Let me broaden my horizons, shall we

Fang Qi was silent.

Hmm...

...Should he open it?

He instinctively looked back at the smooth, silver-gray door.

The small indentation at the very center of the door glimmered faintly under the ghostly blue light.

Did he not want to open this door?

That would be absolutely absurd.

Right now, he was also dying to see what was behind it!

The thing that could keep Liguang’s core continuously awakening...

What was it?

What secrets had his parents left behind this door?

But...

"Xiao Qi, I don't suggest you open this door recklessly."

A cool, clear voice cut off his thoughts.

Fang Qi turned his head to look.

An Lian stood a few steps away, the gauze on her right ear already stained dark red.

Her brow was slightly furrowed, her gray eyes fixed intently on the gene-locked door!

"Huh?!"

Lin Xiaoyou immediately cried out!

"Why not——!"

Her eyes went wide as she stared at An Lian!

"Sister An Lian, you heard that too, right? We've got 'collars' wrapped around our necks!"

"We might die any second! And even if we don't die, we'll turn into monsters!"

She reached out, pointing at the gene-locked door!

"What's behind that door might be able to save us! So why...!"

"Because it's dangerous."

An Lian interrupted her.

Her tone was calm but serious.

Lin Xiaoyou's almond-shaped eyes blinked.

An Lian walked over to the gene-locked door, raised a hand, and gently touched the smooth surface with her fingertip.

"The secrets hidden behind this door won't be simple."

"It shouldn't be opened lightly without any preparation. Besides..."

Her gray eyes swept over the small gene sampling port on the door's surface.

She squinted slightly.

"This... is a gene-locked door, isn't it?"

She turned to face Fang Qi, her expression even more serious!

"Its model is different from any gene-locked door on the market. This structure..."

She pressed her lips together.

"I've never seen it before."

Then her gaze sharpened again.

"But I do understand the principle of gene-locked doors."

Her gray eyes flashed, and her tone became professional.

"When a gene-locked door is installed, the genetic information of specific individuals needs to be fully registered. Blood, hair strands, skin tissue..."

"Only those who are registered can pass the verification to open this door."

She looked at Fang Qi.

"Xiao Qi..."

Her eyes suddenly grew a bit complicated.

"Did you... ever register your genes on this door?"

"Can you really open it?"

...?

This time, Fang Qi was genuinely stunned.

...He actually didn't know that.

He had amnesia, after all.

Maybe the him before the amnesia had registered his genes here?

After all, this was his parents' research institute, so...

Had he been here?

Or maybe his parents had used his hair or something...

But An Lian gently shook her head.

"Xiao Qi, Uncle Fang and Aunt Su... they were always opposed to you getting involved in Chenxi's projects."

Her voice softened a little, and her gray eyes dropped slightly.

"That's why, ever since I left the orphanage and joined Chenxi..."

She lifted her head again, looking at Fang Qi.

"I never saw you again."

As she spoke, a touch of melancholy crept into her cool gray eyes.

Then she focused again, looking at Fang Qi.

"Would Uncle Fang and Aunt Su, people like that..."

"really register their son's genes in such an important and dangerous door?"

Fang Qi was speechless.

Wait... what?

He had always defaulted to the idea that he could open this door!

Ever since he first came here and saw this door...

He had subconsciously felt that it was left for him by his parents, that he could of course open it!

But now that An Lian said it...

It kind of made sense?

In his mother's notes, she wrote a lot about "Xiao Qi's" daily life.

The kindergarten heartthrob, the elementary school ringleader, the doodles of the silver-haired older sister covering the walls...

But she also clearly stated that she never brought him to the Chenxi company!

His parents had always protected him well, kept him cleanly separated from it all!

Would parents like that register their son's genes in this door?

Uh...

The corner of Fang Qi's mouth twitched slightly.

What if... he couldn't open the door at all...?

Wouldn't all his previous efforts to open it, and the time Gu Xi nearly sacrificed her soul to stop him, be for nothing?!

"Oh dear!"

Lin Xiaoyou suddenly hopped back over!

"Why think so much!"

"Just give it a try and you'll find out!"

She put her hands behind her back, tilted her head, and grinned mischievously!

"If it fails, you just get a shock! Getting electrocuted and stuff..."

She even winked at Fang Qi.

"Must be old news for you by now, Senior!"

Fang Qi: "..."

You're the one who's used to it!

He hadn't forgotten the horrific sight of Lin Xiaoyou sticking her hand into that sampling port back in the first cycle!

Then Lin Xiaoyou actually muttered under her breath:

"Actually, I am kind of used to it... I don't even know how many times Xiaoqing has zapped me..."

Fang Qi: "............"

Damn, Lin Xiaoyou.

But I sure as hell don't want to get zapped!

Being zapped by Liguang is different from being zapped by a door!

