Chapter 33 – Number One on Hot Search
After hiding the guard’s corpse, Yu Jin straightened his back and walked out. He didn’t look injured at all.
Outside the laboratory door, the half-drowsy guard mumbled:
“Where are you going, sir?”
Yu Jin’s expression was arrogant, clearly looking down on the guard—his nostrils practically pointed at the sky, as if the man wasn’t worth speaking to.
The guard originally felt suspicious of this researcher who was wrapped up so tightly he couldn’t see his face, but the familiar superior attitude made him drop his doubts.
Once Yu Jin reached an empty corridor, he found a blind spot in the surveillance cameras, leaned against the wall, and silently tried to catch his breath.
He had wanted to dispose of that guard, but with the amount of blood he’d lost, he didn’t have the strength. He could only pretend to be a researcher and walk out openly.
He hadn’t had time to make a proper plan. The face of the female who had died on the operating table earlier flashed through his mind—the one whose organs had failed after too many experiments.
Yu Jin felt a wave of panic. He feared Hua Mian had also been taken and turned into another lab rat.
He would never let something that horrible happen to her.
Yet the contract mark on his neck suddenly showed that Hua Mian’s physical condition was deteriorating. He couldn’t help imagining the worst—that she was already being tortured.
My lady, don’t be afraid. I’m coming to save you.
Hua Mian jolted awake from her sleep. The room was quiet. She clutched her chest, struggling to breathe.
A suffocating pain pressed heavily against her heart. She stared hopelessly into the darkness until she finally regained the strength to inhale.
The next morning, Hua Mian’s face was so pale it was almost translucent; even her pink lips had lost the last trace of color.
Nangong Zheng had returned with two subordinates only at dawn, then sorted through the evidence until seven in the morning.
Worried no one would be there to take care of the little female when she woke, Nangong Zheng showered and fell asleep on the living room sofa.
The two subordinates, who had just eaten something upstairs, exchanged glances.
“Tsk, the boss is done for, isn’t he?”
“She’s just an ordinary female.”
“Exactly. Why couldn’t she at least be a soothing-type? Even an E-class would’ve been fine.”
…
Hua Mian’s fingertip rested on the doorknob as she frowned, listening to their conversation.
Nangong Zheng… likes her? How could she believe something so baseless?
She didn’t believe such random speculation—and besides, she didn’t like him.
After waiting a few minutes, Hua Mian walked downstairs.
Hearing the light, distinctly different footsteps, Nangong Zheng opened his exhausted eyes. They were bloodshot, the redness stark against his mist-blue irises.
“Morning.”
Hua Mian nodded—slowly, because she felt unwell.
Seeing her even paler after a night of rest, Nangong Zheng’s brows tightened.
“Where are you feeling unwell?”
As he strode toward her and reached out to touch her forehead, she quickly stepped back, arms crossed over her chest.
“I’m fine.”
Nangong Zheng immediately noticed her rejecting his touch, and his expression darkened again.
He couldn’t help thinking of the useless beast-husband she’d mentioned yesterday—the one who needed a female to save him.
According to the data, that orc named Enzo came from an outer planet. No abilities, no wealth—just another idiot who came to the Capital chasing dreams. Yet somehow he got matched with a pampered young miss and stayed.
To Nangong Zheng, Enzo was a phoenix man—trash among beastmen.
He couldn’t understand why the little female liked him.
Was it his face?
If that was the case, his own face wasn’t bad at all. Why didn’t she…
Suddenly, Nangong Zheng remembered—he was still wearing his disguise. No wonder she wasn’t attracted to him. Compared to his real face, this one was painfully ordinary.
“Can we expose them today?” Hua Mian asked weakly.
She stepped past him and sat in the corner of the sofa; her delicate body took up only the smallest bit of space.
Her question cut through all of Nangong Zheng’s wandering thoughts.
“Yes. We’ve prepared the evidence.”
Remembering what he’d seen last night while investigating Jin Yang, Nangong Zheng felt a wave of nausea.
Who would have thought the young master of Hongda Spaceships was such a depraved creature?
If people learned that Young Master Jin enjoyed being whipped and forced by strong beastmen like an animal—it made him sick just imagining it.
Someone like that possessed wealth and resources ordinary people couldn’t obtain in several lifetimes… all because of his family.
Disgusting.
“Good. I believe you’ll make sure they get what they deserve.” Hua Mian’s eyes held complete trust.
Nangong Zheng knew she was reminding him those people were far from innocent, but the fact that she said she believed in him still made him unreasonably pleased.
…
“Boss! Bad news!”
Hua Mian and Nangong Zheng both turned toward the staircase.
A disheveled short-haired beastman leapt down from the second floor and landed lightly beside the dining table.
“A video exposing illegal gene-modification experiments at the Gem Auction has exploded on the Starnet!”
“What?” Nangong Zheng’s gaze sharpened.
They had only reached the outer edge of the lab last night and planned to have the nanobots investigate further. But now someone had already leaked everything.
The beastman hesitated, glancing at Hua Mian.
Nangong Zheng realized the issue and was about to tell her to go rest, but Hua Mian elegantly set down her utensils.
“I’m a victim. I have the right to know what happened.”
Seeing the subordinate’s disapproving expression, she continued, “Even if you don’t tell me now, I’ll find out sooner or later.”
Nangong Zheng: “Explain.”
The subordinate shot her an annoyed look before speaking.
Someone had uploaded a secretly-filmed video from inside the lab, with the title:
“I can’t keep helping them harm females and beastmen.”
On Starnet, anything mentioning females guaranteed clicks.
And since this message mentioned harming females, it immediately drew curiosity.
The video clearly came from a hidden camera—the angle shaky. Rows of cylindrical glass tanks filled the screen, each containing a naked beastman submerged in pale green liquid.
Their skin was deathly white, a single tube inserted through their mouth down their throat. Their condition—alive or dead—was unknown.
The scene alone was horrifying.
Then for a brief instant—a flash—one tank showed a female submerged inside.
A moment later came the sound of glass shattering. The screen went black. Video over.
With just this video, it overtook the federal delegation’s visit to the Empire and shot to #1 on the hot search.
The impact was immense.
Hua Mian and Nangong Zheng finished watching it.
The end of the footage revealed a glimpse of the videographer’s fingertips before disappearing.
But Hua Mian recognized that hand instantly.
It was Yu Jin’s hand.
Yu Jin had posted the video. He’d been caught. His life was in danger.
Hua Mian’s breathing turned chaotic.
Nangong Zheng’s expression also darkened to terrifying levels. He could tell she was shaken by the video, but he had no mood to comfort her now.
This kind of leak—right when the Federation was visiting the Capital—was infuriating beyond belief.
The account that posted the video had already been deleted. All reposts were from users who downloaded it.
The comments were chaotic:
“Did you guys see? At 3:47, the female in the tank moved her finger! She’s not a specimen—she’s alive!”
“I saw it too! So scary! What did they do to her?”
“At the start, in the bottom right corner, a paper document flashes by. My Imperial language isn’t great—does it say ‘gene-modification experiment’? Can someone confirm?”
“Upstairs is right! It does say gene-modification experiments! I’m a student in Imperial Beastman General Medical Studies!”
“Horrifying!”
“Gene modification is illegal! Are people really doing this? Is this some new drama trying to go viral?”
“The symbol in the top right of that paper is the Gem Auction’s logo. We demand an explanation. @GemAuctionOfficial”
…
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