Summer had come to the Abyss.
Below the Highland Research Institute, a deep green that covered everything rose and fell, like a mighty ocean connected to the pale blue sky. In the distant mountains, a flock of black winged monsters circled, letting out long warbling cries.
Their cries and the wind were delivered together to the mountain peak. Above the corridor, the foliage and clustered flowers of the vines swayed, and snow-white petals drifted down to land on An Zhe. He raised a hand to catch one, holding it in his left hand, and fiddled with the tip of a vine with his other hand.
Lu Feng reached out to remove the petals on his shirt collar and hair. Feeling the man's movements, An Zhe turned back and pulled the vine over to Lu Feng. "Look."
He had just discovered a new snow-white bud on this vine.
Of course, whether there were new buds on this vine or whether the buds were big or small or black or white would not pique Colonel Lu's interest. The Colonel expressionlessly leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.
"Tsk." Across from them, Dr. Ji let out a sound akin to admiration. He leaned against the windowsill, left hand shaking a reagent bottle and right hand hanging at his side.
In the last battle to defend the Northern Base, Dr. Ji had lost his entire right arm and the lower part of his right leg. He had carried out the conversation with the Highland Research Institute in the midst of such terrible agony. As for why he survived instead of dying from excessive blood loss, it could only be attributed to the mercy of God.
He later applied to transfer to the Highland Research Institute. His brain had been unaffected, but in this age without artificial limbs, a right arm and half a leg were more than sufficient to put an end to the scientist's life. He had not come to continue his own research, but rather because of his admiration for Pauli Jones and his willingness to contribute his own body for new research. With the help of dozens of experimental volunteers who were similar to him, the research institute determined six safe frequencies that could be propagated, among which was a creature that had the ability to regenerate limbs.
In short, Dr. Ji was now like any other regular person, although he was still not yet accustomed to his new limbs.
An Zhe turned to look at Dr. Ji, wishing to see what he was clicking his tongue about this time.
Dr. Ji was looking at Lu Feng. At the same time, he lifted his hands and sharply clapped twice.
"You've been seen by me, Colonel Lu," he said. "If I hadn't seen it, I would've truly thought that you were planning to forever be an honorable gentleman, a qualified father. Oh, you seem to be too young, so you can be a competent older brother instead."
Lu Feng plucked the last petal from An Zhe's neck, then gave a flat look at Dr. Ji.
"Jibran," he said, his tone of voice straightforward, "I've overestimated your personality."
"Okay, okay okay okay." Dr. Ji raised both hands in surrender. "I was wrong, I've underestimated the mighty Arbiter's moral standards."
Lu Feng said nothing.
"It was my mistake, I admit it. It's not that your personality is too respectable, it's that my moral standards are indeed rather low." Dr. Ji continued begging for mercy. As soon as he shifted his gaze, he saw An Zhe, who was looking at him while holding on to Lu Feng's wrist.
"Supposing I was given such a little darling"—he grinned, held out a hand, and made a gesture—"I'd tie him to the bed, and then…"
Lu Feng shot him a cold look.
"… and then dissect him." Dr. Ji shut up after he finished his sentence.
"There's something wrong with Dr. Ji's brain," Lu Feng said to An Zhe, his head lowered. "You can consider using your hyphae to treat him."
"There's absolutely no need!" Nearby, Dr. Ji went pale with fright. "I'll just leave."
This suggestion of Lu Feng's to plot Dr. Ji's murder also failed to pique An Zhe's interest. An Zhe stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on the side of Lu Feng's face.
Once again, Dr. Ji said, "Tsk."
Lu Feng said, "You can go now."
"Is this how you're going to treat your best friend, Colonel Lu?” Dr. Ji asked.
"Yes."
"What, I don't even have the qualification to watch you two play house?" Within Dr. Ji's voice was a trace of heartbreak.
"No."
The phrase "play house" piqued An Zhe's interest, so he once again lifted his head to look at Dr. Ji.
"So cute." Dr. Ji looked at him as well, an odd light flashing in his eyes. "He'd cry for a long time after being dissected, wouldn't he?"
An Zhe always had the feeling that Dr. Ji had been possessed by something. Perhaps he had fused with Mr. Shaw.
Dr. Ji crossed his arms and let out a sigh before shifting his attention back to his light blue reagent bottle.
"Colonel Lu, you really won't try it?" he asked. "Extract No. 1014 doesn't have any side effects. In combination with a minor frequency adjustment of the magnetic poles, after three subjects were injected, one of them had perfect night vision. This is something that you yourself brought back from the Abyss a month ago."
Sunlight shone in from the gaps between the vine leaves and onto the slender glass tube, the reagent sparkling within.
Lu Feng merely glanced at it.
Beneath the doctor's expectant gaze, An Zhe answered in Lu Feng's stead. "He doesn't want it."
"Tch." Dr. Ji turned and left with his reagent, fiddling with his communicator. "Pauli is calling me. Goodbye."
An Zhe said, "Goodbye, Doctor."
Lu Feng truly did not want it, An Zhe knew.
Moreover, Colonel Lu did not need to obtain those strange enhancements or abilities at all, for he already came and went freely from the Abyss.
While An Zhe was lost in fanciful thoughts, he latched onto the nearby lush vine with his hyphae. He had been eyeing it for a long time.
"Don't eat things willy-nilly." Lu Feng spotted his movements.