Chapter 75
In front of the research institute’s gate, when Number Five threw herself at him, Number Four instinctively caught her. Feeling the familiar warmth in his arms, he touched the lion ears atop her head, still unable to believe it.
“Little sister…”
He stood in a daze. He had thought he was being taken to endure something horrifying, planning all the while for a chance to escape. Yet, here he was, face-to-face with the one person he cared about most.
“How are you here? Don’t tell me…”
A sudden thought struck him, and he whipped his head around to glare at Ren Yufei. His amber-brown eyes flared with fury. “You didn’t keep your promise!”
He had agreed to cooperate with the experiments on the condition that Number Five would stay in the rearing facility. And yet, on the very next day, Ren Yufei had apparently colluded with the caretaker to bring her here!
Rage consumed him. His eyes instantly shifted to beast-like pupils as a low, menacing growl escaped his throat. Without hesitation, he entered a berserk state and lunged at Ren Yufei.
Ren Yufei had been scrutinizing Su Ci, noting how this new caretaker differed from his expectations. However, before he could utter a word, the boy’s furious roar interrupted him. The lion cub pushed Number Five aside and charged directly at him.
Panicked, Ren Yufei stumbled backward. Luckily, he had brought a sufficient number of guards. Always on alert around Number Four, they immediately stepped forward and instinctively fired their weapons at the berserk lion-eared boy.
Yet, inexplicably, their guns malfunctioned. No matter how many times they pulled the trigger, nothing happened!
In the split second it took for the guards to realize this, Number Four had already darted past the first few defenders with agile movements. Leaping high into the air, he continued his ferocious charge at Ren Yufei.
The remaining guards scrambled to shield Ren Yufei, but mid-air, the boy’s amber-brown eyes suddenly turned an eerie shade of green.
A flash of emerald light appeared in his gaze, and an invisible force violently shoved the guards away from Ren Yufei, clearing the path entirely.
With no one left in his way, the lion-eared boy surged forward with unstoppable momentum. In the blink of an eye, he was upon Ren Yufei, tackling him to the ground.
Ren Yufei had no time to react. His glasses reflected the boy’s feral and violent expression before a fist smashed into them, shattering the lenses. Jagged shards embedded themselves into his eye.
“Ahhh!” he screamed in agony.
But the boy wasn’t done. He raised his fist again and delivered another brutal punch. This one knocked out four of the teeth that Ren Yufei had painstakingly repaired the night before. Blood poured from his face and mouth, leaving him in a wretched, unrecognizable state.
“Dr. Ren!”
The guards rushed toward them, but Number Four had already seized Ren Yufei by the throat. With his sharp teeth bared, he leaned in, poised to sink them into the man’s vulnerable neck.
It was clear that the boy wasn’t holding back. This time, Ren Yufei couldn’t escape or rely on threats to Number Five’s safety to save himself.
Nearby, Number Five, who had been pushed aside, stood frozen in fear.
“Brother!”
She was torn—worried for her brother’s safety yet exhilarated by his fierce display. Clearly, these bad people had hurt her brother, which was why he was so enraged.
Especially the man her brother was targeting—he must be the worst of them all!
Standing beside Su Ci, Lang Ze had initially been surprised when Number Four was brought out, exactly as Su Ci had said. He found it hard to believe the guards had handed over Number Four so easily.
Lang Ze couldn’t help but think about the “assignment” the caretaker had given him earlier. Then this chaotic scene unfolded before his eyes.
The boy’s excitement boiled over as he clapped and cheered.
“Number Four is amazing! He dodged all those guards and took down the target!”
He was itching to join the action, but when Su Ci’s gaze swept over him, his body stiffened. Reluctantly, he pulled back his foot, staying in place and resorting to shouting encouragement instead.
When the guards realized their guns wouldn’t fire, they abandoned their weapons and rushed to pull Number Four away. The boy’s teeth had already broken Ren Yufei’s skin, and he was just inches away from tearing through his windpipe.
Su Ci sighed inwardly, his black eyes flashing briefly with a golden light.
