Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The Guide with Something to Hide

Thanks to Xu Qingsui’s handiwork, the Mutant lay limp on the ground, as dead as could be.

Still not quite satisfied, Xu Qingsui finally jumped down from the fence.

She landed smoothly from the several-meter-high fence, the look on her face clearly saying, ’Piece of cake.’

Seeing this, Shen Yan was even more astonished. Xu Qingsui’s physical prowess was also excellent.

’Flexible control over multiple attributes, plus that nimble agility!’

As he looked at Xu Qingsui again, a profound interest sparked in Shen Yan’s eyes.

Her powerful spiritual power had already been a great surprise to him.

He never imagined that on top of that, she possessed so many other shocking abilities.

A fanatical feeling surged from the depths of his heart, and Shen Yan’s gaze grew gradually more feverish.

At that moment, a conviction took root in his heart. ’I have to make her stay. I have to make Xu Qingsui willingly cooperate with my research.’

The scorching gaze was so intense that Xu Qingsui sensed it, her head snapping up to look into the distance.

But just as she looked over, Shen Yan had already concealed himself a moment sooner.

Although he was dying to approach her right then, his reason told him he couldn’t reveal himself.

’If I show up now, in this situation, Xu Qingsui will be forced to explain the Mutant situation to me.’

’Putting aside whether she’d be willing to reveal her control over multiple attributes, the moment she knows that I know, things will only get more difficult.’

’She already doesn’t want outsiders to know. If I expose her secret, she’ll do everything in her power to escape.’

’So, I have to play the long game. For now, I need to pretend I saw nothing, probe her intentions, and only after I’m clear on her position can I formulate a concrete plan.’

Finding nothing, Xu Qingsui was a little surprised. ’That feeling of being watched was so intense. I thought for sure someone saw what I just did.’

But there was really no one in the distance. She puzzled over it, reassuring herself. ’Maybe I’m just too on edge, and my senses are playing tricks on me.’

At that thought, Xu Qingsui worried that someone might see her with the dead Mutant and start asking questions about how it was killed.

She immediately left the Mutant behind and started walking back the way she came.

Hearing Xu Qingsui’s footsteps, Shen Yan quickly hid himself.

Once Xu Qingsui was a good distance away, he first contacted staff to retrieve the Mutant’s corpse.

Then, he took a shortcut to get ahead of Xu Qingsui and orchestrated an "accidental" encounter.

"Guide Xu, where did you go? When I came up I couldn’t find you. I was worried something had happened to you!"

Standing before Xu Qingsui again, Shen Yan’s face was etched with concern, showing no trace of the shock she had given him just moments before.

"I..." Xu Qingsui subconsciously started to tell the truth, but the words died on her lips. Thinking of the Mutant, she swallowed them back down.

’I know that Mutant was special and would be a perfect specimen for Shen Yan’s lab, but I really don’t want to get involved. I can’t risk him ’inviting’ me into his lab too.’

"Sorry to have worried you. I was just taking a walk and wandered off a bit too far. As soon as I realized, I hurried back."

Shen Yan smiled, but in his mind, he had already tagged Xu Qingsui as ’hiding her true strength.’

Having gotten a preliminary sense of her attitude, Shen Yan knew he had to continue feigning ignorance.

"As long as you’re okay. But it’s dangerous everywhere right now. You’d better stick close to me, just in case you run into that Mutant."

Xu Qingsui nodded. "I’ll be more careful. Is there still nothing new from the search below?"

"Nothing so far... Hold on." Before he could finish, Shen Yan’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then stepped aside to take the call.

Xu Qingsui didn’t think much of it at first, but then she heard the volume of Shen Yan’s voice suddenly rise, and an excited expression crossed his face.

"Someone just found the corpse of a Mutant. They suspect it’s the one that killed those five people. It’s already been sent to the lab for confirmation."

Shen Yan walked over to Xu Qingsui, full of enthusiasm, and relayed the news about the Mutant.

He looked so excited, as if he really were just hearing about it for the first time.

As he spoke, he carefully observed her expression, but alas, Xu Qingsui’s poker face was perfect, giving him no opening.

"Let’s go! By the time we get back, the results should be in."

Xu Qingsui nodded and hurried back to the lab with Shen Yan.

Seeing that Shen Yan was in good spirits, Xu Qingsui cautiously ventured, "We still don’t know for sure how many of these killer Mutants there are. Even if this is the one, we can’t let our guard down, right?"

"Pack-dwelling Mutants usually retain some of their social traits. We have researchers at the lab who specialize in this subject. Once the Mutant gets there, all the relevant research staff will get involved. If it is a pack-dweller, we’ll formulate an appropriate response."

Xu Qingsui nodded. She had been about to mention the Mutant’s specific traits, but she held her tongue. ’The more you say, the more you risk a slip-up.’

’Anyway,’ she thought, ’the body has been sent to the lab. The experts will examine it. They don’t need my two cents.’

Back in the lab, Xu Qingsui saw it again—the Mutant she had tormented until it was utterly lifeless.

Thinking back on her act of revenge, she surprisingly felt that it still hadn’t been enough.

’However smug that Mutant was when it was chasing and trying to bite me, that’s how pathetic it looked when I taught it a lesson!’

’This is what happens when you mess with me!’

Meanwhile, in the lab, a dozen or so researchers were studying the Mutant’s characteristics.

Several of them were already squabbling over who would get to take the Mutant to their personal lab for further study.

Shen Yan paid them no mind, his gaze landing on a researcher who had just finished his inspection.

"Lin Jia, is this a pack-dwelling Mutant?"

Lin Jia, having been called upon, quickly and respectfully stepped forward. "Boss, the Mutant shows some characteristics of a pack-dweller. Based on our analysis, it appears to be a snake-type Mutant. Snakes are inherently social, cold-blooded animals and are also extremely vengeful. We can’t afford to be careless. We need to step up our defenses and remain on high alert until we can confirm the area is secure."

Lin Jia, understanding what Shen Yan was getting at, proactively offered his detailed analysis and recommendations.

Shen Yan nodded and immediately contacted Chu Tian, telling him to keep the patrols going.

Hearing this, something stirred in Xu Qingsui, and she finally spoke up. "When I was near the plaza earlier, I sensed the Mutant’s presence. I suspect it’s connected to that huge pit. You must increase patrols around the plaza."

In order to protect her secret, Xu Qingsui still held some things back.

But the sense of danger had indeed appeared when she was at the plaza, and the Mutant had sprung out at that same moment.

Her sixth sense told her that this Mutant had come from the massive pit in the plaza.

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