The Laboratory and the Masked Past

A deep blue curtain of night hung across the horizon, with a crescent moon embedded within it, casting a hazy, cold glow over the dark gray ground.

Ji Shichu brought the car to a steady halt. While unbuckling his seatbelt, he turned his head toward Shi Ji in the passenger seat. The man’s profile was partially submerged in the shadows, his thin lips pressed together, his cold, handsome face betraying no emotion.

Ji Shichu reached out and switched on the interior light. The warm yellow glow enveloped Shi Ji’s pale skin. Shi Ji sat with his head slightly bowed, staring blankly ahead. The collar of his suit jacket accidentally shifted, exposing the vivid red marks hidden beneath.

The dense cluster of red bruises nearly covered Shi Ji’s entire neck. The varying shades of color stood as a testament to the perpetrator’s unbridled possessiveness.

Ji Shichu’s gaze swept over them briefly before he looked away. He shifted his focus to the large gate nearby, where the moonlight reflected off the iron bars.

The words “ABO Biological Genetic Research Institute” written above were not very conspicuous in the dark.

“Mr. Shi,” Ji Shichu finally broke the silence. “We’re here.”

Shi Ji’s drifting thoughts were pulled back. He blinked his lashes a few times, and after seeing the sign clearly, he prepared to get out.

He pulled the handle several times, but the door wouldn’t budge. He then realized Ji Shichu hadn’t unlocked the car.

Shi Ji frowned and turned to look at Ji Shichu with confusion, finding the man in the driver’s seat staring right back at him.

“What do you mean by this, Mr. Ji?”

Shi Ji’s gaze gradually grew cold. After agreeing to cooperate, he had informed Ji Shichu that he would meet Qin Zhe tonight. To ensure their partnership remained unknown to a third party, Shi Ji had even abandoned the idea of bringing Yan Guangsheng.

Ji Shichu’s fox-like eyes studied Shi Ji for a moment, his deep red pupils darkening. There was an unreadable depth in his gaze. Shi Ji couldn’t quite interpret it, but his current fear was that Ji Shichu might back out at the last minute.

The atmosphere in the car was somewhat stiff. After a long while, Ji Shichu averted his gaze and spoke in a low voice: “Does Mr. Shi really intend to go in alone?”

Shi Ji hesitated for half a second. “Qin Zhe only wants to see me.”

“Then we’ll do as you say.” Ji Shichu paused. “I will wait for you at the gate.”

“If there is any emergency, please notify me immediately.”

Ji Shichu spoke calmly. After watching Shi Ji nod in agreement, his tone suddenly shifted: “However, after meeting Qin Zhe, does Mr. Shi truly intend to leave this place?”

Shi Ji didn’t answer immediately. Ji Shichu’s words caused his wrists to throb reflexively.

The events of the previous night were still fresh in his mind. Li Chen’s breathing, Li Chen’s temperature—it was as if everything about Li Chen had been subconsciously carved into his bones.

The marks on his wrists were still clearly visible. Shi Ji’s fingers brushed over the reddened skin before he replied in a low voice, “To be honest, like you, Mr. Ji, I have been targeted by the Organization.”

“Last week, I was in a car accident,” Shi Ji said flatly. “A car with no license plate, brakes maliciously tampered with, no driver. I was just a hair’s breadth away from dying in that crash.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Shichu’s expression softened slightly. “A car accident?”

In the next second, he seemed to think of something, and the look in his eyes became complex. “Is it…”

“Exactly what you’re thinking.” Shi Ji confirmed his suspicion. “It was identical to what happened to my parents back then.”

“Coincidentally, I happened to run into the officer who was in charge of my parents’ case.”

“Combined with the hints you gave me before—” Shi Ji glanced at his surroundings out of the corner of his eye and lowered his volume even further. “It’s hard not to link these so-called coincidences to the Organization.”

Ji Shichu said nothing, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Shi Ji glanced at him and continued, “Truth be told, I am indeed someone who is very afraid of death.”

“Before I leave, I will help you get what you want, Mr. Ji.”

He exhaled a breath as the evening breeze brushed against the car window.

“But I hope you will also honor your promise and help me leave.”

“I still don’t quite understand,” Ji Shichu clicked his tongue. “Mr. Shi has wealth and power. Why do you need my help to leave?”

