Just as they were about to look for someone reliable who understood medicine, the person arrived.

Chi Yao didn’t stand on ceremony with her, taking her straight to the interrogation room where Li Bo was being held.

Chou Shuang wasn’t happy about it, dragging her feet and walking beside Jing Xi, asking all sorts of questions.

“I heard long ago that you two fought all day long. I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful. No wonder—”

Jing Xi remained expressionless: “No wonder?”

Chou Shuang chuckled mischievously, teasing: “No wonder Ah Yao enjoys it so much. Who doesn’t love a beauty?”

Jing Xi was half a head taller than her, looking down slightly.

“No wonder Chun Qin can’t forget you. Who doesn’t love a beauty?”

Chou Shuang’s expression stiffened. She looked around nervously and made a hush gesture.

“I give up, I give up. Please don’t mention her name.”

Chi Yao pulled Jing Xi away, putting distance between him and her.

“Didn’t you claim to be a top-tier alpha? Why are you so afraid of her?”

Chou Shuang gave him a look that said ‘what do you know’ and sneered: “You said it yourself, ‘claimed’.”

Chi Yao: “…”

What a coward.

Jing Xi: “…”

Arriving next to the interrogation room, they could see Li Bo locked inside through the one-way glass.

“There was one like this before too. I couldn’t feel any change in their scent; it was no different from a normal person.”

Chi Yao explained, “Is there any way you can find out how they hide their scent?”

Chou Shuang stood before the glass with her arms crossed, observing.

“There are only a few ways to hide one’s scent. It’s easy to roughly determine which one.”

Chi Yao: “Then I leave him to you.”

After saying that, he added worriedly, “Don’t play him to death.”

Chou Shuang looked at him in disbelief.

“I’m a soldier, after all. Is it appropriate for you to say that?”

Hearing the word “soldier”, Jing Xi unconsciously sized up her attire again.

No matter how he looked at it, only the last character fit.

Before Chi Yao could speak, Chou Shuang brushed aside the dreadlocks falling on her shoulder and said confidently: “At least he’ll have one breath left.”

“There’s one more thing.”

Chi Yao gestured for her to go out. “We found wild beasts fused with human genes on No. 333. Has the old man discussed this with you?”

Speaking of business, Chou Shuang’s expression became more serious.

“Nine times out of ten, it’s related to that organization. I came here to find some samples and understand the situation.”

“Chun Qin also wants you to come over and research together.”

Chi Yao said, “Help me deal with Li Bo’s matter, then go to 820 to find Chun Qin. She has a lot of data on hand.”

Chou Shuang pulled a long face: “Can’t I research here?”

Chi Yao was about to speak when he suddenly sensed Jing Xi’s hint and swallowed his words.

“I have some tissue samples here. I can give them to you first,” Jing Xi chimed in. “But it can’t compare to 820. After all, the variety of humanoid beasts there is richer.”

Chou Shuang was delighted and punched Jing Xi familiarly.

“Loyal enough. I’ll treat you to lamb skewers later.”

He thought Chou Shuang, this flamboyant type, might be like Chi Yao, ignoring her proper duties, lazy and lacking initiative. Unexpectedly, she grabbed her medicine chest and rushed into Li Bo’s interrogation room, not coming out until noon the next day.

Jing Xi and Chi Yao finished reading everyone’s interrogation records from that night together. Looking at the time, he was a little worried.

“It’s been over 10 hours.”

Chi Yao walked around checking a pile of virtual windows.

“Only 10 hours. It’s still early.”

Jing Xi: “…Should we send some food in?”

Chi Yao came back to his senses, walked to a chair nearby, leaned on the backrest, and got close to him.

“Are you caring about her a bit too much?”

Jing Xi looked up: “Are you jealous?”

Chi Yao leaned closer: “Smell how sour I am.”

Jing Xi’s lips curved up slightly: “I just like sour things.”

He looked up and kissed the corner of Chi Yao’s mouth: “The sourer, the better.”

Having cheated a kiss, Chi Yao was very satisfied.

“That kind of old auntie doesn’t need attention. It’s enough for you to just look at me.”

Jing Xi kept a straight face and said seriously: “I want to ask her how to trick a partner into conquering oneself.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Don’t talk nonsense with such a serious face.

Chi Yao: “We are gentlemen. We can’t be compared to those women who roll around together right from the start.”

Jing Xi: “Gentlemen also have to roll.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Reaching this point, if they continued, he would doubt if he really couldn’t do it.

Chi Yao waved his hand, and a virtual window moved over.

“Let’s discuss business first.”

The topic changed seamlessly.

