Chapter 180: 180, They are guilty

“No,” Luo Lan shook his head: “We’re just guessing. Back then, Li Shi wanted to program the nanobots with complex codes, but it was too difficult, so they could only perform the simplest basic operations. We didn’t pay much attention, but they might have made a breakthrough now.”

Originally, Ren Xiaosu thought it was some earth-shattering research related to the supernaturals, but it turned out to be nanobots. Upon hearing this, he decided to leave…

Such scientific achievements might be useful to big corporations, but to him, Ren Xiaosu, they were worth nothing. This academic underachiever didn’t even know what nanobots were—he hadn’t even heard of them!

In truth, Ren Xiaosu had his own understanding of science; anything he hadn’t heard of, he treated as feudal superstition…

Moreover, up to now, Luo Lan and the others were still just guessing, guessing without reaching a definitive answer. Ren Xiaosu would never waste time on such uncertain matters.

Luo Lan said: “So, help me steal the research materials, and I’ll pay you.”

“You love guessing so much. Why don’t you guess if I’ll help you?” Ren Xiaosu chuckled.

“I guess you will!” Luo Lan exclaimed excitedly.

“Guess again!”

“…” Luo Lan: “You see, the information about the test subjects came from me.”

“Thank you,” Ren Xiaosu said seriously.

“Forget it,” Luo Lan waved his hands helplessly: “I won’t ask for help. By the way, there might be extremely high-level beings among those test subjects. They’re experimenting on themselves. Isn’t that terrifying?”

Ren Xiaosu froze: “What else are test subjects for but experiments?”

This time, Luo Lan was stunned: “That actually makes sense…”

Ren Xiaosu ignored Luo Lan and headed straight back to the courtyard they had rented. Meanwhile, Yan Liuyuan and Wang Fugui were already waiting there.

As he left, Ren Xiaosu glanced back and saw Yang Xiaojin still on the rooftop of that building, firing shots as if providing cover for someone.

At that moment, he spotted a familiar face in the distance—Lu Y far, the manager of the 109th Bastion!

Lu Y far strode forward, and every obstacle in his path erupted in puffs of blood mist. It turned out… was Lu Y far a thug?

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt many mysteries in his heart unravel.

No wonder Yang Xiaojin and the others could easily obtain Bastion resident status.

No wonder Yang Xiaojin could enroll in school without difficulty.

No wonder Old Wang was arrested by the Order Bureau, and Lu Y far immediately called to have him released.

No wonder Yang Xiaojin wanted to trick Luo Lan—it was because Luo Lan had slapped Lu Y far, and Yang Xiaojin was avenging his companion.

When Lu Y far saw Ren Xiaosu, he smiled and greeted him. Now, Lu Y far seemed much more cheerful, as if he were happy to shed his hidden identity.

What puzzled Ren Xiaosu was that his enrollment must have been arranged by Lu Y far too. Yang Xiaojin had enrolled two days earlier, so he clearly knew Ren Xiaosu would go to school and which school he’d attend!

Previously, Ren Xiaosu had wondered why Yang Xiaojin had no goals at school—why attend at all? It turned out the lamp was dark; Yang Xiaojin’s target was none other than himself!

Was it to observe him closely, or for some other reason?

Ren Xiaosu suddenly thought, weren’t these people trying to recruit him into the thugs?

But now, Ren Xiaosu had no time to dwell on such thoughts. He turned and left immediately.

The courtyard Old Wang had rented wasn’t far from the university campus, so Yan Liuyuan and the others heard the gunshots. When Ren Xiaosu pushed open the door, everyone waiting anxiously finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Inside the courtyard stood a crowd—students, Jiang Wu, and a pile of bicycles by the side.

Xiaoyu Jie asked: “Xiaosu, what was that gunshot just now? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Ren Xiaosu said: “Everyone, get on your bikes. We’re leaving the Bastion now!”

Whatever happened within the Bastion, Ren Xiaosu’s priority wasn’t to seize anything—it was to get everyone out first!

With so many lives at stake, Ren Xiaosu couldn’t act recklessly.

The group followed Ren Xiaosu out quickly, each carrying a double-shoulder bag with their supplies.

Once everyone was on their bikes, Yan Liuyuan hesitated and asked: “Bro, why are you holding your bike…”

Ren Xiaosu snapped: “…I’m afraid the bike might break! Stop talking—hurry toward the city gate!”

…

Li Shen Tai walked along the cold streets of the Bastion’s western district. The residents of other districts probably didn’t know what had happened here. A girl named Si Liren suddenly floated up behind him, her feet never touching the ground.

“I was afraid the bell wasn’t loud enough, so I rang it a few more times,” Si Liren smiled.

“Not bad,” Li Shen Tai said indulgently: “Now Li Shi’s people should be surprised enough.”

“But why are we doing this?” Si Liren asked curiously.

Li Shen Tai stopped and gazed at the familiar yet strange streets on both sides: “My mother married into Li Shi a long, long time ago. It was to give my sickly father a blessing. At first, his condition did improve, but the good times didn’t last. Within a few years of marriage, my father passed away.”

“My mother raised me in Li Shi. Later, she fell in love with a young teacher and wanted to remarry…” Li Shen Tai sighed: “It’s human nature, isn’t it? But Li Shi believed that a woman who married into the consortium would forever belong to them. If my mother remarried, it would bring shame to Li Shi.”

Si Liren listened quietly: “And then?”

“Then?” Li Shen Tai thought and said: “Then Li Shi dragged her out of the Bastion along this very street and buried her alive. I don’t even know where she’s buried.”

At that moment, a shadowy door opened not far behind Li Shen Tai. Luo Xinyu, standing behind it, asked: “What crimes do the other residents of the Bastion have?”

Li Shen Tai looked toward the door and smiled: “Why hide behind the door? Come out and say hello to your friend.”

Luo Xinyu grumbled: “I know you can hypnotize people with just a glance. Don’t try to trick me. You haven’t answered my question.”

Li Shen Tai smiled: “That day, I cowered by the street and watched the car taking my mother away. The entire western district’s residents gathered to watch—some mocked, some jeered, but not a single soul spoke up for her. So, they are guilty.”

Later, Li Shen Tai went mad and was sent to a mental hospital.

Later, Li Shen Tai went mad and was sent to a mental hospital.

In the mental hospital, after a brief period of losing himself, he became the legendary Devil Whisperer, as if a new herald of hell on earth.

No wonder no one had been able to trace Li Shen Tai’s identity before. It seemed Li Shi had treated him as a shame too, erasing all traces of the mother and son.