TIC Chapter 35

 Chapter 35

“I am.”

What problem had cropped up *now*? Things had been happening non-stop lately; if this chaotic whirlwind continued much longer, he was going to snap.

One of the officers raised his wrist, revealing a nano-implant gun.

“What are you planning to do?”

Casey rushed over and grasped Xiao Yan’s hand.

“Don’t be nervous, Xiao Yan! Every researcher here is getting a chip implant! I got mine two days ago, too. It’s to monitor our vital signs—like heart rate and pulse—and also to make it easier for the military to track our movements and ensure our safety!”

Monitor vital signs and ensure safety? That was just a thinly veiled excuse to keep them all under surveillance.

“You won’t feel a thing.”

Before Xiao Yan could even react, he heard a muffled thud; a tingling sensation spread from his neck down to his heart, and just like that, the chip implantation was complete.

Now, he truly was under total surveillance.

“Xiao Yan?” Casey tugged at Xiao Yan’s sleeve.

“Casey, let me ask you something: when did the military start implanting chips in every researcher?”

“It all started about half a month ago.”

“Half a month ago?”

It was also half a month ago that Shen Bing had extracted information regarding “The Surge” from Xiao Yan’s mind.

It seemed this information must be connected to the Central Research Institute. Could it be that spies from The Surge had infiltrated the researchers, and this was the military’s way of keeping tabs on every staff member’s movements?

“Xiao Yan, what are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

It was better for Casey not to know anything about it.

But Xiao Yan was genuinely curious about what that information actually was. If he could, he would love to analyze his own brain.

“Hungry? Let’s head to the cafeteria.” Casey smiled as he grabbed Xiao Yan’s wrist; the mere mention of food brought out his inner child for all to see.

“Really? Do they have a ‘kids’ meal’ option in the cafeteria?”

“Kids’ meal? Who would that be for?” Casey looked completely baffled.

Xiao Yan quickly strode ahead. “It’s for *you*!”

“Oh, yeah? Xiao Yan! You’re dead meat!” Casey shook his fist and chased after him.

Don’t let the fact that the guy was shorter than him fool you—he was incredibly strong. Xiao Yan sprinted away as fast as he could. Glancing back at Casey’s flushed face, a truly satisfying sense of delight welled up inside him.

Before he could fully turn around, however, his chest slammed abruptly into someone else.

Xiao Yan nearly tumbled to the ground, but his arm was firmly gripped by the other person. The moment he looked up, his eyes locked with a pair of playful, teasing ones.

"Well, hello there."

The narrow, almond-shaped contours of the man's eyes held a strangely provocative allure, while the mole at the corner of his left eye lent him an air of rakish, untamed charm. His complexion—fair and flawless as pure jade—was so captivating that one simply couldn't look away.

Only then did Xiao Yan realize that the outfit the man was wearing was not a white lab coat, but rather a black combat uniform.

"Special Missions Unit?"

"That's right." The man’s eyes lowered slightly, a gesture that stirred the heart even more deeply. His fingers cupped Xiao Yan’s chin, as if he were playfully teasing a pet. "You really ought to watch where you're going."

The very next second, Xiao Yan was yanked behind Casey, whose usually boyish face instantly turned grave.

"Greetings, Lieutenant Colonel Wallace."

"Hey, Casey. You're still as adorable as ever—just like a rose with thorns."

Lieutenant Colonel Wallace?

Xiao Yan stared at the man in utter disbelief.

Jane Wallace—a master of lethal combat within the Special Missions Unit, a figure whose renown rivaled that of Hein Burton himself.

Everyone knew that this year marked the eighth year since Hein Burton had undergone the X-virus treatment. Given the immense physical toll the virus exacted upon the human body, there was a high probability that Hein’s physical reserves would be completely depleted—leading to total systemic failure—within the next two years. And Jane Wallace was the man the military command had already designated as Hein’s successor.

Could this man—who looked as if he had never known the harsh glare of the sun or the gruesome reality of bloodshed—truly be Jane Wallace?

"We appreciate your support of our research," Casey replied, his tone reverting to a strictly professional, formulaic cadence.

"Oh, come now, Casey—you're being too modest. If the X-virus research proves successful, it simply means we Special Forces operatives will get to live a little longer... and go mad for a little longer, too—wouldn't you agree?"

Jane Wallace leaned in close—so close, in fact, that his posture made it look as though he were about to plant a kiss on Casey. Casey, however, tightened his grip on Xiao Yan’s wrist and pulled him back a half-step, retreating just beyond the reach of the man's breath. “My assistant and I are off to lunch. See you this afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel Wallace.”

Casey pulled Xiao Yan along, brushing past Jane.

