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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 226: Establishment and RCA
Jiang He understood that what An Zheng had given him was undoubtedly important, but he never expected it to be significant to this extent. From the moment Shaoshan left with a shocked expression to when Yao Jinsong arrived with fully armed soldiers at the cabin, only an hour had passed. Fortunately, they had grown accustomed to various shocks; their previously stable days felt like commercials on television, comfortable for only a few days before trouble struck. Therefore, Jiang He was not surprised by the attitude and display of the Establishment.
Jin Bo was as easily provoked as ever. Upon seeing the soldiers storming into the cabin with fierce momentum, he instinctively grabbed a stool. However, facing the dark muzzles of guns, it was more appropriate for him to treat the Folding Stool as a mere household item.
Yao Jinsong and Shaoshan arrived just in time to diffuse the tense atmosphere filled with gunpowder in the cabin. Old Yao held a higher rank than Shaoshan, who belonged to the Establishment's Field Personnel. Although he bore the title of Vice Commander, his actual authority seemed to surpass that of Old Yao. At least, after entering, the first person to speak was Shaoshan, and Yao Jinsong showed no unusual reaction to this.
"Put down your guns," Shaoshan rushed in wearing his tattered military cap, his face flushed with urgency. Seeing that Jiang He and the others showed no signs of displeasure eased his mind. He turned to Yao Jinsong and said, "Yao Ying, let me talk to them and have them step outside."
Yao Jinsong nodded and waved away the soldiers who were on high alert, then calmly sat down on the sofa in the cabin, observing everyone with keen interest.
Shaoshan signaled for everyone to take a seat and pulled over a stool to sit across from them. He tossed a cigarette case to Jiang He and said, "Relax for a moment; I have something important to discuss with you."
Jiang He exchanged glances with everyone before speaking up, "The more you act like this, the more anxious I become. What's going on?"
"I submitted what you gave me," Shaoshan gestured vaguely about the small object with his hands, furrowing his brows. "Our Research Team is currently reviewing the data. I don't fully understand it myself, but it's clearly highly valuable information. I've heard that things are in an uproar over at the Research Center."
"And then?" Jiang He had already anticipated this outcome, and since it didn't directly relate to their issues, he wasn't overly concerned. He sensed that Shaoshan had more to say; noticing his hesitation made him feel somewhat uneasy.
"Then there's the matter of you two needing to inject some substances." Shaoshan flicked off some ash from his cigarette and glanced at Yao Jinsong, who offered an encouraging look since he wasn't going to say anything himself.
Shaoshan frowned as he gathered his thoughts before continuing, "First of all, let's confirm one thing... Jiang He, since you've chosen to tell me the truth, you must want to figure out what's wrong with your body."
"Of course."
"Then that's settled. The feedback from the Research Center indicates that they need you both to assist in experiments so that the Research Team can obtain direct analysis and data. So..."
"So you need us as test subjects?"
"Yes, that's about it."
Shaoshan's hesitant words were casually articulated by Jiang He. Shaoshan couldn't help but observe everyone's reactions and found they were not as angry or resistant as he had imagined.
"I knew we couldn't escape this part." Jiang He appeared quite helpless as he held Song Yao's hand beside him and asked, "What are the specifics? After all, we're still living people; you can't just let your Research Team do whatever they want."
Song Yao did not speak, but her expression was somewhat grim. Among those present, she was the only one who had undergone research. Although she had been drugged and hypnotized at the time, many sensations still transmitted information to her brain during the experimental process. The memories were truly bitter and hard to bear; it was unimaginable what those masked individuals in protective suits might have done to their bodies.
"Don't worry about that. Our research team isn't a black clinic; we follow all the necessary protocols. Moreover, the leadership has instructed us to conduct research without jeopardizing your safety... I estimate that drawing some blood should be fine," Shaoshan said, living up to his reputation as a straightforward person. Just like Jiang He had thought initially, he simplified extremely complex matters, a common trait among people like him.
