"Can't get the statistics." The old director continued, "The population counting work in those Qiang villages has always been progressing slowly. The household registration department of Lizhou City can't possibly go into the mountains for registration every month... The most recent complete statistical data was six years ago... According to the data from six years ago, the number of missing people is no less than over twenty thousand."

"It was twenty thousand based on six years ago's statistics... It must be even more now." Yang Qi murmured, "Chimera 17's actions were too swift... It's hard to imagine what form it will take the next time we encounter it."

"Don't panic, don't fear." The old director's face was calm as he gently patted the armrest of his wheelchair, "When the soldiers come, we'll send generals to resist; when the water comes, we'll use earth to block it."

...

On the other side, Sun Hang and Wang Xiyi had reached the exit of the glass dome - this glass dome was formed in one piece using a special processing method, with no gaps from top to bottom. The so-called entrance and exit is actually an underground passage that extends beyond the base of the glass dome from below.

However, the two were stopped by several researchers.

"Sun Hang, you can leave, but Night Slayer... according to the rules, she must stay in the test field for a full seven-day observation period before she can come out." Song Yarong, who had arrived at the scene with the old director, said, "This is something unavoidable, and I hope you both understand."

"It's okay, I'm used to it." Wang Xiyi nodded.

"I have no objections... But could you help Mr. Wang find some clothes? What she's wearing now is still Taosui's mycelium."

"Alright, I'll have someone arrange it immediately. Rest assured, I guarantee that Night Slayer's living conditions during this time will be of the highest standard." Song Yarong proactively walked forward, took off the white lab coat she was wearing, and draped it over Wang Xiyi, "Make do with this for now. The clothes will be delivered shortly."

"Highest standard?" Sun Hang tilted his head, "Then what kind of standard was that mirror room you locked me in for several days before?"

"Standard specification." Song Yarong said, "Every newly infected person must pass that phase, but their psychological state is monitored at all times. If any signs of losing control appear, the observation experiment will be immediately halted."

"And then what, execute them?"

"Not necessarily." Song Yarong shook her head, the silver-white ponytail swaying with her motion, "Some people just have a lower psychological resilience and may exhibit certain symptoms at the mental level... These people are transferred to a less stimulating observation room and receive professional psychological counseling. As long as there's no obvious change in the pace of memetic infection, we generally strive to allow those infected to maintain a normal life."

"And what if the pace of infection undergoes significant changes?"

"Then they'll have to undergo 'harmless treatment'." Song Yarong shrugged, "That's also helping them to be relieved."

"In that case, I was quite lucky." Sun Hang muttered.

"It has nothing to do with luck... Your memetic frequency has always been stable. Unfortunately, the meme you transmitted to me was Taotie's meme, wouldn't it have been much better if it were Taotie's?" Song Yarong said with some regret.

"Would you like to try once more?"

"Forget it, forget it." Song Yarong waved her hand immediately, "I was joking. Who would be idle enough to loiter at the gate of hell?"

"Someone liked to do that before." Sun Hang glanced at Mr. Wang with the corner of his eye.

The long dress woven from mycelium had been taken back by Sun Hang, and Wang Xiyi was now only covered with a thin white lab coat - considering the height difference between her and Song Yarong, the coat that could hang down to the latter's knees only barely covered one-third of Wang Xiyi's thighs, plus the tail swaying behind her, there was a constant risk of exposure.

Fortunately, the researchers in the tunnel were all female - Song Yarong seemed to have considered this problem, so she didn't let other male researchers enter the tunnel along with them.

"Let's leave it at that." Sun Hang said, "I'll head back first, waiting for your good news."

"Alright, when I 'get out', I'll come find you for a drink." Wang Xiyi smiled and waved to Sun Hang.

...

Sun Hang walked out of the tunnel, while Wang Xiyi was accompanied back into the glass dome by Song Yarong.

Compared to the cleanly burnt interior of the glass dome, the outside was a complete mess - many researchers were scurrying back and forth with equipment, various trash, and overturned tables and chairs were scattered everywhere. Just less than five meters away from Sun Hang, a shoe, which seemed to belong to someone, was lying on the ground.

Two helicopters bearing the emblem of the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute hovered in the air, with the rapidly rotating rotor blades producing a tremendous noise.

Sun Hang took a deep breath of fresh air, stretched with force, then cast off the tattered protective suit hanging on him, and strode to the supply area, tore open a carton, and took out a bottle of water... He didn't even bother unscrewing the cap and instead sliced open the neck with the Liquid Metal Blade before guzzling it down.

He was nearly dying of thirst...

The water in his body had been almost completely evaporated by the Black Dragon's Dragon Flame, and the Dragon Blood he swallowed afterward did nothing to alleviate this feeling of thirst; instead, it exacerbated it, burning all the little moisture in his body dry... If Sun Hang were a normal person, he might have been dehydrated to death long ago...

No.

If I were a normal person, thought Sun Hang, I probably would have turned to ashes before dying of dehydration.

After gulping down seven or eight bottles of 500ml drinking water, the feeling of thirst finally eased somewhat.

Wiping the water stains from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, Sun Hang turned his head but found Yang Qi standing in front of him, holding a tablet.

He suddenly remembered a meme he had learned online before and waved at Yang Qi.

"Aibo, ramen ikuzai?"

"Huh?" Yang Qi was startled, obviously not reacting to what Sun Hang was saying.

"I mean, do you want to grab some ramen later?" Sun Hang rubbed his stomach, "Although I've had quite a bit of water, my throat still feels rather dry. I'd like to have something soupy to soothe it... To be honest, the tonkotsu ramen they make in the first-floor cafeteria of the research institute is quite good. I tried it once, and I've been craving it ever since."

"Unfortunately, due to the Eternal Night, all supplies are being rationed." Yang Qi glanced at Sun Hang and said with a blank expression, "The cafeteria you mentioned is temporarily closed. If you want ramen, you'll have to cook it yourself."

"It's doable... I'll go grab some ingredients and seasoning from the kitchen later." Sun Hang said, "Just between you and me, Zhong Ling's actually a hidden master chef, how about coming to my place for dinner tonight? I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised!"

"Not in the mood... I have to work overtime tonight." Yang Qi said, "I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Did you feel anything special when you absorbed Wang Xiyi's mutated meme just now?" Yang Qi asked seriously, "Or put it another way, when you assimilated the Black Dragon meme, could you detect any changes in yourself?"

"Why ask that?" Sun Hang was a bit puzzled, "You guys have been monitoring the instruments; the data should be more clear and accurate than anything I can describe, right?"

"Instruments have their limitations too." Yang Qi said, "Not everything can be measured with instruments."

"Tsk... How do I put it, I'm not really sure how to describe the feeling... At that time, because the absorption rate was too slow, I directly bit through Mr. Wang's throat, swallowing her blood into my stomach... That feeling, I was almost suspecting I was drinking burning oil, not blood."

"And then?"

"Then that's it, right? I drank her blood and absorbed those mutated memes." Sun Hang spread his hands, "That's how it ended... Uh, are you really going to continue working overtime? Aren't you afraid of sudden death?"

"There's too much work. The news from Lizhou City has come back... None of those Qiang villages in the mountains were spared."

"As expected." Sun Hang also put away his joking expression, "With so much food available, Chimera 17's injuries should have almost fully recovered by now..."

"Do you think it will really come... for revenge?"

"It will come." Sun Hang nodded, "It will definitely come."

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