Nanjiang City is located in the lower part of the Jiangnan region, with the Yangtze River and the Yellow River cutting off the north and south respectively.
The abundant vegetation and mountains cause inconvenient transportation while also making it easy for Weiyi to breed. It is currently under the supervision of the Hunter Management Bureau—the Execution Agency.
At that moment, in the conference room of the Agency Branch, a circle of experts from the branch sat around. Tian Jin and Xin An, who had originally discovered Gu Lian, stood on the podium in the conference room.
The command batons in their hands pointed at the frozen image on the projector behind them.
In the image, Gu Lian had returned to her original Weiyi form, with the Fire of Dead Silence, symbolizing decay and death, blazing fiercely on her body.
Although it was just a two-dimensional image, everyone present seemed to be taking it very seriously.
“In conclusion, b707—Xiao’s aggression is not high after feeding, but when in a hungry state, Xiao exhibits extremely strong aggression.”
Tian Jin switched the image. On it were videos: one of Gu Lian running away after eating a roasted bear when encountering danger, and another of her fierce eyes as she fought Lan.
This video was taken after Lan’s death. The researchers removed the built-in chip and captured the footage Lan saw before dying.
“Xiao possesses extremely strong regeneration abilities. Even if wounded by a sharp weapon, it can stop bleeding in just a few seconds, and the wound will scar within ten seconds.”
Halfway through the video, Xin An pressed pause and pulled up another image of Gu Lian fighting the Initial Squad.
“But according to our observations, this regeneration ability of Xiao should have a limit. Comparing the two, when fighting White Ghost and the others, Xiao’s regeneration was notably not as strong as when fighting Ice Duke.”
“We roughly understand.”
At this moment, a female researcher with light green hair shifted slightly. She crossed her index fingers over her chest and, after a moment of silence, spoke: “Xin An, do you mean that b707—Xiao might have a potential weakness?”
After a pause, the woman continued: “Just like living beings have a core, Weiyi also have a core driving their actions. Since Xiao is a humanoid Weiyi, could its weakness be the same as ours—the head and the heart?”
“For now, we’re not sure, Ms. Meisi. But what is certain is that when Xiao evolves next time, it will definitely appear again.”
At this point, Tian Jin spoke up, looking at Meisi. “Regarding the research and hunting of Xiao, we’re handing it all over to you now. Our brother pair will assist.”
A formal operation to surround and kill b707—Xiao was launched. One veteran Hunter would lead four seasoned first-class Hunters to carry out the hunt.
As long as Gu Lian dared to show her face within the next six months, the Assassination Squad would immediately drop from the sky.
Of course, Gu Lian knew nothing about any of this.
Now, she was standing by the sink, helping the elderly Xiong Daye wash dishes. Glancing sideways at him, she really couldn’t understand. She and Yao Yao had been so excessive, yet this old man still smiled all day.
This kind of kindness toward others inexplicably made her feel uneasy.
She helped Yao Yao and Yi Yi because they had helped her in her most difficult times. That’s why she helped them.
But Xiong Daye had no reason at all. First, she came here after seeing a rental ad, but not only did she not rent the apartment, Xiong Daye ended up adopting the two of them.
At the time, it didn’t seem like much. But recently, with Yi Yi’s mischievous and troublemaking personality, Xiong Daye still kept smiling.
‘This is… too strange!’
“Hey, Lian, you don’t need to think about finding a job all the time. You’re just a minor kid. Why put so much pressure on yourself?”
Xiong Daye placed the clean plates into the dish rack, then reached over and grabbed a stack of plates in front of Gu Lian.
Gu Lian watched Xiong Daye’s movements, her gaze unconsciously falling on his hands.
They were hands full of the marks of time, covered in wrinkles, not smooth. Wrinkles and blood vessels crisscrossed like withered branches at sunset.
“…”
Gu Lian didn’t intend to speak. At this moment, it was enough to just listen. If something was off, she would immediately knock out Xiong Daye and take Yi Yi and run.
She and Yi Yi were just outsiders. She didn’t believe that the so-called kindness in this world could go this far.
“I roughly understand the kind of life you had before. Life was indeed hard, society is cruel, but these pressures aren’t meant to be carried by a child.”
