After fulfilling their agreement, Dr. Jiang brought Lingsha to a clean and tidy laboratory. As soon as they entered, they saw five people scattered throughout the room. Some sat with their legs crossed, others stared at their phones, and one was even sprawled asleep on a desk.
"Ahem!" Dr. Jiang cleared his throat loudly. Only then did the group slowly turn their heads toward the entrance, their gazes settling on him.
"Doctor, you're back," one of them said weakly, waving a hand as if stirring noodles.
"What is this? What about the tasks I assigned before I left? Are they completed?" Dr. Jiang's brow furrowed deeply.
"Of course they're done. Here you go," the same person replied, pointing to a vial of reagent on the table.
Despite this, Dr. Jiang's frown remained etched on his face. The issue wasn't whether the tasks were finished, but the atmosphere itself.
He had gone to great lengths to invite a Big Boss to visit, and everyone knew first impressions were crucial. Yet his laboratory was in this state! What would Lingsha think? Did his reputation mean nothing?
Just then, the man who had spoken earlier noticed Lingsha standing beside Dr. Jiang. His demeanor instantly brightened, and he strode forward, giving a slight bow. "This beautiful lady," he said, "my name is Lin Ning. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask your name?"
Lin Ning appeared to be in his early twenties, and his smooth pick-up line suggested he was a seasoned player in matters of the heart.
Lingsha gave a wry smile. "This Lady is called Lingsha. The pleasure is mine."
Lin Ning's eyes lit up. As Lingsha had suspected, he was indeed a veteran with over a dozen ex-girlfriends. But he could honestly say that none of them held a candle to the woman before him.
Lingsha wasn't just beautiful; her voice—a soft, mesmerizing melody that sent shivers down his spine—made her seem almost divine.
Just then, Xiao Bai, the small snake peeking out from Lingsha's sleeve, flicked its tongue, catching Lin Ning's attention. "A snake?" he exclaimed. "Miss Lingsha, you like snakes? How fortunate! I adore these little creatures too. In fact, I have an ability that allows me to communicate with animals."
As he spoke, Lin Ning squatted down and waved at Xiao Bai, activating his ability. "Hello there, little guy~"
Xiao Bai: "Idiot."
Lin Ning's smile froze. Seeing this, Lingsha asked curiously, "Can you really talk to animals? What did Xiao Bai just say?"
Lingsha knew Xiao Bai was highly intelligent and obedient, which only deepened her curiosity about what the snake might say.
Lin Ning replied stiffly, "Uh... he said he's pleased to meet me."
Xiao Bai immediately flicked his tongue and hissed. While others wouldn't understand, Lin Ning clearly heard the snake's furious tirade: "I'll fuck your mother! Get the hell away from Mom! Just the smell of you is making me want to vomit!"
Lingsha frowned. "What's he saying now?"
Forcing a smile, Lin Ning stammered, "He said I'm the first human he's ever communicated with. He finds it amazing and is complimenting me."
Xiao Bai flicked his tongue again, hissing, "How dare you?! Lie to my mom one more time, and I'll hide under your bed tonight and bite you to death!"
At that moment, Xiao Bai opened his mouth, revealing two gleaming venomous fangs. Lin Ning immediately stood up. "Excuse me, I have something urgent to attend to. I won't bother you any longer. I'll be going now."
Without hesitation, Lin Ning turned and fled. He had communicated with many animals before, but ordinary creatures lacked the intelligence to even string together a complete sentence. This snake was clearly no ordinary animal, and Lin Ning had just felt a palpable sense of danger emanating from it.
This is life-threatening! What the hell is that thing?
Lingsha watched this unfold, puzzled. She lifted her right arm, which was entwined with Xiao Bai, and poked the little snake's head with her left index finger. "What exactly did you say to scare him away like that?"
Xiao Bai: "Hehe~ Mommy~ Scenty~ Snuggles~!!"
But this was just a minor interruption. Dr. Jiang picked up the completed potion Lin Ning had mentioned earlier. A small label read "2003," indicating this was the 2003rd iteration in their trial-and-error process.
Dr. Jiang rolled up his sleeve, aimed the syringe at his arm, and asked, "Can we begin the experiment now?"
Lingsha extended her palm, and a small test tube materialized in her hand. It contained a new potion she had recently concocted, even more potent than her previous Universal Medicine.
The Fancheng Virus, which turned people into zombies, was ultimately just a virus. Perhaps the natural Scent emanating from the Lingsha Incense Burner could cure it. If not, there was the upgraded Universal Medicine, and if all else failed, there was always Xiao Bai.
Lingsha nodded. "Begin."
Then, under the horrified gazes of the other five people in the laboratory, Dr. Jiang calmly injected the potion into his own arm.
"Holy shit, Doctor?!"
"Huh?"
"Wait!"
Dr. Jiang's decisive action had taken everyone by surprise. No one had reacted quickly enough to stop him. He simply said calmly, "Don't panic. Everyone return to your stations and record the data as usual."
As time passed, Lingsha could clearly see prominent blue veins pulsing on Dr. Jiang's forehead, sweat pouring down his face like rain. Eventually, he collapsed to the ground, groaning in agony.
This experiment is undoubtedly a failure, Lingsha thought. To make him suffer a little longer for the pain he had inflicted on others, she deliberately waited until his life force visibly weakened before intervening.
Lingsha retrieved her Incense Burner and guided a wisp of scent toward Dr. Jiang. With just this single intervention, his condition rapidly improved.
Moments later, Dr. Jiang slowly rose to his feet. Though his face remained pale, his resolve was unwavering. Clearly, neither physical torment nor a brush with death could break his spirit.