His wife zapping him was their...

little kink!

Being zapped by a door was a whole different story, wasn't it!

Just then, a slightly cool little hand gently took his.

Fang Qi was startled and looked down.

The silver-haired girl hadn't spoken for a while.

She stood quietly beside him, data streams in her amber left eye slowly scrolling.

She looked at him.

Then slowly turned her head, gazing at the gene-locked door.

The desire in her eyes was unmistakable.

His wife longed for what was behind the door.

Longed for that thing that could sustain her core, keep it waking up!

But at the same time...

She was also struggling, worried.

She looked at Fang Qi again, her expression gentle and submissive.

—Liguang will listen to her master.

Fang Qi tightened his grip on her small hand.

He looked at the door again.

Lin Xiaoyou wanted to open it.

Liguang wanted to open it.

An Lian advised him not to.

And his own thought was—

"—!"

He took a deep breath.

Open.

Open?

...Open what?! What a joke!

He suddenly tightened his grip on Liguang's hand!

There's no way he was opening it!

Back then, Gu Xi had nearly sacrificed her own soul!

With the resolve to have her "soul annihilated," she used her "spirit" to create an "island beyond the reach of the rules," just to tell him one thing—

"Don't open that gene-locked door. Don't open it unless there's absolutely no other choice!"

If it weren't for the fact that he inexplicably felt he had some ability and yelled Gu Xi's "soul" back...

Gu Xi would already be a ghostly puppet by now!

Her warning, bought at such a great cost, definitely had a reason!

He couldn't be so reckless!

It wasn't yet at the point of no return!

Because...!

Fang Qi lifted his head, looking at the blinking Lin Xiaoyou.

Then at the slightly frowning An Lian.

"I can save you two without opening this door!"

"I can do it!"

"Leave it to me!"

...

...

"Huh?!"

Lin Xiaoyou stared at Fang Qi, her almond eyes wide as saucers!

"You're saying, Senior... you can pull out the 'threads of fate'?"

She looked Fang Qi up and down, and then...

"Pfft!"

She burst out laughing!

Her round little face bloomed with laughter, her eyes curving into crescent moons!

A finger was still trembling as it pointed straight at Fang Qi!

"Senior, you? You did this?"

Fang Qi: "..."

Just moments ago, he had told them...

He had a feeling he could pull out the "threads of fate" for An Lian and Lin Xiaoyou, removing the "collar"!

Perhaps all it would take was a single shout!

And then...

Lin Xiaoyou had ended up like this!

"Senior, what kind of joke are you playing!"

She was still grinning.

"If you said your Liguang could do it, I'd believe you," she added.

She looked Fang Qi up and down again:

"You...!"

But her voice suddenly caught.

She stared past Fang Qi, blinking.

Because the silver-haired girl had slowly turned her head, staring at her silently.

This time, there was no kind smile, and her expression barely changed.

It was just...

The deep blue within her amber pupils dyed Lin Xiaoyou's chubby face blue!

Lin Xiaoyou's expression stiffened...

Then she quickly shuffled two steps to the side!

With a "whoosh," she hid behind An Lian!

She poked half her face out from behind An Lian's shoulder, her almond eyes wide as she glared at Liguang!

"I was just telling the truth! Liguang, the truth hurts!"

Hidden behind An Lian, she grew a bit bolder, even daring to bare her teeth at Liguang!

"Your master's skill level—don't you know it yourself! He can't even solve the chicken and rabbit problem!"

Fang Qi: "..."

He could feel the vein in his forehead throbbing!

Could they please stop bringing up that stupid chicken and rabbit problem!

An Lian, however, remained furrowed in thought.

She looked at Fang Qi and gently shook her head.

"Xiao Qi, I really don't know what you're talking about."

"'Threads of fate,' 'soul collars'..."

Her brow furrowed even tighter!

Her gaze grew more suspicious!

"These words sound way too much like..."

Fang Qi pursed his lips.

He knew what she meant.

Yeah.

They sounded too much like a cult.

It wasn’t Sister An Lian’s fault.

Because it really did sound that way!

If someone had whispered this to him in the real world...

He'd call the cops on the spot!

Hello, officer? Someone's spreading a cult here!

"However..."

An Lian's expression softened slightly.

"At least you didn't rashly open that door."

She looked at the door.

"There might be... dangerous traps inside or something."

Fang Qi pressed his lips together.

Great.

Neither of them believed him.

Even though what he said was a bit nonsensical...

But...

He glanced at the silver-haired girl beside him.

Liguang was quietly watching him.

Within her amber pupils, streams of blue data surged calmly.

But the corners of her mouth were slightly raised!

"Master..."

She clasped his hand tightly, her heterochromatic eyes fixed on him.

"Liguang believes you."

"Liguang knows that master must be... stronger than Liguang."

