Omega Crawler, serial number 6010, special weapon codename Hacker. The leading 6 indicates no life-sustaining glands; the middle 0 indicates no mimicry; the trailing 10 indicates that primary abilities rely on the internet.
Crawlers are among the very few experimental subjects skilled in network technology. Their initial development focus was on paralyzing enemy networks and stealing intelligence, but human understanding of artificial intelligence is still far from the point of mastery. Crawlers’ capabilities have already surpassed those of the institute’s network security personnel.
“Was the explosion at the institute last summer related to you?” Bai Chunian sat down and poured himself a glass of water without hesitation.
“Yes, I did it. I altered some of the standard chemical formulas in their database and used liquid bombs synthesized by machines to blow up their central power room.” Crawler spoke with a look of contempt in his eyes. “That was just the beginning. If not for this attack, I would have destroyed the entire institute—and in the end, they wouldn’t even have known who killed them.”
“You’re underestimating them. That annihilation attack was just a lesson.” Bai Chunian raised his glass. “Be a little more humble.”
Crawler had used his technology to orchestrate the explosion at the research institute last summer, allowing numerous test subjects to escape in the chaos. It was during that explosion that Lan Bo managed to flee.
Although Crawler, as a special operations weapon, possessed no offensive capabilities, he had single-handedly shaken Institute 109 to its core and inflicted massive financial and reputational damage upon them—proof enough of his abilities.
“Professor Lin, don’t you agree?” Bai Chunian crumpled the paper cup and tossed it lightly into the trash can at Lin Deng’s feet.
Lin Deng paused, snapped the cap back on his fountain pen, and set it beside the desk lamp. He slowly swiveled his chair to face Bai Chunian.
“I do.”
He looked considerably older, with a few strands of white hair visible among his black locks. He clenched his fist and coughed a few times before straightening up again.
“You’ve matured so much.” Lin Deng raised his hand to the height of the chair’s armrest. “When I first met you, you were only this tall.”
Bai Chunian pursed his lips as he studied him.
“It’s understandable that you don’t remember me. Back then, I was still an omega, but now I’m a beta whose pheromones are as faint as plain water,” Lin Deng said slowly. “Young man, don’t rush.”
“Aileen and I were close friends in college, and we dated for a while. Aileen has a strong personality and is very beautiful; we got along very well. After graduation, we both joined the 109 Research Institute, planning to get married once our careers were stable.
Fourteen years ago, due to the establishment of the IOA and some even more complex political factors, nuclear weapons were gradually phased out across nations. I knew the Chairman had been working tirelessly toward this, but utopia doesn’t exist—there will always be a weapon to replace nuclear ones; it’s just a matter of time.
It was Elaine who first proposed the concept of special operations test subjects, and she persistently persuaded the boss to invest resources and effort into realizing this vision. After that, Elaine was transferred to the Secret Clinical Department, while I remained in the Drug Research and Development Department.
Elaine broke the rules. After a teenager signed a body donation consent form, she proceeded with the modification before he had even passed away. Using the body of this nineteen-year-old cancer patient, she created the first Special Operations Test Subject. Elaine even showed it to me, explaining that since I had once expressed a fascination with Medusa’s mysterious eyes, she had incorporated that concept into the design. She named the test subject “Snake-Eyed Woman,” meaning the eyes of the Gorgon.
I truly sensed Elaine’s madness. We had a huge fight over it and decided to break up.
During her incubation period, Serpent-Eyed was on the brink of death due to a lack of sustenance, so I developed a serum—the Aelerant Enhancer, which you refer to as the “AC serum”—to save her life.
Elaine continued with this insane project. Later, she kidnapped a seventeen-year-old boy and transformed him into a Golden Thread Worm. Since arms dealers saw potential and promise in the special operations test subjects, they poured massive investments into supporting the research program. Consequently, the source of test subjects gradually shifted from donated cadavers to homeless people, then to the trafficking of humans, and eventually to outright kidnappings. The number of test subjects grew steadily, and they began to be sold externally.
While the test subjects undoubtedly generated massive revenue for the institute, in my view, the project had already spiraled out of control. Investors were no longer limited to arms dealers; from nations to individual merchants, buyers with a keen sense for financial gain were simultaneously pressuring the institute.
