When they finally arrived at the interrogation room, Xu An found Qin Chuan’s gaze on him rather peculiar.
Ever since they first met, Qin Chuan’s eyes had inexplicably lingered on him. Xu An had no idea what about him could warrant Qin Chuan’s curiosity, but judging by the man’s aloof demeanor, he clearly had no intention of revealing it.
However, Xu An didn’t press the issue. Earlier, by the sea, Qin Chuan had mentioned that someone was already monitoring their every move from the lighthouse. Qin Chuan had also explained his previous pretense of not knowing Xu An as a measure to prevent Xu An from being targeted by the lighthouse’s higher-ups. Xu An had understood. Now, looking at Qin Chuan, it seemed that the targeting of those around him had not only persisted but intensified. This was likely why Qin Chuan was maintaining such a distant attitude towards Xu An. Still, Xu An didn't mind.
“Alright, tell me what happened between you and the researchers before we arrived,” Qin Chuan said, his words directed at the group, yet his eyes remained fixed on Chu Yu and Xu An. Based on his experience, Qin Chuan had a hunch that these two knew each other. However, Qin Chuan had already had people investigate Chu Yu and Xu An. According to the records, they had had no prior interactions before the apocalypse. On the lighthouse, they had appeared like complete strangers. Yet, Chu Yu was Xu An’s neighbor, and the records detailing how Chu Yu had boarded the lighthouse seemed to have been deliberately erased, as if someone was meticulously attempting to remove all traces of Chu Yu’s existence. Without this expedition, they might never have crossed paths.
“Captain Qin, you must seek justice for us! The research institute has gone too far this time. They disregard human lives and treat us like fools!”
“That’s right! They’ve caused so many deaths!”
Qin Chuan listened to the cacophony of voices from across the table, feeling overwhelmed. He waved his hand, signaling for quiet, and pointed to a man in camouflage. “You, tell me what happened. Speak one by one. If you all blurt things out chaotically, I won’t understand anything.”
The man singled out stepped forward and recounted everything that had transpired after they reached the laboratory doors, without omitting a single detail. After listening, Qin Chuan’s already stern brows furrowed. “You’re saying that one of you took the lead in demanding an explanation from the lab, which then escalated into a riot, and they killed that person?”
The man nodded repeatedly. “And what did you mean by demanding an explanation?”
The moment Qin Chuan uttered these words, everyone opposite him exchanged glances and fell silent. Qin Chuan immediately recognized the core of the problem. He continued, “You are all being secretive, merely stating that the lab deceived you, but you refuse to elaborate on what the deception entailed. This makes it difficult for us to proceed.”
Qin Chuan narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. He suspected that this group had been entrusted with a secret mission by the lab. It was highly probable that this mission differed from the previously agreed-upon rewards or other intelligence information, which led them to believe they had been cheated. Yet, judging by their expressions, these individuals clearly did not wish to make their secret mission public, prompting a silent, cold chuckle from Qin Chuan. At a time like this, they were still unwilling to share information?
After a moment, Qin Chuan swept his gaze across the assembled individuals. Seeing their continued expressions of indecision and apathy, his remaining patience began to wane. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Xu An’s voice.
Xu An glanced up at Qin Chuan, aware that his patience was rapidly depleting. She knew that if Qin Chuan didn’t intervene, they would be left as mere fish on the laboratory’s chopping block, defenseless. Yet, the group before him was still dithering, their faces etched with hesitation. Zhou Haimei had been tugging at Xu An’s arm, silently asking with her eyes, “Should we step forward?”
Initially, Xu An was reluctant to be the first to speak. She had already stepped out once at the laboratory entrance. To take the lead again here would be too conspicuous. However, she could clearly sense that Qin Chuan was growing weary of this hot potato. But without Qin Chuan’s mediating influence, their small group would be no match for the laboratory’s authority. After weighing the pros and cons, Xu An finally stepped forward.
“Dr. Weng Quan from the laboratory promised us additional rewards, even permanent residency on the second floor, if we helped them find a synthetic monster.”
This statement sent ripples through the room. The moment Xu An finished speaking, everyone turned to look at her. However, Xu An remained unfazed. Since the matter had now been brought to light, she felt it best for everyone to be aware of it. This, she believed, was the safest course for the dozen or so of them. Who knew if the powerful laboratory might resort to desperate measures and have them all eliminated? Xu An had witnessed too many instances of being discarded after use in her past life. The best way to resolve danger was to deflect it.
Qin Chuan’s eyes fixed on Xu An. “You’re talking about a synthetic monster? Can you be more specific?”
Xu An nodded and took a few steps closer to Qin Chuan, relaying precisely what Dr. Weng Quan and Xia Jin had told them. She also selectively shared some details about “Little Mushroom” with Qin Chuan. Upon hearing about synthetic monsters of different species, Qin Chuan already had an idea, especially when Xu An mentioned that the lab personnel had insisted on preserving the monsters’ heads, even providing them with expensive spatial rings. His disdain grew. Qin Chuan remained outwardly composed, thinking to himself, “Have Weng Quan and Xia Jin reached the end of their rope? After I failed to find anything on several occasions, they are now willing to pay such a high price to have these people go down and search?”
After listening to Xu An’s account, Qin Chuan calmly asked, “Then why do you claim the laboratory deceived you?”
As Qin Chuan spoke, he keenly observed the varying expressions on the faces of the individuals before him. They seemed to want to say something but were hesitant, appearing conflicted about whether or not to speak. Even Xu An noticed something was amiss. A sudden thought struck her, and she looked at the people around her, recalling an event three months prior, the day before they descended from the lighthouse. The lab personnel had apparently called them out separately to give each of them specific instructions. At the time, Xu An had gone with Zhou Haimei, and many others had gone in pairs, so Xu An hadn't given it much thought. Inside, they were simply advised to be cautious and take care of their safety. Following that, Xu An was given two spatial rings, one of which she gave to Zhou Haimei, and there were no further developments. She couldn't help but wonder, perhaps on that day, after calling them in separately, the lab personnel had also assigned them different missions?