"It's not that simple," Song Yao slowly raised her head and said with a tremble in her voice. "I don't remember exactly what they did to me, but recalling some fragmented memories still sends chills down my spine."
"From your current state, it seems their experiments haven't caused you any harm," Yao Jinsong, who had maintained a cold and silent demeanor, suddenly spoke up, his expression encouraging yet infuriating.
"That's because the experiment was halted; otherwise, who knows if there would be other issues?" Zeng Yadong shot him a cold glare, not giving him any favorable response.
"I can assure you of your safety. Although I don't understand research experiments well, it's clear that the value of living people is greater; you won't encounter the negative outcomes you fear," Yao Jinsong continued, seemingly tired as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I understand your concerns; after all, we’ve only just met, and building trust takes time. You can take some time to think it over seriously."
"Oh, there's one more thing," Yao Jinsong said as he stood up and walked toward the cabin door. Suddenly remembering something, he turned back and added, "The research location isn't on the ship. Our people will escort you there; the center has complete equipment and higher safety standards."
"What?" Jiang He frowned and asked, "Where is it?"
"Beijing," Yao Jinsong replied with a slight smile before pushing the door open and leaving. The others in the room exchanged glances in silence.
"I should have kept this hidden," Jiang He sighed heavily, collapsing onto the bed in frustration as her mind turned into a chaotic mess.
"I disagree with you," Shaoshan said as he scratched at the centipede scar behind his ear. "Dr. An mentioned something about a regression period or dormant phase for this kind of drug; it's definitely not something good. If you're sick, you need to treat it promptly—it's such a simple principle..."
"Huh?" Jiang He sat up abruptly, suspiciously asking, "Didn't you say you didn't understand this? How do you know?"
Shaoshan rolled his eyes and replied, "Not understanding doesn't mean I can't read Chinese characters. Dr. An wrote it clearly in black and white; I just glanced at it."
"Regression period? Dormant phase?" Zeng Yadong murmured these terms before suddenly brightening up and exclaiming, "Could it be that those frozen zombies we saw when we left Jiuquan are actually signs of the virus starting to regress?"
Her words jolted everyone awake; their impact was indeed significant.
Including Shaoshan, everyone stared intently at Zeng Yadong, clearly impressed by how her speculation aligned with the terms Shaoshan had mentioned.
"But those few didn’t freeze to death either?" Jin Bo rolled his eyes and muttered, "Beijing... why is it in the capital? That's so far away."
"Right? I don't understand either," Song Yao echoed in confusion. "Wasn't it said that Beijing had fallen too? How does your team continue working?"
"You're not clear about the occupied zones," Shaoshan waved his hand, explaining to everyone, "You know about the split between the Establishment and RCA, right?"
At this sudden question, some nodded while others shook their heads, unable to reach a consensus.
"Since we're just sitting around, why don't you tell us about it?" Jin Bo said, sitting cross-legged on the bed with a cigarette in his mouth. "It's all over the place; it doesn't make any sense."
"True, why don't you explain how these two factions are related?" Jiang He's curiosity was ignited, and many questions from the past surged up.
The three girls, Song Yao, Zeng Yadong, and Wheat, didn't say anything but their eyes also revealed curiosity. Five pairs of eyes formed a circle, all staring at Shaoshan as if he didn't lay out the facts today; he wouldn't be able to leave in peace.
Shaoshan almost slapped himself for asking that unnecessary question. Why did he have to complicate things?
"Is it confidential?" Jiang He asked, puzzled.
"Not exactly a secret..." Shaoshan sighed. "De'er, let's just talk about it. You two can listen to the story while considering... Well, where should I start?"
"We'll ask, and you answer," Song Yao chimed in with interest and posed the first question: "What exactly are the Establishment and RCA? They've been intertwined for so long; it's so confusing."
Shaoshan gave her a thumbs up and praised, "You're indeed clever; you got straight to the point. First, tell me what you already know."
Jin Bo looked around with a clueless expression, while Jiang He chuckled and said, "All we know is that the Establishment and RCA are..."
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