This Villain Ch.28

Chapter 28: Failed Wildlife Release

Zhou Sheqing’s private residence was a villa, located far from the neighboring houses, with a large plot of land. The garden was filled with blooming flowers, and the perimeter was surrounded by evergreen holly.

The villa was luxuriously decorated, filled with priceless ornaments.

Yet, despite the grandeur, Zhou Sheqing was the only occupant of the vast villa, which felt empty and lifeless.

Fresh from a shower, Zhou Sheqing wore a silk nightgown and slowly descended the stairs with a glass of wine in hand.

Her terminal played a recording of her friend Su He’s voice, talking with someone else.

“Really not going to tell Sheqing about this? Last time she came… she was willing… to help 012 leave…”

“So, 012 is leaving tonight… are you sure you can part with him?”

When Su He chose to keep it from her, she probably didn’t realize that their conversation was being transmitted through the necklace she wore around her neck.

The necklace was a gift from Zhou Sheqing several years ago, and Su He cherished it, always wearing it.

Zhou Sheqing was aware of her own condition; she couldn’t meet Su He every day, but she wanted to know everything happening around her, as Su He was her only friend.

How could Su He hide anything from her?

Zhou Sheqing settled onto the plush sofa, sipping her wine slowly while replaying the conversation in her mind. Afterward, she put down her glass, adjusted her nightgown, and headed for the basement.

The basement was spacious, having been prepared and redecorated for a long time. It had been transformed into an indoor garden filled with precious trees and flowers, lush and green.

Despite being underground, the space perfectly simulated the sky and natural light outside.

Everything here had been sanitized, and the small, free-range creatures were gentle and harmless, posing no danger.

Zhou Sheqing walked on the soft moss, thinking that 012 would surely love this place. The paradise she had created for him was a thousand times better than the shabby “rainforest tank.”

By tomorrow, 012 would be able to move in.

Feeling the anticipation, Zhou Sheqing’s mood was exceptionally good that day. The usually emotionless iceberg beauty wore a faint smile on her face, rare as it was.

However, her mood soured when Su He contacted her.

She listened as Su He explained and apologized. She pretended to be angry while gradually “softening” in response to Su He’s attempts to placate her.

“If you’re worried about 012, I’ll find an opportunity to go check on him in the outer districts soon, okay?”

Her dear Su He was always so considerate, so she blamed Kang Shi for the deceit.

“Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll forgive you this time, Su He, but you mustn’t hide things from me again,” Zhou Sheqing agreed.

The two of them “made up.”

Eager to return to the villa to wait for 012, she was delayed by Zhou Xiangcheng’s recurring issues and was kept by her uncle, Zhou Yuanyou.

Once her uncle left, Zhou Sheqing hurried back to her villa. She impatiently dropped her bag and ran to the basement.

The isolation box, covered with a light-blocking shield, was in the center. Zhou Sheqing held her breath, grasped the light-blocking curtain, and excitedly pulled it open.

The isolation box was open, and it was empty inside.

“What… ah!” Unprepared, Zhou Sheqing was grabbed by the neck and forcefully pressed against the isolation box. Her head slammed against the glass with a loud thud.

Dizzy and disoriented, she saw the reflection on the glass and realized the figure behind her.

It was 012.

Zhou Sheqing, struggling to breathe and feeling the crushing grip around her neck, tried to reason with 012.

“Don’t… I won’t… harm you. You can trust me. Living here with me, I’m different from Zhou Xiangcheng and the others!” Zhou Sheqing managed to force out the words.

012’s tone was flat and emotionless. “Take me to see Zhou Xiangcheng.”

Zhou Sheqing hesitated. “No, it’s too dangerous. He’s in a highly secured place right now, and you won’t be able to get in.”

“If you insist on seeing him, stay here safely for now, and I’ll arrange for you to meet him later, alright?”

012’s grip only tightened.

His hand, much larger than a human’s, could easily crush Zhou Sheqing’s throat.

As Zhou Sheqing neared suffocation, she realized with horror that 012 was capable of murder. His hands had been stained with blood before.

Desperate to avoid death, Zhou Sheqing gasped, “Alright! I promise!”

012’s grip relaxed slightly, but his intent remained clear. He knew that those researching him considered him a mere experiment, something to be manipulated and controlled. The arrogance of the researchers, including Zhou Sheqing, blinded them to the reality that 012 was not to be underestimated.

On their way to the Zhou family’s secret laboratory, Zhou Sheqing attempted to make some subtle moves to prevent 012 from reaching his destination. Her efforts were met with immediate and brutal retaliation, as her forearm was violently broken by 012’s hand.

The pain was excruciating, and the realization of her predicament sank in. Zhou Sheqing’s previous confidence was shattered by the cruel reality of 012’s power and determination.

Zhou Sheqing was in agony from the pain, and her earlier hope of tricking 012 into confusion was now shattered. She had no choice but to lead him into the laboratory, her arm throbbing from the brutal injury.

The laboratory, sparsely populated at this hour, was almost empty. Zhou Yuanyou, exhausted from his work, had already retired for the night. No one questioned the unusual appearance of the stranger Zhou Sheqing brought in.

Zhou Sheqing could guess 012’s intent, her face growing pale as she tried to reason with him.

“You can’t just kill Zhou Xiangcheng like this. If he dies, his mother won’t let it go. She’s the current spokesperson for the Zhou family and holds shares in the Life Group. Do you understand the gravity of this situation?”

