Chapter 80
Caught sneaking out, Lang Ze panicked, dragging his two companions into an immediate retreat.
However, their pursuer was none other than the caretaker who had single-handedly vanquished a giant monster. How could they escape so easily?
After running more than a hundred meters and rounding a corner to the front of the nursery building, Lang Ze glanced back, relieved to see that the caretaker hadn’t followed them.
But then—
The scenery around them suddenly shifted. The two running children realized the environment had changed!
And, far more terrifying…
When they turned back, the caretaker, who was supposed to be behind them, was now standing directly in front of them! If they kept running, they’d crash into him head-on!
Lang Ze skidded to a halt, and Lu Jiao quickly slowed down. But—
“Thud!”
Both of them stopped just in time, yet Lang Ze still managed to tumble face-first into the ground. Lu Jiao, unable to stop in time, tripped and landed on top of him like a stack of building blocks.
Lang Ze, squashed at the bottom, let out a pained wail.
Lu Jiao scrambled to his feet immediately, and thanks to Lang Ze shielding him, Zheng Xing wasn’t hurt.
Though his pale face reflected his fright, Zheng Xing anxiously got up and reached a small hand toward Lang Ze. “Lang… Lang Ze…”
“I’m fine! I’m fine!”
Lang Ze pulled his face out of the dirt.
The soft, damp soil wasn’t as unforgiving as the metal floor. Thanks to his tough skin, even after rolling in the dirt, he didn’t have a single scratch.
Although he looked disheveled and muddy, Lang Ze still grasped Zheng Xing’s hand, reassuring him, “I’m okay…”
But when he raised his head and met the caretaker’s cold, expressionless stare, his words caught in his throat.
Almost instinctively, Lang Ze stepped in front of his two companions, shielding them as he stood tall. “It was my idea to bring them out to play! This has nothing to do with Xing Xing or Youyou! If you want to punish someone, punish me!”
The boy stuck out his neck defiantly. But as he finished speaking, the previously cheerful and lively wolf pup suddenly displayed a feral aggression.
Yet beneath this aggression lay a deeply rooted fear.
It was as if some traumatic memory had been triggered by the familiar scenario, forcing his defensive instincts to the surface.
Both Zheng Xing and Lu Jiao noticed something was wrong with him.
Although Lu Jiao believed the caretaker wasn’t someone who liked to resort to violence, he still mustered the courage to step forward despite his fear. “N-No… it’s not like that! I… I wanted to come out on my own…”
Zheng Xing said nothing, but he clung tightly to the wolf pup’s arm, a determined expression crossing his usually stoic face for the first time.
Su Ci looked at the three children in front of him, then slowly extended his hand.
The wolf pup’s eyes reddened. As Su Ci’s hand approached, Lang Ze bared his teeth in a show of bravado but didn’t dare move. In the end, he could only watch as…
That elegant, unblemished hand flicked his forehead.
“Ouch!”
Lang Ze immediately clutched his head.
The slight pain snapped him back to reality. As he stared at the young man in front of him, the hatred and ferocity in his gaze faded, replaced by confusion.
Rubbing the spot where he’d been flicked, Lang Ze realized it hurt a little, but compared to the beatings he’d suffered in the past, this was nothing.
Bit by bit, Lang Ze emerged from the fog of his past memories—oh, right, he was in the nursery now. He was Lang Ze, not the pitiful little dog once chained up in a cage…
Looking up at the young man in front of him, he blinked, shoving those unpleasant memories aside. Then he broke into a sheepish, ingratiating grin.
“Su Su…”
The boy’s childish voice, now devoid of any aggression, was soft and tinged with a hint of coquettishness.
Su Ci raised an eyebrow slightly.
He had no intention of reprimanding the children. After all, he had tacitly allowed them to come out. As for Lang Ze’s earlier reaction… Su Ci glanced at the spider leg in his hand.
The giant spider’s shell hadn’t been purified. While the lingering malice it carried didn’t affect him, its concentration was still a bit too high for the young ones.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a serious issue.
Turning his gaze back to Lang Ze’s dirty face, Su Ci frowned slightly, showing a hint of distaste. “Go wash your face first.”
“Got it!”
Lang Ze responded immediately. Grabbing the still-dazed Zheng Xing, he dashed off toward the pool.
Lu Jiao trailed behind hesitantly. He glanced at the caretaker, then at his two companions, but ultimately remained where he was, lowering his head guiltily.
Even though the caretaker hadn’t scolded them, Lu Jiao couldn’t shake his sense of guilt.
They had, after all, done something wrong by sneaking out of the dining hall…
The door being unlocked might have been a malfunction, but that didn’t give them an excuse to run off like that.
When Lang Ze had suggested going out, he should have stopped him. How could I have been so irresponsible?
Would Su Su start to dislike him for being so disobedient?
