The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH20

Chapter 20

Gu Qingchen’s purification ability was, of course, not something that could be used without limit.

For mid-to-low contamination levels below 50, he could purify around twenty to thirty people in one session. Before seeing Su Ci, he had only handled less than ten cases that day, with Xia Jingming’s contamination level being slightly higher than the others.

Theoretically, after helping Su Ci, he should have been able to handle at least another ten to twenty cases with ease.

However, until his face turned pale and his purification energy was nearly exhausted, the contaminants on Su Ci still seemed far from being completely cleared.

Gu Qingchen casually activated the testing device.

He stared at the display, which showed that Su Ci’s contamination level had dropped from 15 to 10, while feeling the emptiness within himself. He couldn’t help but fall into a deep sense of confusion and doubt.

Had he misread the data, or was the testing device malfunctioning?

Pushing himself to continue outputting energy, Gu Qingchen’s complexion worsened, cold sweat forming on his forehead. In contrast, Number One, who was sitting next to Su Ci, experienced the opposite.

The child squinted his eyes slightly, unable to contain himself.

The purifier’s energy, continuously transmitted through the hand Su Ci held, seeped into his body, gradually eliminating the pollutants that had deeply invaded his internal organs.

While this level of purification wasn’t enough to completely eradicate the contaminants, it did bring some relief.

Living for years surrounded by pollutants and enduring their corrosion day and night had dulled his sense of pain. Even a small reprieve now felt like an incredible blessing.

And this blessing was brought to him by the caretaker…

After a while, seeing that Gu Qingchen was almost entirely drained, Su Ci subtly released the child’s hand. As soon as he let go, the contamination level displayed on the panel jumped from “10” to “0” in the blink of an eye.

Gu Qingchen stared at the panel in astonishment.

Had he really misread the data earlier?

He couldn’t help but point to the display and ask Su Ci, “This number is 0, right?”

Su Ci nodded, his expression innocent as though he had no idea what had just happened. Meanwhile, Number One, who had been quietly sitting beside him, opened his eyes and gazed at Gu Qingchen longingly.

That felt so good… even better than soaking in a hot bath. I wish I could experience it again.

“…”

Gu Qingchen took a deep breath, withdrew his hand, and resisted the urge to rub his eyes. He looked at Su Ci, narrowing his gaze slightly.

Despite such a low contamination level, Su Ci had consumed so much of his energy. This was an unprecedented situation… Was it a malfunction in the testing device, or was something unusual about this caretaker?

Regardless, Gu Qingchen’s purification energy was already depleted, leaving him unable to conduct further experiments for now.

With no other choice, Gu Qingchen pressed the rest button.

Upon doing so, a message popped up on the communicators of those waiting in the queue. Their numbers remained unchanged but were automatically postponed until the afternoon.

Base 24 had only one purifier—Gu Qingchen. With him taking a break, there was no one else available for purification. However, the recipients of the notification did not complain, quietly leaving and planning to return later.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to see the two cubs,” Gu Qingchen said, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he stood up and led Su Ci toward the other exit of the purification chamber.

This exit was deliberately separated from the waiting area. After all, those coming for purification carried pollutants and were generally in an unstable emotional state. The arrangement effectively avoided potential conflicts between the purifier and those waiting.

Those who completed purification also left through this exit.

Su Ci and Number One followed Gu Qingchen into the corridor, where they saw Guan Zhishu, who had just finished her purification, still lingering. Seeing them, she took the initiative to walk over.

“Zhishu, is there something else?” Gu Qingchen greeted her first.

Guan Zhishu nodded, her gaze landing on Su Ci. “I heard you were injured as well?”

“Huh?”

Su Ci blinked but quickly remembered something. He gave a soft “Mm” and said, “It’s just a small scrape.”

“May I take a look?” Guan Zhishu asked.

Su Ci hesitated for a moment but eventually raised his hand to show her the puncture wound on his fingertip from the spider silk. It had already scabbed over, and the torn skin had begun to knit itself back together. It would likely heal completely by the next day.