“Hey, what are you trying to say?”
Gu Lian squeezed some dish soap onto the cloth and wiped the greasy plates, her expression normal.
But in reality, her entire body had tensed up. If the other party made a wrong move, she would immediately attack.
“Child, from now on, you can consider this place your home.”
“…”
‘Child…’
‘She seemed to be over 20…’
‘Maybe 25…’
“I live alone, and it’s quite lonely.”
Xiong Daye raised his hand and tidied Gu Lian’s somewhat messy hair.
Gu Lian instinctively shrank her neck, goosebumps rising all over. “Don’t your children come to visit you? And… old man, don’t touch my head!”
“My son is always away from home, rarely comes back. I’m old, my old friends are gone. Could you let Yi Yi keep me company more often?”
‘So I’m just a backup?!’
Xiong Daye raised his hand. Gu Lian tilted her head to dodge the head-pat attack.
She really couldn’t understand why someone would be so good to Yi Yi, to an unscientific degree. She had never believed in unconditional love in this world.
In this world, there are only unconditional hatreds. Greed and jealousy toward others are people’s first reactions.
“Yi Yi will stay at your place temporarily. I might need to do some odd jobs lately, and I can’t take care of her.”
“Is that so?”
Xiong Daye’s wrinkled face scrunched up. His smile was very kind, at least Gu Lian couldn’t see anything wrong with it.
“Yes, thank you for taking care of Yi Yi. I’ll save up the rent money soon.”
Gu Lian rinsed the already clean plates with water. If Xiong Daye had said even one “no,” it would mean he had ulterior motives, and she would immediately knock him out.
But considering that he had helped her look after Yi Yi for a few days, she would try to strike more lightly.
“Hahaha, after you save up, just give whatever you think is right.”
Xiong Daye’s answer was a bit ambiguous. Gu Lian closed her eyes, washed the last plate, and placed it in the dish rack.
“Yi Yi, have you rinsed your mouth?”
As soon as Xiong Daye’s shout faded, Gu Lian walked to the wall and wiped her wet hands on a dry towel.
“Ah, I’ll rinse in a minute! Let me finish this episode first!”
Hearing Xiong Daye’s call, Yi Yi replied, then continued watching the cartoon on TV with rapt attention. For Yi Yi, when had she ever seen something as novel as a TV?
“Tsk, this girl. Lian… huh? Why are you going too?”
Seeing Gu Lian already sitting next to Yi Yi, Xiong Daye scratched his head in confusion. Finally, someone had come to the house. One was too young and mischievous, the other had a personality… too cold. Should he think of a way to adjust that cold personality?
“Sigh…”
Sitting next to Yi Yi, Gu Lian let out a sigh. The situation was too complicated. She really couldn’t tell whether Xiong Daye was sincere or had another motive.
As if sensing Gu Lian’s melancholy, Yi Yi, who had been watching the cartoon, suddenly jumped up from the sofa and lunged into Gu Lian’s arms with open arms. But clearly, she had no idea about her own strength.
Gu Lian was still sighing when Yi Yi launched herself. Her fuzzy head, like a cannonball, thumped into Gu Lian’s stomach.
After being hit by Yi Yi, Gu Lian felt a pain in her abdomen. Her body almost bent into a C shape. A mouthful of acid water spurted out, and she rolled off the sofa onto the floor.
The close contact between her back and the floor brought a jolt of pain. Gu Lian grimaced, propped herself up, grabbed Yi Yi, and gripped her shoulders. “Yi Yi, what are you doing?!”
“What are you thinking about? Tell me~”
Yi Yi sat on Gu Lian’s waist without any sense of proportion, her little hands even grabbing at Gu Lian’s face!
‘How can I tolerate this?!’
Grabbing Yi Yi like a chick, Gu Lian glared angrily and shouted, “Yi Yi, I think you’re asking for a beating!”
But from a distance, a 1.6-meter girl holding up a 1.2-meter loli—no matter how you looked at it, it was comical.
“It’s not that serious, not that serious.”
Afraid that Gu Lian might not know her own strength, Xiong Daye quickly ran out of the kitchen and took Yi Yi from her.
When it came to older brothers or sisters hitting younger siblings, they really went at it!