"Comrade Shadow, if I remember correctly, isn't Zhongshan Hospital located in the outskirts of Haimen District?" Zodiac Pig said thoughtfully.
"I'm not very familiar with the Capital City since I just arrived." Wu Liang began to play dumb.
"Then why did it only take us half an hour to take a taxi back from such a distant place?"
Zodiac Pig glanced at the large clock hanging outside the headquarters building, calculating the time from when they left Zhongshan Hospital, got on that inexplicable taxi, and arrived here.
He felt a bit disoriented.
Wu Liang was also confused.
How could he forget that during the previous taxi ride with Zodiac Rabbit, the minor had fallen asleep the moment she got in, so she had no concept of time at all.
But Zodiac Pig hadn't fallen asleep!
"May I ask boldly, are you of age? Don't you get sleepy when you get in a car?" Wu Liang asked, looking at Zodiac Pig's face, which looked at least thirty and had a scruffy beard from being trapped for half a month.
Zodiac Pig's mouth twitched, "What do you think? If the supernatural awakening hadn't changed the world, I would have been married by now, and my kid might already be buying soy sauce."
"So, the driver probably took a shortcut, right? Speaking of which, aren't you in a rush for the surgery?"
Having no choice, Wu Liang had to find a reason to divert this guy's attention. After all, the taxi ghost's [Unimpeded] was really unreasonable.
Ignoring all terrain and vehicle conditions, it could reach anywhere in the city within half an hour.
Noticing a faint, eerie plastic straw starting to protrude from the location of his heart again, Zodiac Pig realized time was tight.
If he delayed any longer, he might soon fall asleep and have his consciousness taken over by the spore again!
"Then I'll head up quickly! Help me contact Professor Guo!" Zodiac Pig hurried into the elevator.
After hesitating for a second, he pressed the button for the experimental floor where the research institute was located.
To be honest, if it weren't for such an emergency, he really didn't want to go to this floor.
The treatment room of the official headquarters—basically just the research institute.
After all, the researchers were very curious about injuries and effects caused by supernatural powers, so they also handled the surgeries.
Although their technical skills were not a problem, not everyone could withstand the psychological pressure.
It is said that many Awakened need to see a psychologist to relieve pressure after treatment.
"Hey, Professor Guo, I've brought the person back. Who are you asking about? Zodiac Pig! He's at death's door; please get up and make two cuts, or else I'll have to do it myself with a kitchen knife." Wu Liang said, using a public phone in the lobby.
After all, his own phone was still left at the hospital as a trap.
But he had brought back the SIM card; he would have to buy a new phone again tomorrow.
After making the call, Wu Liang then entered the elevator to go to the research institute's floor.
"Quick, quick, quick! I need to see all the usable instruments fully calibrated within ten minutes! Get moving!"
"The main issue is with the heart, right? Can the instruments detect it? If not, have Shadow assist in the surgery to help locate the spore!"
Upon arriving, he heard Professor Guo's voice echoing across the entire floor.
The professor was commanding a team of researchers to calibrate equipment while understanding the specifics of the spore from Zodiac Pig.
It was clear that the professor took this surgery seriously.
Even at this ungodly hour of three or four a.m., he had been awakened and was prepared for surgery very quickly.
"I don't need to assist, just remember that the spore is transparent, but it still has a tangible form that can be touched."
Wu Liang shouted from a distance to Professor Guo.
He already saw the old professor putting on protective gear for the preoperative procedure.
The professor nodded seriously after hearing him, but because time was pressing, he turned and entered the fully transparent operating room to commence spore extraction.
As Wu Liang observed Zodiac Pig's resigned expression and the over twenty researchers surrounding the transparent operating room, he could understand why others at headquarters didn't want to undergo treatment here.
Who could stand being operated on while being watched like a monkey by dozens of people?
Moreover, most of them were taking notes avidly.
Among the crowd, Wu Liang even spotted Zodiac Rabbit...
After all, with her height, she had to stand on a chair to observe the surgery inside, making her hard to miss.
"Stop watching. If you're unclear about the spores, I'll tell you about them later." Wu Liang raised a hand to pull the minor down from the chair.
Zodiac Rabbit was about to burst out swearing when she was pulled away, but hearing his voice, she held back.
After all, it was this guy who had indeed saved Zodiac Pig, and in the process, solved over a dozen issues regarding forbidden areas.
"You're just in time; we've found the reason behind Willow Leaf's betrayal, but the issue might be quite severe."
Zodiac Rabbit reluctantly looked back at the operating room before turning to talk to Wu Liang.
But as soon as she opened her mouth, he spoke up first:
"Heh, let me guess—the motive is either the desire for power to elevate his status after being exposed to so many Awakened and Symbionts.
Or he felt that as an ordinary person, he couldn't achieve further progress in certain research fields and was seduced by the Promised Land's technology that allows ordinary people to wield supernatural power, right?" New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on NoveI~Fire.net
"I lean towards the latter."
Before Zodiac Rabbit could continue speaking, Wu Liang immediately laid out his reasoning with confidence.
In just a few sentences, Zodiac Rabbit was left with an incredulous expression.
"You… how do you know this?"
What he said was entirely accurate!
This information had only been obtained tonight!
Both Zodiac Rabbit and Professor Guo were stunned when they heard Willow Leaf describe how the Promised Land showed him a form of "supernatural power even ordinary people can possess."
If what Willow Leaf said were true, the Promised Land's scientific technology would be incredibly terrifying!
Their level of threat would increase significantly!
"Just using my head to deduce it. Let's set that aside for now; I need your help with something." Wu Liang changed the subject.
Zodiac Rabbit's ears perked up as she noticed the seriousness on his face and listened intently.
But what Wu Liang said next nearly made her cry out in shock.
"In the next two days, help me observe if there's anyone undergoing treatment at the official headquarters' research institute because of a curse, especially if the curse makes them extremely unlucky or even endangers their life."
"If there is, do your best to suppress their spiritual power and notify me; that person is a member of the Promised Land."
Wu Liang squinted at the other researchers still analyzing the surgery in the distance.
At that moment, he eyed everyone except Professor Guo and Zodiac Rabbit with suspicion.
"Huh? Do you mean there might be others..."
Zodiac Rabbit quickly covered her mouth, refraining from finishing her sentence.
Because the issue regarding Willow Leaf was currently only known to her, Shadow, Teacher Guo, and two other students, who were now also being monitored.
She intended to report it to higher management tonight, only to be stopped by Teacher Guo.
His exact words were— "Shadow discovered him. I suggest telling him first before making a plan. What if there are more? Let him find them."
Now that Shadow had appeared, what he said aligned perfectly with Teacher Guo's thoughts!
Wu Liang nodded slightly, thought about the extracted phone card in his pocket, and pondered.
He had set a trap for the Promised Land; whether they would fall for it depended on luck...