Guan Zhishu examined the wound closely. “This looks like it was pierced by something sharp. Can you tell me how it happened?”

Su Ci frowned slightly.

Sensing his unease, Guan Zhishu smiled and explained, “I’m just asking; there’s no need to feel nervous.”

Su Ci shook his head, signaling he wasn’t nervous, and replied half-truthfully, “I touched some spider silk and got hurt by it.”

Hearing this, Guan Zhishu’s smile faltered slightly. She turned to look at Gu Qingchen, whose expression had shifted as if he’d just realized something.

“That explains it…” Gu Qingchen muttered to himself, then mumbled, “Could it be that the wound was too small for the equipment to detect?”

“Dr. Gu, what is it? Did you discover something?” Guan Zhishu quickly asked, noticing his reaction.

Gu Qingchen glanced at Su Ci before explaining the situation. “When someone is attacked by a monster, the contamination level at the site of injury tends to increase. Perhaps this wound was too small for the equipment to pick it up.”

Su Ci stood quietly with Number One by his side, looking calm and obedient.

Gu Qingchen added, “But don’t worry, I’ve already purified him. He’s healthy now.”

Guan Zhishu nodded, then smiled apologetically at Su Ci. “Caretaker Su, even though the wound is small, it’s best to use some spray to prevent infection.”

She pulled a can of medical spray from her pouch and handed it to him. “Here, consider this a welcome gift for joining us.”

Watching this, Gu Qingchen teased, “The operations team does have a monthly allowance for medical supplies, but this isn’t how you’re supposed to use it.”

Guan Zhishu smiled shyly at him before bidding farewell and leaving promptly.

Gu Qingchen noticed Su Ci spraying the solution on his finger, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.

Someone must have told Guan Zhishu something to make her suspicious of Su Ci earlier. The questioning had likely stemmed from that suspicion, but now that the misunderstanding was resolved, the spray was an apology gift…

Looking at the overly handsome face of the young man before him, Gu Qingchen wavered for a moment. That must be it, right?

Su Ci, feeling the wound on his finger heal rapidly, confirmed that the spray was quite effective. He put it away in his space button and turned his attention back to Gu Qingchen.

Gu Qingchen snapped out of his thoughts and resumed leading them toward the elevator.

On the way, Su Ci seemed to remember something. “Dr. Gu, I didn’t see seeds listed on the logistics exchange catalog. Do you know where I could find some?”

From their conversation the previous night, Su Ci had gathered that Gu Qingchen might know a fair bit about such things—after all, he had been aware that fertilizers could be exchanged through the logistics office.

Gu Qingchen chuckled dryly. “You haven’t given up yet, have you?”

“I have to try,” Su Ci said firmly.

“Tsk.”

Though Gu Qingchen didn’t think much of Su Ci’s determination, he understood that some lessons could only be learned the hard way. It was much like his own experience—he had wasted a lot of points before finally coming to terms with reality.

Even as a purifier capable of cleansing soil and water, with more than enough points to spend each month, Gu Qingchen still found it nearly impossible to grow plants. How could someone like Su Ci, a mere caretaker at the nursery, succeed?

Still, out of friendship, he decided to offer some advice. “You can place a custom order with the logistics procurement team. Within the allowable regulations, they’ll charge points based on the difficulty and quantity of the request.”

“But the waiting period is long—at least three months,” he added. “That’s assuming you’re lucky and there’s a transport ship heading out immediately. Otherwise, it’ll take even longer.”

Su Ci silently noted this information and thanked Gu Qingchen.

Shaking his head, Gu Qingchen joked, “If you manage to grow anything successfully on the Prison Star, you won’t have to worry about failing your probation. Even if you can’t stay at the nursery, the research institute will snap you up. That would be a straight shot to the top.”

Su Ci didn’t argue, but his hand reached out to rest on Number One’s head, preventing the child from throwing a tantrum.

