IRCDM Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Brewing Tea, We’re Not That Poor Yet

East Fifth District, Dawn Laboratory Headquarters.

“Zhou Suiyu?” The researcher in uniform glanced at the information on the chip, then looked at the unfamiliar young man in front of him. “You’re the one Director Yang recommended?”

“Yes.” Zhou Suiyu nodded nervously.

The person receiving his information was a short-haired woman in her thirties, of medium height, with a stern expression. Her name tag read: Senior Researcher, Wei Ning.

“Don’t be nervous. Your information has already been approved. We’re just going through the formalities. Come with me.” Wei Ning walked ahead with his information. “Are you acquainted with Director Yang?”

“Yes, Yang Chang is my cousin.” Zhou Suiyu said according to the pre-arranged script, “I used to be a researcher in an underground laboratory in the Eastern Third District.”

“The Third District branch isn’t bad, it’s just that being underground is a bit inconvenient.” Wei Ning led him through a long corridor.

Zhou Suiyu looked at the laboratories, but the exteriors were all made of special white steel, blocking the view and preventing any sound from escaping. He replied, “Yes, the laboratory is built under a garbage dump.”

As he was talking to Wei Ning, he saw someone coming out of the elevator ahead. A thin, pale man was sitting in a wheelchair, followed by a group of senior researchers. Noticing them, the man looked up.

“That’s the new first-class researcher, recommended by Yang Chang. His level is decent. He was in the underground of the Third District. The Dawn Star Gene we obtained earlier was sent by him.” Someone whispered.

Chuan Wu glanced at them indifferently, showing no interest. He lowered his head to look at the information on the chip.

“The No. 1 sample in Group Two fluctuated again two days ago. This time the duration was longer, but unfortunately, we still couldn’t pinpoint its location… The environment it’s in should be outdoors, full of high mental energy sources…”

Chuan Wu frowned: “Don’t make excuses.”

“Yes… we will do our best.”

Chuan Wu said: “Five years ago, his mental energy source fluctuated so frequently, and we still failed. If he slips away again this time, you don’t need to stay at the headquarters.”

The group of senior researchers behind him exchanged glances, following closely behind the wheelchair and entering the laboratory next to them.

Zhou Suiyu perked up his ears and entered the elevator, cautiously asking, “Sister Wei, who was that researcher just now?”

“That’s Chuan Wu, the chief researcher of our Dawn Laboratory Headquarters. You should know that.” Wei Ning said.

“I’ve only heard the name, never seen him before.” Zhou Suiyu said with a dry laugh. “He seems to have trouble with his legs?”

“Chuan Wu has a congenital high mental power dysfunction. He’s much better now than before. When I first came to the laboratory, he couldn’t even sit in a wheelchair.” Wei Ning said, “The research group you’re joining happens to be related to high mental power dysfunction. Other than when he’s doing experiments, Chuan Wu is quite easy to talk to.”

Zhou Suiyu nodded. A black shadow flashed past the transparent elevator.

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Outside, there was only the steel skeleton of the elevator, nothing else.

“What’s wrong?” Wei Ning asked.

Zhou Suiyu shook his head: “Nothing, I might have seen things.”

He thought he saw someone running past outside, but this was a building hundreds of meters high. It was impossible.

Doubletap squatted on the emergency brake of the elevator outside, sniffing the air carefully with both hands and feet.

That familiar scent was very faint, mixed with all kinds of messy smells. He had been observing the elevator all the way, but because of the special material of the elevator, he wasn’t sure if the cripple in the wheelchair was the “father” he was looking for.

Skinny and weak, not his type at all, blind in one eye, not even as good as Cen Weng – Doubletap sighed heavily, raised the chip on his wrist, and looked at the various dynamic holographic images on the chip. Whether it was Lu Lian or Pei Zhong, even that transparent heteromorph was better looking than this cripple.

He dejectedly opened the program. The gentle voice of the host came from the chip: 【…Children cannot choose their parents. The lack of childhood emotions is the pain of the original family and will accompany us throughout our lives… Okay, let’s connect to the next audience member. This lucky audience member’s nickname is – uh, ‘Heavy Artillery Bombs Everyone to Death.’ What would you like to ask?】

Doubletap sighed: “I was sold by my dad when I was little. Now that I’ve found him, I don’t like the way he looks. Should I force myself to like him?”

“Uh…” The host paused for a moment with an awkward silence. “Are you saying your father abandoned you when you were very young? It’s normal that you don’t like him.”

Doubletap looked at the height below his feet and knocked on the railing a little irritably: “Then should I ease relations with him and repair childhood trauma, or just take him away and lock him up – never mind, I don’t think he’d be very comfortable to sleep with.”

The host said with a dry laugh, “Sir, do you mean you want to live with your father?”

Doubletap hung up the call, directly blacklisting the program, and jumped down from the high altitude.

The red dot on the screen fell rapidly, finally stopping in mid-air, and quietly slipped into the Dawn Laboratory building.

Lu Lian withdrew his gaze from the screen and turned to look at Liang Huan: “The uncontrollability of the mutated species is too high. Doubletap has entered the Dawn Laboratory Headquarters, and the consequences are unpredictable. Deputy District Chief Liang, I would like to know your reasons for doing this.”

“The Eastern Third District Administrative Court currently has no cooperation with the Dawn Laboratory.” Liang Huan said concisely, “It’s better to leave the trouble to Yi Yuan.”

Lu Lian looked at him with a hint of inquiry: “Yi Yuan?”

