Chapter 127: You're Making Me Lose Face

For the two mental patients, their world was filled with both sorrow and joy, but more often than not, it was joy. Sorrow only lingered for a moment before vanishing completely.

Knock knock!

Liu Ying arrived late. He was exhausted from having to "pay his dues." His girlfriend not only demanded hard work but also a constant variety of "tricks."

It was driving him crazy. Did she really think he was a circus performer?

Variety?

A single, swift "dragon strike" should be more than enough.

Lin Fan opened the door and said helplessly, "It might not be possible tonight. Old Zhang is in a bad mood. Come back tomorrow."

"Huh?"

Liu Ying was stunned. Why would Old Zhang be in a bad mood? He was really looking forward to having three hairs grow on his head tomorrow. It was the thing he anticipated most. If he went back now, the situation would be a bit dangerous.

As for the variety of "tricks," frankly, he really couldn't do it.

Slam!

The door closed.

Liu Ying scratched his head, unable to accept this reality. He really wanted to receive treatment tonight. Effective treatment was so rare; encountering someone who could provide it was incredibly lucky.

And now…

He was going to miss out.

Thinking about the situation he would face upon returning, he felt a bit apprehensive.

He even considered spending the night at an internet cafe.

Hotels were too expensive.

And too risky. If he were caught, he wouldn't be able to explain himself even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

At dawn, by the flower bed downstairs…

The evil chicken scratched at the soil, quietly looking at the evil cat, its eyes still open in death. Then, it opened its beak and swallowed the evil cat's corpse in one gulp.

Burping with satisfaction, it thought:

"I didn't want to eat you, but as a fellow evil being, I couldn't bear to see you abandoned in the wilderness, becoming fertilizer for the flowers and grass."

"I don't hold grudges, so I'll let you become one with me and share the glory when I'm finally hailed as an evil hero."

Eating is eating; no need for excuses.

The evil chicken was truly a shameless creature.

Evil cat, thank you so very much.

March 24th.

One day closer to April 1st.

"Ah!"

"My watch has been stolen!"

Old Zhang cried out, startling the evil chicken into reflexively laying two eggs.

"What's wrong?" Lin Fan asked hurriedly.

Old Zhang rolled up his sleeve. "Look, my multi-million dollar watch has been stolen again! Who is it? Who keeps stealing my things? I worked so hard to buy it. I promised to buy you one too, but at this rate, how will I ever be able to?"

Sobbing

Lin Fan hugged Old Zhang. "Don't worry, I'll help you find it. It must be somewhere in the house; you just haven't noticed it."

"Mm." Old Zhang paced anxiously. His beloved watch had disappeared again, and his heart ached.

The evil chicken couldn't understand Old Zhang's behavior. Don't even think about it; you don't even have a watch.

It seems like that watch of yours is drawn on.

Do you really think it's a real watch?

"Old Zhang, I found it!" Lin Fan shouted.

The evil chicken stared at Lin Fan in astonishment.

How is that possible?

Old Zhang exclaimed excitedly, "Where? Where?"

Lin Fan smiled. "Close your eyes, and I'll put it on for you. But you can't open your eyes until I tell you to, or it will be gone."

"Okay."

Like an obedient child, Old Zhang immediately closed his eyes.

Lin Fan took out a pen, turned his back to Old Zhang, grabbed his wrist, and slowly began to draw.

"It tickles," Old Zhang giggled.

Lin Fan said, "Don't move, or the watch will disappear."

Hearing that the watch might disappear, he immediately became still. Even if it tickled, he wouldn't move.

The evil chicken only dared to watch, not to ask.

Even if someone asked, it would have to pretend to know nothing. Everything that was happening was beyond its imagination. Frankly, it was beyond its comprehension.

"Old Zhang, it's done. Take a look, is it back?"

Lin Fan's artistic talent wasn't exceptional, but overall, his technique was decent. Drawing a watch wasn't difficult.

"Wow! It's really back!"

"Where did you find it? And I noticed the watch looks a bit different, even better than before."

Old Zhang danced with joy.

Happiness was so simple, without any impurities.

Seeing Old Zhang happy again, Lin Fan picked up the two eggs from the floor, boiled them, and then, one egg each, they went out, hand-in-hand with the evil chicken.

Their job was simple.

Just walk around the streets, mostly helping others. It's just that there were so few people who needed help.

On the street…

The crowds were large, and most people were busy with their own affairs, rarely interacting. Most were chatting on their phones.

They weren't wearing their青山 Mental Hospital clothes, so they didn't attract attention.

However, the chicken on a leash was still quite eye-catching, causing some people to sneak photos.