Number One puffed up his cheeks and glared at Gu Qingchen.

Why did everyone want the caretaker to leave the nursery?

Would the caretaker really go? And if he stopped being a caretaker, would he still feed, clothe, and care for him like he did now?

The child looked up at Su Ci, searching his face for answers, but finding none. He lowered his head, his lashes veiling the unease in his eyes.

“The nursery is a good place,” Su Ci said suddenly.

Hearing this, Number One’s heart steadied just a little.

The child’s eyes lit up with hope again as he looked up, but Gu Qingchen let out a derisive laugh. “That’s because you’ve just arrived. You haven’t experienced the real reality of the nursery yet.”

Gu Qingchen stopped in front of a room, turned to Su Ci, and said, “If you still think the nursery is a nice place after seeing this, then I’ll have to…”

He gave Su Ci a thumbs-up.

The identity verification passed, and the metal door slowly opened, revealing the scene inside—

Number Two and Number Four, two young cubs, were tightly restrained on hospital beds in a corner of the room. Their beast-like features were evident—not just ears and tails, but also changes to their faces.

Their eyes burned red as they roared angrily, the room around them in complete disarray. The equipment that had originally been set up had been smashed into rubble, including two expensive medical pods.

Gu Qingchen stood at the door, his gaze falling on the remnants of the medical pods. His face betrayed his pain.

The two cubs had been sent here yesterday after going berserk. Although their injuries weren’t severe, the medical pods served additional purposes, such as calming emotions and mitigating the aftereffects of their rampages.

After their injuries were treated, the medical staff had decided to keep the cubs in the pods for ongoing stabilization. Monitoring data indicated that while the reason for their sudden unconsciousness during their rampages was unclear, both cubs were in stable condition. For once, the medical team felt at ease.

But today, disaster struck.

When the Blood Rain descended, the two cubs, originally asleep in the pods, suddenly went berserk—

This was unprecedented, and the caretakers didn’t react in time. The frenzied cubs broke out of the pods from within.

By the time the security team arrived, it was too late.

Though not the latest models, the two medical pods were highly advanced equipment—

They could treat nearly 90% of external injuries and most internal injuries and common illnesses. The pods were a crucial asset for ensuring the health and survival of the base’s troops.

The Number Two4 Base had only five such pods, and now two of them were completely destroyed in one go.

When Gu Qingchen heard the news, it felt like his heart was bleeding. Even now, looking at the “remains,” his pain was palpable. He could only hope that once the Blood Rain passed, the repair team might salvage them.

Beyond the pods, almost all the equipment in this treatment room was destroyed. Even the walls and floors were scarred and cratered, with traces of fire damage evident.

According to the guards, the two cubs had nearly broken through the walls at one point. Thankfully, they were subdued in time, preventing a larger disaster.

“A monster had appeared near the medical ward at that time,” Gu Qingchen explained as he walked into the room.

“Perhaps it was drawn by the commotion from these two cubs. It initially seemed to be heading elsewhere but suddenly turned toward the medical building. Fortunately, the operations team arrived in time to lure it away.”

That particular monster had been unusual, seemingly capable of attacking buildings… Gu Qingchen only learned about this after the Blood Rain stopped, and the thought still sent chills down his spine.

Had the two cubs broken through the wall and drawn the monster into the medical building, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Su Ci recalled the explosion they had heard while on the hover bus. It seemed it had come from the direction of the purification center.

The operations team must have expended significant effort to divert that monster.

As Gu Qingchen spoke, Number Two and Number Four, tied to their hospital beds, continued to roar in anger. They glared fiercely at Gu Qingchen and Su Ci, their eyes filled with hatred.

The cubs’ beastly features had become even more pronounced. Number Two, in particular, had brown fur with black and red markings spreading across his cheeks in addition to his fluffy round ears.

