Research Value

Besides, as things stood, she was the leader of this twelve-person team, and she was clearly the useless one.

She had to take responsibility for their safety.

"Moreover, aberrants have extremely sharp senses. If we hide nearby, it will definitely sense us, and then it won't show itself. So using surveillance is the better option."

Tubin had no comeback.

Once the guards brought over the half-eaten carcass of the Tibetan mastiff, Ding Naiqing connected the two sets of equipment, and the group boarded the helicopter, heading for their team's temporary headquarters.

On the flight, the roar of the rotors drowned out everything, but in the noise-canceling helmets, Ding Naiqing and Tu Ran had a private channel.

"Ran Jie, why are we leaving? Staying at the farm would've been more convenient, right? We wouldn't have to waste time traveling back and forth."

Tu Ran was leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed, eyes closed in a lazy rest. Without even opening her eyes, she said sarcastically, "Because I'm a coward."

She truly was.

But Ding Naiqing didn't believe it.

He grinned. "Ran Jie, stop joking."

Tu Ran sighed inwardly.

The original owner of this body was practically Ding Naiqing's idol. With that idol filter in place, anything she said that might shatter the illusion was taken as a joke.

"I think spending the night at the farm is too risky. We don't know how many aberrants are there, nor do we know how they manage to possess humans," Tu Ran explained slowly and deliberately. "If it's just contact that allows possession, then staying overnight would leave us most vulnerable while we sleep, giving the aberrants a perfect opening. You and I might have the experience to spot it early, but the guards with us would be in real danger."

Tu Ran finished speaking, and Ding Naiqing's eyes widened in sudden understanding. He nodded in approval and shot her a look of admiration. "Ran Jie, you've really thought this through."

Because she feared that if she didn't think it through, they'd all be wiped out.

They reached their destination and the helicopter began to descend. In that gap, Tu Ran connected to Ding Naiqing's earpiece. "Go ask them how they're staying tonight—together or separately?"

"Why?" Ding Naiqing blinked, curious.

"Ask them first; I'll explain in detail tonight. And when you ask, don't be too obvious. Just treat it like casual chat. Got it?"

"Got it." Ding Naiqing nodded obediently.

After the helicopter landed, Tu Ran disembarked first and headed for the hotel that had been prepared for Team Four.

Ding Naiqing didn't follow her. Instead, he mingled with the ten guards, slapping shoulders and trading jokes.

Compared to Tu Ran, who was cold and quiet, the guards took an immediate liking to this harmless-looking lad, and they quickly warmed up to him.

The task Tu Ran had assigned him was done in no time.

At eight in the evening, Tu Ran and Ding Naiqing sat in the hotel restaurant, having ordered a few local specialties.

The dishes looked colorful and fragrant, and the texture was clearly an effort to mimic the real thing, but the taste fell short. It lacked the soul of properly sourced ingredients.

Tu Ran chewed mechanically.

"Ran Jie, they said they're each staying in their own rooms. The Regaken State Federal Government arranged accommodations for them," Ding Naiqing reported. "So what's this all about? You're being so mysterious."

Tu Ran swallowed a bite of the "boiled pork slices" that tasted worse than shoe leather and wiped her mouth. "Why do you see mystery in everything? I'm just worried that some of those guards who left our sight might have been possessed by aberrants. If they're all crammed together, that'd be a breeding ground for the things. That's why I had you check. If they're sharing rooms, we need to find a way to split them up."

"Ah, I see," Ding Naiqing said, another lightbulb moment. He added his praise, "Ran Jie, you think of everything."

Tu Ran: "..."

She had lost count of how many times Ding Naiqing had praised her, and she was numb to it.

"Well, you enjoy your meal. I'm going to rest." Tu Ran stood up and turned to leave.

But then she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure—Xie Xu.

He was also having dinner. His short, dark hair was still a bit messy, with one stubborn tuft sticking straight up, a stark contrast to his stern, serious face.

Their eyes met. Tu Ran wasn't sure if she should go over and say hello.

After all, he had saved her life from that He Luo creature. She'd meant to thank him then, but by the time she'd changed her clothes, he was gone. The next time she saw him was in the conference room, hardly the right place for gratitude.

This was actually a good opportunity to offer her thanks, but Tu Ran didn't want to move.

She had a feeling Xie Xu was sharp—dangerously sharp.

She was a fraud. She didn't dare.

Fortunately, Xie Xu just glanced at her and then lowered his head.

Maybe he didn't recognize her? A small wave of relief washed over Tu Ran. Better that way—let him forget her.

Tu Ran was about to hurry away, but the communicator on her wrist chimed before she could take a step.

She glanced down. It was a message.

Two simple words: "Come here."

Sender: Xie Xu, Senior Member of the Research Institute.

Tu Ran: "..."

She felt like a schoolkid who'd tried to pretend she hadn't seen her homeroom teacher, only to be spotted and called over for a scolding.

Dragging her feet, Tu Ran trudged over and sat down across from Xie Xu, her mind already racing through all the possible reasons he might have summoned her.

She plastered on a polite smile. "Researcher Xie, what can I do for you?"

Xie Xu set down his chopsticks. His long, slender fingers looked elegant and natural—quite pleasing to the eye.

"Weren't you assigned to Fengli County?" he asked, his voice cold and indifferent, his brow stern. "Why are you here?"

Tu Ran thought to herself: Does he think we're slacking off?

"The two of us were in charge of investigating the farm of Mr. Keniyigan in Fengli County. According to our findings, there's more than one aberrant of the class Reptilia, order Squamata on that farm. But we can't pinpoint exactly how many are hiding there. For the safety of my team, I chose to return to headquarters overnight." Tu Ran explained calmly.

Xie Xu's brow furrowed, and his expression turned serious. "Reptilia, Squamata? That type has the strongest reproductive capacity. During breeding season, they can produce hundreds of offspring in a single day."

Tu Ran felt a chill run down her spine. "So does Keniyigan's farm still warrant investigation?"

If this was their breeding season, after a single night, how many humans on that farm could possibly survive?

The risk outweighed the reward. There was no point in continuing the investigation.

Xie Xu clearly caught her implication. He mulled it over for a moment, then said, "Keep investigating. Find the first aberrant that entered the farm—it's of significant research value. As for manpower, I'll send two experienced pioneers from my team to assist you."