Chapter 31 - 29: Return

Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Return

[01:12:00]

The door to the lounge was knocked from the outside. Through the metal panel, a researcher’s cautious voice sounded, "Miss Lucia, it’s time for your check-up."

Yin Zhen leaned against the sofa, tightly gripping a bottle of Clone blood plasma she had just taken from the fridge, retching uncontrollably. I have to say, the Clone blood plasma truly deserved its status as a noble-exclusive luxury; it was indeed far more delicious than artificial blood plasma and provided a much more surging burst of Strength. But she could barely swallow a single sip. The moment that flavor exploded on the tip of her tongue, the memories of the Clone Blood Beast flooded her mind. Suspended on an assembly line in a factory, nutrient tubes shoved down the esophagus, blood-extraction needles pierced into the carotid artery... Day after day, until death. The Blood Beast’s fear and despair were too thick—so overwhelming that her stomach churned and her throat tightened.

SMASH!

Yin Zhen smashed the plasma bottle against the door. Shards of glass shattered in all directions as the scarlet liquid trickled down the door crack.

"Get lost!"

The space outside the door fell silent for over ten seconds. Then came White Phosphorus’s voice. "You guys go ahead. I’ll persuade the captain to do her check-up."

The door slid open silently. White Phosphorus walked in first, followed by Lighthouse. Tuner entered last, holding a box in his hands. The lounge was a total mess. Yin Zhen had smashed everything she could get her hands on, leaving the floor littered with glass shards. She leaned dejectedly against the base of the sofa, not even bothering to lift her head. The three exchanged glances, sharing the same concern in their eyes. They all assumed their captain was this furious because of the issue with her Extraordinary Ability. White Phosphorus didn’t even dare to imagine what a devastating blow it would be if Adeline mocked their Bloodthorn Squad as the Raven Squad in the future!

White Phosphorus carefully navigated around the broken shards on the floor and approached Yin Zhen.

"Captain, there’s always a solution to the ability issue." White Phosphorus weighed her words carefully. "If all else fails, we can try Saint’s technology. With prosthetic augmentations and equipping light Mechas, your combat power won’t be lacking in the slightest."

Hearing this, Yin Zhen jerked her head up, her eyes lighting up slightly. Swapping for a mechanical arm would definitely increase her Strength significantly; she wondered if that could be reflected in her Character’s attribute values. Amidst her thoughts, Yin Zhen noticed the box in Tuner’s hands.

"What is that?"

Tuner looked down at the box. "Adeline asked me to bring this over."

"Bring it here."

Tuner walked over, crouched down, and offered the box to Yin Zhen. The lid was open, revealing the familiar silver revolver resting inside—Night Song. Beneath the gun was a note. Yin Zhen unfolded it, recognizing Adeline’s handwriting: "This is a gun gifted to my guard S717. It’s useless for me to keep it, so you can have it to play with. It suits you quite well."

Yin Zhen picked up Night Song, weighing it in her hand. Then, without any warning—

BANG!

The gunshot exploded in the cramped lounge, making everyone’s ears ring. A mist of blood erupted from Tuner’s left shoulder, and he was sent crashing backward onto the floor.

"Captain!" White Phosphorus screamed.

Lighthouse stood frozen on the spot. Before he could react, Yin Zhen had already stood up and pressed the gun’s muzzle against Tuner’s head. She looked down at him from above, her pale red pupils devoid of any warmth. Hearing the gunshot, the security personnel outside rushed in immediately, but upon seeing the scene, they tactfully retreated.

"Why didn’t Adeline give it to White Phosphorus? Or Lighthouse? Why did she insist on having you deliver it? Is she using your hands to humiliate me?"

Tuner’s facial features scrunched up in pain. Clutching his bleeding shoulder, he stared at Yin Zhen in sheer terror. He opened his mouth to explain but had no idea what to say. He also wanted to know why Adeline had handed the item specifically to him! He knew it was on purpose! Adeline must have done it intentionally. The hearts of the people from the Cavendish family were all filthy!

"You called her Adeline instead of Miss Adeline. Since when did the two of you become so in-ti-mate!" Yin Zhen thrust the muzzle forward, pressing it hard against the center of Tuner’s brow. "Oh, right. She’s beautiful. She has an Identity, status, and potential. She’s a much better patron for you to cling to than I am right now, isn’t she?"

White Phosphorus said with a trembling voice, "Captain, it’s not what you think..."

"Shut up! Let him speak for himself!"

White Phosphorus didn’t dare to move a muscle, and Lighthouse had already backed away several steps. Tuner sat sprawled on the ground, his head tilted back. Blood surged fiercely from his shoulder. The hand clutching his wound was completely red, and his lips were deathly pale.

"Lucia, I... If you insist on thinking that way, I have nothing to say. But I believe time will prove my devotion to you."

