What's Wrong with Her Now

"Master! Don't look back!"

Liguang's slightly panicked voice rang in his ears!

She hugged him even tighter!

With a light tap of her foot on the stone steps...

Her entire body leaped down over a dozen steps!

The moment she landed, her knees bent slightly to absorb the impact...

Then another push! Another leap!

Fang Qi held onto her tightly and squeezed his eyes shut.

This intense light was simply too bright!

Even with his eyes closed, the outside of his eyelids was still a bright, reddish glow!

He could only turn his head away to avoid facing that light!

But he could feel that the light was chasing them!

Like a searchlight chasing escaped convicts, it locked dead onto them!

In this narrow passageway, the two of them truly had nowhere to run!

However...

It wasn't a big problem!

With his wife holding him, he didn't panic at all!

Even if he went blind, he felt completely secure!

"Are we there yet?!"

He shouted with his eyes closed!

"Almost!"

Liguang breathed into his ear:

"Almost there...!"

Then, another leap!

This time Fang Qi felt...

Liguang's body lingered in the air for a bit longer!

Probably... jumping over twenty steps at once?

The moment she landed, her body sank down slightly!

Then she released the hand that was holding the back of his knees.

"We're here, Master!"

Stepping onto the solid ground, Fang Qi finally managed to open his eyes.

His vision was still a blur.

In the center of his field of view, that massive white spot of light stubbornly remained!

He still couldn't see anything clearly, only able to make out...

A blurry metallic reflection in front of him.

He knew where this was.

That alloy blast door!

The entrance to the B1 level!

In the previous loop, this was where Lin Xiaoyou had taken out that white access card and swiped open this heavy door.

And at this moment...

That intense light shining straight down from above had followed them all the way to the bottom!

It shone on this door!

It shone on him and Liguang!

The entire platform in front of the door was illuminated down to the finest detail!

Fang Qi shielded his eyes with his hand, squinting as he looked back...

Above them, it was still a blinding white light.

He couldn't see anything clearly.

Moreover...

No one spoke; not a single sound came out from that white light.

There was only this blinding, intense light shining on them!

He had thought someone would yell out nonsense like "Don't run!" or "Stop!"

But there was nothing.

It was very quiet.

Liguang still tightly held Fang Qi's hand, while her other hand quickly reached into that small black crossbody bag and pulled out the white access card!

She swiped it directly!

"Beep!"

A crisp electronic prompt sounded.

"Researcher, Lin Zhouyuan. Access granted."

"Hiss—"

The heavy alloy blast door opened.

It slowly slid open to the sides, and white light spilled out from the gap.

The door opened.

Fang Qi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Thank goodness!

At least the card was real!

Thank goodness that guy Lin Xiaoyou didn't act like a jerk and give them a fake card!

Lin You, I acknowledge your sincerity in cooperating!

The silver-haired girl grabbed Fang Qi's hand!

The two of them darted through the door together!

B1 level.

Living quarters.

White light shone down from above, illuminating those simple metal bunk beds, that small kitchen, and that folding dining table.

Everything was exactly the same as in the previous loop.

Subconsciously, Fang Qi looked toward the corner where Xiaoqing had previously knelt to receive punishment.

Yeah.

No mistake, that was the spot.

The familiar scene was reassuring!

Liguang immediately turned around, her slender hand slapping toward the close door button on the side of the doorframe!

"Wait a minute!"

Fang Qi turned his head at once!

"Liguang! Don't close it yet!"

Thus, the silver-haired girl's hand stopped abruptly!

It was only a few centimeters away from the close button.

Her fingertips hovered above that red button.

She froze like that for half a second before turning to look at Fang Qi.

She didn't question him; she just looked at him.

Fang Qi blinked hard.

His vision was still blurry, and the massive white spot of light in his sight remained stubbornly.

He couldn't quite see Liguang's expression clearly, but he could see...

The faint blue glow in her amber pupils had grown even brighter!

The closer they got to this underground research institute, the more her core awakened.

Therefore...

Liguang was very smart now!

She had definitely guessed what he was thinking!

His thought was...

To use this door to meet those people from above!

The archives below, his parents' private notes, the things behind the genetic door...

These secrets were certainly very important!

But the identities of the people above, those beings who, like Gu Xi, "did not exist in the Crimson Eye Dimension"...

He also really, really wanted to know.

So...

Only kids make choices!

In this loop, he wanted it all!

"Liguang!"

Fang Qi stared into her heterochromatic eyes and said in a low voice:

"Can you close this door mostly, leaving only a small gap?"

Leaving it wide open like this definitely wouldn't do.

He wanted to communicate with those mysterious guys outside from a relatively safe environment!

The faint blue light in the silver-haired girl's eyes flashed fiercely!

Liguang immediately turned around, her slender hands quickly operating the control panel inside the door.

Her fingers tapped rapidly on the touchscreen!

"I can, Master."

She pulled out that white card again, swiped it, stuffed it back into her small bag, and started tapping on the screen again.

Then, she slapped the close door button!