Aileen remains oblivious, still immersed in this earth-shattering experiment capable of shaking the world.
I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I submitted my resignation to the institute, but the boss didn’t approve it. Aileen came to talk to me that evening, telling me to finish the serum I was working on before leaving.
“You should know—it’s the HD lateral development serum. I conducted hundreds of experiments, but none could trigger the latent abilities until you appeared.” Lin Deng looked at Bai Chunian. “I used your DNA for the experiment and found it to be viable. Moreover, I discovered that your DNA had undergone a mutation, and the turning point was during the time you were fused with the Electric Ghost.”
I conducted control experiments using both pre-mutation and post-mutation DNA, and only the post-mutation DNA was effective. I detected that the Electro-Ghost emits a special form of radiation capable of inducing positive mutations in the DNA of other test subjects—provided they are close enough, since the radiation’s intensity is actually quite weak.
I didn’t tell anyone about this. In the data, I altered your DNA to match that of an ordinary white lion cub. Since the other ingredients required to produce the HD serum are also rare and expensive, we couldn’t manufacture much of it, so Aileen didn’t notice anything unusual at first.”
Bai Chunian suddenly stood up: “ “White lion cubs? So the reason the institute shipped so many white lion cubs later was because you altered the raw material data?”
“I’m sorry. My power is limited; within my means, saving lives is my top priority.” Lin Deng sighed. “Later, I planned to stay and see just how far out of control things would get. I’ve been waiting for that day… Later, Aileen became a senior executive at the institute. Though she held the title, in reality, even the boss was completely under her control.
After the HD serum was successfully developed, I was fired by the institute. Aileen forcibly bought out my patent in the institute’s name, took my parents hostage to force me to keep the secret, and assigned me to a subordinate breeding facility. She didn’t kill me—I suppose that was out of consideration for our past relationship.”
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t bear to let my research become an accomplice to Elaine’s inhumane experiments. So, after careful preparation, I infiltrated the institute again disguised as a researcher. I stole the two vials of HD serum I’d successfully produced and used a virus to destroy the mainframe containing the serum data. I’d backed up a set of fake data—Elaine won’t find out.
I opened the temperature-controlled briefcase to check—there was only one HD serum inside. The other one had likely been taken out and used by Elaine. The situation was urgent; the security system had already started sounding the alarm, so I didn’t have time to look for the other one.
My plan was meticulously crafted, but the only thing that caught me off guard was that a test subject escaped from the incineration chamber that day. He mistook me for a researcher from the institute, snatched my cooler, knocked me unconscious, and fled. As a result, I was shot and killed by security.”
“Shot?” Bai Chunian raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, shot. I was fatally wounded.” Lin Deng sighed softly. “The J1 differentiation ability of the Lighthouse Jellyfish’s gland is self-replication—it can create another copy of the original upon death, retaining memories and maintaining the same appearance. Previously, I was the Lighthouse Jellyfish’s Omega.”
“Thanks to this differentiation ability, I managed to survive. Elen also believed I was dead. I took advantage of the situation to undergo surgery and have a Beta gland transplanted, altering my appearance. I went into hiding in the R&D department at Enxi Hospital, living a low-profile life.”
Bai Chunian sat up straight: “Did you encounter a Formless Stealth Walker?”
Lin Deng nodded: “I know. No amount of words can atone for my sins now. But seeing IOA’s stance against war and lethal weapons, I’m willing to provide IOA with all the information I have regarding the special experimental subjects.”
The hacker turned his laptop toward Bai Chunian: “I’ll write an experimental subject query program and a weapon analysis program for IOA. I hear your tech department has a legendary veteran—I think he’d be interested.”
The hacker’s M2 ability, “Earth Parallel Plane,” allows him to copy the entire Earth’s data, convert it into text, and obtain a detailed analysis of the target. Any objectively existing inanimate object can be pulled out of the inventory to view its detailed information.
A 3D model of a silver key was spinning on the laptop screen. The tip of the key had a square socket—it looked exactly like the one held by the Puppet Master.