His fangs had elongated and sharpened, and his facial features were morphing into those of a tiger. His red-brown eyes gleamed in the light, narrowing into vertical slits like a predator’s.

The child’s gaze held no trace of human emotion, only raw, feral instinct. His growls resembled the roar of a tiger.

He really looks like a little monster, Su Ci thought.

Gu Qingchen’s expression shifted from pain over the destroyed medical pods to a heavy concern for the two cubs. His worry was evident as he stared at them, their savage state worsening by the minute.

“Beastification stems from the powerful bloodline inheritance within oneself,” Gu Qingchen explained. “But if one cannot maintain rationality during the process, they will ultimately degenerate into true beasts, losing all human emotions and retaining only animal instincts.”

At that point, they could no longer be called human.

The stronger the bloodline, the higher the likelihood of berserk episodes during childhood.

Cubs who grow up alongside their parents benefit from close familial bonds that help guide and stabilize them. The shared bloodline also facilitates assimilation and inheritance, making it much easier to bring them back to normal after a berserk episode.

However, the cubs at the nursery lack such conditions.

If they cannot overcome the feral nature of their bloodline, they face a far more tragic fate.

“Berserk cubs lack rationality,” Gu Qingchen continued. “Regardless of their nature, they exhibit extreme aggression in the end.”

“They are highly likely to harm themselves or others.”

He turned to Su Ci, speaking frankly. “In the past, many caretakers have been severely injured by berserk cubs and sent here for treatment. Even if they recover physically, the psychological scars remain.”

“So, do you understand what I mean?”

To be honest, Su Ci didn’t fully understand.

Looking at the two furious, roaring cubs, he just found them noisy. Compared to them, the quiet and well-behaved Number One by his side seemed much more likable.

“The environment on the Prison Star isn’t very suitable for raising cubs,” Su Ci said.

Gu Qingchen hadn’t expected this response and nodded, his expression turning somewhat gloomy. “What else can be done?”

The galaxy was vast, yet only the Prison Star could accommodate them. Even if they grew up smoothly, they would be confined to this planet for life, forbidden from leaving.

At least for now, this reality was unchangeable.

Gu Qingchen sighed and said to Su Ci, “These two cubs will need to stay here temporarily. Once their condition stabilizes completely, I’ll notify you to take them back.”

“For now, you should return to the nursery and check on things there. These two went berserk after the Blood Rain started, so the other cubs might have similar issues.”

While no alarms had been raised, it wasn’t a possibility to dismiss.

“Oh.”

Su Ci nodded. The nursery only had Caretaker Robot 4586 on hand. If all five remaining cubs went berserk at once…

It didn’t bode well.

However, before leaving, Su Ci glanced at Dr. Gu and then at the two berserk cubs on the beds. He asked, “You’ll be okay?”

Despite his purification ability, Gu Qingchen didn’t exude a particularly strong presence. Su Ci still needed to consult him for planting-related information, so he didn’t want anything to happen to him.

Gu Qingchen blinked, slightly taken aback by the novice caretaker’s concern.

He was a doctor, sure, but wasn’t he clearly stronger than Su Ci?

“Don’t worry,” Gu Qingchen said with a touch of pride. “I have way more experience handling berserk cubs than you do. You should focus on the situation at the nursery instead. Consider whether you need an operations team to accompany you back.”

Seeing Gu Qingchen’s confidence, Su Ci nodded. “Alright.”

Gu Qingchen watched him leave before turning back to the hospital beds. Number Two was still roaring angrily, while Number Four seemed to have calmed down somewhat. He walked over to check on the latter’s condition.

But just as he approached, the child’s half-closed eyes snapped open, fixing on him.

Number Four’s pupils had changed to an eerie green at some point.

A ghostly green light flickered in the depths of his gaze, and the scattered debris, furniture, and broken equipment around the treatment room suddenly rose into the air, hurtling toward Gu Qingchen at high speed!

Su Ci, now in the hallway, paused mid-step. He turned his head and looked back toward the treatment room.