Shi Ji fell silent.

If Li Chen didn’t have the System, he could indeed run whenever he wanted.

But things were different now. He understood clearly that even if he escaped, Li Chen could easily find him.

But Shi Ji could find no other way. Li Chen’s loss of control grew more severe by the day. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would eventually be tortured to death by that brat.

In his heart, he felt that even without the System, he might still be able to leave this place.

“This is my own business,” Shi Ji said with a hint of helplessness. “I simply cannot allow anyone to find out that I am gone.”

Hearing this, Ji Shichu nodded in understanding. He didn’t ask further questions. After a final “stay safe,” he unlocked the doors.

He watched as Shi Ji stepped out of the car. Shi Ji’s figure looked thin as he walked slowly toward the entrance of the research institute. The fluorescent lights at the gate made the white gravel on the ground look even more ghostly.

Shi Ji’s heart rate began to climb. With every step, the tension grew.

He had intentionally set the meeting place at Qin Zhe’s laboratory.

Shi Ji stopped at the entrance and looked up at the miniature camera above the mechanical door. A few seconds later, the massive door unlocked automatically and slid open, revealing the interior of the lab—a world completely separate from the outside.

Standing at the door to greet him was a researcher in a white coat. He wore a white mask and white gloves. Shi Ji glanced at him and noticed that even with most of his face covered, the man’s eyes made him look even younger than Shi Ji himself.

Beside the researcher stood a robot about half the height of a person. It had a cylindrical body topped with a coiled antenna. Two red dots flashed on its screen. Its lower half consisted of a simple iron pillar and wheels.

As Shi Ji walked in, the robot circled him. A red light emitted from its eyes, scanning Shi Ji from head to toe. After a few passes, the red dots on the screen changed into the word “SECURE.”

Once the robot finished its scan, the researcher stepped forward and gave Shi Ji a polite bow. Without a word, he turned and led Shi Ji further inside.

The laboratory was exceptionally quiet, save for the faint “beeping” of machinery. Shi Ji looked around, seeing many culture dishes along the way, but they were all clean and empty.

Eventually, Shi Ji caught sight of a culture dish tucked away in the back. Its height was completely different from the others. Looking through the glass, it seemed to be filled with a dense mist. Shi Ji couldn’t help but stare at it for a long time.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed across his field of vision.

Shi Ji froze, his footsteps stopping reflexively. He turned his head and stared intensely at the culture dish in the depths.

He definitely hadn’t seen it wrong—something had just flashed past.

The researcher leading the way noticed Shi Ji’s reaction. He immediately turned back and stepped in front of Shi Ji, blocking his view.

“Please follow this way,” he said coldly, pointing ahead.

“It is best if you do not wander off. The laboratory layout is complex, and there are high-risk, expensive experimental instruments everywhere.”

The researcher glanced at Shi Ji, his light gray pupils devoid of emotion. “If you get lost, your life could easily be in danger.”

His tone was flat, but his words were somewhat terrifying. Shi Ji swallowed, sheepishly withdrew his gaze, and gave a small apologetic smile.

The youth’s gaze didn’t linger on Shi Ji. After speaking, he turned and continued leading the way.

After an unknown amount of time, the researcher stopped at a door. He reached out and touched a section of the wall, and a small area recessed inward.

Then, a screen slowly rose. The youth swiped across it a few times. With a soft “click,” the heavy door in front of them opened.

The first things to meet Shi Ji’s eyes were several workstations positioned in the center. Countless test tubes of all sizes, lengths, and widths surrounded the room, filled with liquids of various colors.

Shi Ji’s eyes widened. Before he could enter, a man came stumbling out. He also wore a mask, though his dark hair was somewhat disheveled. He was clutching one arm with his other hand, running toward the exit in a panic.

He didn’t notice Shi Ji and accidentally bumped into his shoulder. A brief, sharp pain shot through Shi Ji’s shoulder. Both men turned to look at each other for a split second before the man turned his head and ran out quickly.

The other researchers in the lab chased after him, passing by Shi Ji one by one. He turned around to look at their departing backs with confusion. Then, he felt a gentle pat on his shoulder from behind.

“Xiao Shi.”

The unfamiliar voice caused Shi Ji’s breath to stall. He turned his head quickly and met a pair of pitch-black eyes.