Yin Zhen just stared at him. The muzzle remained pressed against his forehead, and her finger stayed hooked firmly on the trigger. One second. Two seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Blood pooled into a small puddle on the floor, a piercing crimson. The atmosphere in the lounge was terrifyingly oppressive. White Phosphorus and Lighthouse did not even dare to shift their gazes. Tuner’s vision began to unfocus. The hand supporting him against the floor started to tremble; he looked as though he might pass out from blood loss at any second. Paired with his three-dimensional, exquisite features and that aggrieved, mournful gaze, it was hard not to feel a surge of pity for him.

Yin Zhen finally withdrew her gun. Without so much as another glance at Tuner, she turned around and walked back to the sofa.

"Take him to get treated."

As if waking from a dream, White Phosphorus and Lighthouse rushed forward, hoisted Tuner up, and dragged him out, not daring to utter a single extra word.

The lounge fell quiet once more. Yin Zhen leaned back into the sofa and waited for a full three minutes, ensuring there were absolutely no footsteps or other noises outside. Then she stood up, grabbed a syringe used for injecting the blood source element from the fridge, and swiftly walked over to the puddle of blood Tuner had left behind. She crouched down and drew a full syringe. Looking at the warm redness inside the glass, the corners of Yin Zhen’s lips slowly curled into a smirk.

She knew Lucia wouldn’t kill Tuner. However, with Tuner getting too close to Adeline, Lucia would definitely teach him a lesson. That was her usual style—Lucia hated betrayal the most! Shooting him, making him bleed, and making him afraid were all to remind him who his true master was. This was something Lucia would do, and it was a lesson Yin Zhen had to sear into the memories of the Bloodthorn Squad. Rolling up her sleeve, she injected the blood directly into her own body. Tuner’s memories struck her violently.

A moment later...

[Resonance successful. Gained Extraordinary Ability: A-level Blood Silk]

"To think he’s actually a hopeless romantic?" Yin Zhen muttered. Lucia’s memories were entirely filled with battle scenes, whereas Tuner’s... were completely made up of his daily romantic encounters and indescribable, explicit moments.

Too lazy to look closely, she quickly took a new vial of the blood source element from the fridge, drew it into the syringe, and injected a tiny bit into the same spot on her body. She then flushed the remaining majority of the liquid down the sink and tossed the syringe into the trash can. This way, she had traces of the blood source element in her system, the room was missing one vial, and a used syringe was sitting in the trash. It was foolproof! The blood source element posed no physical harm to the Blood Clan. Its essence was still identical to artificial blood plasma, but injecting large doses over a long period created a habitual reliance on that intense euphoria, leading to psychological addiction.

Yin Zhen sat back down on the sofa, gripping Night Song as she stared at the continuously ticking countdown.

[00:03:21]

Sifting through Tuner’s massive repository of romantic memories, she searched for the scattered techniques on how to use blood silk. Slender, crimson threads condensed at her fingertips, then dissipated, only to condense and dissipate again...

[00:01:47]

White Phosphorus, Lighthouse, and Tuner. Blood Flame, Iron Bone, and blood silk. Among the three abilities, she had obtained the one she wanted the most.

[00:00:33]

Sheng Yehan. How long had she waited for this moment? Lying in the hospital bed after the car crash, hearing the police officer say, "Your mother didn’t make it!" Hearing the doctor say, "You might never stand up again!" Hearing the lawyer say, "We can’t get him the death penalty!" Looking through the glass during the trial, watching him raise his brows in provocation! Feeling that fat man choking her neck, tightening his grip bit by bit! Hearing the system tell her, "You are merely a 1,233-word cannon fodder. All of your misery exists simply to build up the protagonist!" Through all of it, she had been waiting for this exact moment!

[00:00:03]

Yin Zhen’s fingers slowly tightened around Night Song. She allowed herself to be consumed by hatred, her face sinking into the shadows.

[00:00:02]

She remembered her mother’s face in her final moments. Lying in a pool of blood, her lips had trembled, but she couldn’t utter a single word. In the end, only a mouthful of blood spilled out.

[00:00:01]

She remembered the day she changed her name from "Zhen" to "Zhen." The former meant the precious treasure of her parents. The latter stood for the venomous bird of revenge!

[00:00:00]

[Countdown finished. Time in this world is frozen.]

[Welcome back.]

After the darkness faded, Yin Zhen opened her eyes. The old, dusty ceiling—the one her mother had painted white when she was still alive—had returned. She looked down at her legs. They were still numb, still stiff, and still completely immobilized.

But...

[Character Card: SHL-717]

[Resonated Abilities: D-level Super Sensing, C-level Transformation: Cat/Raven, A-level Blood Silk]

It was enough. It was more than enough. Sheng Yehan, I’m coming for you right now!