They even had the titles ready:

[Strange Guy Spotted Walking a Rooster in Downtown]

"Help me! Someone stole my child!"

A young woman collapsed on the ground, screaming heart-wrenchingly. Then, she scrambled up and chased after the kidnappers, but the motorcycle was too fast, weaving through traffic without stopping.

The onlookers were shocked.

Someone dared to snatch a child in broad daylight? They had to take pictures with their phones, post them on their Moments, and condemn these child-snatching scumbags.

"Don't worry, we've already called the police."

"Do you have a picture of your child? Send it to us, and we'll share it on our Moments."

"Damn! How audacious!"

The young woman was surrounded by a crowd, unable to break free. Anxious, she began to curse, tears streaming down her face.

"Excuse me, is there anything I can help you with?" Lin Fan asked, approaching with the chicken.

The surrounding crowd pointed at Lin Fan. Such a cold-blooded person! Someone's child had been snatched, and he was asking if there was anything he could do to help. If he wanted to help, he should go after them!

But even if he did, he wouldn't catch up.

They were on a motorcycle, unimpeded. Would he chase them with his life?

The young woman pointed into the distance. "They took my child! I want my child back!"

Lin Fan looked in the direction she pointed. The taillights of the motorcycle were distinct, and he could vaguely make out the outline of the child.

He handed the leash of the chicken to Old Zhang.

"Wait for me."

At that moment…

Lin Fan's eyes changed. He leaned forward slightly, his feet pressing against the ground. Bang! Dust swirled as he vanished in front of everyone.

His speed was incredible.

Like a bolt of lightning.

"Holy shit!"

"What the fuck!"

"That speed is insane!"

The onlookers gaped, dumbfounded, as if they had seen a ghost. Even the young woman stopped crying, staring blankly into the distance.

Old Zhang said, "He's very capable. He'll definitely get your child back."

Everyone turned to look at Old Zhang, their stares making him take a frightened step back. Without Lin Fan by his side, he was a little afraid of the crowd.

What kind of motorcycle could weave through traffic so recklessly?

A closer look revealed…

A Wuling!

There were two adults and a child on the motorcycle. The child was struggling, but in the grip of the adults, they had no chance of resisting.

"Go faster! Get out of Yanhai City!"

"I'm already going as fast as I can!"

They sped through the traffic, attracting the curses of many drivers. Driving so crazily, were they rushing to their deaths?

Then…

The driver almost jumped out of his seat. He saw someone running faster than the cars, and the running person was smiling at them, a chilling smile that sent shivers down their spines.

A cold sweat broke out, and they suddenly felt uneasy.

The sun was shining brightly; how could there be such a chilling smile in broad daylight? But what they didn't know was that for the child, that smile was as warm as sunshine.

Knock knock!

The person holding the child in the back complained, "Just focus on driving! Why are you knocking on my helmet?"

"I didn't knock on your helmet," the motorcycle driver replied.

"Then… what the fuck!"

Screams erupted.

The helmeted figure sitting on the back of the motorcycle was stunned into silence upon seeing Lin Fan. He slowly lowered his gaze. Lin Fan's feet were like spinning wheels, a blur, making it impossible to discern the shape of his legs.

Lin Fan ran, tilting his head and smiling. "Why are you stealing someone's child?"

The motorcycle driver, eyes fixed on the road ahead, expertly weaved through the traffic, navigating the narrow gaps between cars with remarkable skill.

Hearing the voice beside him, he responded dismissively, "You don't understand how important this child is to us. He's… Who's talking?"

The driver felt something was amiss.

He glanced sideways.

He saw Lin Fan's face, keeping pace with them without any assistance, as if he were running alongside. Impossible.

Lin Fan smiled. "Can you please not steal things from people? This kind of behavior is very bad."

He didn't dare provoke these people too much. In his opinion, only people with something wrong with their minds would casually steal from others. Just like in the青山 Mental Hospital, many people said the patients were mentally ill, but he wanted to retort, had those who said such things ever lived with them?

The patients in the mental hospital were very good people.

Polite.

Sharing.

They never randomly stole things from others. Even if they wanted something, they would ask first, and if the owner refused, they wouldn't take it.

The motorcycle driver didn't waste any words and accelerated, increasing the danger. Many cars swerved to avoid them, resulting in collisions. Some drivers, listening to music and driving leisurely, were startled out of their wits by the motorcycle zipping past, slamming on the accelerator and crashing into the car ahead.

"Can't shake him!"

"He's too fast! This is insane! How can he be so fast?"

The figure in the back stared at Lin Fan, his face hidden beneath the helmet showing panic. This was clearly unavoidable.

"Kill him," the driver said.