012, following closely behind her, said flatly, “Contact He Xiaoyan. Tell her Zhou Xiangcheng has woken up and needs to see her immediately.”

Zhou Sheqing’s eyes widened in realization. She remembered that 012 had indeed encountered Zhou Xiangcheng’s mother before.

He Xiaoyan, busy with the Life Group’s affairs, rarely involved herself in her son’s experiments, viewing them merely as distractions. It was only when Zhou Xiangcheng’s life was nearly ended by 012 that she had taken action.

“The laboratory is full of monsters; if one dies, we can just breed another. When Xiangcheng wakes up, we’ll provide him with more experimental subjects, and he won’t make a fuss about this.”

“Such a monster harming my child can’t be left alive, but simply killing it won’t satisfy me.”

With this vengeance driving her, He Xiaoyan’s anger was not easily quenched, and 012 was left with little chance of survival, sent instead into the hands of the notorious “Kang Shi.”

He Xiaoyan, deeply caring for her son, rushed to the laboratory late at night upon hearing that Zhou Xiangcheng wished to see her. However, she arrived only to find the grotesque sight of 012 holding Zhou Xiangcheng’s head.

Her fury was palpable, her maternal instincts overridden by a deep desire for retribution.

In all the laboratories, high-level experimental subjects were always bound by numerous restraints, enduring hunger and various injuries, maintaining a weakened state every moment.

No researcher dared to keep the high-level experimental subjects in good condition because they possessed immense power. Once they escaped their confinement, they would become deadly weapons that targeted humans.

That night, a massive commotion occurred in the Zhou family’s secret laboratory, resulting in the removal of three corpses from Zhou Xiangcheng’s ward.

Mrs. He Xiaoyan, who had died of a shattered heart, her bodyguard, and Zhou Xiangcheng, who had lost his head and had already gone cold, were removed.

The man who should have died long ago had finally met his end.

The only survivor present was Zhou Sheqing, who had fainted due to the shock.

The Zhou family sealed the news, but the rumors that leaked still caused a ripple effect in the Central District.

This shockwave had not yet spread to the surrounding districts. In the Fifth District Research Institute, Yu Yan, who had just seen off 012, took a half-month long vacation, feeling unburdened.

Due to health reasons, he had spent so long in the laboratory that he felt his body was on the verge of rusting. As soon as things stabilized slightly, he immediately prepared to return to his small villa to rest and recuperate.

Who could work continuously for so long? He was not like his energetic eldest brother who needed no rest.

“Remember to take your medication daily and contact me immediately if anything happens,” Su He said as she handed over the prepared medication to Yu Yan.

Su He still had many tasks to handle and continued to stay in the laboratory. One of her important tasks was to continue developing antiviral agents for her senior, constantly improving upon the current medication.

Yu Yan was deeply touched. To show his appreciation, he ordered a month’s worth of luxurious lunch and dessert deliveries for both her and Lu Qiufeng and sent over expensive gifts prepared by his assistant. He then happily returned home.

The small villa, which had been unoccupied for over a month, seemed to have a strange odor. Yu Yan activated the electronic butler to clean both inside and outside the house, while he relaxed on the sofa.

The windows opened automatically, letting a breeze in from outside that carried away the slight odor.

Yu Yan wanted to lie around lazily until dusk, but his aching body reminded him it was time to take his medication.

Reluctantly, he got up with a sigh and went to the kitchen to pour hot water and take his medicine.

The house was equipped with the latest electronic butlers and robots, which could handle many tasks, but Yu Yan had not fully adapted to these features yet. Most of the time, he preferred to do things himself.

While humming an unfamiliar tune and searching for a water cup in the cabinet, Yu Yan was suddenly confronted with a s*vered human head, which was prominently displayed in the cabinet and emitted a foul odor.

Yu Yan: “……”

If it weren’t for his frequent encounters with corpses in the hospital, this discovery would have frightened him badly.

Why was there a human head in his cabinet? Who could it be?

Upon closer inspection, he found the head somewhat familiar. As the name Zhou Xiangcheng came to mind, he simultaneously noticed something approaching from behind.

When he tried to elbow the intruder, a hand wrapped around his arm, and another hand, with icy fingers, pinched his arm, stopping his counterattack.

The cold touch was all too familiar. Yu Yan froze and turned to look.

Sure enough, it was 012.

After rescuing and preparing to release a wild animal back into the wild, it showed up at his home within days.

Well, it’s no surprise things didn’t go smoothly.

There was no need to ask, “Aren’t you supposed to be outside? How did you end up back here?” It was clear that the animal had become attached.

But there was one thing Yu Yan needed to ask.

“The head of Zhou Xiangcheng, did you bring it here?”

012, holding Yu Yan tightly and preventing him from moving, answered the question.

“It’s my prey.”

Bringing prey back to the nest was a normal behavior.

The place where a partner is located is also considered the nest, which is a normal thing.

What Yu Yan found most frustrating at this moment was that he had forgotten to educate this creature about legal and moral standards over the past few months.

Sneaking into someone’s house, suddenly appearing, and controlling the owner—this was the start of a crime.

Yu Yan’s mind was filled with thoughts of criminal activities, imprisonment, ab*se, and bloody scenes… when he suddenly heard 012 say from behind:

“I can’t bear to part with you. I want to take you with me.”

Yu Yan: “?”

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