Number Four suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. Unable to complete his attack, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
With the boy unconscious, the guards were finally able to pull him off Ren Yufei.
This time, Lang Ze couldn’t hold back any longer. He ran over to help Number Five catch the blood-smeared Number Four.
“Doctor! Dr. Ren!”
Ren Yufei lay on the ground, unconscious and covered in blood. His carefully tidied attire was now soaked with red, his face a gruesome sight.
The guards wasted no time. Along with the assistant researcher, they hoisted Ren Yufei up and rushed him to emergency care.
The squad leader remained behind. He glanced at the unconscious Number Four and then at Su Ci, who had stepped forward to examine the boy. His expression was dark.
“So, you’re just going to take him back like this?” the squad leader asked in a low, grim tone.
Su Ci raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. “Oh? Were you planning to keep him here instead?”
The squad leader was momentarily at a loss for words.
After such a serious incident, how could he even consider keeping this little monster around? The boy had overpowered more than ten guards, and the mysterious force that pushed them away was clearly his ability.
The squad leader, experienced as he was, could tell this was no ordinary situation. The earlier malfunctioning of their guns was likely the boy’s doing too. Letting a high-ranking researcher be hospitalized two days in a row under his watch was already bad enough. If something similar happened again, his position as squad leader would undoubtedly be on the line.
Moreover, Ren Yufei had personally handed the boy over. If the trainee caretaker took him away, the responsibility wouldn’t fall on him.
In the end, the squad leader ground his teeth and said, “Fine, take him. But any problems that come up are on you!”
“Understood,” Su Ci replied with a slight nod.
Lang Ze hoisted Number Four onto his back. Having witnessed the entire fight, he knew the blood wasn’t Number Four’s, so he wasn’t worried.
On the contrary, he thought Number Four was incredibly cool. Despite being younger than him, Number Four’s strength had earned his respect. Watching him exact vengeance before leaving only deepened Lang Ze’s admiration.
“I’m going to be strong like Number Four someday!” he thought with determination.
Number Five, on the other hand, furrowed her brow and looked anxiously at her unconscious brother. “Why did he faint?”
“Maybe he’s just tired,” Lang Ze speculated.
Such an intense outburst would certainly drain anyone, especially when the energy of their berserk state receded. That kind of exhaustion could make a person want to sleep for days.
A-Yan, standing to the side, observed the unconscious lion cub and then glanced at Su Ci. Tilting his head thoughtfully, he was about to speak when Su Ci’s hand reached over and covered his face.
A-Yan grinned and pulled the hand down, placing it on his head instead, eagerly inviting Su Ci to pat his furry ears.
His ears were growing so well—soft, fluffy, and smooth. Definitely no worse than Lang Ze’s!
But… A-Yan’s gaze shifted enviously to Lang Ze’s bushy tail. He regretted not manifesting a tail himself. Surely Su Ci would have liked it!
Su Ci ruffled A-Yan’s ears indulgently before leading the cubs away from the research institute’s gates and back to the hover bus station.
To Lang Ze and Number Five, the fact that they had successfully retrieved Number Four felt almost unreal.
When the hover bus arrived, Lang Ze finally realized something was off—Wait a second… If we just take Number Four back, does that mean this trip is already over?
His excitement deflated instantly. Reluctantly boarding the bus, he set Number Four down beside Number Five and slumped into a seat in the back row.
“Are we really going back already?” he muttered as the bus began to move. “We’ve barely been out for any time at all!”
He wanted to stay outside a little longer—opportunities like this were so rare! Ever since he had arrived here, he’d never had the chance to go out and enjoy himself like this.
Number Five pulled a small handkerchief from her cub uniform and gently wiped the blood off her brother’s face. Now that she had reunited with him and was taking him back, her tension had completely dissolved, and a rare smile of happiness appeared on her face.
Hearing Lang Ze’s complaint, she glanced out the window at the scenery.
It was the first time she truly understood what the world outside looked like. Although there were no flowers, the wide-open view gave her an indescribable feeling.
She couldn’t help but wonder what the world would look like if it were full of blooming flowers.