“You can just call me Jane—we’re going to be seeing each other every month!”

Jane’s voice drifted over from a distance, but Casey’s expression grew increasingly sour.

“What’s the matter?”

Xiao Yan rarely saw Casey display such overt hostility toward anyone.

“From now on, whenever you see Jane Wallace, make sure you keep your distance!”

“Why?”

“Every month, we have to collect a blood sample from this guy to monitor the rate of physical deterioration caused by the X-virus. And *every single month*, one of the researchers here ends up becoming his one-night stand!”

“Huh? There aren’t exactly a lot of female researchers here! And even fewer good-looking ones! He’s actually interested in *them*?” Xiao Yan felt a deep admiration for Jane Wallace’s taste; the guys in the Special Task Force really were a breed apart! Most importantly, the researchers here were renowned for their composure—hadn’t they stopped to consider the potential consequences of sleeping with a Special Forces soldier? Then again, he couldn’t really blame the researchers; thinking back to the time Maya had seduced him, he’d been utterly powerless to resist. Not to mention that, purely in terms of physical appearance, Jane Wallace really *was* a very charming man. If he were just an ordinary officer, who knew how many women would be flocking to him?

“He’s interested in *men*!” Casey replied through clenched teeth.

“Huh?” Xiao Yan wore a look of utter bewilderment. “Haven’t you heard the rumors about Jian Wallace around here?”

“What rumors?”

“Any man he sleeps with ends up impotent for life!”

“What?” Xiao Yan looked even more dumbfounded. “Is that a biological mutation caused by the X-virus? How come I never saw anything about that in the database?”

Casey stared at Xiao Yan as if he were some kind of freak. “It’s a *rumor*! I’m warning you to stay away from him! Can’t you even grasp the main point here?”

Xiao Yan sighed and patted his chest. “I actually thought the X-virus was really that terrifying!”

Casey buried his face in his hands. “I used to think you were smart... Turns out *I’m* the stupid one!”

That afternoon, Casey’s lab buzzed with activity. As they prepared to run a comprehensive battery of tests on Jian Wallace’s physiological markers, the research assistants wore grave expressions, their fingers constantly gliding across the data displayed on their holographic screens.

Jian lay prone on the examination platform, his body passing through a scanner as the resulting data streamed into the system.

Every researcher in the room was glued to their own holographic display; only Xiao Yan stood leaning against the wall, looking completely at ease.

“Hey, I’ve seen you before—that day you were with the lovely Casey.”

Jian’s voice was rich and mellow—a stark contrast to the utterly emotionless, detached indifference of Hein. Yet, Xiao Yan wasn’t naive enough to believe that this man was as harmless as his appearance suggested; in fact, he was likely extremely dangerous.

Xiao Yan offered a faint smile. Just moments ago, upon entering the lab, Casey had issued strict orders: Xiao Yan was forbidden from speaking a single word to Jian Wallace, or even glancing in his direction. Yet here the guy was, trying to strike up a conversation. Perhaps Xiao Yan was the only new face among the crowd of researchers, or perhaps the protective stance Casey had taken toward him that day had piqued Jian Wallace’s interest. Whatever the reason, however, Xiao Yan had absolutely no intention of getting entangled with him.

“Why is everyone else so busy while you’re just standing there looking so relaxed? Is that a special privilege Casey granted you?”

Xiao Yan’s eyebrow twitched. This guy really knew how to stir the pot. His position here was already awkward enough as it was, and now this guy was deliberately making provocative remarks!

He was starting to regret not just staying in the observation room with Casey. “How much do you know about the X-virus? Do you believe Casey can actually develop an X-antidote?”

Would it kill you to just keep your mouth shut? Xiao Yan lowered his head, staring at his toes.

“Does Casey have a crush on you? The way he stood in front of you—he looked just like a little wild beast guarding its territory, making sure no one encroached upon his possessions. It was actually quite adorable!”

If you don't shut up right now, I’m going to seal your mouth shut with industrial-strength adhesive!

“Has he ever kissed you? Have you guys slept together? Were you on top, or was he?”

Do you really think everyone shares your peculiar tastes?! If you want to prove your worth, go try conquering Casey—*that* would be a real feat! No, wait—don't go bothering Casey. If you’ve got the guts, go try conquering Mark instead! Yeah—Mark would definitely give you a run for your money!

Xiao Yan kept his head lowered; no one could tell that his mind had already drifted a million miles away.

“Did Casey tell you that any man I sleep with ends up suffering from erectile dysfunction?” It seemed this guy had long since heard the rumors circulating about himself—yet he could still bring them up so nonchalantly. His shamelessness truly knew no bounds.

