Chapter 406: Invitation Still Valid

Luo Jinyou sat on the edge of the guest room bed, his fingers pinching a set of loungewear as he flipped it over and over, looking at it many times.

The material is fine; just from the luxurious apartment on this floor where Bai Mu Yun lives, one can see that Bai Mu Yun is certainly not short of money.

Just this temporary guest room given to him is more than twice the size of his room in Tianmian City.

Earlier Bai Mu Yun gave him a brief tour of this floor's apartment; apart from Bai Mu Yun's bedroom and office, Luo Jinyou can use the other areas himself.

Perhaps because Bai Mu Yun had just come down from Fang Zhiyan's test platform, his mood was poor; Luo Jinyou obediently chose a guest room farthest from Bai Mu Yun's studio and has stayed in the room ever since.

He lowered his head to look at the neatly folded loungewear beside him; Bai Mu Yun said it had just been delivered by the logistics staff, it is his size and brand‑new.

The fabric feels very soft; it is said to be made from Aberrant Species‑produced fleece, processed to contain no Mutation, making it one of the most expensive types.

Something moved behind his butt; Luo Jinyou turned his head and saw his tail protruding from the base of his coccyx. He stared at the tail for two seconds, and the tail seemed to sense its owner's gaze, wagging more happily.

He quickly pressed the tail down.

Normally he can hide it, but once he relaxes it emerges on its own.

He turned the top of the loungewear inside out, found the lower back hem, and pointed at it with his finger.

Maybe he should make a hole there himself? Otherwise the tail constantly bulges the back of the pants, which is uncomfortable.

By the way, should he tell Bai Mu Yun about this first? After all, the clothing isn't cheap…

He had no scissors or needle and thread at hand, so he could only press a small mark with his nail on the fabric, roughly sketching the spot for the hole. Before he could go find Bai Mu Yun, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.

Luo Jinyou froze, and the next second his door was knocked; he immediately went to open it.

"...... What are you doing?" Bai Mu Yun's expression remained unfriendly, seeming even worse than when he had just returned.

Luo Jinyou held the loungewear in his arms, hesitated, then turned the pants to the inside.

"I want to cut a hole in it, the kind that lets the tail come out."

Bai Mu Yun lowered his head to glance at the pants; such a task is routine for him, so he simply took the pants from Luo Jinyou's hands.

"I'll modify it for you in a moment; stay in the living room for now, no need to rush changing clothes—Ying Duo is coming to see you."

"By the way," Bai Mu Yun was about to leave with the pants when he turned back and added, "That kid is here to ask about you; don't let him enter my studio and cause trouble."

Having said that, he closed the guest room door from the outside; the click of the latch was especially clear in the quiet living room.

Luo Jinyou watched the closed door, his mouth twitching.

What reputation does Ying Duo have in the Dome, after all?

In the studio, Bai Mu Yun spread the loungewear on the workbench.

His studio on the Dome side is very simple, simple to the point of being a bit shabby.

After all, he hasn't been back here for a long time; if possible, he would even rather stay in Tianmian City forever and never return.

Various tools in front of him were neatly lined up, from the largest cutting knife to the smallest engraving needle; each was old‑style, lacking Engraving Rune circuitry, just ordinary metal tools.

It's just to make an opening in Luo Jinyou's pants; he can finish in a few minutes. Afterward he casually draped the pants over the back of a nearby chair, not leaving the studio immediately.

For the current Bai Mu Yun, he doesn't want to see anyone connected to Fang Zhiyan, especially Ying Duo, the lunatic who can sit at the same table as Fang Zhiyan.

Staying in his familiar studio doesn't bring him peace; instead, the unease in his heart grows stronger.

Bai Mu Yun knows that Fang Zhiyan's work on him is merely a routine standard check; although others may be reluctant, any colleague who frequently operates on the Dome side will, after a period, be placed on Fang Zhiyan's operating table.

That is clearly normal, and Bai Mu Yun should have long become accustomed to it.

But why…?

Why is he so uneasy this time? Is it because he hasn't lain on it for so long that he's become unaccustomed?

After a long silence, Bai Mu Yun illuminated the communicator's screen, scrolled through the contacts, found an unannotated number, and dialed it.

Beep—beep—beep—

When the communicator finished the third beep, the other side answered.

"Bai Mu Yun?" The voice on the other end sounded a bit surprised, perhaps not expecting that this number would ever be reachable.

I just heard about your return from Tianmian City; this time your Mutation Department really caused a rare… big incident over there… So, what exactly happened? What made you contact me immediately after coming back?

"Minister, I called this line with only one question."

Bai Mu Yun stared at the scissors in his hand for a long time, then finally continued after the other side finished speaking.

He took a deep breath, as if he had finally made a decision.

"Is the invitation you gave me earlier still valid now?"

"......"

This time, the other end of the communicator remained silent for a long while.

"Of course," perhaps distorted by energy fluctuations, but the answer indeed let Bai Mu Yun breathe a sigh of relief, "As I said before, my invitation to you remains valid."

"If you're willing to transfer to the Field Operations Department, I will grant you the corresponding permissions as previously promised, and also ensure that Fang Zhiyan will not trouble you in any way."

"Xing Ke is a ready example, isn't he? After leaving Fang Zhiyan's subordinates, he now holds the position of weapons development department director at the same rank as him."

For Fang Zhiyan, he only cares about his research.

In the past, Xing Ke was Fang Zhiyan's student, but when their research philosophies diverged, Xing Ke was no longer indispensable to Fang Zhiyan, so his departure was acceptable; after all, he received equivalent compensation.

Formerly, Bai Mu Yun might not have been able to leave Fang Zhiyan's subordinates, because he was the only Aberrant Species possessing human consciousness; but once his uniqueness ceased, he perhaps also gained a chance to break free.

Work in the Field Operations Department isn't any easier than in the Mutation Department, but at least… this keeps him away from Fang Zhiyan.

Having stayed in the Dome for so many years, there is one thing Bai Mu Yun can be certain of.

The most dangerous person in the Dome is certainly Fang Zhiyan.

No matter how harmless he may appear in everyday conduct.