But when her eyes drifted to the caretaker, she hesitated. In the end, she didn’t dare to voice her wish to stay out longer. This so-called “demon caretaker” had helped her rescue her brother; for that, she was deeply grateful.
Su Ci said nothing, simply casting a glance at Number Four.
Almost as if on cue, the unconscious Number Four groaned and stirred awake.
The moment the boy opened his eyes, he sensed that something was off. His gaze was sharp with caution as he instinctively adopted a defensive posture. But when he noticed Number Five beside him, he froze.
“Brother, you’re awake!”
Number Five’s face lit up with delight as she leapt into his arms, her soft and sweet voice brimming with joy. She sounded impossibly adorable.
Number Four instinctively hugged her back, still a little dazed. “Where are we?”
Looking out at the receding scenery and the cabin containing only the four of them, the lion-eared boy’s confusion grew. Without sensing any immediate danger, the tension in his body began to dissipate.
“This is a hover car!” Number Five explained cheerfully.
After a brief moment of bewilderment, Number Four finally recalled the events before he lost consciousness. He asked warily, “Where are we going? Did they capture you too?”
Number Five shook her head. “No, Brother. We came to get you!”
“To get me?” His confusion deepened.
“Mm-hmm, to take you home.” The little girl nestled into her brother’s arms, as if it had been an eternity since she last saw him. Her voice was filled with affection. “Brother, I missed you so much…”
For once, a trace of warmth appeared on Number Four’s face.
He gently patted the top of her head and murmured, “I missed you too.”
Though he still didn’t fully understand what was happening, one thing was clear—both he and his sister were safe for now. Having her by his side was all that mattered to him.
He opened his mouth to ask more questions but was promptly silenced by Number Five’s small hand covering his mouth. She pointed to the row of seats on their right and made a shushing gesture.
The caretaker is sleeping. No talking.
She mouthed the words silently.
Number Four glanced over and saw the impossibly handsome young man seated there, his eyes closed as he napped. Even the usually noisy Lang Ze was sitting quietly in the row behind them.
When Number Four looked over, Lang Ze grinned at him but still didn’t utter a word.
This is way too weird…
Number Four withdrew his gaze, perplexed, and tried to piece together what was happening.
So, the man in the white coat who had taken him out wasn’t planning to do something bad to Number Five. Instead… Number Five and the caretaker had come to get him, and that was why he had been handed over?
It seemed unbelievable.
In Number Four’s world, the idea of a caretaker coming to save him simply didn’t exist. None of the caretakers before had ever left a lasting impression—most didn’t even last long enough for that.
He pondered for a moment, then lowered his head to engage in a silent exchange with Number Five. This was the kind of unspoken understanding shared only between siblings. Sometimes, a single glance was all it took for them to understand each other.
Number Four gestured toward Su Ci and asked Number Five with his eyes: Did he bring you to save me?
Number Five nodded.
After some back-and-forth, Number Four finally accepted this as reality. However, Number Five had no idea how the caretaker had managed to convince the bad people to release him.
Apparently, that was part of Lang Ze’s “assignment.”
Though he had almost killed that Dr. Ren in a misunderstanding before leaving, Number Four felt no guilt about it.
He rubbed the furry lion ears atop Number Five’s head. The little girl, nestled in his arms, finally let go of her worries. Without realizing it, she fell asleep. The past few days of constant fear, restless nights, and crying had left her utterly exhausted.
Holding his sister close, Number Four still had countless questions running through his mind, but he chose not to disturb her.
As the hover bus glided smoothly along, he sat there breathing in the fresh air, savoring the rare tranquility. It was an experience he could hardly recall ever having before.
Finally, the hover bus arrived at the nursery facility stop, and Su Ci led the children off the bus.
Originally, he had planned to stop by the cultivation center, but considering the mountain of tasks waiting for him back at the nursery facility, he decided to postpone the visit.
After all, the little garlic sprout had both his blessings and Zhuang Shisong’s meticulous care—it shouldn’t encounter any issues.
