Chapter Eighty-Six: Innate Supernatural Ability? (Another Big Reveal! Begging for Votes!)
(Keep it coming! Brothers, please vote for me~~~~~~)
Chapter 86: Born with Abilities?
Fortunately, the villa on the island was stocked with some medical supplies—at least the essential medicines and first aid kits were definitely available. Although Xu Ershao wasn’t skilled at treating wounds, having long practiced martial arts, he had some practical experience in dealing with external injuries after reviving Xiao Qing...
Well, that “experience” basically meant wrapping Chen Xiao up like a rice dumpling with a hemostatic bandage.
There was one more surprise:
In a top-floor bathroom of the villa farthest at the edge of the island, Xu Ershao found three people in the bathtub...
To be precise, three and a half!
Lu Xiaoxiao, Xiao Jin, and two security guards who had gone missing on the island. Luckily, Lu Xiaoxiao, Xiao Jin, and a guard surnamed Wang were alive, though unconscious.
The other one was less fortunate... he was dead, and only half a body remained—probably fed to those “Owls” by Monica!
It was easy to imagine that if Chen Xiao and the others hadn’t managed to get rid of Monica, Lu Xiaoxiao, Xiao Jin, and the others would have eventually become food for the “Owls.”
Of course, those “Owls” would in turn become prey for the Owl Bear.
...
Chen Xiao’s injuries were severe this time, but luckily Xu Ershao was clever. The next day, when someone arrived on the island, he immediately contacted the outside world. The first call wasn’t to the police but to Lanwei Street!
Within an hour, Old Tian showed up!
Chen Xiao was astonished—it was a full hundred kilometers from K City!
And Old Tian hadn’t come by car! It seemed he had come on foot?
A hundred kilometers, in just one hour!
After glancing at Chen Xiao, Old Tian’s tense expression relaxed: “Hmm, it’s okay, as long as you’re hanging on... Also, your limbs can’t be too badly damaged, otherwise...”
At this point, Old Tian suddenly let out a cry, his previously relaxed expression turning into one of intense pain.
“Damn! Such serious injuries—how much cell repair fluid will this consume?! This stuff is more precious than gold! We old guys have spent our own coffins’ worth on this stuff! This kid hasn’t even closed many deals yet, and the cell repair fluid alone has nearly bankrupted us!”
Xu Ershao stared in disbelief as Old Tian hoisted Chen Xiao onto his back and sped away...
Uh... He’s not planning to run back to K City like this, is he? Over a hundred kilometers, carrying someone?!
The most shocking part: Old Tian vanished at lightning speed, then surprisingly returned just minutes later!
“Xu family kid, handle things on the island. If you don’t know how, let your old man do it—he knows what to do... And that Owl Bear isn’t dead, right? Sneak it back to us! Remember that!”
Then, waving his hand, he took someone and dashed off. Xu Ershao estimated Old Tian’s running speed wasn’t much slower than his brand new sports car just ordered from Italy...
...
Chen Xiao lost count of how many times he had crawled out of a bathtub filled with thick green viscous liquid.
But this time, his body was seriously damaged; even with the help of cell repair fluid, it took five full days to wake up.
The first face he saw upon awakening was Old Tian.
Old Tian was sitting beside the tub, holding a burning cigarette, staring at Chen Xiao in the bathtub with a strange look.
They locked eyes for a long moment, and Chen Xiao’s first words were: “Old Tian, didn’t you say you’d quit smoking several times already?”
Old Tian chuckled coldly twice, then heartlessly flicked the cigarette butt into the bathtub.
“Kid, the first good news is you’re still alive,” Old Tian sighed helplessly.
“You’re sighing, so I guess there’s bad news too?” Chen Xiao adjusted himself in the sticky green liquid, looking up at Old Tian as if soaking in a bath.
“Three pieces of news,” Old Tian raised three fingers. “Some good, some bad. Which do you want first?”
“Start with the bad,” Chen Xiao replied calmly, showing no trace of worry. “I like to prepare myself mentally, endure the bad first, then hear the good, so I can keep a good mood.”