Chi Yao had always acted without scruples, but whenever it concerned him, he would become cautious.

Jing Xi understood the other’s considerations.

Avoiding the topic again, Chi Yao watched Jing Xi’s expression from the corner of his eye, touched his head, and said seriously: “If you hide from me like Chou Shuang does, I won’t remain silent like Chun Qin.”

Jing Xi was rarely curious: ” was Chou Shuang forced?”

Chi Yao shook his head. Not knowing what he thought of, he smiled wickedly: “Maybe there was an accident. After all, Chun Qin is a modified human. When she loses control, any accident can happen.”

Jing Xi: “…”

If that was really the case, then that was—quite tragic.

At two in the afternoon, Chou Shuang came out of the interrogation room in high spirits and slammed a report in front of Chi Yao.

“Injected with inhibitors. I tested it with his glands. It should be fused with fake pheromones in the inhibitor, which can hide and disguise at the same time.”

Chi Yao picked up the report.

A stack of papers was full of scrawled handwriting.

Turning to the last page, a total of thirty-nine experiments had been conducted.

Seeing this number, Jing Xi couldn’t help but ask: “Is Li Bo still alive?”

Chou Shuang was eating a large plate of roast chicken.

“He’s fine. Just didn’t eat, fainted from hunger.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Fainted from hunger, or fainted from your torment?

Chou Shuang looked at Chi Yao: “If you want the detailed formula of this drug, I can’t produce it today. It’ll take a few days.”

“No rush for this.” Chi Yao handed the report to Jing Xi. “Is there any way to crack this disguise technique?”

Chou Shuang held a chicken leg, picked through her medicine chest, found a bottle, and threw it to Chi Yao.

“This is a release agent. It may not completely remove it, but for someone like you, spraying it on the other party should reveal flaws.”

Chi Yao was afraid of being pitted and wanted to find someone from Jiayu to test it.

Jing Xi: “You go first. I’ll handle some official business.”

Chi Yao glanced at Chou Shuang, pecked Jing Xi on the forehead, and walked away with his long legs.

When the cabin door closed, Chou Shuang looked at Jing Xi.

“What do you want to say to me?”

Jing Xi asked very bluntly: “Is it possible for Yaoyao to return to normal?”

Chou Shuang crossed her legs: “I don’t know.”

Jing Xi: “Have you not researched it, or is there no progress?”

Chou Shuang smiled: “Destroying a building only takes one missile, but repairing that building is very difficult.”

Buildings were difficult to repair, let alone people who were more complex than that.

Jing Xi understood in his heart.

Chou Shuang caught the disappointment in his eyes. Suddenly, the person who always followed behind her, whom she even taught how to smile, flashed before her eyes.

“Don’t worry too much. It will be solved eventually.”

Seeing her get up to leave, Jing Xi stopped her.

“One last question. What is your relationship with Chou Tianlin?”

Chou Shuang paused and turned her head to look over.

“Why do you ask?”

Jing Xi: “You look somewhat like him.”

Chou Shuang: “…You can recognize me even with this makeup?”

Jing Xi kept a straight face: “Bone structure and facial features can’t be changed.”

Chou Shuang: “…”

She opened her mouth, remaining silent for a moment before speaking.

“He’s my cousin, but we haven’t gotten along since childhood.”

After Chou Shuang left, Jing Xi opened the military’s household registration system to check the members of the Chou family.

He quickly found Chou Shuang’s column.

The data showed she was currently unemployed with no fixed address. In last year’s household registration survey, the investigator made a note.

[This person has a rebellious personality, is lazy and gluttonous, has a distant relationship with her family, and her current whereabouts are unknown.]

He had heard before that members of the dark division were drawn from military units. Looking at it this way, it didn’t seem to be the case.

Chou Shuang had years of experience with modified humans, and Chou Tianlin had superb medical skills. If these two collaborated, could the matter of repairing modified humans be achieved ahead of schedule?

On the other end, Chi Yao sprayed everyone in Jiayu, but their scents didn’t change. The wavelengths he felt were still that ghostly appearance.

If Chou Shuang didn’t trick him, it meant none of these people were modified humans.

The gaze that appeared behind his back that night flashed before Chi Yao’s eyes.

Jiayu Group’s cooperation with the military was facilitated by Bai Yi, and every order was approved by him.

To find evidence proving Bai Yi was the ghost, they still had to start with Jiayu.

Just as he was about to return, he looked up and saw Jing Xi walking towards him from the end of the metal corridor.

“I plan to go to the Jiayu factory again,” Chi Yao said.

Jing Xi walked beside him: “To see that Zhang Sheng?”

