The woman was called half-human, half-ghost for a reason. Her face had been burned beyond recognition, leaving one eye and part of her mouth barely visible through a slit in the jagged tissue. The rest of her features were twisted together in a grotesque mask of thick, pinkish scars that looked like melted wax. Terrifying didn't even begin to cover her appearance.
At this moment, she walked up beside Jing Shu with an obedient, mechanical gait. Her vacant eyes remained unmoving, and she stayed completely indifferent to any calls or commands from her former employers.
"Tis! My god, what did this evil Asian do to Tis?!" Mrs. C shouted. She pulled back in horror, her hand trembling as she gripped her pistol.
Jing Shu raised an eyebrow and tilted her head back. She spoke calmly, her voice echoing in the windowless lab. "Can we even cooperate properly? If there is no sincerity, there's no point in talking anymore."
"No, no, no, dear lady! I have a plan we can discuss. It's highly feasible!" Dr. B shouted, his hands still raised in the air. "Don't act rashly. Let's sit down and talk slowly. I promise it will satisfy you!"
Dealing with these people meant showing strength and mystery. These con artists were weak on the outside but bullied the strong whenever they could. They never acted honestly, but after witnessing Jing Shu's ability to turn their elite guard into a mindless puppet, they were completely put in their place.
As they began to brainstorm, both sides saw a new mutual respect in each other's eyes. Dr. B was a master of deception, while Jing Shu had a perfect grasp of strategy and the big picture. It was a battle of brilliance. He could come up with countless schemes, but Jing Shu's skill was weaving them together flawlessly. Their logic left even Dr. B impressed. Their plan had become near-perfect.
Jing Shu also made clever use of the Chinese understanding of human nature and social attitudes. Sometimes, hiding and holding back was far more effective than forcing oneself onto someone. Studies have shown humans can be petty and contrarian, so going against expectations often made the most sense to trick them.
This grand conspiracy quickly unfolded under their transnational collaboration. At several points during the night, they were so excited that they high-fived at moments of agreement. The sight left Mrs. C utterly confused as she watched from the side.
"Beautiful lady, we will need your cooperation next. Here is to a successful partnership."
"To a successful partnership," Jing Shu replied.
Jing Shu hadn't expected that just by checking out the castle's Luminite materials, she would end up with a complete plan. Within half an hour, they had already laid out the details for stealing the equipment, transporting it, and escaping the city.
When she later reconnected with the team and told Yang Yang about the dangerous radiation from the Luminite in the castle, he was stunned. She explained how she had staged a con with Dr. B to take the supplies, and Yang Yang immediately abandoned his conservative ten-day plan. He had been busy himself, but he still thought Jing Shu's plan was far safer. It also allowed them to transport another batch of supplies back home.
"Mirror lucked out this time. Her approach is easier to execute and more reliable," Yang Yang said as he studied the map. "We just need to tweak the original plan a bit and move quickly. The radiation is intense, so the faster we finish, the better."
Yang Yang straightened his posture. "The Imperial City team will still provide support outside and contact the informants to escort the equipment. On the day of the plan, they will act as the main force to clear obstacles. I will take Hao Yunlai and Monkey to arrange all the remaining matters. Mirror, you follow your original plan. Xiao Hei will translate and Monk will guard you. If anyone feels unwell, let Mirror know immediately."
Zhen Nantan stretched out his long, bony fingers under the soft Luminite glow. He kept his eyes half-closed as if he were soaking in the warmth of a sunlit beach.
"No need to exaggerate," he said. "Before mutation sets in, it's all treatable. With our constitution, we can last five months without issue. Actually, I want to see Dr. B. I want to get my hands on some of this stuff. I will let the radiation penetrate my body. I will constantly challenge my limits and boost my strength and immunity until I no longer fear radiation."
Zhen Nantan had never spoken so much before. He had always appeared indifferent, living a life of free-range detachment. His team respected him but often had their own ideas. As the strongest man, he usually followed quietly and stepped in only at critical moments.
He even seemed to enjoy seeing his teammates struggle. Only when they faced real difficulty did his usually indifferent expression turn amused. He would lean against the wall with his arms crossed and watch the events unfold.
But no matter how extreme she thought he was, Jing Shu had never heard of anyone using radiation to kill their own cancer cells just to make themselves stronger. She wondered if she were mistaken. Everyone else avoided the Luminite, but Zhen Nantan sought it out.
Were all Chinese S-tier people this extreme? The contrast was painfully clear as she watched him. In this sub-zero weather, he wore nothing but a simple black vest with two stripes. She was bundled in a thick coat and felt the chill. She was terrified of death and knew she couldn't compare to his reckless mindset.
"So," Zhen Nantan said, glancing at Yang Yang. "I will protect this woman. Xiao Hei and Monk, you go outside."
The Imperial City team looked helpless at the command. Monk shrugged casually. "Our captain spent the first year of his career in extreme heat. He insisted on wearing a non-breathable down jacket in fifty-degree Celsius saunas. He said he wanted to conquer nature."
Yang Yang was stunned by Zhen Nantan's idea. He shrugged after a while, knowing it was the only S-tier demand he couldn't refuse. "Fine. The translation is on you. Mirror is a lousy student anyway."
Jing Shu wanted to dig a hole and hide from the arrangement. She didn't want to be in a squad with Zhen Nantan. His gaze was terrifyingly calm yet seemingly all-seeing. Being with him would be cumbersome. Like Yang Yang, he was hard to fool, and she worried her secrets would be exposed to his sharp eyes.
But she couldn't refuse the order.
The arrangement was set. Jing Shu teamed with Zhen Nantan while the others split into two groups to prepare for the heist.
The real show started the next day.
It was a peaceful scene in the lab. Jing Shu worked tirelessly in the Medicinal Herb Cultivation Room, her hands busy with the soil. Zhen Nantan, her new teammate, lounged on a chair under the Luminite panels. He was soaking evenly in the glow. Xiao Dou sat under the table nearby, brooding over two black-market American eggs.
When Eiffel arrived with seven or eight people, that's exactly what they saw.
"Miss Jing, god is watching over you!" Eiffel shouted as she burst into the room. "Dr. B agreed! You're officially the experimenter for the latest research trial!"