Weapon Name: Sacred Spring
Materials: Tiny crystals left behind during the firing of dolls, collected, melted, and reformed through firing.
Rarity: 7 stars
Special Ability: Drives dolls. Any doll into which the Sacred Spring is inserted and wound gains the ability to move freely, with a special boost of 300%–600% against the Curse User Eris.
After reading this, Bai Chunian let out a soft sigh.
“Welcome to IOA.”
The President’s Office.
Yan Yi sat behind his desk, his fingers interlaced as he rested his chin in his hands, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on the bite marks on Bi Lanxing’s neck and the web of his right hand.
“What happened?” Yan Yi was usually kind and gentle toward Bi Lanxing, but today he was unusually stern.
Although Bi Lanxing felt uneasy, he stood at attention with his back straight and reported the entire incident to Yan Yi truthfully. In reality, he hadn’t done anything. After Lu Yan took his suppressant, the pain made him restless, and he rolled around on the floor, throwing a tantrum. Bi Lanxing picked him up and released soothing pheromones to calm him down, but the little rabbit wouldn’t let up, gnawing on him and taking out all his frustration on Bi Lanxing, shouting, “Why does it have to hurt this much? “I’m not going to be an O anymore! I’m not going to be an O anymore! I’m going to mark you!”
Bi Lanxing felt both heartbroken and at a loss. All he could do was kiss his forehead and cheeks, releasing every last drop of his soothing pheromones to comfort him, whispering softly, “Okay, I’m the O. Mark me. I’ll take the pain.”
Yan Yi’s expression softened slightly as he said softly, “You’re both still young, and the future holds many uncertainties. I hope you’ll both take responsibility for your actions, because to be loved, you must first learn to love yourself, cherish your feelings, and take care of your body.”
Bi Lanxing was completely dumbfounded and could only nod stiffly.
“Alright, go rest.”
“Ah… thank you, President.” Bi Lanxing walked out of the office with his mind a blank.
Yan Yi called Lu Yan.
That little bunny didn’t even tell him about his first heat. Yan Yi couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been too strict with Lu Yan.
The military base instructor transferred the call to Lu Yan. Lu Yan’s voice sounded like he had a cold; it seemed he really wasn’t feeling well.
“Qiuqiu, are you settling in over there?”
“Hmm, it’s fine. Oh, it’s not my first time here, and Uncle Xia will take care of me too. Besides, Lanxing is training with me too. Don’t worry about it—worrying gives you wrinkles. You should go on more trips with my dad or something. If you keep sitting in the office all the time, your butt’s going to get too big. Don’t worry, I’m the strongest rabbit in the whole military base right now. You can retire later; just leave everything to me—no problem! Oh, and Uncle Xia said he misses you and wants you to come over and play.”
Yan Yi chuckled. “Let him do whatever he wants. As long as you’re okay, just focus on your training and stop causing trouble all the time.”
“How am I causing trouble? Did Brother Chu leave out my contributions in his report? Can’t you see the good in me? How am I causing trouble?”
The office door suddenly swung open. Bi Lanxing stood in the doorway, looking a bit flustered. As soon as he regained his composure, he stood at attention and saluted Yan Yi, saying, “ “President, I truly care about Lu Yan. No matter how many years pass, I’ll still look after him just as I do now. You might think it’s ridiculous for people our age to talk about ‘love,’ and you probably won’t take my promise seriously, but I still want to say this: I want to date Lu Yan. Please give your approval!”
Yan Yijiong held the phone: “……”
Lu Yan: “……”
Bi Lanxing: “……”
- ···· · · · · ·
Lu Yan: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! What the hell are you talking about, Bi Lanxing, you big idiot!!!”
——
(Mini-Drama)
Lu Shangjin: “Look at what our kid has done to your kid! Is this even acceptable?! How do you raise your child?”
Bi Ruijing: “? Isn’t our kid the one getting the short end of the stick? I’ve seen how Lu Yan bullies our Lanxing all day long. Great, now he’s started biting with his front teeth! Look at all these rabbit-head marks—he’s almost bitten his face! How is he supposed to go out like this?”
Lu Shangjin: “You’re right. Gotta go. See you later.”
Bi Ruijing: “?????”