The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH16

Chapter 16

Su Ci examined the strand of silk in his hand. He tried pulling at both ends with force.

It was incredibly elastic and durable.

But… what could you even do with something this short?

Luo Shengfei, now freed from the silk’s constriction, had his face marked with deep, bloody impressions from the bindings. Fresh blood oozed from the wounds, creating a ghastly sight, though it appeared that no bones had been harmed.

The upper half of his uniform had been sliced into tatters, though it had provided some protection. While the cuts didn’t penetrate deeply into his flesh, his neck had fared the worst.

Thin wounds crisscrossed his neck, oozing blood. Fortunately, the injuries seemed superficial, and Su Ci could sense that Luo Shengfei’s vitality remained robust.

In the span of just a few minutes, he had ended up in such a miserable state. It was hard not to feel some pity.

The sounds of battle outside gradually faded, replaced by approaching footsteps from the staircase.

The young woman who had run upstairs earlier had now returned, followed by the man who had left with her. The man carried a fire axe he had somehow acquired. Leading them was Shi Yijiang, cradling a firearm in his arms, his face tense with vigilance.

When Shi Yijiang saw the state of the lobby, his expression changed, and he hurried over.

“Xiao Fei!”

Watching Shi Yijiang rush over, Su Ci glanced at Luo Shengfei. The technician’s face was crisscrossed with bloodied grooves from the silk strands. Then Su Ci looked down at the fine thread twined around his finger.

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Su Ci instinctively decided not to hand over this strand of spider silk.

His peripheral vision caught sight of the Caretaker’s Handbook, which had fallen open at his feet during the commotion.

Shi Yijiang, now laser-focused on Luo Shengfei, immediately began administering first aid upon reaching him. The young woman and the man with the axe also rushed over.

Seizing this moment, Su Ci stepped aside, bent down to retrieve the handbook, and, in the process, slipped the strand of silk into its pages.

As he closed the handbook, a sharp sting pricked his fingertip.

Su Ci’s reflexes were quick, and he withdrew his hand.

Nevertheless, a small puncture marred his fingertip, and a drop of bright red blood welled up, dripping onto the handbook’s cover.

Su Ci frowned, and nearby, Number One widened his eyes in alarm. The boy quickly rushed over, grabbing Su Ci’s hand to inspect the injury.

Meanwhile, under Shi Yijiang’s care, Luo Shengfei slowly regained consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and he sat up with a jolt, panting heavily. His face contorted in terror as his gaze darted wildly around the room.

“Ah… Ah… Ah…”

It seemed he wanted to speak, but his terror rendered him incapable of forming coherent words. He stammered for some time without managing a single meaningful sentence.

“Xiao Fei, are you okay?” Shi Yijiang asked with concern.

Su Ci cast a glance at the scene before him. Taking advantage of the moment, he discreetly tucked the handbook, with the silk hidden inside, into his space button. As for the wound on his finger, he paid it no mind.

Number One, however, continued to hold Su Ci’s hand with a helpless look, unsure of what to do. In the end, he carefully blew on Su Ci’s wound, as if that would alleviate the pain.

Su Ci lowered his gaze, his dark eyes calmly observing the boy.

It had been a long time since anyone had shown him such care.

With an endless lifespan that stretched as long as a planet’s existence, all living beings were nothing but fleeting visitors in Su Ci’s eternal life. Even the longest-lived races were merely brief acquaintances to him.

He had long since learned not to invest his emotions in others.

After all, bonds only led to sorrow and pain. Partings were inevitable from the very beginning. And no matter how profound the memory, time would eventually erode and dilute it… making it all seem meaningless.

However, as he gazed at the child’s frail body and sensed his delicate vitality, Su Ci chose not to withdraw his hand.

Let it be.

As long as he controlled his emotions, no matter how affectionate his actions seemed, no deep bond would form. Su Ci calmly averted his gaze.

Meanwhile, Luo Shengfei, now propped against Shi Yijiang, gradually overcame his terror under their watchful eyes. As his breathing steadied, he finally realized he was still alive.

The joy of surviving such an ordeal surged within him.

Despite the sharp pain coursing through his body and the horrifying reflection of his bloodied face in the shards of glass on the floor, none of it dampened his relief.

Remembering something, Luo Shengfei anxiously looked around, searching for Su Ci.

This newly arrived Trainee mustn’t have been hurt! Although Luo Shengfei himself was just a technician with limited combat skills, as a soldier, it was his duty to protect civilians. Moreover, he had taken a liking to Su Ci’s calm demeanor…

As Luo Shengfei turned his head, his gaze landed on Su Ci’s face, still pristine and beautiful.

Then, he glanced at Su Ci’s gray-blue uniform, completely intact—not even a single scratch. The urgency on Luo Shengfei’s face froze.

“You’re not hurt?” Luo Shengfei asked, struggling to widen his bloodshot eyes. The bloodied impressions around his eyelids made it hard for him to see properly. Was he hallucinating?

If it wasn’t his vision, then it had to be something supernatural!

He didn’t wish harm on Su Ci, but the stark contrast between their conditions was almost cruel.

