This chapter is translated by Kris Xian, translation checked by Kensi, and edited by Kikiji.
SpecOps Division Headquarters.
Tang Xun’an walked into the innermost central building.
The armed men guarding the door saluted him, and Tang Xun’an nodded slightly in response.
The guard didn’t know if it was just an illusion, but Tang Xun’an’s expression today was particularly indifferent.
It vaguely seemed as if he was shrouded in a dark, murderous aura.
Few people knew that underneath the central building, there were actually cells for special prisoners.
As an institution associated with violence, the SpecOps Division had the leeway to be less humane in its approach when dealing with atypical circumstances.
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“It was useless,” Bai Ze said. “He indeed knows something, yet Hypnotism won’t work on him.”
B-Class Support Enlightened, Bai Ze.
Ability: Hypnotism, Clue Perception.
This “he” referred to the current director of the First Research Institute, Gong Weibin.
Tang Xun’an opened the door, walked in, and sat opposite Gong Weibin, who wore a scrutinizing gaze.
The old man’s hair was already gray, his hands were handcuffed in front of him, and even fleshy brown age spots could be seen under his thinning hair.
He was also a researcher of Qiao Yu’s generation, and additionally, was an Enlightened who had awakened the lower alternative of “13th Ability Genetic Recombination”— serial number 104, “Gene Editor.” He was now almost 140 years old.
When he saw Tang Xun’an, the old man couldn’t help but grin. “I still adhere to my original opinion. You’re by far the biggest unstable factor. Unfortunately, Director Qiao was always soft-hearted. Now 100,000 volts of high voltage won’t work on you anymore, will it? As soon as your mutation degree exceeds 100, the black dragon of despair will return to this land, bringing true despair to the world…. I’ve seen No. 0’s painting, and you’ve seen it too. We both know what the future looks like.”
In the earlier days, Tang Xun’an would have been provoked by such words, or in a fit of agitation, say something in defense.
However, now, he just smoked quietly. He sat there quite calmly without much of an expression on his face, looking domineering.
Long periods of silence often put pressure on the interrogated, and Gong Weibin was no exception, but his demeanor remained composed.
He knew that with insufficient evidence and broken leads, Tang Xun’an could do nothing to him.
In fact, even his arrest was illegal.
Only when a cigarette was finished did Tang Xun’an begin speaking.
“I have the ability of Time at my disposal,” he said. “And I know better than you do that the future can be changed.”
“Different roads are destined to lead to the same results. It’s like the way various rivers all inevitably pour into the same sea.” A sarcastic smile appeared on Gong Weibin’s face. “I admit that I don’t like you. But I’m well aware of your value to humanity at the moment. There are also more than 100 researchers in the First Research Institute, and I cannot indeed guarantee that everyone shares the same exact thoughts.”
“Likewise, you don’t like me either. My spiritual threshold level is low, and I’m also weak and old. Yet you still haven’t pulled out Yellow Dust, have you?”
Tang Xun’an’s golden eyes stared at him, cold and inorganic.
For a moment, he released his killing intent.
However, this killing intent was restrained by reality.
The data from the First Research Institute, unfinished scientific research projects, responses from the remaining institutes….
The three relevant departments related to pollution diseases cooperate with each other, but rarely interfere with each other — which also meant that purging was carried out internally.
This was primarily done in order to exploit the SpecOps Division. Historically, there had been cases of Enlightened belonging to the SpecOps Division, who, due to quarrels with logistics, had killed and created a sea of blood in a city’s PDC.
Weapons have to be controlled and bound by regulations at all times. Gong Weibin could be killed, but the consequences would be troublesome. Because of his special status, there were still many people backing him up.
Tang Xun’an did not want to disrupt this delicate balance for the time being.
Therefore, he changed the condition. “I want the human transplant operation procedure at the First Research Institute to be terminated.”
In the early days, transplants were mainly from Pollutants. The procedure was risky, incredibly costly, and came with severe rejection symptoms. Despite this, people at the time wanted to get stronger and had no other choice but to try this.
Later, Gong Weibin invented the human ability transplant.
Taking the ability of a newly awakened Enlightened with a low spiritual threshold and transplanting it to someone with a high spiritual threshold would better exert its strength.
He researched for a long time, performed many illegal surgeries, and received many disciplinary actions. However, he still only dared to propose the idea of an ability transplant after Qiao Yu’s death.
Gong Weibin wanted to transplant the “Gene Recombination” from Qiao Yu to himself for the extremely grandiose reason — “For the future of humankind.”
This was certainly not allowed, and as a precaution, Qiao Yu’s students even chose to have their mentor’s body cremated immediately after his death.
Finally, Qiao Yu’s urn was sent to the cemetery and buried with his deceased lover.
After Qiao Yu’s death, the original Research Institute was divided into 13 institutes, each of which now ventured into various fields of research. Nevertheless, the First Research Institute still had the highest level of scientific research contribution.
Gong Weibin unhurriedly said, “The donors we choose are all donating voluntarily, and they are predominantly volunteers who are old enough to die right away. The Research Institute is gratified by their contributions….”
“If you don’t agree, I will destroy the First Research Institute,” Tang Xun’an replied with comparable seriousness. “Just as you feel that I am an unstable factor for humanity, I also feel that your First Institute is likewise a societal unstable factor.”
“History has always been written by the victors. If you think that the experimental subjects under your hands can win against me, then by all means try.”
Gong Weibin narrowed his eyes to the size of soybeans.