Just as Su Ci stepped off the bus, a communication request from Gu Qingshen came through.
Su Ci had a good idea of the reason. Sure enough, as soon as he answered, Gu Qingshen asked, “Su Ci, did you bring Number Four back to the nursery facility?”
The man’s face looked pale, likely from lack of sleep, but he wore a faint smile.
Su Ci nodded slightly. “Just got back.”
“That’s a relief…” Gu Qingshen let out a sigh of relief.
He had learned the news quickly because the AI had just issued him a penalty for his violation—allowing the research institute to take a juvenile without the caretaker’s permission.
Fortunately, since his infraction was relatively minor and he had repeatedly urged Ren Yufei to return the juvenile to the nursery facility promptly, the AI had only deducted three months of his points and issued a single demerit.
Gu Qingshen accepted the punishment cheerfully. At the same time, he realized something was amiss. After contacting the research institute, he learned that Su Ci had brought Number Four back and, before leaving, Number Four had beaten Ren Yufei within an inch of his life.
Thanks to timely medical intervention, Ren Yufei’s life wasn’t in danger, though he undoubtedly suffered greatly. Gu Qingshen felt no sympathy—he believed the man deserved it.
After discussing the juveniles, Gu Qingshen shifted the topic to last night’s events.
“Was everything okay at the nursery facility?”
“No issues.”
Su Ci’s answer was so calm and flat that Gu Qingshen couldn’t discern anything unusual. He nodded, sighing with relief.
“Blood-red frost is one of the most dangerous extreme weather events. We were worried the entire night, but it turned out to be surprisingly peaceful. No damaged buildings, no injuries… It’s really a stroke of luck!”
Seeing that Su Ci had successfully glossed over the matter, he prepared to end the call. However, Gu Qingshen leaned in with a mysterious grin.
“By the way, there’s some promising news from the cultivation center.”
Su Ci raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.
Seeing no reaction, Gu Qingshen continued, “It’s about that little garlic sprout we found together.”
“Last night, despite the blood-red frost and the recent blood rain, guess what? The cultivation center didn’t experience a single monster attack, and the pollution levels didn’t rise!”
His tone was filled with excitement.
This had never happened before.
Normally, extreme weather brought with it the blood mist, significantly increasing airborne pollution levels—devastating for crops.
But last night, the pollution levels in the cultivation center’s air remained stable. Even more incredible, in the vicinity of the garlic sprout, not a trace of pollution could be detected.
The cultivation center staff were overjoyed. Early that morning, Zhuang Shisong eagerly shared the good news with him.
“Sure, the whole place now reeks of garlic,” Gu Qingshen said, “but compared to securing crop yields? Who cares about a little garlic smell?
“If we can grow more garlic bulbs from this sprout and propagate new seedlings, the entire base might one day be filled with the smell of garlic.
“But as long as it helps protect lives, what’s a little garlic odor?”
Listening to Gu Qingshen’s optimistic musings about the future, Su Ci’s lips twitched slightly. He was immensely glad he hadn’t visited the cultivation center earlier.
While he didn’t mind garlic, he had no desire to walk around reeking of it.
After ending the call, Su Ci considered something and asked the base AI, “You punished Gu Qingshen?”
The AI’s response appeared on the light screen before him: [Yes.]
“Why not earlier?”
[Unless a base member’s actions pose a severe threat to personal safety, the base AI only has the authority to monitor and record, not to make independent decisions.]
For example, last night’s behavior by Luo Shengfei, which endangered the juveniles’ lives, warranted direct action from the AI, leading to his immediate suspension and investigation.
In contrast, although the research institute had taken Number Four, they hadn’t conducted experiments endangering his life. During the conflict, Ren Yufei hadn’t instructed the guards to harm Number Four. Hence, the base AI was limited to observation and record-keeping—until today.
Perhaps this was why Ren Yufei had always been so confident. He had skirted the edge of the rules, never quite crossing the line, leaving the base AI powerless to act against him.
But once Su Ci had obtained the highest level of authority, everything changed. As the ultimate decision-maker, he could direct the AI to act according to his will.
