Red Dress

“All remaining doors are now open. Survivors, please don't crowd—form an orderly line and cooperate with the Medical Department's inspection.”

Tu Ran returned the curved blade to the woman and followed the crowd out of the carriage, spotting Xie Xu emerging from the one behind.

They skipped the line entirely and were led straight to a temporary structure set up by the Medical Department for a full-body scan.

No wounds.

Another vial of blood was drawn from each of them for further testing.

Because infectious aberrants had appeared for the first time, the cause of their emergence and the mechanism of infection were still unknown.

As a result, many researchers from the Research Institute had also arrived, collecting tissue and blood samples from the aberrant corpses.

The three live aberrants that had been captured were also to be sent to the Research Institute for study.

The Federation was caught completely off guard by the sudden appearance of infectious aberrants.

Everyone knew how grave a threat these infectious aberrants posed. Unlike the possession-type aberrants of the past, infectious aberrants spread far more rapidly and could easily trigger explosive outbreaks.

If even one slipped through, it would be a ticking time bomb lying in wait.

The Medical Department conducted an extremely thorough inspection of the survivors.

Tu Ran was exhausted. After having her blood drawn, she slumped into a rest chair, tilted her head back against the wall, and closed her eyes.

The entire Mitner Square was now surrounded by Federal Government troops, and the suspended rail home had ceased operations. She couldn't get back anytime soon, so she figured she might as well sleep here for a while.

Xie Xu sat down two seats away from her, glanced at her sprawled sleeping posture, and turned his face away.

Too unsightly to look at.

Tu Ran was sleeping soundly when someone suddenly patted her on the shoulder.

She snapped awake instantly and looked at the person—it was Ding Naiqing.

“Sister Ran, why are you sleeping here?”

“No transport. Can't get home,” Tu Ran said, rubbing her eyes, still groggy.

After resting for a bit, the soreness in her body had become more pronounced, and now she didn't want to move at all.

“No transport?” Ding Naiqing stood up. “I'll apply for a vehicle for you. You saved so many people—there's no way you should be sleeping here.”

“Thanks,” Tu Ran said appreciatively.

Ding Naiqing scratched his head awkwardly. “No need to thank me.”

Watching his retreating figure, Tu Ran adjusted her posture, leaned back against the wall again, and squinted her eyes.

Suddenly, a red dress caught her attention.

Tu Ran's mind sharpened for a moment, and she looked toward the owner of that red dress.

It was a little girl with two pigtails.

She was standing in the middle of the line, advancing slowly with the queue, waiting for the Medical Department to examine her.

She was almost next.

To avoid drawing attention, Tu Ran kept her gaze fixed ahead, but her peripheral vision remained locked on the girl.

When it was the girl's turn, she stepped into the machine for a full-body scan. Two minutes later, she stepped out, and the scan result read “No external injuries.”

Then she sat down in a chair, rolled up her sleeve, and the machine drew a vial of blood from her pale wrist.

Just like that, she passed the inspection.

Tu Ran couldn't sit still any longer.

She stood up and walked toward the little girl.

Xie Xu, who had been resting with his eyes closed nearby, noticed her movement and followed her with his gaze.

As Tu Ran reached the girl's side, she suddenly bent down.

She dropped a button she had already pulled off her clothes onto the ground, then pretended to pick it up.

“Little girl, did you drop this?” she asked with a smile.

The little girl instinctively opened her hand to receive it.

Tu Ran placed the button in her palm, her fingers inevitably brushing against the girl's skin.

In that instant, Tu Ran found the memory she had been searching for.