Su Ci noted Luo Shengfei’s incredulous expression. After a moment’s thought, he raised his hand, showing his finger with its small puncture wound.

“See? I am hurt. It’s bleeding,” Su Ci said.

His hand was beautiful—slender and pale, resembling a finely crafted piece of art. The tiny wound on his fingertip stood out against his flawless skin, striking in its subtlety.

But…

Luo Shengfei stared at the minuscule injury, barely the size of a grain of rice, then looked down at his own shredded uniform and his bloodied, torn body.

“…”

“…………”

He choked on his words, falling silent for a long moment before finally turning to Shi Yijiang with a hopeful look.

“Shi Tou, it was you who saved Su Ci, wasn’t it?”

That would explain everything! Shi Yijiang was known as the best marksman in the logistics division.

Shi Yijiang’s expression darkened.

“…”

He didn’t know anything about what had happened!

As Luo Shengfei and Su Ci spoke, Shi Yijiang and the others began to feel a creeping sense of curiosity and doubt. Their gazes turned toward Su Ci.

Right. Why was Luo Shengfei so severely injured, while the Trainee’s only wound was… well, almost healed by now?

Standing beside Su Ci, Number One could sense the group’s growing skepticism toward the caretaker. His wide black-and-red eyes glared at them in anger.

If it weren’t for the caretaker, this guy on the ground would’ve been dragged off by that monster!

Too bad they couldn’t see him, and he couldn’t speak up to defend Su Ci…

A deep sense of frustration welled up in the boy’s chest.

Not long after, the tightly sealed main doors of the logistics building automatically slid open. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as a six-person squad from the action division arrived.

Each member wore a dark red uniform with hats and face masks. Rainwater dripped from their soaked bodies, leaving faint red streaks on the floor as they moved.

They looked like they’d been through a fierce battle. Every one of them bore visible injuries.

“Captain Yan,” Shi Yijiang greeted as he recognized the leader of the squad.

Yan Ping nodded in acknowledgment before turning his sharp gaze to Luo Shengfei, who was propped up against Shi Yijiang on the floor.

“How are you holding up?” Yan Ping asked.

“Still alive… for now,” Luo Shengfei mumbled weakly.

Yan Ping didn’t approach immediately. Instead, he exchanged a brief look with two of his subordinates. They raised their weapons and took up defensive positions, scanning the room with caution. Meanwhile, Yan Ping and the remaining two members meticulously inspected the lobby.

They left no corner unchecked, scrutinizing every potential hiding spot. The only woman in the group approached with a scanning device in her hand.

Su Ci raised his eyes slightly and noticed the nameplate pinned to her chest: Guan Zhishu.

A beam of white light swept over Luo Shengfei, Su Ci, and the others. A clear electronic tone followed shortly after.

“Beep—Identity verification passed.”

Guan Zhishu reported as the results displayed on the scanning device:

“Logistics Division Sergeant Luo Shengfei:
Condition 1: Injured in combat, contamination level 32 (Moderate), no abnormalities detected. Requires purification and subsequent isolation for observation.
Condition 2: Severe blood loss. Immediate use of K143U medical spray recommended for first aid before transporting to the Medical Purification Unit for treatment.”

“Logistics Division Sergeant Shi Yijiang: Contamination level 5 (Low), no abnormalities detected.”

“Nursery Division Caretaker Trainee Su Ci: Contamination level 15 (Low), no abnormalities detected.”

“Research Institute Sergeant Xia Jingming: Contamination level 21 (Moderate), no abnormalities detected.”

“Administrative Division Sergeant Sun Si: Contamination level 25 (Moderate), no abnormalities detected.”

“End of report.”

After reviewing the verification results, Guan Zhishu stowed away her device and called out loudly, “Captain Yan, all clear.”

Yan Ping, who had just finished his inspection, returned and gave his orders. “Guan Zhishu, stay here. The rest of you, check the upper floors and the underground warehouse. Stay in contact, and report any anomalies immediately.”

“Yes, Captain!” the squad responded.

Most of the team quickly disappeared up the staircase, leaving only Yan Ping and Guan Zhishu in the lobby. Guan Zhishu efficiently retrieved a spray from a pouch on her waist and began treating Luo Shengfei’s injuries.

The pungent medical spray had remarkable effects. Within seconds of application, Luo Shengfei’s bleeding stopped, and thick scabs formed over his wounds. While his bloodied face now appeared more grotesque, the tension on his brow eased, indicating the spray also alleviated his pain.

Su Ci recognized the spray—it was the same one used by Xun Xiaoyu on Number Five and was carried by 4586. Besides treating burns and reducing swelling, it evidently also had hemostatic and analgesic properties, making it quite versatile.

Researcher Xia Jingming, eyeing the team inspecting the building, approached Yan Ping and asked quietly, “Captain Yan, doesn’t this monster seem… unusual?”

Yan Ping glanced at him. Seeing he was from the Research Institute, he gave a solemn nod. “Yes, it deliberately damaged the base infrastructure. This means…”

His expression turned grave. “The rule that extreme weather can be avoided by sheltering indoors may no longer hold.”