Mei Yiqiu and Situ Yuli spoke without restraint about topics such as Laboratory No. 19, chips, and death, which made Huang Liang, who was massaging Dickinson, somewhat uneasy.
The more he listened, the more puzzled he became. Why were they saying these things to his face? Although it seemed nonsensical, with a little thought and reasoning, one could uncover a shocking secret—
A mysterious laboratory was conducting an experiment on human microchips, and everyone involved in the project died, including researchers and subjects. The three people in front of us are clearly participants in this event.
Such matters are usually highly confidential and would never be revealed to outsiders casually. Unless they are certain that the person will not leak the information, and there are only two kinds of people who will not leak information: one is an accomplice, and the other is a dead person.
Huang Liang already harbored many secrets, so he understood all too well how important secrecy was. He couldn't continue pretending to know nothing; sometimes, if you play the Tiger for too long, you might end up becoming the Tiger yourself instead of the fool.
He stopped what he was doing, and seemingly casually rummaged through his toolbox, his fingers quickly grasping a delicate scalpel and hiding it in his palm.
He closed the box, casually put his hands in his pockets, turned around to look at Mei Yiqiu, and said very seriously:
"Professor, I don't think what you just said has anything to do with me, but since I overheard it, you probably won't let me leave here so easily. So I'd like to ask, what is your real purpose in bringing me here? I'm just an ordinary doctor."
His knuckles, bent and tightly gripping the scalpel, were tucked into his pocket. At the same time, he had already condensed an invisible spiritual blade in his mind, ready to launch a mental attack in his opponent's dream at any moment.
Mei Yiqiu was slightly taken aback, glanced at Situ Yuli, and then burst into laughter. " Huang Liang, you're no ordinary doctor!"
Huang Liang narrowed his eyes. "So, who do you think I am?"
Mei Yiqiu saw the murderous glint in his usually calm and composed face and knew she couldn't joke anymore, so she said, "Don't be so tense. Look at us, we're either women or old men, we might not even be able to step on an ant. What are you worried about? If I really wanted to do something to you, I wouldn't have left Hou Biao up there."
Huang Liang thought about it and it seemed to be true, but he didn't let his guard down. He simply softened his tone and expression and said, "But Professor, you must have something to say to me, right?"
"Hey, May," Dickinson, lying on the bed, said, "Tell him I'm having a really good massage!"
Mei Yiqiu said, "Dr. Huang, oh, or perhaps I could call you Mr. Zhao Pengcheng?"
Huang Liang's eye twitched slightly, but he tried his best to remain calm. "No, Zhao Pengcheng is dead. I am Huang Liang."
He stared intently at the professor, his mind racing. How did the professor know his identity? After much thought, only one possibility came to mind.
"Did Mr. Qingmu tell you that?" he asked.
"You could say that," Mei Yiqiu said. "When Qingmu came to me, if I hadn't used some connections, and if those damn big shots hadn't given me face, that Mr. Zhao Pengcheng might still be soldering circuit boards in prison!"
Dickinson said, "Ha, it's really not easy for you to lower yourself to ask someone for help!"
Mei Yiqiu a stern face and said, "Who said I begged them? I was just giving them face. They usually can't even get that kind of treatment!"
Huang Liang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you!"
He trusted Qingmu; otherwise, he wouldn't have formed a strategic alliance with Qingmu. Since it was Qingmu who told Mei Yiqiu, it means that Mei Yiqiu is also someone he can trust.
"You don't need to thank me," Mei Yiqiu said. "I didn't really do anything, and I almost forgot about it later. If Qingmu hadn't specifically told me about your situation before he left, I might never have remembered to look for you."
Where did Mr. Qingmu go?
"To be honest, I don't know either. Everyone who knew him was looking for him; Madam Situ was the last person to see him."
Situ Yuli interjected, "Yes, I saw him and Professor Su at the United Nations rescue team camp on Rapa Island, and then they disappeared. For the past year, no one has known where they are. My husband and an entire research vessel also disappeared there."
Huang Liang nodded and asked, "So, Professor, is there anything you need me to do?"
The professor pondered for a moment, then took a pipe from his pocket and said to Dickinson, "Is the lab's purification system still working?"
Dickinson said, "With a heavy smoker like you around, how could I not do a good job with the purification system? I'm telling you, you should probably quit smoking. You're getting old; it's bad for your health. I remember you didn't smoke before. In our line of work, we're often in the lab and Tushu, and you can't keep having cravings. Back then, labs didn't have the same facilities as they do now."
You started smoking after you broke up with Selina, right? The night Selina left, you disappeared all night. We only found out the next day that the police had arrested you for being a drunk and an exhibitionist. I had to go to the police station to pick you up. You looked so pathetic, naked and reeking of smoke and alcohol. The police said you had been drinking with a homeless man all night and had even generously given him your clothes."
The professor complained, "Hey, I'm just asking if the purification system works well. Do you have to ramble on and on?"
Dickinson said, "Of course I have to say it! How many years do we old folks have left? Do you know how important your health is? The fate of humanity rests on your shoulders! Your fragile heart should have been healed long ago!"
"I'm cured of that long ago. The moment I walked out of the police station naked, I had a sudden realization—women, well, it doesn't matter whether you have them or not. Losing them actually gives me more time to spend on research!" He turned to look at Situ Yuli, "Oh, sorry, I wasn't targeting you, Madam Situ!"
Situ Yuli smiled and said, "It's alright, I know that the master doesn't distinguish between men and women."
"That's right!" Mei Yiqiu said. "We shouldn't discriminate based on gender. Everyone is equal before the truth! So I'm not ashamed at all for walking out of the police station naked. Charlie, don't try to make fun of me for this! I gave the clothes to someone who needed them more, and you've been making fun of me for decades because of it, you bastard!"
Dickinson laughed loudly, "Come on, I know perfectly well enough. Your trench coat and bell-bottoms were gifts from Selina. When you bought those bell-bottoms, they were too long, so you shortened the legs. Selina offered to sew them up for you, but you just left them unstitched, saying it represented freedom. You gave all of these to the homeless to say goodbye to your sad past, didn't you?"
"Farewell? Oh... maybe, yes, people are always saying goodbye to the past in order to keep growing..."
Mei Yiqiu took out a match, lit it with a snap, and took a deep drag on his pipe. White smoke spilled from the corner of his mouth and filled his vision.
He seemed to see past events through the smoke, his hand holding the match remained motionless, letting the flame slowly die out on its own.
Huang Liang suddenly felt that the professor's face, obscured by smoke, was becoming increasingly unpredictable...