Chapter 9: The Unknown

Four days is neither long nor short, but what surprised Yang Huawi was that his aunt unexpectedly came to the base. A woman as intelligent as her surely knew that he had always harbored a secret affection for her.

"Are you pleased to see me wearing the dragon head?" Yang Huawi asked with a smirk.

Xiao Ruyun looked at Yang Huawi, hesitated for a moment, and then said with a trace of helplessness, "Actually, I understand your feelings very well. It's just that I can't choose you. You know that you're younger than me, and you're still in school, not even in college yet. How could you provide for a woman? I've always had a fondness for you, but your uncle's arrival just made up for your shortcomings, so I married him. As for my feelings for you…"

Seeing the inquisitive look in Yang Huawi's eyes, she added with some embarrassment, "My feelings for you aren't very clear. I love your uncle, but my feelings for you are more like those for a younger brother or a friend."

Hearing this, Yang Huawi felt a pang of sadness. Even though he couldn't become the person she considered, hearing Xiao Ruyun admit to having feelings for him provided some solace. He felt a sense of relief, as though he was finally letting go of the emotional burden. With a sincere hug, he bid her farewell and turned to leave.

"Don't go—" Xiao Ruyun grabbed Yang Huawi's coat, causing him to raise an eyebrow playfully and smile with a hint of mischief.

Seeing Yang Huawi's smile, Xiao Ruyun's face flushed slightly. "What are you thinking? I came here not only to see you off but also to help you. Don't get the wrong idea," she scolded gently.

"How do you know I had any wrong ideas?" Yang Huawi asked, teasingly. Witnessing Xiao Ruyun's vulnerable side, he felt a sense of calm. It seemed that their romantic link was truly severed, and he felt a weight lifted from his heart.

Noticing Yang Huawi's changing expressions, Xiao Ruyun was momentarily stunned. Once he returned to his normal self, she hesitantly continued, "You know that your memories will be sealed. I have a somewhat unusual constitution myself. If you agree, I want to conduct an experiment on you."

Yang Huawi, understanding the implications, asked, "Is this something that Mom and Uncle asked you to do?"

Xiao Ruyun's response left him speechless: "No, this is something they don't know about. I hope it remains our secret. I'm unsure if my blood will affect the City of Saints' baptism and transformation. This experiment is uncertain, and even I can't guarantee its success."

Hearing this, Yang Huawi felt a warm emotion. It seemed that Xiao Ruyun cared for him and wanted to give him some protection before his dangerous journey. Regardless of its effectiveness, it was an unexpected outcome from his long-time affection. He smiled gently and replied, "As you wish, do whatever you think is best. I won't tell anyone."

In the privacy of Yang Huawi's room, Xiao Ruyun spent seven hours performing the procedure. A noticeable lump appeared on the back of Yang Huawi's head, resembling a bruise from a blow. Seeing the physical strain Xiao Ruyun endured, Yang Huawi felt deeply sorry. Had he known the extent of her effort, he would have refused the experiment.

"It's no big deal. Just think of it as a way to lose weight," Xiao Ruyun said with a light-hearted tone, patting Yang Huawi's shoulder to comfort him before hastily leaving.

Seeing the worried expression on his mother's face the next morning, Yang Huawi sighed. It was no wonder she was upset, considering Xiao Ruyun had spent the night in his room. Despite the circumstances, Yang Huawi understood his mother's reaction and only smiled bitterly.

"We didn't do anything. My aunt used a program similar to a computer copy to preserve my memories. She was worried that I would forget everything after the transformation," Yang Huawi explained to his mother, choosing to be partially honest to avoid suspicion and discomfort.

"What kind of copying method? Was it through a computer or DNA?" His mother, initially agitated, now seemed to grasp at any hope.

"It was a computer-based method using electromagnetic waves. The effectiveness is still uncertain, which is why my aunt didn't make it public. The process will only take effect once I return from the parallel space," Yang Huawi continued his half-truth.

"Seems like there's no guarantee," his mother sighed, seemingly convinced.

"Some of the people who entered have already come out," she said, shifting to report the progress.

"Who came out first? Was it Captain Beard?" Yang Huawi asked.

"No, it wasn't Captain Beard. It was your comrade known as the Fourth. He said Captain Beard was injured and feared contracting harmful viruses, so he requested to stay in the cave for an extra hour for scanning," his mother's reply caused Yang Huawi's heart to sink. He quickly headed to the recovery and lab area.

The first batch of those who emerged included the Fourth and another loyal teammate. Seeing them safe, Yang Huawi breathed a sigh of relief. However, when Captain Beard was brought in with a serious and pained expression, his heart sank further.

"What happened?" Yang Huawi asked through the glass.

"We lost seventeen team members," Captain Beard's words shocked Yang Huawi, causing him to react with alarm. "What went wrong? There shouldn't have been any major threats inside!"

"There weren't any major threats originally, but the remains of the pangolin you killed were consumed by other small creatures. These small creatures mutated, becoming extremely aggressive and corrosive. The worst part is that they seemed to exhibit human-like cognitive signs. We suffered losses due to these creatures," Captain Beard explained.

"Human-like cognitive signs? Could it be Aunt Zhang's remains?" Yang Huawi asked in disbelief.

"It's hard to say for sure. After we dealt with these creatures, we incinerated them to prevent further issues. The delay in the subsequent group's exit was due to the investigation of these creatures. Since you and I are the first batch for the City of Saints' transformation, I left early to avoid delaying the schedule," Captain Beard's words left Yang Huawi shocked and regretful. If only he had burned the pangolin remains back then, his comrades might have been spared. He felt a profound sense of remorse, his heart aching as if pierced by countless knives.

He needed to stay calm, cautious, and thorough. If not, the consequences would be disastrous. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yang Huawi matured instantly, observing that the captain and several other teammates were already in a state of deep rest.

Leaving the monitoring room with a heavy heart, Yang Huawi faced an uncertain future, filled with anxiety about the upcoming tasks and the transformation by the City of Saints.