The man who had suddenly appeared behind him looked at him with crinkled eyes. He was dressed exactly like the others, with his hands behind his back. Shi Ji stared at this unfamiliar face, his instincts immediately going on guard.

Noticing Shi Ji’s unfriendly gaze, the man quickly waved his hands and gave a light chuckle as he pulled down his mask.

A face that appeared to be in its late thirties was revealed. The man’s features were exceptionally gentle, and his naturally down-turned eyes gave his harmless face a touch of warmth. Shi Ji didn’t know how to describe it; he just felt his tension begin to melt away upon seeing this person.

However, once he saw the nametag pinned to the man’s chest, Shi Ji’s relaxed heart surged with tension once more.

— Qin Zhe.

The person standing before him was Qin Zhe.

Unlike the photo, the man before him had shed his youthful greenness. Every movement exuded an undeniable maturity and experience. He looked at Shi Ji with a smile, his gaze intense—as if he were looking through Shi Ji to see someone else.

The emotions in that gaze were incredibly rich, like a person looking at someone they had admired for a very long time.

Strange.

Shi Ji frowned. This was not the expression a professor should be making.

“Hello, Professor Qin.” Shi Ji felt uncomfortable under the gaze. He furrowed his brows and spoke, interrupting Qin Zhe’s thoughts. “I am Shi Ji.”

He proactively reached out his hand. Qin Zhe blinked. This man hadn’t changed much; the only new additions were a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

“I recognized you the moment you appeared.” Qin Zhe grabbed Shi Ji’s hand as he spoke. “You look so much like your mother.”

Shi Ji lowered his lashes, his lips curving into a slight arc. Qin Zhe was trembling slightly. Shi Ji pulled back, freeing his hand from the other’s grip.

“Back when I was your mother’s student, she was so very kind to me.” Qin Zhe looked at Shi Ji, seemingly lost in memory. “Of all her students, I was the most withdrawn. Professor Song was always worried that others would bully me or that I would be under too much mental pressure, so she always came to comfort me.”

The man took a step back to clear a path. “Xiao Shi, come in. The city center is far from here; you must be tired from the drive.”

He draped an arm around Shi Ji’s shoulder as if they had known each other for years, leading him into the lounge area of the lab. The sofa, covered in a plush blanket, was exceptionally soft. Shi Ji sank into it the moment he sat down.

The coffee table in front of him recessed, and a cherry cake appeared before him out of thin air. He looked at the scene with surprise. Noticing Shi Ji’s disbelief, Qin Zhe smiled and said softly, “These are actually little gadgets that were left here from before.”

“I’ve modified them over the years. Does it look like a magic trick?” Qin Zhe sat naturally beside Shi Ji. He suddenly thought of something, and his expression turned slightly melancholy. “Professor Song developed this device when she had free time. She bragged to me about it for a long time.”

Shi Ji looked at the man beside him. This person seemed prone to falling into the past, or rather, his memory always held a long-lost friend who could hold him captive.

Shi Ji looked down at the cherry cake. A sweet fragrance entered his nose. Seeing that Shi Ji wasn’t moving, Qin Zhe realized his mistake and sheepishly scratched the back of his head, acting like a young boy experiencing his first love. “I’m sorry. This cake was Professor Song’s favorite.”

“So… I keep many prepared here.”

As he spoke, Qin Zhe’s expression gradually became pained.

“You’ve likely noticed that she was someone very important to me.” “But…”

The man admitted it bluntly. Shi Ji’s long lashes trembled. After a moment of thought, he reached out to take the cake, his slender fingers picking up the two small red fruits on top, and put a bit of cream into his mouth.

A burst of sweetness flooded his mouth. Shi Ji arched an eyebrow. “The taste is indeed quite good.”

Hearing this, the gloom surrounding Qin Zhe vanished instantly. He lifted his head with surprise, his tone carrying an unmaskable joy. “You really are just like your mother.”

His eyes lit up, and his lips moved as if he were about to continue talking about irrelevant matters.

Shi Ji put the cake down. Before Qin Zhe could speak, he cut off the meaningless conversation.

“Professor Qin, I think we should talk about business first,” he said.

“I wonder why you’ve gone to such lengths to circle around with me…”

“What are you trying to hide?”