Thus, the base AI was now empowered to punish those responsible within its scope of jurisdiction.
After hearing the AI’s explanation, Su Ci nodded thoughtfully.
The AI’s capabilities were immense, almost indistinguishable from true sentience. Yet, as a creation of humanity, it remained bound by human-imposed limitations. Perhaps one day in the future, it might find a way to break free of these constraints.
And then… what would it become?
Su Ci shrugged, letting the thought fade. All things had their destined paths; there was no need to overthink it.
He shut off the communicator and made his way into the nursery facility.
Lang Ze wore an expression of deep disappointment. His bushy tail dragged behind him, and his pointed ears drooped low.
He cast lingering glances at the world outside the facility, turning back every few steps as he followed Su Ci inside. The boundless energy he’d displayed when rushing out earlier was now completely gone. His pace back was as slow as it could get.
Number Four walked alongside, carrying a sleeping Number Five in his arms. He noticed Lang Ze’s behavior and looked puzzled.
From what he knew about Lang Ze, getting this guy to behave obediently was next to impossible. The more someone told him not to do something, the more determined he became to do it—unless he was punished or faced real consequences.
Now it was obvious to anyone that Lang Ze didn’t want to go back to the nursery facility.
But what baffled Number Four was that, despite his reluctance, Lang Ze wasn’t trying to sneak off or even protesting aloud. The new caretaker hadn’t said a single word to him either.
It was as if some invisible leash kept Lang Ze tethered, guiding him to follow quietly behind Su Ci.
What’s going on here?
Number Four felt confused. In the few days he’d been away, it seemed like the world had changed dramatically.
This didn’t seem like the right time to delve into it, though, so he kept his questions to himself. Still, he began to suspect there was more to this seemingly frail caretaker than met the eye.
I’ll have to observe him closely before jumping to conclusions, Number Four decided.
The group entered the nursery facility’s gates.
As soon as they stepped into the elevator, Lang Ze’s energy sprang back to life.
“I’m going to the activity room!” he declared excitedly.
Lang Ze couldn’t wait to get to the activity room and share his first real outing with Xing Xing and the others. Of course, he hadn’t forgotten the “assignment” Su Ci had left him. After all, it determined whether he could continue learning the flute.
Though he’d racked his brain throughout the journey back, he still couldn’t figure out what method the caretaker had used to retrieve Number Four.
Well, if I can’t figure it out on my own…
He grinned to himself. I’ll just ask my new friends for help!
Lu Jiao was always clever; maybe he would come up with the answer?
“Go ahead,” Su Ci said, neither stopping him nor offering to accompany him.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Lang Ze bounded out with enthusiasm.
Number Four stood behind Su Ci, still holding his sister, watching the elevator doors close. He couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you worried Number Eight will run off somewhere else?”
If it had been any of the previous caretakers, they would’ve followed closely the entire time. If they couldn’t accompany the juveniles personally, they’d at least have a caretaker robot shadowing them. No one would feel safe letting them roam unsupervised.
Su Ci pressed the button for the fourth floor and replied, “He won’t.”
Number Four’s lips parted slightly. He wanted to ask why Su Ci was so sure—why he trusted Number Eight so much?
But in the end, he swallowed his questions. When the elevator doors opened again, he suppressed his exhaustion and turned to Su Ci. “Thank you.”
After that, the small boy, steps a little unsteady, carried Number Five into the hallway.
Though he had always thought he had little attachment to the rearing facility, the closer he got to his and Number Five’s room, the more at ease he felt.
It was almost like… finally coming home.
That sense of relaxation only made his fatigue more overwhelming.
But Number Four forced himself to stay awake until he reached their room, gently placed his sister onto her small bed, and pulled the blanket up over her. Only then did he return to his long-missed bed and collapse onto it.
In the hallway, Su Ci withdrew his spiritual sense.
He glanced at the ever-present A-Yan by his side, reaching out to ruffle his hair. With a soft chuckle, he asked, “Want to go plant some crops, or… visit the big cat?”