Chi Yao nodded: “Let’s start by determining if he is a modified human.”

If Zhang Sheng was a ghost, as long as they found the collusion of interests between him and Bai Yi, they could let Pei Zhenyue arrest him.

If Zhang Sheng wasn’t, even if there was collusion of interests with Bai Yi, it could only be considered bribery. For a military high-up of Bai Yi’s status, maybe punishing himself with three cups of wine would be the end of it.

CEO Jiayu’s Office—

A middle-aged alpha in a suit and leather shoes sat behind the desk. In the open space in front of him was a virtual window. Unfortunately, the window was pitch black, with only an old voice coming from inside.

“If you can’t even protect the goods, then don’t cooperate anymore.”

Zhang Sheng leaned back in his chair, hands crossed in front of him, showing no emotional fluctuation due to the other’s words.

He smiled: “Last night was an accident. I will bear all losses.”

The old voice sounded again.

“You will bear it?”

Zhang Sheng: “Compensate according to the contract. What do you think?”

The old voice: “This isn’t just a matter of money!”

Zhang Sheng: “My people are already tracking those bandits. There will be results today. I guarantee all goods will be retrieved intact, and the compensation money will be given to you without a cent missing.”

The old voice sneered.

“Retrieve? Do you know who came to rob the goods?”

“Regardless of who robbed it, in my eyes, they are just robbers. They want money, and money is what I lack least.”

Zhang Sheng smiled, “Problems that can be solved with money are not problems.”

“Being overly confident isn’t a good thing,” the old voice said coldly. “I’ll give you one day. If the goods aren’t retrieved, the cooperation ends here.”

Zhang Sheng stared at the virtual window: “Alright.”

Hanging up the communication, he tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Moments later, the terminal rang. Zhang Sheng glanced at it; it was an unfamiliar number.

His heart skipped a beat as he swiped to answer.

A virtual window popped up in mid-air, and a young, handsome face appeared before his eyes.

Chi Yao hooked the corner of his lips, smiling casually: “Remember me? President Zhang.”

Zhang Sheng stared at this face for a moment, stunned, then revealed a business smile.

“Mr. Chi, long time no see.”

Chi Yao leaned back on the sofa, gently swirling a prop red wine glass in his hand.

“I just acquired a batch of arms not long ago. I heard the scopes produced by President Zhang here are of military quality. I wonder if my face is enough to place a small order with you?”

Zhang Sheng sat up straight, his eyes full of smiles.

“Our company’s business follows the empire’s formal procedures. As long as you sign a commitment letter not to harm the empire, you can place an order for whatever product you like, as long as I can produce it.”

Chi Yao chuckled lightly: “Are you too busy to watch the news? Extreme Shadow washed its hands in a golden basin long ago and switched to rescue business. Otherwise, that kid Flying Dragon wouldn’t have let me buy arms so easily.”

“That kid Flying Dragon”, who was handling official business, glanced at him, then at Zhang Sheng on the screen.

This face was very regular. Taken separately, the features weren’t ugly, but combined, it became a passerby face with no memorable points.

Zhang Sheng: “The matter of you driving the vigorous development of the entire star pirate circle is known to every citizen of the empire.”

Chi Yao: “Once Extreme Shadow’s trial run is successful, we will gradually let them transform. Arms procurement will likely not be small.”

The smile on Zhang Sheng’s lips deepened: “Whenever you are free, I can come over and discuss cooperation details with you.”

Chi Yao: “No need. I’m already on my way to 810.”

Zhang Sheng was somewhat surprised: “Aren’t you fighting the beast tide with the Flying Dragon Army on 820?”

Chi Yao sneered: “Don’t mention it. Arms couldn’t keep up, got ridiculed by Flying Dragon for a good while. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry.”

Jing Xi annotated documents while listening to their conversation.

There was a sense of déjà vu that both parties knew clearly but cooperated with the other’s acting.

This Zhang Sheng wasn’t simple.

After agreeing on a time, Chi Yao tossed the wine glass aside and walked towards the small study where Jing Xi was.

“Can’t have dinner with you.”

Chi Yao leaned back against the desk, “I agreed to meet Zhang Sheng at the Jiayu factory.”

Jing Xi: “I’ll go too.”

Chi Yao shook his head: “Li Yuan and I will go. You help me keep an eye on the surrounding situation.”

Saying that, he suddenly thought of something.

“That batch of robbed goods, I’ll have them mark each one. Help me keep an eye on it.”

Jing Xi instantly understood his meaning.

“You plan to use this batch of goods for the transaction?”