"Smack!"

She took a half-step back, took Fang Qi's hand once more, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

She said softly:

"Liguang has set a custom closing parameter; it will leave a gap at the end."

Fang Qi squeezed back, staring intently at the door.

"Rumble..."

The heavy alloy blast door began to slowly close.

At the same time, the intense beam of light from above began to sway!

Swinging left and right, moving up and down!

It was obvious that someone was holding a flashlight and walking down!

Next came the sound of footsteps!

Very light footsteps, a dense cluster of "tap, tap, tap" mixed together, echoing from above.

It was a group of people descending the stairs simultaneously.

Fang Qi's pupils contracted slightly.

...This sound.

Well-trained!

Their steps were almost excessively synchronized!

Echoing in the enclosed corridor, it made his scalp tingle a bit to hear it!

Fortunately, the heavy alloy blast door in front of them closed very quickly.

The footsteps were still far away, and the door had already closed to a narrow gap.

Two fingers wide.

The light from the flashlight shone through that gap, casting a long, thin band of light on the floor of the B1 level.

The parameters Liguang set were very precise.

The width of this gap allowed him to see outside, yet was narrow enough to prevent anyone from squeezing in.

Fang Qi took a deep breath.

With this door blocking the way, it could be considered safe.

Now, let me see what kind of monsters and demons you guys really are!

Gu Xi...

You're not the one leading them, are you!

He let go of Liguang's hand, squinted his eyes, and prepared to lean up to the door gap to take a look outside...

Suddenly, his wrist was grabbed by a small hand!

And yanked fiercely to the side!

?!

Fang Qi was pulled so hard he stumbled!

At the same time—

"Bang!!"

A deafening noise exploded in the enclosed corridor!

In an instant, it made Fang Qi's eardrums ring!

At the same time, a metallic gleam flashed before his eyes!

He only caught a glimpse of a tiny, blurry shadow darting through the crack of the door!

Clang!

A crisp, sharp sound rang out!

Something smashed fiercely against the wall at the entrance of the B1 level!

It embedded itself right next to the sign that read [B1]!

A few pieces of plaster were blasted off the wall, rustling as they fell to the ground.

Fang Qi stared at the bullet deeply embedded in the wall...

His eyes slowly widened.

Faint wisps of smoke were still curling up from around the bullet hole.

...Ah?!

His gaze froze slightly.

...A bullet?!

The other side... fired a gun?!

And with such precision?!

They shot it right through a two-finger-wide crack in the door?!

Liguang had already dragged him behind the wall next to the door.

The silver-haired girl gripped his wrist in a deathly tight hold, her body tense as she stared intently at the crack in the door!

Fang Qi leaned against the cold metal wall, his heart still pounding wildly.

It wasn't exactly fear; he wasn't afraid of death anymore.

He had died so many times already, even putting a bullet in his own head once!

Of course, the shock was still there.

After all, that shot just now was only a few centimeters away from his head...

If Liguang hadn't pulled him away, he would have a bloody hole in his forehead right now!

...How thrilling!

My wife is truly amazing!

Fang Qi stared at the crack in the door and squeezed Liguang's hand tightly.

However...

For these people to try and kill him right off the bat, isn't that a bit too unfriendly?!

Gu Xi, could it really be you?!

You find me an eyesore again?

To think you dared to fake your death to trick me...!

Huh...?

Liguang suddenly let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

...What is it now?!

Fang Qi immediately looked at her.

He saw the silver-haired girl's eyelashes flutter, the faint blue light in her amber eyes surging suddenly.

Then, tilting her head slightly, she murmured:

Master, Miss Gu is...

Fang Qi's eyelids twitched.

Gu Xi?

What's wrong with her now?

He asked in a low voice.

Was it really Gu Xi who fired the shot?!

Liguang blinked, her pupils slightly unfocused, obviously...

Using all her power to scan the beautiful policewoman above them!

Miss Gu is...

Not among the people coming down.

She is still slumped against the wall.

Liguang continued to murmur.

Fang Qi blinked.

...She didn't come down?

Ah...

That made sense. After being electrocuted by Liguang three times in a row, even if she wasn't dead, she wouldn't be able to move!

But...

Liguang's brows furrowed slightly.

...she suddenly... lost her vital signs again.

...?

...Huh?

Fang Qi's eyes widened.

...Dead again?

He subconsciously repeated Liguang's words.

...Yes, Master.

Liguang nodded slightly, her eyes still unfocused:

Heartbeat stopped, breathing stopped, all physiological indicators have returned to zero. Furthermore...

This time, the loss is even more absolute.

Her lips trembled slightly.

Before, when her heartbeat stopped...

Liguang could still detect weak cellular metabolic activity in her body.

But this time...

She turned her head and looked at Fang Qi.

Her crimson pupil had completely solidified, while the deep blue surged in her amber eye.

Even her cellular metabolism has stopped.

...?

Fang Qi stared at her blankly.

He suddenly felt...

Like his brain was once again failing to process the situation.

Gu Xi, what are you...?