The sensation of his heart dropping in his chest felt like the dejection of someone who had failed after being urged on.
Lucifer clutched his chest, feeling a pang of sadness.
There were things he couldn't say, at least not yet, as they would become an obstacle for her.
Mo Ziye was direct, but Bai Cha didn't need to dwell on it. If Lucifer, who stayed by Bai Cha's side to care for her, didn't know where to draw the line, Bai Cha would be deeply troubled. Lucifer didn't want to pressure Bai Cha.
Returning to her room, Bai Cha found her bedroom neat and tidy. A delicate small box on the dressing table caught her attention.
It was a light blue box. The black and white dressing table had been replaced with beige at some point, and the curtains were now light blue. The small gift box on top seemed even more conspicuous now.
Bai Cha realized she didn't know when her black and white room had acquired so many other colors. It seemed she had indeed been negligent. At first, Lucifer had only replaced the table, then the curtains, the mosquito net, and later the comforter and bedsheets.
Unconsciously, she had grown accustomed to so many colors.
"Birthday Gift"
The inscription was in strong, clear regular script. In an era of mechanical technology, writing regular script so beautifully with a pen was no easy feat, indicating it had been practiced deliberately.
It was already 00:40. Bai Cha held the edge of the light blue box and opened it with curiosity. A light blue crystal gemstone lay quietly on the soft lining within. It was half the size of her palm, and its brilliant, intricate structure spoke of its authenticity.
This was a genuine blue diamond!
Gemstones were no longer mere decorations. After the world discovered supernatural abilities, it was also discovered that gemstones of higher quality could serve as energy conduits, amplifying the abilities of those who possessed powers.
Rare gemstones were hard to find and couldn't be mass-produced. Fingernail-sized gemstones could only be used once before being discarded.
A blue diamond, a crystal that could amplify an ability user's power by more than three times, was already priceless even at a fingernail size. A blue diamond of this size and quality possessed a sentience that allowed it to self-repair, making it a sustainable weapon.
Of course, this was under the premise that the power wouldn't overload it. Even the most precious gemstones were disposable when faced with excessively powerful forces.
"I silently offer you this gift to express my unwavering loyalty."
The neat, strong regular script was paired with elegant English cursive on clean kraft paper, exuding a classical and quietly thoughtful ambiance.
Lucifer was different from Mo Ziye. Mo Ziye's occasional misplaced enthusiasm made Bai Cha feel a little uneasy, a sense of being burned by helplessness.
Lucifer, however, gave a different feeling. He was like clear tea, a cup of water with two leaves. Top-quality tea, not too strong, not too weak, just right for her taste. Unassuming and steady, she could see him standing behind her with just a glance.
Bai Cha had to admit that she was indeed a somewhat passive person, in terms of both family and friendship.
Bai Cha stored the box in a small space within her belt.
This diamond was excellent, just too large. Otherwise, Bai Cha wouldn't mind wearing it on her neck alongside the blood-red crystal.
When Lucifer pushed the meal cart in, Bai Cha was already sitting on the bed. The black and white bedding had been replaced by Lucifer with a combination of gray and off-white. It lacked the previous stuffiness and coldness, instead feeling somewhat warm. It was evident that Bai Cha didn't mind.
"Tonight, it's honey lemon water. The temperature is a bit high, so please drink slowly," Lucifer said, handing Bai Cha a delicate teacup.
The small box on the dressing table had disappeared. Bai Cha took the teacup, their fingertips touched, and they exchanged a smile.
That day, Bai Cha, in a good mood, replied to all the birthday wishes she received. Usually, she would skim through such messages and reply with a single tap. Today, being in a rare good mood, Bai Cha replied with an "Mm."
It was a group message.
But it was also unprecedented. It almost made Meng Qinghuan smash his phone when he saw the message.
"Your loving little Qinghuan, mwah: Lucifer?"
This contact name was something Meng Qinghuan had pestered Bai Cha for a long time before she grudgingly agreed to. It was very childish, and only his persistent nagging could make Bai Cha barely accept such a nickname.
"Little Bai's Life's Big Leg: No."
Meng Qinghuan stared at the message on his phone and fell into contemplation.
He always had peculiar nicknames for others, such as "My Cute Big Big Big Big Boss" or "Dear Little Crane." As for Bai Cha, his nickname for her was "Life's Big Leg."
The saying goes that the most important thing in a movie is to latch onto the protagonist's leg. As long as the protagonist isn't a saintly white lotus, they'll definitely survive until the end.
With that thought, Meng Qinghuan quietly praised his own cleverness.
At four in the morning, most people were asleep, but a viper, following faint clues, had arrived at its hunting ground, full of patience and deadly venom.
Soon, the target took the bait.
A stout, middle-aged man with a bald head and a beer belly ambled around the courtyard, appearing to be taking a leisurely stroll. However, his face was somewhat flushed, as if he had been drinking.
Strolling at four in the morning? Why not just say you're sleepwalking?
Bai Cha sneered inwardly, watching the middle-aged man make a phone call. With a flick of her hand, a tiny mosquito silently landed on the man's back, slowly crawling onto his shoulder.
"Arrived." Not only did the middle-aged man have a ruddy complexion as if he had been drinking, but his speech was also a little slurred, and his expression was all smiles, as if he were chatting about everyday matters.
But his act was a little too obvious. Bai Cha saw through it at a glance.
