Lu Yan swept his eyes and calmly said, "Sorry if I scared you."
Wang Yu's actions were approved by Lu Yan. After all, such things can't be hidden forever.
[System: [It seems you're learning to trust humans. You've made a choice, haven't you?]]
Lu Yan neither confirmed nor denied, feeling that the system had a hidden meaning.
As Lu Yan's spiritual power threshold stabilized and rose, Wang Yu's tongue became longer. Not only longer but also grew white baby teeth.
The teeth on this tongue are sharp shark teeth, not like ordinary teeth, more like the spikes of a wolf tooth club, with barbs on the tip. A lick could strip away a layer of flesh.
It greeted Tang Xunan, licked his fingertips, and then shamelessly started eating the golden bullets he placed on the table.
[System in a lamenting tone: [Well, it seems the stepfather has received the preliminary approval from the big one.]]
"..." Tang Xunan looked at this tongue, silent for a moment, "In the headquarters' files, there seems to be no record of your mutation direction. Earlier at Mermaid Island, I saw your tail and thought it was a mermaid transformation."
Lu Yan used his tongue to grind the four rows of sharp shark teeth in his mouth, "I just have more mutation directions."
After saying that, he fired another shot.
This time, it was a moving target, simulating humanoid pollutants, and the bullet hit right in the middle of the forehead.
Tang Xun'an, however, had some concerns: "Is it a fused pollutant? Such independent consciousness in fused pollutants poses a high risk. It's best to find a way to remove the autonomous consciousness."
Tang Xun'an's dragon wings and tail were also a type of fused pollutant. However, unlike others, during implantation, the autonomous consciousness of the original entity had already been removed. Even so, it still brought him many side effects, such as more frequent after-effects of talent usage and higher levels of contamination.
For entities like Lu Yan, possessing a fused pollutant with autonomous consciousness was evidently more dangerous. In earlier years, there were attempts. Many Awakened gained greater combat power but inevitably suffered from the backlash of the implanted pollutants later on.
He and the system gave the same advice. The system knew it due to its cheat-like knowledge, while Tang Xun'an based his suggestion on personal experience.
The difference was that the system merely whispered advice in Lu Yan's mind, while Tang Xun'an openly discussed it in front of Wang Yu.
Wang Yu, angered, swelled in size, and the sharp teeth on its tongue became more menacing, as if it wanted to confront Tang Xun'an. Lu Yan forced it back.
Tang Xun'an, putting down his gun, said earnestly, "I can help you contact the Third Research Institute."
The top ten intermediate employees had an annual chance for a free operation. Lu Yan, currently ranking first, could have waited until year-end clearance to make the arrangements himself.
Almost without hesitation, Lu Yan responded, "No need."
Tang Xun'an said, "Director Ji is a student of Professor Qiao and has a genetic fusion talent himself. The failure rate is very low. Even if it fails, it's only a deprivation of the consciousness of pollutants, with minimal impact."
He thought Lu Yan was worried about the surgery's effectiveness.
Tang Xun'an himself was the result of fusion surgery, a masterpiece created by human technology and natural evolution working together. He had been present almost as long as the institute, witnessing several turnovers. There were certainly some failed experiments inside, but overall, they were guiding humanity towards a better direction.
In other words, he was unaware that the First Research Institute had deviated from its original purpose.
So much so that Lu Yan had developed a strong aversion to all institutes related to human anatomy and medicine. Although he was a doctor, he particularly disliked lying on the operating table himself.
"Some information is deliberately kept from him. They don't want Tang Xun'an's faith to waver," the system added.
Lu Yan locked eyes with Tang Xun'an.
Those golden eyes remained clear, as if overlapping with the nineteen-year-old version of Tang Xun'an. When Lu Yan first saw him, he looked miserable, like an abused kitten in a trash bin. Yet, Lu Yan never asked him if he regretted it, and Tang Xun'an probably wouldn't regret it.
After contemplating, Lu Yan decided to change the subject.
He took a step forward, gripping Tang Xun'an's hand, and said, "Look down, I have something to ask you."
Tang Xun'an was momentarily surprised and slightly bent over.
Lu Yan's voice echoed in his ears, "I want to know, on which day in the future did you hide Yu Zhizhi?"
After saying this, Lu Yan stared directly into Tang Xun'an's eyes. This was something he wanted to know since the dream entry in Luochuan Botanical Garden. Later, he searched the institute's records, but there wasn't even one mention of Yu Zhizhi's name. She was simply referred to as "Subject 0," and there was some controversy about whether Subject 0 even existed.
Lu Yan had asked the system, but the system claimed it had no authority. In other words, it was something Lu Yan temporarily couldn't find out.
So, he chose to ask the person directly involved.
Tang Xun'an's arm muscles tensed in an instant.
After a long time, he answered slowly, "I hid her on the day I died."
"And then?" Lu Yan asked.
Tang Xun'an's gaze softened. "Then I entrusted Zhizhi to you."
"At that time, you were... hope."
Lu Yan had never thought he would receive such an answer.
It was as if he had never thought the word "hope" could be placed on his shoulders.
The system, like a wicked mother-in-law interfering in a couple's conversation, suddenly spoke up, "Hold on. Hold on."
"Brothers, the First Research Institute is on fire."
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