Chapter 114: The Conspiracy

In the past, although Ouyang Hong was a doctor, he was highly regarded by the upper echelons of the Future Group. Even if he never demanded anything, he lived comfortably and securely, enjoying very pleasant conditions. Now, in such a disgraceful state, there was a ninety-nine percent chance he wanted to return to his former life—who wouldn’t want to live well?

Yet, he rejected Mu Zongxing’s assumption.

“I’m not going back. Even if I did, no one would believe what I say.”

Mu Zongxing was somewhat surprised. If it wasn’t to return to the Future Group, what purpose did this person have in seeking him out?

“To be honest, I’m very disappointed with those old-fashioned executives now. I hope you can see the truth and join me in working toward building a new Nanchuan.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Mu Zongxing was taken aback, wondering if Ouyang Hong had lost his mind during his recent escape.

“For the long-term development of humanity, Yi Chen must be eliminated as soon as possible. I can guarantee he will be the greatest disaster ahead!”

“Infected individuals themselves are not terrifying; most have weaknesses and flaws that can be exploited and controlled for our benefit. But Yi Chen is different.”

“He grows rapidly, constantly evolving and upgrading. There are hardly any means left to deal with him. If left unchecked, soon nothing will be able to stop him!”

Mu Zongxing fell silent. Yi Chen was his biggest headache. He wasn’t as paranoid as Ouyang Hong about Yi Chen’s future, but analyzing the situation from now and considering his daughter’s safety, Yi Chen was indeed a serious problem.

“I believe you can understand—he is not human and must not be deceived by his human appearance,” Ouyang Hong continued.

“I can also tell you that the Lurker harbors a deep grudge against Yi Chen. It sent those freed infected to attack Yi Chen’s family and friends, which is why your daughter suffered today, right? This time it might not be serious, but what about the next? The second, third, fourth time? If something goes wrong, wouldn’t your daughter’s life be at risk?”

Mu Zongxing slammed his fist against the car door, knowing everything Ouyang Hong said was true.

It seemed both Zhou Shiwen and the Lurker had focused their attention on using Mu Qing, which infuriated him greatly.

“From today on, I won’t let that kid near Mu Qing anymore. I want to draw a clear line between them!”

“Mr. Mu, it’s already too late. In the Lurker’s mind, your daughter is already identified as Yi Chen’s weak spot. You won’t just sit and wait, will you?”

“What exactly do you mean? What can we do now?” Mu Zongxing wanted Ouyang Hong to get straight to the point.

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“There will inevitably be a great battle between Yi Chen and the Lurker. Those five infected are just the Lurker’s pawns. I know their strengths and weaknesses; they will die sooner or later. Though they’re no match for Yi Chen, they can inflict some damage.”

“Regardless of who wins or loses between the Lurker and Yi Chen, as long as we eliminate the final survivor, the city will truly be peaceful.”

“Easier said than done,” Mu Zongxing chuckled, thinking Ouyang Hong was being overly optimistic.

Last time, he had tampered with the backup plan against the Crawlers, secretly arranging forces to target Yi Chen without authorization, even detonating several bombs. Yet Yi Chen remained unscathed, destroyed their military weapons, and killed dozens of people.

That lesson taught him deeply: without at least an 80% chance of success, one must never attack someone.

“We don’t have to confront him head-on; we just need to set a trap. His parents are also in this city, right? Keep them confined in one place. When Yi Chen comes to rescue them, we’ll trap him…”

“How can we keep him trapped? Do you have a plan?” Mu Zongxing asked the question most on his mind.

“Zombies, infected, and monsters are all very sensitive to electric shocks. Excessive current stimulates their muscles, rendering them immobile temporarily. Even Yi Chen hasn’t escaped this limitation.”

Mu Zongxing nodded. Ouyang Hong’s proposal was feasible. There was an electrified isolation fence between Nanchuan’s outskirts and the inner city that was quite effective.

If they could control and restrict Yi Chen’s movements, it would be much easier to eliminate him afterward.

The previous bombings were avoided by him; this time, if they could bind his limbs, they might reduce him to dust!

“The Lurker is currently hiding and evolving, halting all activities. I estimate it will reappear and act within three days. Please help by providing them with a suitable battleground as soon as possible,” Ouyang Hong said.

“I need some time to think this over,” Mu Zongxing replied after a moment’s thought, not answering immediately.

“Alright, we’ll stay in touch.” Ouyang Hong didn’t press further. He put on his hat, opened the car door, and stepped out.

He knew Mu Zongxing was interested; whether he agreed was only a matter of time.

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Elsewhere, Yi Chen and his companions were preparing to head to the Future Pharmaceutical headquarters.

Bai Ge was driving, while Zhou Zihao was responsible for clearing and calming the on-site personnel and did not accompany them. As the heir of the Future Group, he had to maintain appearances.

Ling Lan had just given Liang Bing a blood transfusion bag. After receiving it, Liang Bing’s complexion remained pale without improvement.

Ling Lan was worried—could the Lynx virus have infected her body, causing some complications?

To her knowledge, after Liang Bing’s mutation, she had never been bitten or infected by zombies or monsters; this was the first time such a thing happened.

The virus load inside infected individuals is fixed, and exceeding that amount carries risks. According to Ouyang Hong’s previous reports, it could cause the body to explode or turn into a zombie.

Without suitable diagnostic tools nearby, Ling Lan couldn’t make a precise judgment and hoped to return to Future Pharmaceutical headquarters soon for further study.

Suddenly, Bai Ge’s phone rang, displaying an unknown number.

“Who could it be?” Bai Ge wondered. She was driving and didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Bai Ge! It’s Zhu Youzheng! Hurry and come save me!” a pig-like wail came from the other end.

Bai Ge took two seconds to react, then suddenly remembered Zhu Youzheng was the chubby chef who had helped rescue Ling Lan a few days ago. She quickly asked, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

The caller let out a snort but didn’t answer before the phone was snatched away.

A straightforward female voice immediately asked, “Are you friends with Yi Chen? Is he with you now?” Bai Ge glanced at Yi Chen, who could hear the conversation too. Their eyes met.

“Who are you? Why is Zhu Youzheng in your hands?”

“My name is Xue Man. I’m waiting at his home for you. If you’re late, I can’t guarantee he will survive.” The caller then gave Zhu Youzheng’s home address before hanging up.

“Who is Xue Man?” everyone in the car was full of questions.

“Could it be the Ice Queen?” Yi Chen guessed.

The name seemed connected to that codename, and since the caller was specifically looking for him, it must be an infected.

This time, the infected’s style differed from the Hypnotist and Puppeteer. The other party was more straightforward, openly calling to notify them, without any behind-the-scenes scheming—a proper, honorable challenge.