Chi Yao smiled: “Several models of energy stones in this batch are scarce goods in short supply. They definitely want to take them back. Since the other party has already guessed I robbed it, I might as well make it more obvious.”

Jing Xi pondered for a moment and nodded.

“Okay.”

If they successfully let this batch of marked goods flow out, they could follow the vine to get the melon.

Approaching evening, Chi Yao changed into a suit and went to the Jiayu factory with Li Yuan.

In the car, Li Yuan frequently glanced at the rearview mirror.

“Is there rice on my face?” Chi Yao asked.

Li Yuan chuckled: “Just thinking, if you wore a military uniform, you definitely wouldn’t lose to Jing Xi.”

The cufflinks were buttoned tight. Chi Yao turned his wrist, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“What’s there to compare between me and my wife?”

Li Yuan: “…”

Before arriving at the place, Chi Yao asked casually: “How are things going with that son of yours?”

Speaking of Chu Xiao, Li Yuan rubbed his buzz cut, a bit uncomfortable.

“Sends me messages every day. So annoying.”

Chi Yao looked at him through the rearview mirror.

“Really not planning to acknowledge him?”

Li Yuan rested his hands on the steering wheel, looking ahead.

“What for?”

Chi Yao turned his head to look out the window.

“If you could turn back into a normal person, would you change your mind?”

Li Yuan laughed out loud: “Of course I’d acknowledge him! That kid clamors all day about supporting me in my old age!”

“If I can’t change back, maybe when he’s old, I won’t even be fucking old. Who supports whom in old age isn’t certain yet—fuck!”

Speaking to the end, the smile on his lips suddenly couldn’t hold.

Chi Yao saw Li Yuan wipe his face, his eyes a bit red.

If he couldn’t turn back into a normal person, could he calmly accept Jing Xi growing old alone?

Just imagining it, Chi Yao was irritable enough to want to hit someone.

Impossible. Can’t do it. He would go crazy.

Arriving at the Jiayu factory, the car parked swaggeringly at the factory’s main entrance.

Zhang Sheng was already waiting inside the gate.

Just as the car stopped, someone came over to open the door.

Chi Yao got out of the car, straightened his cuffs, and watched Zhang Sheng walk towards him.

This person seemed transparent in a crowd, but standing alone in front, one could still feel the aura exuding from him.

“Mr. Chi is truly punctual.” Zhang Sheng extended his hand.

Chi Yao glanced at it and raised his hand to shake it.

“I’ve always been punctual.”

Zhang Sheng made a gesture, guiding him towards the factory interior.

“Besides scopes, there are many other products. Do you need to see them?”

Chi Yao walked beside him unhurriedly, saying lazily: “Sure, since I’m here.”

The space inside the factory building was wide, not losing to Xingbang’s arms factory at all.

Zhang Sheng personally introduced product performance to him, accompanied by a group of technicians behind.

Chi Yao waved his hand and placed an order for twenty thousand scopes.

Zhang Sheng: “Do you want to transact with cash or other methods?”

Chi Yao asked calmly: “Other methods?”

Zhang Sheng smiled: “Sometimes the order amount is relatively large, we also support equivalent exchange of goods.”

“Oh.” Chi Yao drawled, “Energy stones work too?”

Zhang Sheng: “If you have channels, of course. If it’s the type of energy stone our company needs, we can even give another 5% off the price.”

Li Yuan, following behind Chi Yao, suddenly spoke.

“Then let’s use energy stones for the transaction!”

He looked at Chi Yao excitedly: “Boss, didn’t we just get a batch of very good energy recently?”

Chi Yao’s peripheral vision swept over Zhang Sheng’s expression.

From meeting until now, the other party hadn’t shown the slightest flaw. Even though Li Yuan spoke so bluntly, the other still had no ripples.

Chi Yao was indifferent, pretending to lack interest in this transaction method: “List the energy stones for me. I’ll have them check later if there are matching models.”

Zhang Sheng nodded in agreement and waved for his subordinate to handle it.

“I’ll take you to see the multiplier lens workshop.”

Chi Yao walked forward slowly, probing casually: “President Zhang is amiable and treats people sincerely. I just like doing business with people like you.”

Zhang Sheng smiled: “Mr. Chi has a straightforward personality, also the type of client I like.”

Chi Yao: “Actually, the first time we met, I felt it was strange.”

Zhang Sheng turned his head to look at him: “Strange?”

Chi Yao looked at his face, his eyes probing: “I always feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

Unexpectedly, a random probe made the other’s expression freeze.

Chi Yao clearly saw the flickering light in the other’s eyes.

Could they have really met before?