The figure in the back pulled a gun from his waist and aimed it at Lin Fan's forehead. His movements were practiced, his hand steady, as if he were long accustomed to it, or had done it many times and become completely numb.

Bang!

The gun flashed, the intense heat and rapid impact distorting the space around it.

The bullet struck Lin Fan's forehead. There was no explosion of brain matter, no spray of blood. It was as if it had hit a steel plate and simply ricocheted off.

Lin Fan touched his forehead. "Why did you hit me?"

How could this be?

He looked at the gun. It was useless. It hadn't even scratched his skin.

Lin Fan, not pleased, reached for the figure in the back.

The motorcycle driver, now even more adept at his high-speed maneuvering, felt the bike become lighter. But that wasn't important. Perhaps it was divine intervention, the wind was favorable, and acceleration was all thanks to the wind.

"The child belongs to someone else. How can you just steal her?" Lin Fan lightly patted the shoulder of the stunned figure now standing on the ground, then removed his helmet. "Such a fine young man, just a bit of dark circles under his eyes. You could find something else to do."

The young man, dragged off the motorcycle by Lin Fan, looked at Lin Fan, then back at his departing teammate, unaware that he had been left behind.

Damn it!

Didn't he notice someone was missing from the back?

Riding that fast, a bit ruthless.

"I forgive you. Live a good life." Lin Fan patted his shoulder and turned to walk away.

Tiny bugs seemed to crawl across the young man's eyes. He wanted to attack, but lacked the courage. But seeing the little girl being taken away, he knew he couldn't let it go. Failing his mission would have terrifying consequences.

Large bumps bulged on his back. Just as they were about to burst through his skin, he suppressed them.

Holding his helmet, he blended into the crowd, vanishing without a trace.

Ultimately, reason triumphed over his frustration.

No matter who you are, being alive is the most precious thing.

"Big brother, why can you run so fast?" The little girl, about the same age as Xiao Bao, was delicate and doll-like, with large, round, dark eyes that shone with light. She asked, her face full of curiosity.

Lin Fan said, "Not fast, just normal running. You can run this fast too."

"Really?"

"Really."

The little girl missed her mother. Normally, she would be crying, wailing for her mom. But chatting with Lin Fan, facing his smile, she wasn't afraid at all. It was as if in the darkness, a sun constantly shone beside her.

Children loved Lin Fan.

His smile was warm, irresistible to any child. But for adults, they weren't used to such a smile, even finding it unsettling.

"Why did they want to take you?" Lin Fan asked.

"I don't know," the little girl shook her head.

Lin Fan thought for a moment. "Maybe you're too cute. I like cute things too, but I never steal them from others."

In the distance, Old Zhang squatted on the ground, counting ants. He hadn't gone anywhere, and didn't dare talk to the people around him. They seemed scary. Seeing Lin Fan return, he hurried over, leading his hen.

"You're finally back."

He was relieved to see Lin Fan. With his backbone present, he wasn't afraid of anything.

"Let me introduce you. This is my best friend, Old Zhang," Lin Fan said.

The little girl said, "Hello, Grandpa Zhang."

Old Zhang scratched his head. "I'm still young. Just call me Old Zhang."

A strange exchange.

The young woman saw her little girl and ran over. "Jiajia! You scared me to death!"

Jiajia said sensibly, "Don't cry, Mommy. Big brother saved me. He beat up the bad guys."

The young woman said gratefully, "Thank you, thank you. I will definitely repay you."

"No need to repay. We like helping people. Stealing things from others is very bad. We'll stop it if we see it. We have to go to work now."

"Old Zhang, let's go."

Lin Fan remembered he had work to do and needed to keep working hard. He waved to the young woman and walked away.

The young woman wanted to stop him, to properly thank him, but between comforting her daughter and chasing after him, she couldn't manage it.

Wah! Wah! Wah!

Police sirens wailed.

The police finally arrived.

Learning that someone had snatched a child in broad daylight, the police were stunned. Yanhaishi had good public order; this kind of thing rarely happened, especially with security cameras covering the entire city.

Trying to snatch a child under these circumstances was simply suicidal.

On the outskirts of the city, a Wuling motorcycle speeding across the land came to a stop.

The driver put his foot down and took off his helmet. "Everything went smoothly, this lit…"

He turned around, and the words he was about to say caught in his throat, as if choked. Damn… where was he?

He had clearly been sitting right behind him.

Gone in the blink of an eye.

The surroundings were quiet, not a soul in sight. This was an unexpected turn of events. He just wanted to know, he was clearly sitting in the back, hadn't been asked to do anything, so where had he gone?

"Where are you?"

He shouted.

No one answered.

"Where are you…"

He shouted again.

After a long while…

"I'm here."

Finally, a reply came.

