Wenying. They were the chief planners behind this riot. According to Ye Zi's fragmented account, Thomas killed that respected old lady, while your Psionicist killed Thomas and Ban Wenying.

"Tsk, how interesting, Captain Zhou. Your man killed your mother's people. Hahahaha, I never expected you to be even stupider than your mother.

"Now then, little Zhou, what have you changed?"

After hearing that lengthy speech, both Zhou Zhengde's and Wang Jixuan's expressions changed.

The Biological Affairs Minister raised an eyebrow lightly. "Let us talk. My condition is that your side must no longer attempt to interfere with the Black Fire Gang's business. My side will preserve your mother's reputation. The Black Fire Gang matter ends here. If you agree, then we can discuss your Psionicist."

Zhou Zhengde could not help laughing. "You brought over a basin of filth you mixed yourself, then used that basin of filth to threaten me?"

"It is not a threat. It is an exchange."

The Biological Affairs Minister maintained a sneer, as though victory were already in his grasp.

Zhou Zhengde muttered, "I am curious. Why do you think you have already won? Does everyone else not know that Kong Lianmei is your mother? Minister Kong, how much material for Human Experimentation did your mother provide you?"

"You have no evidence proving that my mother had any connection to the Black Fire Gang. She is a gentle lady who rescued more than three hundred orphans."

The Biological Affairs Minister said calmly:

"Your mother is the Head of Internal Affairs. If her reputation is damaged, especially when Ban Wenying was her chief secretary, that would be a fatal political mistake.

"As for me, I am no politician. I am a Level 6 Senior Researcher at the 13th Institute. I operate within an independent system.

"Even if your mother ranks third among the fortress ministers, how could she possibly threaten the great 13th Institute?

"I came today to negotiate peace with you so you could see reality clearly. It will be good for both of us.

"This is merely Fortress No. 76, one of the forty-five fortresses under the D5 War Zone. My superior is not that timid Governor. My direct superior is Professor Zhuang, director of the 13th Biological Research Institute D5 Branch!

"I have stated my conditions. Now you may state yours."

Zhou Zhengde's voice became incomparably sincere. "Um, can I really say them?"

The Biological Affairs Minister raised his eyebrows slightly, and his voice became gentler. "Just say it. Your mother and I have been colleagues for many years, after all. As long as you stop pressing so hard, we can even cooperate deeply. The Governor is already old, while your mother is still in her prime. You understand what I mean."

"My conditions are not actually complicated."

Zhou Zhengde said:

"Your side hands over that list and direct evidence of your Human Experimentation, permanently ceases all illegal experiments, you commit suicide to atone for your crimes, and the illegal Psionicists receive strict punishment.

"Then I will consider sparing the director of the 13th Biological Research Institute D5 Branch, your immediate superior."

The Biological Affairs Minister's smile instantly froze.

"Ha!"

The two Psionicists in the corner laughed.

The Biological Affairs Minister stared at Zhou Zhengde and said calmly:

"So there is nothing to discuss?

"Very well, Zhou Zhengde. I will soon make you understand the consequences of opposing me. You and your Psionicist can wait for death!

"Before he dies, I will dissect him completely and study him carefully. Piece by piece, I will place him in Culture Dishes and cultivate all kinds of bizarre monstrosities.

"This is all thanks to your arrogance today."

Hearing this, Daoist Wang leaned back slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Perhaps his Dao heart had been contaminated just a little by the Pervert Zone.

He rather liked enemies he could attack without restraint.

So now, could he directly ambush...

In the surveillance footage.

"Wait a moment!"

Zhou Zhengde called out to the Biological Affairs Minister, who had just risen. Calmly, he opened the second drawer and took out a dark green communicator.

He adjusted it and dialed on his own, speaking casually:

"As you said, Biological Affairs Minister, you are actually within the 13th Institute's vertical hierarchy. You merely hold the title of Biological Affairs Minister in the fortress... In other words, you were never able to enter Fortress 76's core political circle.

"Let me show you a little secret that only the Governor and several ministers know.

"Although I dislike doing this sort of thing, I have no choice. I need this kind of power to fight evil..."

Beep. Crackle.

After a little static, a low, hoarse, impatient elderly male voice came from the communicator.

"Cough! What is it, my only genetic continuation? You are preparing to have children recently, right? Your Maternal Grandfather is in the middle of a fucking strategic meeting, planning an Encirclement and Suppression operation against a lone Sub-King-Class caterpillar. I'll tell you a bedtime story later, alright?"

"Grandpa."

Zhou Zhengde's eyes rapidly reddened. His voice choked as he sniffled pitifully.

"I almost died. Psionicists carried Rocket Launchers and bombed me. My mother was also threatened by the person in charge of the 13th Institute here. He said she would be sent to Culture Dishes and sliced into specimens.

"I'm so scared, Grandpa. I'm scared I won't be able to see you again! Sniff, sniff."

Wang Jixuan and Lin Bo, watching this scene: ...

Huh?