"Didn't I tell you not to come? The watchdog is back." Even through the processed mechanical voice, the speaker's gritted teeth were audible. "They might have already targeted us. We need to withdraw for a while."
"How is that possible? With so many suspects, how could she have screened them all in these few days?" The middle-aged man sounded incredulous. "So many of us took days to screen them."
"Don't worry about it. We're all in the same boat. If the boat capsizes, we'll all be finished." The mechanical voice said decisively. "Don't you know how fierce that watchdog is? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Then, what about our few test subjects?" The middle-aged man showed a troubled expression. "It was difficult enough to transport those test subjects. If we have to lie low for a few days, their chances of survival won't be high!"
Transporting test subjects wasn't easy. The qualified conditions were already strict, and the survivors were even fewer. Losing even one meant a huge loss.
"..."
The mechanical voice fell silent, clearly considering the issue. After a long pause, it replied.
"There's no other way. We have to shut down this experiment for a while, otherwise..."
"Zzzzzzt—"
A sharp mechanical sound cut through the air. The mechanical voice on the other end of the line momentarily panicked. The mechanical processor seemed to have malfunctioned due to some accident. With a single exclamation of "Oh no," the call was abruptly hung up.
"Hello? Hello?" The middle-aged man was instantly flustered. He had invested a lot of money in this experiment. If something went wrong, wouldn't he be heartbroken?
After a period of hesitation, the middle-aged man picked up his pace and ran in one direction.
"Master, processing complete." Lucifer's deep voice came through the earpiece. Bai Cha's task for Lucifer was to control everyone at the surveillance points without anyone noticing. It seemed Lucifer had completed his task well.
"Also, reporting to Nan, Mo Ziye has been out of sight for more than six hours."
"Lucifer, closely monitor the outer perimeter of the laboratory. If any suspicious individuals appear, stop them at all costs." Bai Cha's eyes flashed with a cold glint.
"Understood."
Once the hound has caught its prey, it must never let go.
Bai Cha lightly darted out from a corner, making not a sound. She followed the person at a moderate distance.
This person's anti-reconnaissance skills were not weak. He looked left and right, stopping occasionally with alertness. However, Bai Cha anticipated his every move. Throughout their journey, the middle-aged man remained completely unaware that anything was amiss.
Bai Cha, like a piece of willow fluff, stuck to the walls or ceiling, following the middle-aged man's line of sight and darting through the door several times.
The hidden passage was heavily guarded. Without someone to lead the way, one could easily get lost in this labyrinth of twists and turns. The defenses, from password locks to iris scanners, infrared sensors, and thermal imaging, were all present. Fortunately, Bai Cha was fully equipped, and for someone who had dealt with countless spies and undercover agents, these were merely routine warm-ups.
The middle-aged man walked ahead, patting his chest. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was a bit agitated and suppressed. Perhaps it was due to the recent stress?
"Master, there are no more surveillance cameras ahead." Lucifer's voice came through her earpiece.
Indeed, there were no cameras ahead. It was a wall, but it was a small room used by the Light Faction to store equipment. However, the middle-aged man's unhesitating steps indicated something was amiss. This was definitely not just a wall.
Ever since Cang Liu had "predicted" the agitation of the strange species in the capital, Bai Cha had felt something was off. There had been incidents before where animals or robots escaped control, causing crises. They shouldn't have been so careless.
Therefore, there were only two possibilities: either the Light Faction was making a desperate gamble, releasing all their monsters to fight her, or the monsters the Light Faction had been researching had gone out of control.
And Bai Cha suddenly remembered her habit: she was accustomed to exploring with sound waves and electromagnetic waves, and sound waves included infrasound.
Through the wall, Bai Cha could hear a faint rustling sound, like several cats clawing desperately at the walls of a metal box, fierce and dangerous.
Bai Cha turned off her sound wave detection and frowned slightly. No matter how strong she was, she couldn't sense through walls with her consciousness. Turning off the sound waves meant she had lost a useful aid.
The miniature instruments on her tight-fitting suit distorted light, giving the illusion that Bai Cha was invisible. While these tricks were useless against true masters, they were more than enough to elude ordinary people and surveillance.
Then, a scene beyond Bai Cha's expectations unfolded before her.
Was that a long spear?
It was segmented, its tip sharp and pointed, emitting a faint purple hue as if it were poisonous. The inner side of the spear was covered in fine, coarse fur and was as thick as a person's thigh.
The spear moved at an incredible speed, piercing the middle-aged man's chest in an instant. Immediately after, the man rapidly withered, as if his moisture had been drained, becoming dry and shriveled. His body turned purple, whether from the loss of nutrients or poisoning, it was unclear.
The wall was broken, and the debris, like ruins weathered for hundreds of years, crumbled like biscuit crumbs. Bai Cha could finally see the true form of the spear.
What spear? These were spider legs! It was a monstrous, mangled human supported by six massive spider legs!
At this moment, Bai Cha finally understood what Cang Liu meant by "strange species."
Bai Cha pressed herself against the ceiling, holding her breath and remaining perfectly still. This was a very small, enclosed space. The spider-human, with its six thick, poisonous spider legs, would be courting disaster fighting in such a pipe-like environment.
The spider legs were extremely sharp, gouging deep ravines into the mechanical wall with a single scratch. Bai Cha had no intention of delivering herself as a sacrifice. After the spider-human stumbled away, Bai Cha leaped down again and pressed two buttons on a small compartment in her belt, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Behind Bai Cha, where she couldn't see, the spider-human turned its head and looked behind it.