Chapter 52 "Vortex"

"Was 'Vortex' also created by you?" Jiang Cheng asked subconsciously, recalling the image of Vortex in his mind.

This time, however, Liu Hui slowly shook her head. "Vortex is different. He didn't undergo our modifications. At most, we only guided him. Moreover... he was only sent here recently."

This result surprised Jiang Cheng. "He was sent here... just like that?"

Remembering Vortex's height and build, he was quite a burly and strong fellow, likely an adult.

"More or less. He was wearing a mask when he arrived, and we never saw his real face. He was very averse to physical contact, and we didn't dare to stimulate him too much." Liu Hui turned her head towards the iron door, her gaze seeming to penetrate through it. "Also, Vortex seems... seems unable to speak."

Jiang Cheng had already marked Vortex in his mind. This person was important, and the Night Watchers would never give up on someone so important. So, the most important thing now was to protect Vortex and isolate him from the rest of the Crimson, otherwise, once something happened, these Crimson, under Vortex's command, would instantly become terrifying killing tools.

That was what he thought, but on the surface, Jiang Cheng remained calm. "My informants told me that a team of Night Watcher remnants had infiltrated this place before. Where are those people?"

"Dead," Liu Hui said with certainty.

"How did they die?"

"Killed by the Crimson under Vortex's command." Liu Hui was very calm. "The corpses you saw earlier were theirs."

The Fatty couldn't help but be surprised. "Why?"

"Because Vortex sensed an ominous aura on them. As it turned out, Vortex's judgment was correct. We found a top-secret document on their bodies, issued by the highest level of the Night Watchers, ordering the strengthening of all Crimson to the point of near-corruption, and then releasing them all. And... and they also wanted to kill all of us researchers, burying the unmentionable secrets of this base."

"Of course, their most important goal was to take Vortex away."

"What about the defective products?" the Fatty pressed, remembering that those unmarked people were the vast majority here.

Liu Hui smiled wryly. "For those above, they were meant to be nourishment. They are the best means of strengthening."

Compared to the Fatty's shock, Jiang Cheng had already thought of this. For the Apostles, swallowing a large number of unstable Doors in a short period would greatly increase their strength, while also pushing them into an irreparable abyss.

"You said Vortex could detect an ominous aura on them, what does that mean?" Jiang Cheng pressed, finding it inexplicably familiar.

"That's also one of Vortex's abilities. I don't know how to describe it to you. In short, he can discern the level of threat of those who come within a certain range. The threat I'm talking about isn't about strength or ability, but whether the person has malicious intent." After a pause, Liu Hui frowned slightly. "Vortex seems to have a similar perception ability for many living things, or rather, an empathic ability. My superior, who was killed, was also a top professor here, and he once said that the world we see is completely different from the world Vortex sees. In Vortex's world, life can be marked, and he uses different colors to mark everything. He sees something more essential behind life, which may have nothing to do with Doors or even abilities. It is a unique talent."

"It was also Vortex who called off the attack on you, believing that you had no malice, and..." Liu Hui looked at the Fatty, "I can sense that Vortex showed a rare affinity for you."

"In his judgment, you are not dangerous at all, a friend, or something like a friend, you make him feel very relaxed."

"Oh? Is that so?"

The Fatty was a little confused. He certainly didn't have any malice, but after all, there were three people here, and Vortex only treated him differently, which was a bit condescending. Did he think he wasn't powerful enough?

Jiang Cheng withdrew his gaze from the Fatty and couldn't help but nod. "What a special talent. No wonder the Night Watchers are desperate to take him away."

With Vortex's existence, or rather, with gaining Vortex's trust, it would be equivalent to gaining control of the entire Crimson team. On a larger scale, given time, one could even raise an army composed entirely of various Apostles.

"Okay, I promise you, I will do my best to protect Vortex, as well as the safety of other Crimson members." Jiang Cheng agreed, then looked at Liu Hui with a complicated expression. "But I can't guarantee you."

Since Liu Hui was so frank, he didn't want to deceive her. After all, these researchers had done too many wrong things, and countless innocent lives had withered here. This couldn't be glossed over with just a sorry.

Moreover, not to mention him, even Lin Wan'er probably didn't have this authority, and they wouldn't do so.

"But rest assured, I will truthfully report your conversation with me today to those above. You are sincere in making amends, and I hope this can slightly reduce your sins," Jiang Cheng said frankly.

"Thank you." Liu Hui suddenly smiled, but there was not much joy on her face, which was no longer youthful, but more of a sense of relief.

Liu Hui picked up the strange infant in the hammock, and the group pushed open the iron door and walked out. The outside was filled with strangely shaped experimental subjects, numbering in the dozens at a glance.

There were also dozens of researchers in white isolation suits, who were now taking off their masks and transparent helmets, revealing faces that were either young or old.

The Fatty was sharp-eyed and immediately noticed a few people dancing in a corner not far away. Their dance moves were very strange, like puppets on strings.

More importantly, most of these people were wearing black training uniforms, and the only one who wasn't was dancing the most enthusiastically in the middle.

"Are these people ours?" the Fatty asked with some surprise.

Liu Hui, holding the strange infant, nodded. "Yes, they infiltrated in the early hours of the morning. Vortex didn't sense too much malice, so he didn't kill them."

Then, a short whistle sounded, and a woman stood up from the middle of the dancing people. The woman's entire face looked like it had been splashed with sulfuric acid, almost melting away, and the number "One" was marked on the arm of her hospital gown.

As this Level One Dangerous Experimental Subject walked towards them, the seven Apostles who were foolishly dancing along followed behind the woman, moving with their hands and feet flailing.

"Do we need to wake them up now?" Liu Hui asked for Jiang Cheng's opinion.

Jiang Cheng looked at the seven people who were drooling while dancing and still winking non-stop, took a deep breath, and shook his head. "No, let them dance out."