Chapter 62: The Undercover Agent

Page 1/3

Powerless to stop his companions from being harmed, Lin Xiaofeng was consumed with frustration. Yet he dared not even vent, fearing that any noise would expose his own presence. He could only watch helplessly as Brother Long and Brother Min were packed into boxes by the black-clad figure.

Fortunately, after placing Zhang Xingmin and Yang Dalong inside the boxes, the black-clad figure did not linger. She merely removed her mask to catch her breath, then turned and left. Lin Xiaofeng, however, caught a glimpse of her face—it was Zhao Nana.

It was like a bolt from the blue! Someone who had acted with them for nearly two years was, all along, a mole from the shadow organization. Terrifying—and none of them had ever suspected a thing.

Though rage burned within him, Lin Xiaofeng’s reason prevailed. He knew he could not act impulsively; rescuing Brother Long and Brother Min was paramount.

He listened as Zhao Nana’s high heels clicked away into the distance, then rushed forward, locating the incubators containing Brother Long and Brother Min. Through the transparent top of the boxes, he could see their bodies beginning to change. Anxiously, he slammed his hand against the box, but the tempered glass was too thick, and nothing happened.

What now? What now? What now? Lin Xiaofeng paced in panic.

He understood clearly that the more anxious one became at critical moments, the more likely one was to panic. After several deep breaths, he calmed himself, carefully examining the material of the incubators. They could not be forced open, and even if he tried, there were no tools at hand. It seemed he would have to tackle the problem through the control system.

If people could be placed inside, there must be a way to retrieve them. Lin Xiaofeng firmly believed this, as would anyone. He searched the entire room thoroughly, and indeed discovered, in a concealed corner behind a wall, a hidden compartment that could be pushed open, inside which was an emergency stop button.

Lin Xiaofeng had no intention of saving everyone here. Those already in the midst of transformation might die if removed from the incubators; even if by chance some survived, escaping with so many would be nearly impossible, not to mention those who had lost their legs—how could they leave?

He found the numbers of the incubators containing Yang Dalong and Zhang Xingmin, and after pressing countless “next” buttons, the circulating fluid inside their boxes stopped. A button appeared on the side of the boxes, allowing them to be opened.

Lin Xiaofeng quickly opened the boxes and hauled both men out. Yang Dalong and Zhang Qingmin did not immediately regain consciousness; especially Brother Long, whose physical changes seemed ongoing, perhaps because the fluid was not yet fully washed away.

There was no time to worry about details. Lin Xiaofeng dragged them to a nearby room with running water, and without caring about the cold, hurriedly rinsed them with clean water, hoping that washing off the incubator fluid would halt their transformations. As hoped, Brother Long’s skin color returned to normal, and his weakened state began to improve.

A violent bout of coughing signaled Brother Long’s awakening.

Brother Long lay on the floor, opening his eyes to see Lin Xiaofeng spraying him with a water hose.

“Damn! No wonder I’m so cold! Are you trying to freeze me to death?” Brother Long joked.

Page 2/3

“Make do! You still dream of a hot shower? Where do you think we are? If I don’t rinse you clean, you’ll spend the rest of your life in an aquarium, performing for visitors. For the sake of brotherhood, I’ll make sure you get an extra slice of bread,” Lin Xiaofeng quipped.

“All you think about is bread? Where are my clothes? How am I supposed to stand here bare-assed?” Brother Long stood up, still shivering.

“Exit, turn right, walk two or three hundred meters, then turn left. On your right, the largest room—your clothes are there. Go fetch them. I’ll check why Brother Min isn’t awake yet,” Lin Xiaofeng said.

Yang Dalong went to retrieve the clothes while Zhang Xingmin remained on the ground, unconscious.

He should be awake by now! Lin Xiaofeng found it odd. The circumstances had been identical—could everyone react differently to the drugs?

Lin Xiaofeng knelt, half-lifting Zhang Xingmin and gently slapping his face. No response. He pinched his philtrum—still nothing.

Though Zhang Xingmin seemed unconscious, he wasn’t entirely unaware. He could feel his body changing, his organs wracked with pain, his legs gradually losing sensation, as if dissolving.

Suddenly, he was lifted out, wanting to open his eyes and see if he had truly become a merman. But his eyes refused to open.

Afterward, someone rinsed him with cold water. Could it be he was saved? Surely, since sensation slowly returned to his body.

He could hear voices nearby, though they were indistinct.

One person seemed to leave; another helped him up, slapped his face, pinched his philtrum—it seemed they were trying to wake him.

“Stop slapping! My face will swell at this rate!” The words came from Zhang Xingmin, still unable to open his eyes, his tone weak.

Hearing Zhang Xingmin finally speak, Lin Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re finally awake.” With the danger past, Lin Xiaofeng could finally relax.

“You saved me?” Zhang Xingmin asked.

Page 3/3

“Who else? Who did you think would save you?” Lin Xiaofeng replied.

“My legs—they’re alright, aren’t they?” Zhang Xingmin, unsure how long he’d been in the incubator, asked anxiously.

“They’re all there—three of them!” Lin Xiaofeng answered with mock seriousness.

“Three!?” Zhang Xingmin questioned, then immediately realized what Lin Xiaofeng meant. He glanced down, saw he was completely naked, and quickly covered his vital parts with both hands.

“Please! Who cares? It’s not like you’re any different from the rest of us. Besides, I already touched everything while washing you. So what if you’re impotent? No need to be embarrassed; the effects should wear off soon,” Lin Xiaofeng said, dismissively.

Hearing the word "impotent" from Lin Xiaofeng’s mouth, Zhang Xingmin was suddenly embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, asking, “Where are Brother Long and Nana?”

“I was late! Brother Long’s transformation is irreversible now. We’ll have to visit him at Vienna’s Ocean World,” Lin Xiaofeng said, feigning sadness.

Zhang Xingmin couldn’t tell if Lin Xiaofeng was joking or serious. The thought of Brother Long becoming a merman left him deeply saddened. “Is that true? Shouldn’t we try to rescue Brother Long? We’re brothers—he shouldn’t be left at their mercy!”

At that moment, Brother Long entered with Zhang Xingmin’s clothes, tossed them to him, and said, “At least you have a conscience! Hurry up and get dressed. We need to prepare to leave, though who knows if we’ll make it out.”

“Nana hasn’t come yet?” Zhang Xingmin looked around, realizing not everyone was present.

“No need to wait for her,” Lin Xiaofeng said coldly.

“What’s going on?”

“She’s an undercover agent,” Lin Xiaofeng replied through clenched teeth.