As these thoughts swirled in Lu Jiao’s mind, tears began to well up in his eyes.
After witnessing the caretaker’s true strength last night, Lu Jiao’s feelings for Su Ci had evolved. Beyond reverence, there was now admiration. In his eyes, Su Ci had completely redefined what it meant to be powerful.
It turned out not all strong individuals showed their strength outwardly. It turned out that even the strong could be so gentle to someone as weak as him…
What had initially been a desire to form an alliance with the caretaker had transformed into a longing to earn his approval.
But now, it felt like he had ruined everything before he even had the chance to try. Realizing this, Lu Jiao’s fragile composure shattered entirely.
“I’m sorry… I know I was wrong…”
The boy’s voice quivered with suppressed sobs as he bowed his head low. His small deer-like ears, hidden among his silver-white hair, drooped limply, making him look utterly dejected.
Su Ci looked at him and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Lu Jiao was sharp and intuitive, already showing great intelligence for his age. However, he also tended to overthink things, unlike the carefree Lang Ze, who rarely troubled himself with such concerns.
After a moment of thought, Su Ci said, “You don’t need to apologize.”
Hearing this, the boy, who had been wallowing in sadness, froze.
He lifted his head and saw the caretaker’s hand descending toward him. Startled, he stayed still, watching as the warm palm landed on his head and gently ruffled his hair.
The affectionate gesture dispelled all his unease.
Then, he heard the caretaker say, “From today onward, you are free to go anywhere in the nursery.”
Lu Jiao couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
He stared blankly at Su Ci as the caretaker continued, “You can leave your room as you please, visit other children’s rooms, go to the activity room, or play outside.”
“As long as you don’t disturb others or damage anything, you can do whatever you want.”
Pausing briefly, Su Ci added, “Of course, this is only allowed during the daytime.”
Though the final restriction was imposed, it didn’t dampen the impact of Su Ci’s words. Each sentence left Lu Jiao more stunned.
When he finally processed it all, he asked dumbly, “Really… we can?”
Could they truly go wherever they wanted, no longer confined to their rooms, no longer monitored wherever they went? Could they really play freely wherever they liked?
Such freedom was beyond Lu Jiao’s wildest imagination.
Su Ci nodded lightly.
Thinking of Yan Ping and Gu Qingshen, he hesitated briefly but decided to explain, “The restrictions on your freedom before were a form of protection.”
This measure had been out of necessity. The young ones’ frequency of berserk episodes was pushing the limits of Base 24’s capacity. Confining them to their rooms reduced their potential for destruction and minimized harm to other children and base personnel.
But just because it was necessary didn’t mean it was right.
Being in a closed-off environment for extended periods wasn’t conducive to the young ones’ development. Over time, it would only lead to outcomes similar to what happened with Number Two.
These young ones needed guidance and support, something that was hardly an effort for Su Ci.
“Now, that’s no longer necessary,” Su Ci said.
Lu Jiao looked at him blankly and asked, “Why?”
“Because…”
Su Ci’s lips curved into a faint smile as he spoke softly, “I’m here.”
Staring at the caretaker’s smiling face, Lu Jiao already knew the answer in his heart. But hearing it expressed as a “promise” still left him deeply moved.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to say.
Everything he might say felt too pale, too insufficient to convey the depth of his emotions. His limited vocabulary couldn’t capture his current feelings.
Still, as he gazed at the caretaker standing in front of him, a new sense of confidence—something he had never experienced since gaining self-awareness—was planted like a seed deep in his heart.
While Su Ci spoke with Lu Jiao, Lang Ze had already led Zheng Xing to the pools.
When Su Ci told him to wash his face, Lang Ze had understood that the caretaker wasn’t angry. With that worry lifted, his eyes began darting around curiously.
What immediately caught his attention were the two large pools before him.
Each pool was about ten meters wide, with seemingly bottomless depths. Within them floated translucent, gelatinous masses. The pool walls were etched with intricate patterns that glowed intermittently with light.
The faint red glow he had noticed earlier seemed to be emanating from these patterns.
The pools were brimming with water, their surfaces glimmering under the sunlight, creating an almost mesmerizing effect. With the sunlight reflecting on the water, the pools no longer seemed so eerie.
“Xing Xing, there are two pools here. Stay close to me and don’t wander off, or you might fall in,” Lang Ze said protectively, mindful of Zheng Xing’s blindness. “Do you know how to swim? You’re like a cat, right? Cats probably don’t know how to swim, do they?”
Zheng Xing quietly listened, his small hand tightly clutching Lang Ze’s clothing.
He, too, could tell that the caretaker wasn’t angry, so his tension had eased. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder about Lang Ze’s earlier reaction.
Would sneaking out really get them punished?
For Zheng Xing, who had grown up in the nursery and never experienced the harsher realities of the outside world, this was something hard to comprehend. A sense of curiosity brewed within him.