Her fingertips gently scratched his palm.

"What Liguang cannot do, master definitely can...!"

The dark red within her red pupils flickered briefly!

Under the suppression of her amber pupil, that hint of scarlet was like a firework sneaking into the night sky!

Brief and dazzling.

Fang Qi also tightened his grip on her hand.

Good.

Good, good, good...!

He smiled.

A wife is the best after all!

She believed him unconditionally!

He wanted to grab Liguang right now and kiss her fiercely!

"But Liguang..."

A weak voice came from behind An Lian again.

Lin Xiaoyou was still tucked behind An Lian's shoulder, only half her round face visible.

She cautiously glanced at Liguang.

"If your master is really that powerful and can save us..."

Her voice carried a hint of grievance, pouting.

"Why did we even run all the way here?"

She pointed at the gene-locked door.

"Since we're already here!"

"Let's open the door and take a look! Think of it as..."

A tragic expression suddenly emerged on her round face!

"Fulfilling my last wish!"

She clasped her hands above her head!

Her tone was utterly solemn!

"Even if I end up being taken away by fate, I'll die without regrets!"

An Lian frowned at her.

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes.

...Huh?

Lin Xiaoyou...

You're not right.

You're really not right!

I already said I could save you...

You should at least try first!

Instead of trying, you want me to open the door?

He crossed his arms and stared at Lin Xiaoyou, eyes narrowed!

Miss Genius was still holding her hands together.

When she saw him looking, she blinked her almond eyes, and her round face immediately broke into a flattering smile!

"Senior, look, I don't have many days left to live...!"

She blinked pitifully.

"Before I die, I just want to see what's behind that door~"

Fang Qi remained unmoved.

Come to think of it...

Ever since she first brought him to this underground base, she'd been egging him on to open the door.

Lin Xiaoyou yanked An Lian over by her side.

Even An Lian, still frowning, stumbled slightly from the pull.

"Senior, tell me..."

She pointed at the gene-locked door.

"Since what's behind this door is so powerful that it keeps Liguang's original core continuously awakening, could it be..."

She tilted her head, her almond eyes narrowing slightly:

"Involving something, maybe... at the bottom level?"

Then she giggled:

"Let Sister An Lian see too, so she won't think you've been brainwashed by a cult anymore!"

An Lian steadied herself, looking slightly confused.

"Bottom level...?"

She softly repeated the word.

Beside her, the silver-haired girl's gaze drifted toward the door again, her lips slightly pursed.

Fang Qi, still with his arms crossed, kept his narrowed eyes on Lin Xiaoyou.

Miss Genius, feeling uncomfortable under his stare, shrunk closer to An Lian.

"Senior, why are you looking at me like that..."

The smile on her round face looked so innocent.

"Lin Xiaoyou."

Fang Qi spoke in a low, deep tone.

"Do you know what's really behind this door?"

Lin Xiaoyou blinked.

"Or at least, do you have a guess?"

She blinked again.

Then...

"Oh, Senior, what are you saying!"

She looked utterly shocked, waving her hands wildly!

"How could I know anything! I can't even guess!"

She instantly raised her right hand, holding up three fingers!

"I swear! If I knew, I'd definitely tell Senior!"

Her tone was righteous!

"I swear on Xiaoqing's driver's license!"

Fang Qi stared at her, saying nothing.

Come to think of it, Lin Xiaoyou probably didn't know about Gu Xi's warning to him?

Back then, she'd been lying on the table in the archives, right?

Her excuse was that "my butt hurt too much to walk."

She wasn't even present at the time.

Fang Qi's eyes flickered.

So...

Maybe she wasn't trying to harm him.

Maybe she was just genuinely curious?

Or perhaps...

Tsk.

...No matter what, this door couldn't be opened now!

Gu Xi had even asked him to go to the police station to discuss it with her!

But he hadn't gone yet, too busy saving An Lian!

Whether he was capable of opening this door, and whether he should...

At the very least, he needed to meet with Gu Xi again and discuss it first!

And right now...!

Fang Qi immediately shot Lin Xiaoyou a glare!

"I'm not opening this door now, no matter what you say!"

He said impatiently.

"If you keep running your mouth, I won't save you!"

"Hey..."

Lin Xiaoyou's face instantly fell.

She pouted...

“In that case…”

Her little eyebrows shot up!

Then, she suddenly planted her hands on her hips!

Glaring at Fang Qi, she said:

“Then, senior, stop wasting words!”

She raised a finger and pointed at her own neck, chin lifted high.

“Quick, come save Sister An Lian and me!”

Her eyes even slanted sideways, as if looking down on him!

“Let me broaden my horizons, se-nior!”

Her tone was a little pouty, almost petulant.

“Let a sheltered nobody like me really see—”

“How you plan to solve everything with just one sentence, senior!”