Chapter 200: Volume 1 Chapter 200 Mermaid? Or a Shark Person? (17)

She remained silent, not knowing how to respond to him all of a sudden.

Chi You asked, "Do you like Chen Qi Bai?"

His voice sounded especially clear in the silent forest, the light was dim, and Jiang Zhi couldn't see his expression; she wondered if he was asking just out of curiosity.

Otherwise she would have suspected that Chi You was also playing a villain.

"I only like money," she said—these were the original host's thoughts; in the original host's eyes, besides money, no handsome guy could catch her attention.

Chi You's tone unconsciously softened, as usual indifferent: "I understand."

He stopped speaking, tugged at the brim of his hat that covered half his face, and his thin lips curled slightly.

Jiang Zhi glanced oddly in his direction, feeling a strange inexplicable sensation.

"Chi You couldn't also be playing a villain, could he?" she asked doubtfully.

777 did not respond to her for a long time.

Jiang Zhi: "Seven Seven, are you there?"

After a long while, 777 slowly replied: "Host, I don't know."

Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow: "What were you just doing?"

777's voice sounded a bit shy: "I was on a call with another system."

Jiang Zhi: "???" Not replying her for so long, it turned out he was lured away by another system.

"Aren't I your treasure anymore?"

777 coughed, stiffly changed the subject: "Host, you must now curry favor with the male supporting character Chi You; only he can complete your second mission."

Jiang Zhi felt very upset and didn't want to deal with it.

Beside her, Chi You spoke again: "Why do you want to know about the laboratory?"

Jiang Zhi said: "Just pure curiosity; I've been on this island for so long, they've captured shark people for experiments, and I want to know why."

Chi You slightly lifted his hat brim, his pupils dyed pure black by the dark night, he gazed through the darkness at the girl beside him, and said calmly: "They want to obtain the power of the shark people."

After saying that, he paused, then added: "To rule the world and gain eternal life."

His words carried a strong allure and temptation; anyone who heard them would be affected, unable to resist sinking into a mire of endless desire.

Jiang Zhi asked: "Do shark people really exist in this world?"

Chi You stepped on a dry twig that snapped with a crack, his steps slowed a little, and he said: "If they exist, would you want them?"

Jiang Zhi answered indifferently: "No."

Chi You: "Why?"

Jiang Zhi stretched, glanced at her watch—it was already 2 a. m., she felt sleepy, and said: "Ruling the world sounds so exhausting; I'd rather lie at home and sleep."

Listen, what a simple and unadorned dream.

Chi You smiled slightly, his face under the hat brim covered with a faint shadow, his expression unreadable.

Jiang Zhi didn't hear him laugh, yawned, and said: "Not there yet?"

Chi You raised his forehead, looked ahead, and said: "Almost there."

They passed through the dense forest and entered a cramped, narrow passage, gloomy and cold; after a long stretch of pitch‑black darkness, they finally saw a faint glimmer of light in the distance.

The further Jiang Zhi walked, the more uneasy she felt; this path was located in the southern part of the island and also the address of the main laboratory.

But she saw no one nearby wearing protective gear; her posture tightened, and she fixed her gaze on Chi You walking ahead.

"Still not there?" she whispered.

Chi You gave no reply until they exited the passage and entered a solitary sealed room, then he said: "We're here."

Jiang Zhi looked around; everything before her was utterly unfamiliar, the square room felt oppressive, and the sole small door led who knows where.

Jiang Zhi stood motionless and asked: "Where is this?"

No one behind her responded for a while; Jiang Zhi turned her head, and the Chi You who had been standing behind her suddenly vanished without a sound, disappearing mysteriously.

"Classmate You?"

"Chi You?"

Her scalp tingled, and goosebumps rose all over her arms.

"Is this Chi You a person or a ghost?" Could he have already died before she saved him in the past?

After another long while, 777 replied: "Human."

Jiang Zhi trembled as she said: "Treasure, stop chatting, look at me."

777 resentfully said: "Host, I am severely limited in this world, basically just a plug‑in; you still need to work hard yourself!"

Jiang Zhi mercilessly replied: "Dear, you're a plug‑in in every world."

777 shut down.

Jiang Zhi wanted to go back, but suddenly realized the passage behind was blocked, making retreat impossible.

She could only go forward through that small door.

After an hour of exploration, Jiang Zhi was shocked to discover that this passage led straight to the laboratory, and the small door opened onto an abandoned storage room connected to the lab.

The laboratory was built beneath the island, expanded into a city district with the lab at its center; the district was divided into residential and training zones, all inhabitants were young, tall, muscular men wearing all‑black work uniforms, the architecture was full of technological sense, and white tones covered the whole area, making it as bright as daytime.

Jiang Zhi was astonished; looking through the transparent glass outward, she could not believe that beneath this island lay a hidden city.

From the right rear came hurried footsteps; Jiang Zhi hid and saw many people wearing black masks and work uniforms passing by, each with a code on their back, the same as the codes on the protective gear they wore on the island.

Jiang Zhi skillfully knocked out a person, stuffed him into the storage room, then swiftly put on his uniform and followed the group out.

Upon reaching a spacious hall, the squad leader spoke: "Those monsters are attacking the small island in several waves; we must hold the laboratory and make sure no monster sneaks in disguised."

Standing at the rear, Jiang Zhi glanced at the people in white lab coats walking by; they must be the experts of this laboratory.

Chi You's whereabouts were unknown, so she could only seek the laboratory's secrets herself.

After the team dispersed, she followed the person ahead, patrolling the corridor.

Their rear codes were all C-level or above, high rank, and she several times ran into A-level personnel passing by.

If she were discovered here, she'd probably be thrown into the sea to feed the monsters.

After waiting a little over an hour, she took advantage of the shift change and sneaked into the adjacent experiment room.

What met her eyes were rows of round glass tanks, each containing monsters of various shapes, their bodies bristling with tubes, while the nearby screen displayed their data.

Jiang Zhi found it uncomfortable to look at; the scene was brutal, and even though the inside held ugly, terrifying monsters, it was still unsettling.

She withdrew her gaze and hurried forward.

At that moment, an alarm suddenly sounded outside, and someone spotted her.

"Come out! People inside, come out! Otherwise we'll shoot."

Through the glass wall, outside stood a crowd of people holding guns, issuing a stern warning.

Jiang Zhi, seeing this, stepped back; behind her was a slide-like passage, and she turned and dove into it.

The group outside rushed in, looking grimly at that passage, and said into the communicator: "Yes, she's entered the restricted zone; should we go in? Okay, I understand."