“I heard that Yi Yuan and Chuan Wu have maintained a cooperative relationship.” Liang Huan looked at Doubletap’s movement trajectory on the screen, which was clearly faster than that of ordinary people. “And Mr. Yi seems to have some friction with Qi Mingjing. I believe Commander Lu is happy to see this happen.”

Qi Mingjing was Lu Lian’s direct superior. Unlike Yi Yuan, who had been mired in the Dawn Project’s cloud of suspicion, he was one of the real power holders of the Eastern District Base, but he was usually very low-key, and there was very little information that could be found on the chip.

Lu Lian stared at Liang Huan: “How did you know?”

“The Administrative Court and the Military Department are only relatively independent. We’re all eating from the same pot.” Liang Huan smiled. “Commander Lu, I’m just mentioning it casually. You don’t need to be nervous. Throwing the trouble to Yi Yuan can also solve the hidden danger of the mutated species. Commander Qi must be very happy.”

Lu Lian said, “Then who is your direct superior?”

Liang Huan twisted open the thermos cup, blew on it, and sighed faintly: “I also want a superior to support me, so that I wouldn’t almost have my nest overturned by a mutated species. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned. I’m just a small deputy district chief in the Eastern Third District, and I’m carrying hundreds of billions of debts from the Military Department and the First and Second Districts. I even have to ask the Military Department for help with tracking technology.”

“Lu Lian, you don’t know the cost of living until you’re in charge. You don’t know how difficult it is for us in the Eastern Third District.” Liang Huan took a sip of health tea.

Lu Lian: “…You’re being modest.”

Liang Huan smiled and said, “This time, the Third District Administrative Court is cooperating with Commander Qi. It’s our only way out.”

Lu Lian’s face changed: “What cooperation?”

“Capturing the mutated species in the laboratory.” Liang Huan avoided the important and dwelt on the trivial, stood up and said, “What else could it be?”

“The matter of the mutated species only represents me personally, not Commander Qi, let alone the Military Department.” Lu Lian said solemnly, “District Chief Liang, I hope you understand.”

Liang Huan smiled: “Then, setting up an ambush in the Wutong Apartment in the Fifth District, almost killing the Dawn Star, also only represents you personally?”

Lu Lian said calmly: “District Chief Liang, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Understanding or not doesn’t matter, what’s important is Chuan Wu and the Dawn Laboratory.” Liang Huan gave him a meaningful look, got up and left the room.

In Liao Yuan’s office, Li Yao was arguing with You Zhao Chen about the correct way to use the chip analyzer, and Pei Zhong was listening attentively.

When Liao Yuan saw Liang Huan, it was as if he had seen a savior: “You came just in time, quickly make them return this precious thing – while it can still be used, we can’t afford 30 million Dawn Coins.”

“It’s okay, Ms. Ling borrowed 100 million Dawn Coins from the Dawn Bank on behalf of the Third District Administrative Court yesterday.” Liang Huan said.

Liao Yuan’s eyes lit up: “Really?”

“After dividing it up this morning, we’re still short of 30 million.” Liang Huan said with a smile, “Selling this machine would be just enough.”

You Zhao Chen hugged the analyzer: “Don’t even think about it. If you dare to lay your hands on it, I’ll jump off the Administrative Court building!”

Li Yao knocked on the outer shell and recalled the core chip installed in the Qianlong’s internal control room, saying solemnly: “That’s right, we must have a sense of integrity. We haven’t become so poor that we have to sell machines to make a living.”

Liang Huan sighed: “Does anyone have connections to the Military Department? We need a large number of Condensed Coins now.”

Liao Yuan was mumbling to himself in a trance next to him: “100 million Dawn Coins ah, that’s 100 million Dawn Coins, how did it all disappear overnight?”

“Let’s go on a mission quickly.” You Zhao Chen said weakly, “Since joining the mercenary base, I’ve never been this poor.”

“You’ll get used to it.” Li Yao put his arm around his shoulder in a friendly manner and looked at Liang Huan: “I know a few old friends in the First Prison, do you want me to give it a try?”

Liang Huan’s gaze swept over his arm and he smiled: “No need, we’re not that poor yet.”

You Zhao Chen was still studying the analyzer, and nudged Li Yao casually: “I still think something is wrong here. The running speed has obviously slowed down…”

Pei Zhong was calculating something, and nodded when he heard this.

Li Yao pretended to lie down and look at it with him, saying seriously: “I specialize in this. There’s absolutely no problem. If we’re brothers, trust me.”

Liang Huan lowered his eyes and caught a glimpse of the dragon tail flashing inside the combat uniform. Li Yao had one hand on You Zhao Chen’s shoulder and the other behind his back, twirling the repair knife in all kinds of ways. He was talking nonsense, and You Zhao Chen was already nodding repeatedly.

“Li Yao.” He twisted the lid on his cup.

Li Yao turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows.

“There’s an unused chip analyzer in the Black Market warehouse.” Liang Huan watched Li Yao straighten up and walk towards him with ill intentions, preparing to put his hand on his shoulder. He put the cup into Li Yao’s hand at an unhurried pace. “If you have time, you can move it over to study.”

“Thanks.” Li Yao looked at the cup in his hand suspiciously, decisively switched to his other hand to put it on Liang Huan’s shoulder, and was led out in his direction. “What’s in your cup that smells so good?”

Liang Huan led him out the door and said slowly: “Special grade heteromorph brain marrow.”