Chen Lin opened the door and saw the execrable Shi Huizhang standing there with a shining white row of Utopia white coats. Shi Huizhang spat out the cigarette in his mouth, held it between his fingers and used it to point. With a fake smile, he said to Chen Lin, “The base just intercepted a probing wave. It’s likely they’ve discovered the base’s location. We all think it’s a little strange for the RZ Unit sons of bitches to be showing such great magic powers this time.” 

Chen Lin looked at him expressionlessly. Shi Huizhang was of the sort who could put on imperial robes and still not look like the emperor. Hearing him spout a bunch of high-sounding technobabble was ridiculous. Chen Lin was even worried he would bite his own tongue. 

Shi Huizhang continued: “We suspect that some internal personnel…have brought back some unfriendly ‘little articles.’ What do you think?” 

Chen Lin looked down and laughed quietly. “What, you think there’s something wrong with me?” 

Shi Huizhang looked him up and down, then suddenly raised a hand and took Chen Lin’s glasses off. Chen Lin didn’t dodge. He stood at the door, looking at him coldly. Shi Huizhang pinched his glasses by the arms and turned them over in his hands. He held them up to his nose bridge, then passed them to a Utopia staff member next to him. “I think there’s something pretty wrong with these glasses of yours. A blue seal’s senses are hundreds of times more acute that an ordinary person’s. A near-sighted blue seal… Ha, now that’s a curiosity!” 

A white coat behind Shi Huizhang took Chen Lin’s glasses as though they were an exhibit in a court case, wearing gloves and putting them into an evidence bag, then took a step forward and nodded to Chen Lin. “A mere formality. Please cooperate, Mr. Chen.” 

Chen Lin and Shi Huizhang were busy staring at each other as though in a contest to see who had the bigger eyes, turning a deaf ear on these words. 

This white coat was extremely self-possessed, displaying no trace of an unhappy expression. He took a pale blue envelope from his pocket and presented it to Chen Lin with both hands. “Mr. Chen, this matter concerns the safety of the base. Please cooperate with our work.” 

Chen Lin lowered his head and reached out to take the envelope. After opening it, he scanned it, his gaze pausing for a moment on the bold and flamboyant “Fei” it was signed with. Then he turned back inside. “You may do as you like.” 

The white coats entered his residence and began an orderly inspection. Shi Huizhang wanted to follow them inside, but Chen Lin extended a hand to block him at the door. Chen Lin lightly said, “There will be no need for you to come in. It’s too messy inside. I can’t receive guests.” 

The corner of Shi Huizhang’s eye gave a twitch. He smiled coldly. “What, did that little beauty you brought back make a mess?” 

Chen Lin acted like he hadn’t heard, ignoring him. But Shi Huizhang, as though struck with preaching disease, glanced at Chen Lin’s lower body and said in a peculiar intonation, “Let me just give you a warning. As a man, first you need your life, and then you can consider eating your fill. When you’ve eaten your fill, you can consider golden rooms, love affairs, all that—it doesn’t come above food.” 

Chen Lin quietly returned the compliment: “I can’t compare to Shi-da-ge’s refined hobby of raising dogs by his gate.” 

Shi Huizhang didn’t feel a bit of shame. With a meaningful smile, he patted Chen Lin on the shoulder. “I know you don’t have any little greys to spare. There are some decent ones in the new batch. They haven’t gone through a ‘feast’ yet, brand new. If you want, I can spare you one.” 

When Shi Huizhang spoke, he was very close to Chen Lin. The smile on his face was sinister and vulgar; he looked hardly human. Chen Lin dodged aside in revulsion, thinking that this cretin must have been a dog that would piss anywhere turned human; power had made him savage—Chen Lin knew he was a nasty piece of work himself, but he was still ashamed to be associated with him. 

Not long after, the white coats packed up and left. Shi Huizhang was rather regretful. He gave Chen Lin a ferocious glare, then reluctantly left with them. 

A figure appeared in front of Chen Lin. Chen Lin looked up and saw that it was the “gale force young lady” Jiang Lan once again. Jiang Lan’s eyes paused on the mostly rotted corpse of the cat in the yard. “You don’t like cats? How about I give you a dog next time?” 

Chen Lin’s stiff face relaxed a little. He gave her a somewhat gentler smile. “Thank you, I’m not very used to living with animals.” 

Jiang Lan frowned. “It’s just a pet to relieve boredom.” 

She had found that Chen Lin was unusually sensitive towards non-human creatures. He practically regarded them as enemies. She didn’t quite understand. Chen Lin shook his head, not wanting to explain. He closed the door and let drop a sentence: “I’m going to the grey house.” Then he turned and left. 

Even Jiang Lan was like Shi Huizhang and the others. They all thought they had risen above others by “evolving” into blue seals. They had power unimaginable to the average person, each with their own special ability. They could easily control the lives of ordinary mortals, easily obtain vast riches…but they couldn’t see their own fatal flaw. 

Chen Lin thought he truly had nothing to say to these optimists living in their fool’s paradise. 