Since Director Qiao died, Gong Weibin became the director and took over No. 1 for almost fifty years.
In the First Research Institute, Experiment Subject No. 1’s spiritual threshold was actually already higher than Tang Xun’an’s.
It is Gong Weibin’s most outstanding work. He even felt that this work could perfectly replace Tang Xun’an — No. 1 had no less combat ability than Tyrant, and a loyalty to the Research Institute that Tyrant completely did not have.
Experiment Subject No. 1. Unregistered S-Class Enlightened, “Hound,” with mutation degree of 67.3.
Spiritual Threshold: 14, 700.
Abilities: 23rd — Berserk, 129th — Fighting Expert, 271th — Teleportation, 273rd — Great Power.
If Tang Xun’an grew up in battle, then this hound took the complete opposite path.
He was created out of the consumption of pills.
…It was just that it was not yet time to bring out “Hound.”
Gong Weibin thought for a moment and smiled, “Deal.”
Late that night, Tang Xun’an finally finished his work for the day and went home.
The summer heat lingered, the air conditioner was on, and in the living room, Xiao Tian watched the female anchor practice her dancing. When he was in a good mood, he would sometimes throw the anchor a few small rewards.
He shared a bank account with Tang Xun’an. The number of 0s on Tang Xun’an’s bank card was too much for Xiao Tian’s two paws to count.
In short, he was the big-time brother of many anchors in the field of live-streaming.
Many female anchors have expressed their affections for him, but unfortunately, the difference between humans and dogs was insurmountable, much to Xiao Tian’s regret.
Like his owner, he’s an old single dog.
Recently, Xiao Tian noticed that his owner seemed to have somewhat changed. More specifically, he stood on the balcony every night, silently looking towards the direction of the Headquarters Training Base. Occasionally, he would suddenly smile foolishly. When he woke up every morning, he would unconsciously use his tail to hook the air next to him.
Combined with the information he had previously received from his liaison, Xiao Wang, it was reasonable to deduce that his owner fell in love with a certain trainee with the surname Lu.
Today was the official end of the institution’s training. Tang Xun’an had gotten up early and took out the jade pendant that his mother had left him, which had been sitting there untouched for a long time.
What his mother said when she died was that she probably wouldn’t have the chance to see Tang Xun’an marry a daughter-in-law. If he met someone he liked in the future, she asked that he remember to leave this heirloom to him or her.
However, today, as soon as Tang Xun’an returned, he sat motionless on the sofa, his eyes out of focus.
He still had the files sent by Headquarters at hand — Lu Yan’s information.
If Zhou Qiming was present, he probably would have seen a subtle shift in the golden title that remained unchanged for ten thousand years above Tang Xun’an’s head.
It was approximately from “Black Dragon in Despair” to “Black Dragon with a Broken Heart.”
Xiao Tian could keenly feel that there was something wrong with his owner’s mood, so he thoughtfully turned off the live broadcast, ambled over to Tang Xun’an, and presented his soft belly.
“Touch it, Human. Touch until you’re satisfied.”
Tang Xun’an glanced at him and did not speak.
Xiao Tian looked down. “What happened to your treasure? The heirloom was rejected?”
“No….” Tang Xun’an replied, speaking slowly, word by word, “It wasn’t given.”
Xiao Tian abruptly jumped three feet high. “Why?! Bro, are you a coward? That’s not your style!”
“He has a boyfriend.”
As a person with a high sense of morality, Tang Xun’an could not do such a thing — especially something like involving himself with someone who was already committed in a relationship.
Xiao Tian immediately opened Taobao1Chinese online shopping platform and searched: How to use witchcraft to break couples up?
It was disappointing to find that such things had been blocked across the Internet because they involved feudal superstitions.
Xiao Tian had to hold out his doggie paws and comfort him, “It’s okay. You’re in good health, and Xiao Lu’s boyfriend will probably die before you.”
As he was speaking, the iPad screen lit up, and the Enlightened Forum app notified Tang Xun’an of his newly received chat message.
He didn’t have this software on his phone, and his iPad was entirely used by his dog. Due to his first place ranking in the Forum, he would receive many private messages every day.
Tang Xun’an wouldn’t usually look at it.
Nonetheless, today, in order to divert his attention, Xiao Tian immediately opened the chatbox with a glance.
“Curious Listener? Who is this person?” Xiao Tian muttered to himself.
He wasn’t even done speaking before he was swept three meters away by his owner’s hand, and he fell off the sofa in a genuine doggie paste.
Curious Listener: To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, I thought about it and decided it’s still better to have it clarified.
Curious Listener: I’m single.
Translator’s Note
So cuuuuuuute! Also, Xiao Tian somehow reminds me of Sven from Frozen.
I can totally imagine Tang Xun’an’s reaction would be to immediately start chasing him. I’m being completely overwhelmed with non-existent fluff (*/ω＼*)
Lol, Tang Xun’an pushed Xiao Tian out of the way at the speed of… well, an overpowered, broken-hearted dragon, I guess… All for the sake of reading Lu Yan’s message as soon as possible~~
Thank you for the chapter! Looking forward to see how this single dog, owner of another single dog, reacts to that revelation~ XD
I feel sorry for Xiao Tian, I would’ve accepted goving him a belly rub. 😉
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And 😂😂😂😂😂 at the change in title and how Xun’an did a double take when he heard it was Lu Yan’s message.
Thanks for the chapters!
So glad he clarified. And that it was read. Phew 😅.