Xiao Yan discreetly observed the reactions of the researchers around them. These guys appeared to be completely desensitized to Jan’s antics; not a single person showed even a hint of awkwardness or embarrassment. It seemed Xiao Yan still had a lot of work to do to cultivate that level of composure himself.

“How about going on a date with me? You must know that kissing—or getting intimate—with someone from our Special Operations Unit is an absolutely sublime experience.”

Jan’s voice was slow and deliberate, gently teasing Xiao Yan’s nerves—caressing them with a seductive intimacy—only to pull away just as Xiao Yan’s heart began to race in confusion.

Xiao Yan, of course, knew exactly what the other man meant by “absolutely sublime.” He had already gotten a taste of it during that brief, fleeting brush of tongues with Hein. The bodily fluids of these special forces soldiers contained a diluted strain of the X-virus; not only did it accelerate cellular regeneration—aiding in wound healing—but it also possessed highly addictive properties when exchanged during sexual intimacy. Sleeping with them was, in essence, no different from taking drugs.

Once the automated machinery finished collecting a blood sample from Jan, his medical examination was complete.

Jan rose unhurriedly, and Xiao Yan breathed a silent sigh of relief, grateful that his ears would finally get a moment of peace. “Xiao Yan, come here for a second.” Cathy waved down at Xiao Yan from the upper level.

“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.” Although the two were friends, in a professional setting, Xiao Yan always made a point of showing Cathy the proper respect.

Xiao Yan had barely turned sideways—before he even had a chance to take a step—when his entire body was suddenly slammed against the wall. Jane’s face rushed toward him, his lips pressing firmly against Xiao Yan’s. It was a kiss unlike any Xiao Yan had ever experienced—fiercely aggressive and intensely provocative. His breath was completely stolen away; his mind went utterly blank in an instant. He felt like a meteor hurtling through the atmosphere—burning wildly as it descended—only to be utterly consumed and destroyed the very moment it struck the earth.

Completely bereft of his senses, Xiao Yan felt his body go limp and begin to sink. Jane’s hand cupped the back of his head, pressing him forcefully closer. The moment Jane pulled back even slightly, Xiao Yan—feeling as if he were suffocating—instinctively clung to him, responding with equal intensity.

Jane retreated step by step, yet Xiao Yan, now utterly addicted, kept pressing forward, demanding more. He even gripped Jane’s shoulders, chasing after his lips to continue the kiss. His thoughts had completely abandoned the realm of rationality; aside from the desperate need to touch this man once more, nothing else held any meaning.

Jane let out a soft, satisfied chuckle.

At that very moment, Cathy’s voice rang out, sharp and loud: “Xiao Yan—what on earth are you doing?!”

Xiao Yan snapped back to reality. He shoved Jane away violently, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at him.

“Feels amazing, doesn’t it?”

Those mesmerizing eyes reminded Xiao Yan of a devil cloaked in the guise of an angel.

The lingering scent of Jane still clung to his lips and tongue; Xiao Yan’s heart pounded wildly, the aftershocks of the encounter refusing to subside.

“It felt pretty good, didn’t it?” Jane’s lips brushed against Xiao Yan’s ear, exhaling a soft puff of warm air; Xiao Yan immediately—and instinctively—shrugged his shoulders.

“Xiao Yan!” Cathy’s fury boiled over as she stormed down the stairs.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the Blue Tulip. See you tonight.” Jane’s lips were practically grazing Xiao Yan’s earlobe. That warm breath seemed to invade Xiao Yan’s mind through his very sense of hearing, shrouding his thoughts in a thick, hazy mist of ambiguity—leaving him utterly lost, unable to find a way to break free. No sooner had Jane finished speaking than Casey yanked Xiao Yan aside, glaring at Jane with fierce, defensive intensity. "Lieutenant Colonel Wallace! You’ve gone too far!"

"Oh my," Jane murmured, his fingers brushing lightly against Casey’s chin. "I’ve messed with other people in the lab before, and I never saw you make a face like that. Or does Xiao Yan really mean something different to you?"

"Get out." Casey’s gaze was cold enough to freeze the entire laboratory.

Jane maintained his air of detached nonchalance; as he turned to leave, his eyes settled upon Xiao Yan. In that instant, Xiao Yan’s breath caught in his chest.

It’s because of the X-virus—it’s *only* because of the X-virus... Xiao Yan frantically admonished himself. *Don’t get addicted. Calm down—right now.*

But he couldn't.

Suddenly, the sensation of Hein’s tongue brushing against his own flooded his mind—that softness he had so deliberately tried to ignore and forget now enveloped his entire world, shutting out everything else.