“Bad, huh?” Old Tian’s eyes twitched, smiling innocently. “The first bad news is your body is changing further. From what I observe... your body is mutating and producing antibodies. So the cell repair fluid is becoming less effective on you! For example, this time, your injuries might not be worse than last time, but it consumed nearly twice as much cell repair fluid! And it took you a whole day longer to wake! In other words, your body is starting to reject the cell repair fluid! If you get hurt again like this... recovery won’t be so easy!”
Still lying in the bathtub, Chen Xiao, though naked, showed no embarrassment. He rubbed his nose and smiled wryly: “That’s definitely bad news... Seems like ever since I met you guys, I keep getting hurt. Hmm, you said ‘first bad news’—does that mean there’s more?”
“The second bad news... since you’ve been injured so often, consuming huge amounts of cell repair fluid, the cost just for your treatment is astronomical! You should understand, even if you’re one of us and get ‘public medical care’ as a member, no company’s generosity is unlimited. Besides, this injury wasn’t during official duty.”
Old Tian smiled generously: “So, we roughly calculated your consumption this time and decided to deduct it from your salary. Based on our average business each month and your estimated income over the years as an agent...”
He sighed: “The final calculation shows that if we deduct this cost from your income, you’ll have to work for us free for at least 42 years to pay it off.”
Chen Xiao was stunned: “Forty-two years... that means I’d be sixty by the time I finish paying?”
Old Tian nodded solemnly: “Exactly.”
Chen Xiao sank back into the green liquid, soaking for a moment before poking his head out. “Then the third piece of news must be good, right?”
“Right, it’s good news,” Old Tian said with a smile. “For the next 42 years, you’ll be with us three secluded masters... Isn’t that good news for you?”
Chen Xiao blinked at Old Tian: “I never thought you’d joke like this.”
Old Tian shook his head, smiling: “Alright, no more jokes. The real third news...” His expression turned serious. “I don’t even know if this is good or bad for you. Because... the Service Agency sent people. They want me to take you for a thorough examination! And then...”
“And then what?”
“According to the organization, your recent performance has been outstanding. Based on your test results, they want you to join the Service Agency!”
Chen Xiao was silent for a moment: “What if I refuse? What will happen?”
Old Tian said nothing, just silently looked at him.
Silently!
But Chen Xiao sensed something unusual in his gaze...
Splash.
Chen Xiao stood up from the bathtub, walked to the shower, rinsed off, then grabbed the bathrobe hanging on the wall and slowly put it on.
Throughout, Old Tian said nothing, and Chen Xiao didn’t speak.
Only after Chen Xiao dried his hair and combed it did Old Tian suddenly mutter:
“Chen Xiao, my personal advice is... you’d better accept it!”
Seeing Chen Xiao’s bright eyes, Old Tian sighed: “Oh, I mean the thorough test! As for joining the Service Agency, I believe their rules won’t force you. But the test, I think, is urgent for you right now!”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” Old Tian was serious. “When you were unconscious, I scanned you... and you showed some very strange changes. Our current instruments probably can’t fully detect them. To figure it out, you have to go to the Service Agency headquarters!”
“Why? Is there something wrong with me? I only absorbed two more abilities...”
Chen Xiao wanted to say more, but Old Tian suddenly stood up and yanked open his shirt in front of him!
Beneath the strong chest muscles, under the right ribs, was a shocking scar!
It looked as if it had been clawed by hand! Though it had healed, red flesh and blood still showed!
And the wound seemed very recent!
“You got injured? When? What happened?” Chen Xiao was amazed. With Old Tian’s strength, who could have hurt him?!
Old Tian silently buttoned his shirt back up, then looked into Chen Xiao’s eyes.
His expression was strange, then he smiled bitterly and said:
“You don’t remember at all, do you? That wound was caused by you! The day before yesterday, while I was checking your body, you suddenly went berserk in a coma and attacked me! If I hadn’t reacted quickly, you almost tore out my internal organs! Kid, do you know? At that moment, your body’s power was... Grade A!”
Grade A?! Grade A strength?!
No... I actually attacked Old Tian?
Chen Xiao was dumbfounded!
His first reaction: “Impossible!”
“Ah ha! Kid! You hurt me and now want to deny it?” Old Tian laughed heartily, patting Chen Xiao’s shoulder. “Relax, your strength is still far from mine. If I hadn’t been focused on checking your injuries... Hmph, a couple of moves from you could hurt me?”
But then his tone turned solemn: “Your reaction was weird,I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.