However, he didn’t voice his questions.
Lang Ze himself wasn’t sure why he had reacted so strongly earlier. After the caretaker had flicked his forehead, the haze in his mind had cleared. Now, he’d already forgotten all about it.
Trusting the caretaker instinctively, Lang Ze crouched down beside the pool, ready to scoop up some water to wash his face.
A-Yan, who had been standing silently nearby and watching them, finally couldn’t hold back when he saw Lang Ze reaching toward the pool.
“Wait a moment.”
The calm, gentle voice of a young boy emanated from the communicator.
“Who’s there?”
Lang Ze froze at the sudden voice. Startled, he paused his movement and looked around, but seeing no one, he moved closer to Zheng Xing, puzzled.
“Xing Xing, did you hear someone just now?” he whispered.
Zheng Xing nodded. “Mm.”
Although he couldn’t see, his hearing was incredibly sharp. He had not only heard the voice but also roughly discerned its direction. However…
“Can’t you see them?” Zheng Xing asked softly.
“No, there’s no one here…”
The usually fearless Lang Ze glanced at the empty dirt ground around them and then at the pools glowing faintly red. A shiver ran down his spine, and he started to feel a little spooked.
Still, he didn’t do what A-Yan might have expected—he didn’t turn tail and run.
“Are you… are you a ghost?” The wolf pup looked in A-Yan’s direction and asked cautiously.
Seeing Lang Ze trying to act brave despite clearly being scared, A-Yan tilted his head slightly. The direct interaction was a novel experience for him.
He instinctively glanced at Su Ci.
Su Ci, who had been watching the whole time, naturally heard A-Yan speak. He showed no disapproval.
In fact, one of the reasons Su Ci had given A-Yan the communicator was precisely for this—to encourage him to engage with the other young ones. He believed that spending time with them would be beneficial for A-Yan.
Now, A-Yan had taken his first step.
Understanding Su Ci’s intentions, A-Yan steadied himself and typed into the communicator again.
“I’m Number One,” he said. “You can also call me A-Yan.”
Ever since Su Ci had introduced his name to Yan Ping, A-Yan realized Su Ci was encouraging him to establish connections with others in the base—of course, under safe conditions.
The three children who had suddenly appeared here were all ones Su Ci had named. To A-Yan, that meant they were trusted and liked by Su Ci.
Anything that Su Ci liked, A-Yan was willing to like too.
A-Yan continued, addressing Lang Ze, “The pollutant concentration in this pool water is very high. It’s best if you don’t touch it.”
That was why he had spoken up in the first place.
Both Lang Ze and Lu Jiao were stunned.
“Number One?”
“A-Yan?”
They stared at the seemingly empty space by the pool in disbelief. “So there really is a Number One!”
The existence of a nursery child no one had ever seen wasn’t exactly a secret.
So, after the initial shock, Lang Ze quickly accepted A-Yan’s presence.
“So your ability is invisibility, right?” Lang Ze asked, relying on his keen sense of smell to pinpoint A-Yan’s location almost without error.
At that moment, the three children—or rather, four—were gathered by the pool.
Not far from them, the caretaker had resumed his work, busy once again.
It wasn’t that Su Ci didn’t want the children to help, but the reality of the situation didn’t allow it.
Firstly, they weren’t strong enough. Secondly, the remains of the giant spider carried a heavy concentration of pollutants—something even an average adult would struggle to endure, let alone these young ones already burdened by their bloodline powers.
Earlier, just being near the spider’s remains had triggered Lang Ze’s aggressive instincts. If Su Ci allowed them to handle it, he’d likely have to waste more soul power calming them down.
All things considered, it wasn’t worth it.
Thus, the task of processing the spider meat had to be done by Su Ci alone.
Although they couldn’t help, Lang Ze and the others were reluctant to leave. They obediently sat in a row nearby.
Lang Ze’s previously dirty face was now clean, thanks to A-Yan, who had returned to the dorm to fetch a fresh bucket of water for him to use.
Naturally, when the bucket of water floated effortlessly in front of them, Lang Ze and Lu Jiao were left completely stunned.
Only Zheng Xing, who couldn’t see, remained calm and unaffected.
The three children sat in a row, with Lang Ze occasionally glancing toward where A-Yan’s presence was.
Though he couldn’t see him, he could smell A-Yan’s scent, spot the faint footprints in the dirt where A-Yan walked, and hear the faint rustling of fabric.
It was so fascinating!
After learning that A-Yan’s ability was invisibility, Lang Ze was practically dying of envy.
“That’s such an awesome ability!” he exclaimed in admiration. “A-Yan, can you show me what you look like?”
The existence of the mysterious Number One had always been a source of great curiosity among the young ones.