Su Qing got up in the morning and voluntarily contacted Lu Qingbai from the bathroom, delivering himself up for electrocution. He currently had both elderly and young “dependents” and needed to maintain an optimal condition all day. Lu Qingbai didn’t stand on ceremony. He knocked him over with another shock. When Cheng Weizhi came in, he had just recovered. His organs protested against this excessively vigorous morning exercise. The outcome of their protest was that Su Qing hugged the toilet and began to vomit. 

Cheng Weizhi thought he had had a nightmare. As he helped him up, he patted his back lightly. “It’s all right, all right, good child, it’s all right now.” 

Su Qing only stopped when he was about to start bringing up bile. He rinsed his mouth. His exposed wrists looked like reed stems. He looked very pitiful. He pressed both hands against the sink and quietly said, “Uncle Cheng, draw a ‘line’ for me and hold tight. Don’t let me go astray.” 

Cheng Weizhi, stern-faced, was silent for a while. Then he said, “Trust in logic, don’t trust in emotion.” 

Su Qing looked at him blankly. Cheng Weizhi said, “A person’s emotions are sometimes like a complicated maze that can change at any time. Logic is a line you can follow. Hold tight to it, and you can follow cause and effect.” 

The early morning passed in this grave, tense, dull way. All of Su Qing’s efforts were powerless against Tu Tutu. In the end, Professor Cheng, who had experience raising children, rescued the freshly minted single dad. 

Finally they all went to the main hall together and learned the sad news. 

Tian Feng’s body was taken away in front of everyone, just like many others who had been unable to walk out of this place. Cheng Weizhi held Tu Tutu, standing in silent observance. Even the troublemaking Type 4s behaved themselves. The whole crowd of lunatics and idiots seemed to have sensed something, too. Without prearrangement, they stood up in silence—each time someone died, there would be this sort of unusual silence in the main hall. They were like a group struggling spirits gathered together, watching the white coats carry formerly fresh and lively people away one by one. 

When they passed by Cheng Weizhi, Tu Tutu seemed to sense something. He suddenly reached out his little hand and tore away the cloth covering the body’s face. The grey face of the deceased appeared in front of everyone. Cheng Weizhi rushed to cover Tu Tutu’s eyes with his hand. 

Tu Tutu saw only darkness. Not understanding, he asked, “Is that Uncle Tian?” 

Cheng Weizhi said, “Yes.” 

“Why hasn’t he gotten out of bed yet?” 

Cheng Weizhi: “…” 

“He’s dead,” a girl cut in from beside them. She looked only about twenty years old, with short hair. She was another one of the new grey seals. Her eyes were a little swollen, and there was a cut at one side of her mouth. She looked a little wretched. 

Tu Tutu didn’t speak again. Su Qing looked at the girl. “What type are you?” 

The girl frowned, seeming very sensitive about this designation. She was silent for a while, then said, “The same as the child, a Type 3… A bastard with a face the shape of a mahjong tile caught me.” 

Su Qing knew she was talking about Shi Huizhang, and he once again thought of the woman tied up in the yard. He couldn’t resist saying, “That person is named Shi Huizhang. If he asks you to leave this place with him, no matter what he promises you, don’t agree.” 

The girl looked like she had swallowed a fly. She opened her eyes wide, looking vexed. “Are you joking? How could I agree to such a thing? How disgusting!” 

Su Qing laughed and didn’t say anything else—a white coat had already given him a glance of unknown meaning. 

The short-haired girl hesitated, then quietly said, “My name is Zhao Yifei. What about you?” 

“Su Qing.” Su Qing leaned against the table and relaxed his body. “The ‘qing’ in ‘qingzhong,’ ‘degree of severity¹.’ When I was little, a fortune-teller came to my house and said there was some unknown heaviness in my fate. I was going to meet with many difficulties in life. My dad made an attempt to simplify matters. He said, avoid the heavy, call him ‘light.’” 

Zhao Yifei’s expression was a little sympathetic. She sorrowfully said, “But your fate didn’t lighten. I can see you’ve had many misfortunes.” 

“So I have. As long as I can survive,” Su Qing said quietly. 

The rims of Zhao Yifei’s eyes reddened. “My boyfriend…my boyfriend was killed by them. If I get out…” 

Su Qing raised his index finger and shushed her. He looked down at Zhao Yifei, hesitated, then raised a hand and put it on her shoulder in an attempt at consolation. 

When the dead man had been carried away, Tu Tutu opened his big eyes and looked all around. He suddenly looked up at Su Qing. The kid asked, “Uncle Annoying, dead means like on TV, getting shut up in a little box, right?” 

Su Qing took the child from Cheng Weizhi’s arms and quietly agreed. 

Tu Tutu lay in his arms, shuffling around looking for a more comfortable position. Then he asked, “So my parents are dead, too? They’ve also been shut up in a little box?” 

Zhao Yifei turned her face away and covered her mouth. 