A figure appeared in the distance, looking somewhat disheveled.

Before the driver could speak, the man who had been taught a lesson by Lin Fan roared, "Are you blind? You abandoned me! You rode off on the motorcycle without looking back! You betrayed me!"

"Where's the human girl?"

"I'm asking you why you abandoned me!"

"Where's the human girl?"

"I'm asking you why you freaking abandoned me!"

They yelled back and forth.

Like broken records, repeating the same lines, one questioning, the other raging.

The atmosphere grew tense.

A fight seemed inevitable.

Special Department.

"This is a child abduction case that occurred in the city center an hour ago."

Jin He Li was a woman with multiple professional suits, always in the same style: pencil skirt, high heels. And she definitely worked out, her figure showing clear signs of improvement in all the right places.

She was a vixen, a money-attracting vixen.

One-Eyed Man said, "This is something the police should handle. What's the point of showing me? I'm not a detective."

"With your analytical skills, I highly doubt the Yanhaishi Special Department can function properly under your leadership," Jin He Li said. Her tone was devoid of emotion, but her words cut deep, a form of expressionless protest.

"Don't be so harsh. I rely on my skills to make a living."

One-Eyed Man took the file. He deeply loathed subordinates who lacked a sense of hierarchy. Didn't they know respecting their superiors was important? Challenging him like this, did she even want a promotion?

He carefully reviewed the file.

Jin He Li waited patiently until One-Eyed Man finished reading, then slowly began, "I've already investigated this matter. The little girl's name is Zhou Yujia. Her father is Zhou Yuanming, a researcher at the Aberrant Gene Research Lab. Nine years ago, Zhou Yuanming was diagnosed with a terminal illness, given only three months to live. At the time, he was working on a personal aberrant gene project."

"Due to his illness, the project was halted. A few months later, Zhou Yuanming returned to work, his terminal illness cured. No one paid much attention at the time, and Zhou Yuanming himself stopped the project and destroyed all research data. Until one day, after Zhou Yujia was born, Zhou Yuanming suddenly died in the lab. The cause of death was given as heart failure."

One-Eyed Man pondered, his expression serious. Then he said, "A respectable researcher, contributing so much to the country. Arrange for the best treatment for the mother and daughter. We must not let the heroes who dedicate themselves to the country feel disheartened. I'll take care of the daughter's education. Also, check their living situation. If it's too poor, give them a house to ensure they live comfortably."

He never admitted his comprehension skills were lacking; it was just that she talked too much, giving him a headache.

As for the real situation, he could figure it out himself.

His comprehension skills definitely had problems.

Jin He Li looked at One-Eyed Man, adjusting her glasses. "I will request a change of leadership from my superiors."

"Just kidding, don't take it seriously. Just tell me, what did you find?" One-Eyed Man said with a smile.

Jin He Li put away her phone. She hadn't actually been calling anyone, she simply couldn't stand this kind of leader.

"Based on my analysis, Zhou Yuanming's experiment wasn't complete, but it was already effective. Diagnosed with a terminal illness and given only three months to live, he must have taken a desperate gamble, using the untested aberrant gene modification drug on himself. He succeeded, but there must have been side effects."

"After Zhou Yujia was born, he died suddenly in the lab. I suspect the modified genes were passed on to his daughter, while the genes in his own body completely disappeared, leading to his sudden death."

"The two kidnappers could be human or aberrant. If they're aberrant, then someone in a high position who knew about this must have leaked the information, wanting to take Zhou Yujia away for research."

"Therefore, I request a full medical examination for Zhou Yujia, and protection for her safety."

One-Eyed Man's expression turned grave. "Alright, I'll leave this matter to you. But you managed to uncover so much from such a small incident, impressive."

He was truly impressed.

Jin He Li said, "In any city's Special Department, the Aberrant Incident Analysis Team is the most crucial department. Without exceptional intelligence and patience, one is not fit to be a member of the analysis team. I ask that you take this matter seriously. This could be humanity's most significant breakthrough in aberrant gene research."

"If the aberrants obtain this little girl and decipher the algorithm for human compatibility with aberrant genes, you will be a sinner."

One-Eyed Man stared at Jin He Li.

Honestly, he felt a little intimidated by her.

As expected…

Women were the most terrifying creatures, especially serious women.

The report concluded.

Jin He Li swayed her hips as she left.

"What a tigress."

One-Eyed Man sighed, silently smoking, lost in a cloud of smoke. He was worried, his dignity as a leader trampled upon. He felt like crying.

He took a couple of puffs and put out the cigarette.

He decided to take action himself and see what was so special about this little girl.

"Damn traitor, don't let me find you, or I'll beat your ass."