Still reeling from the shock, Lu Jiao couldn’t help but look over as well. His wide deer-like eyes sparkled, clearly not wanting to miss the opportunity.
As for Zheng Xing, he squatted beside Lang Ze, head lowered, running his small hands over the dirt. He seemed lost in wonder at the unfamiliar texture, once again fully immersed in his own little world.
Faced with two pairs of eager eyes, A-Yan could only deliver a merciless refusal.
“No.”
The truth was, he didn’t know how to make himself visible to others. For now, only Su Su could see him.
Perhaps once he mastered all the heavenly scripts and truly became stronger, he’d be able to manifest himself visibly.
Lang Ze was a bit disappointed but understood that it wasn’t something he could force.
After all, they had only just started talking today. Their relationship wasn’t that close yet. Once they became friends, there would surely be more chances in the future!
“Where do you usually live? Do you need to eat?” Lu Jiao, having opened up, asked curiously about Number One’s living arrangements and habits.
“I live with Su Su,” A-Yan replied.
This was the truth—he was indeed living with Su Ci now, with no intention of boasting.
However, upon hearing this, the two children couldn’t help but gasp in awe. Even Zheng Xing paused his dirt exploration, lifting his head to turn toward A-Yan.
Their eyes sparkled with amazement, and Lu Jiao’s face was full of envy.
“Then Su Su must really like you!” he said, his voice tinged with admiration.
Hearing this, A-Yan couldn’t help but smile. He suddenly found these three children incredibly endearing—no wonder Su Su had taken the time to name them.
“What do you like to do?” Lang Ze asked again.
“Writing, cooking, and farming,” A-Yan replied, counting off his fingers as he listed the activities he enjoyed, choosing a few at random.
“You can write?” Lu Jiao quickly followed up. “How many characters do you know?”
“Almost all of them, I think,” A-Yan answered.
With Lang Ze and the others nearby, he couldn’t focus on studying formations. Feeling a bit bored, he picked up a metal rod and began writing on the dirt.
He carefully wrote out the names of the three children one by one.
A-Yan’s handwriting was elegant. Even while writing on the uneven dirt, it was clear he had practiced a lot, his skill nearly on par with Su Ci’s.
Lang Ze couldn’t even remember how to write his own name, but Lu Jiao’s eyes widened with admiration as he stared at A-Yan’s handwriting. His initial envy slowly transformed into pure awe.
“Your writing is so beautiful… And you know so many characters! How did you manage that?” Lu Jiao, always quick to admire those with knowledge, was full of curiosity.
A-Yan thought for a moment and said, “When you’re my age, you’ll know this many characters too.”
He wasn’t sure how to explain it. He had simply picked it up after seeing a lot of writing.
None of the children questioned this explanation.
After all, as Number One in the nursery, A-Yan had likely been there far longer than Number Two and the others. It stood to reason he was older than them.
Plus, the voice A-Yan used—a slightly mature tone of someone around seventeen or eighteen—reinforced their impression of him as older and wiser. None of the children could have guessed that, in reality, A-Yan was younger than all of them.
While Lu Jiao was still marveling at A-Yan’s literacy, Lang Ze voiced another question.
“What about cooking and farming? What are those?”
Even the well-traveled Lang Ze couldn’t figure out what those words meant.
“Cooking means making delicious food,” A-Yan explained.
“Wow! Delicious food!”
At the mention of food, Lang Ze’s eyes lit up. “What kind of delicious food can you make?”
“A lot—grilled meat, stir-fried dishes…”
A-Yan listed the meals he’d made before. With each item he mentioned, Lang Ze’s eyes grew brighter.
“You’re amazing!”
Lang Ze stared at A-Yan, tempted to ask if he could make something for them to try. But A-Yan, seemingly unaware of his thoughts, maintained his big-brother demeanor and patiently answered their questions.
“As for farming…” A-Yan hesitated, then decided to send Su Ci a message for confirmation.
Su Ci, who was drowsily and methodically processing spider meat, glanced at the message. After skimming it, he yawned and gave a small nod in response.
With Su Ci’s approval, A-Yan said, “Come with me, I’ll show you the seedlings.”
He flashed over to the patch of land where the plants were growing. To get the three children’s attention, he deliberately caused a small commotion.
“Over here,” he said through the communicator.
When Lang Ze and Lu Jiao saw how A-Yan had seemingly appeared at the distant field in the blink of an eye, they exchanged astonished glances, clearly impressed.
So fast!
They both realized there was no way they could match that speed.
Lang Ze, who usually refused to accept anyone as better than him, now felt a tinge of admiration. This Number One… he was really strong! And he seemed to know so much too. No wonder Su Su liked him so much…
“Are you coming?” A-Yan’s voice rang out again.
“Coming!”
Lang Ze immediately responded, deciding to see what this “farming” was all about.
It must be something really fun! he thought as he eagerly started running over.