Su Qing paused, then nodded. Tu Tutu gave a disappointed “oh” and grabbed Su Qing’s collar. He raised his little head. “Then when can they get out? Is it going to be a very, very long time before they can come pick me up?” 

Su Qing pressed the child against his shoulder and patted him on the back. “If they don’t come, I’ll take care of you, all right?” 

Tu Tutu wrinkled his nose. “No. You gave me a nickname. You’re a bad person.” 

Su Qing slapped him lightly on the butt. “I put your clothes on for you, ingrate!” 

Tu Tutu was even more dissatisfied. “You stuck my legs into a single pant leg and said I was a little frog. You’re so annoying!” 

Just then, a lunatic suddenly jumped onto a table, straightened his neck, and began to sing like the wailing of ghosts: “The setting sun will rise again tomorrow, closing flowers will open again in the morning, the pretty bird that flies away won’t return…” 

His voice grew hoarser and hoarser as he sang. His wide open eyes faced the ceiling in a daze. He was like a hopeless crier, going on until his voice was exhausted. 

Only the little brat who didn’t understand anything could still maintain his equanimity. Tu Tutu tilted his head to listen to this novelty for a while, then forgot that he had condemned the quality of service of this single dad. He reached out a small fist and pounded Su Qing’s shoulder. Pointing to the pastries on the table, he commanded, “I want to eat that one!” 

Zhao Yifei wiped away her tears and forced out a smile. In the happiest voice she could put on, she said, “Which one? I’ll get it for you.” 

When they had just come out from the main hall, they ran right into Chen Lin. Chen Lin’s eyes paused for a while on Tu Tutu, who was still clutching a pastry and happily smearing cream all over his face. Su Qing put the child down and indicated for him to go to Cheng Weizhi. He flexed his slightly sore arms and put his hand wearing the shock ring in his pocket. 

Chen Lin found that this young man’s gaze was much calmer. Standing there, not making a sound, unflinchingly meeting his eyes, he created a very powerful…false impression. 

Chen Lin nodded to Cheng Weizhi, amounting to a show of respect for the beleaguered genius. Then he turned to Su Qing. “Come with me.” 

Su Qing waved a hand towards Cheng Weizhi and gave him a comforting smile. He made a hand gesture like pinching a thread. Then he gave him a thumbs up, pulled a funny face towards little Tu Tutu, and finally followed Chen Lin without a sound. 

Chen Lin took him out of the grey house. A helicopter was waiting not far away. Some personnel came up and covered Su Qing’s eyes. The familiar darkness came. Su Qing’s heart tightened. Then he was shoved into the helicopter. He heard someone say to Chen Lin, “Mr. Chen, the RZ Unit seems to have located the base somehow. The degree of danger has not yet been ascertained. It would be better for you…” 

Chen Lin said, “I have to go out to replenish my energy.” 

The staff member continued to counsel him: “It has only been four or five days since the last feast, I think it would be best if you…” 

Chen Lin drew out his words, enunciating carefully: “I—said—I—need—to—replenish—my—energy.” 

The staff member didn’t respond. Su Qing knew that he was going to experience another nightmare. 

In the darkness, Hu Bugui’s voice suddenly sounded amid the silence. He said, “Don’t be scared. The shielding device inside you can help you withstand part of the harm. There won’t be a problem.” 

Of course there won’t be a problem, Su Qing thought. Even if there was, he would just have that problem “shocked” away. Apart from Cheng Weizhi, he now had a little piece of baggage to look after. This was a responsibility Tian Feng had given him before dying. Words that had been spoken couldn’t be taken back. He couldn’t go back on his promise. 

In two days and two nights, Hu Bugui had slept no more than three hours, but he didn’t show a single sign of weariness. He still stood there like a javelin, issuing orders. Up to this point, they had eliminated three areas, and the technicians had taken care of another. There was one they were investigating just now. Through Su Qing, Hu Bugui sensed a bit of an unusual atmosphere. So, keeping an eye on Su Qing, he connected to Xu Ruchong. “How about area 5?” 

Xu Ruchong was so busy his feet didn’t touch the ground. “I don’t know yet. We haven’t seen anything suspicious yet, but the computer still shows that it hasn’t finished taking care of it. I suspect that there’s a problem with the program, wait while I…” 

Hu Bugui didn’t wait for him to finish prattling. He said to Fang Xiu next to him, “Everyone be on the alert. Area 5—it’s likely we’ve already found the blue seals’ base.” 

Fang Xiu said, “Yes, sir.” 

Xu Ruchong said, “…huh?” 

When the black cloth in front of Su Qing’s eyes was removed, he found that he had returned the estate where Chen Lin had hidden him. The Utopia car left quickly. The estate was extremely quiet—as though they were the only two people there. 

Chen Lin suddenly grabbed Su Qing’s collar and pressed him to a wall with great strength. His eyes looked into Su Qing’s. Then, practically into his ear, he said, “The RZ Unit has located the base. I hear it’s likely because some person snuck something in… What I want to know is, is that person you?”