Canned Souls 4

Su Hong nodded. "I'll get the car."

Lu Mingqiu went upstairs, entered the bedroom, and pressed a serpentine pattern on the blank wall across from the bed. The wall slid back, revealing a small door. She pushed it open, took a circular button-like device from a drawer, and pressed it behind her ear. She rubbed it with her fingertip, and instantly her face changed to one that was utterly plain, though her eyes remained sharp.

Then she put on a black mask and took the elevator directly down to the parking lot. She didn't go to her usual celebrity car; instead, she walked to a black Volkswagen in the corner and opened the door.

Su Hong was sitting in the driver's seat, also disguised, not her original face.

The two didn't talk much. The car started, speeding away. The windows were coated with a privacy film, so the interior was pitch black from the outside.

The car twisted and turned, taking only small roads, and drove for nearly an hour before stopping at the back door of a folk souvenir shop.

They entered from the back, went straight to the warehouse interior, opened a hidden door, and passed through three security locks. The smooth wall suddenly rippled, revealing its true form—a closed elevator door.

Lu Mingqiu extended her index finger into a square opening in the wall. A slight sting, then a green light, and the elevator opened.

They stepped one after another into the silver elevator cabin. Without any action, the elevator started on its own, plunging them down rapidly. Three seconds later, the door opened again, revealing a long corridor. Several researchers in white coats pushed open doors, their gazes sweeping over them. One raised his voice and said, "Oriole, this way."

Lu Mingqiu followed him without much pleasantry. The researcher led her to a laboratory where several people were debugging brain-computer interface parameters.

In the center of the room lay a person, pale, lips cracked, forehead covered in fine sweat. Seeing her figure, his pupils instantly constricted, his jaw clenched audibly, and he squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth.

"Give up. I will never betray Mr. Dongye!"

Dongye Zhengqi had personally selected him, trained him, lifted him out of poverty, given him the life he dreamed of, and taught him how to be a proper man.

He, Xu Qiao, might not be a good person, but at least he knew gratitude. Even if he had fallen into the hands of this nameless organization, he would never leak any information about his benefactor!

Xu Qiao glared, his expression resolute, full of defiance.

Unfortunately, Lu Mingqiu had no intention of interrogating him. Just as Xu Qiao was about to shout out his will, his mouth was firmly gagged, leaving his burning indignation with no outlet, his eyes reddening with frustration.

A sedative was injected along the vein in his arm, and Xu Qiao's eyelids uncontrollably drooped. Lu Mingqiu stared into his eyes, her mental power spreading over and seizing control of his brain.

...Relax... Relax...

Xu Qiao fell asleep, dreaming of scenes from his childhood.

He had grown up in a caravan of wanderers. His parents had died in a scavenging run when he was just learning to walk. Even though the clan advocated mutual aid and love, a small child without any self-care ability, crying for food, had only survived thanks to everyone's help.

The clan members had been very caring toward him, but after Xu Qiao came into contact with the Sky Net, he couldn't help but envy a better life.

He had never been to school. The few characters he recognized came from the only half of a storybook that had been picked up from a garbage heap in the caravan.

It was the primer for all the children in the caravan.

Last winter, two more people in the clan had frozen to death.

This winter, he got a chance. The Dongye family came to select personal guards. This might be the only opportunity for fourth-class citizens to break free from their original status.

Among dozens of children, Dongye Zhengqi chose him.

Xu Qiao was overjoyed. From then on, he could finally live in a house, sleep in a warm bed, and have three meals a day, instead of huddling in a car seat, wrapped in a cotton coat, often going hungry.

He learned to read, to fight, to handle firearms—all thanks to Dongye Zhengqi.

The other had given him a second life, so he should repay it with his own.

Scenes flashed rapidly. Dongye Zhengqi called him over and gave him an important mission: escort Dr. Sera.

The process went smoothly. Xu Qiao met with the doctor, helped transport the experimental equipment to Night City, and finally arranged accommodation for the doctor in Warren Tower.

A sharp pain exploded in his brain. Every bone in Xu Qiao's body trembled, as if trying to escape his flesh.

The restraints held his body firmly. A hoarse shout was stifled in his throat, but a scream still escaped.

Xu Qiao broke out in a cold sweat, his eyes bulging, bloodshot, as if they might split at any moment. He stared at Lu Mingqiu with such hatred it almost became tangible.

Lu Mingqiu took off her receiver, her gaze sweeping over him lightly as she said to the others nearby, "Found it. It's in Warren Tower."

"Have Mirror go and find Dr. Sera's exact whereabouts."

"Yes," the researcher responded. "And him?"

"He's useless," Lu Mingqiu said coldly. "Dispose of him."

Then she turned and walked out of the lab, Su Hong following silently.

The two took a different route back to their residence, changed out of their disguises, and Lu Mingqiu transformed back into the delicate movie queen. Before bed, she even put on a face mask.

****

In just two days, Yan Xianchuan had successfully become a night owl. She quickly assimilated into this society and grasped the truth of life—the excitement all happens at night.

As for Lu Mingqiu, she had been cast from her mind when she woke up. Last night, she'd watched a bunch of videos of her and had to admit the woman was, to some degree, indeed perfect.

She spoke with grace, was gentle and considerate, treated everyone equally, and even when journalists intentionally provoked her, she didn't get angry, instead urging her fans not to make trouble for the reporter, saying she understood the difficulties of their job. A model of morality.

Someone like her was clearly from a different world than Yan Xianchuan, like a princess who stepped out of a fairy tale.

Yan Xianchuan had no interest in Lu Mingqiu, but she wouldn't deliberately antagonize her either. If there was something that required cooperation, she would cooperate, treating it as experiencing a different life.

But as for her actively approaching this crystal princess? Forget it.

While wandering yesterday, Yan Xianchuan discovered a bar. Its location wasn't conspicuous, but it was surprisingly lively, with quite a few people standing at the entrance. She planned to check it out today.

The bar had no name, only a circular light fixture of a serpent biting its tail, casting a green glow.

Yan Xianchuan stepped over people sitting or standing in the alley and pushed open the silver outer door. A wave of sound—music mixed with voices—washed over her.

But it wasn't as crowded as she'd expected. A few people were dancing on the dance floor, but most sat in twos and threes with drinks before them.

She looked around and found the bar. As soon as she sat down, the music switched to a different style. The sound of an electric guitar set the air on fire.

Yan Xianchuan turned to see a woman with black-painted lips picking up a microphone, her stomach muscles clearly defined. "Hey! Let me give you all a classic."

She was a customer, not the resident singer, and still held half a bottle of liquor.

The bartender was a woman, with no scent of pheromones. People who could work in such a place were either alphas or betas.

As for omegas, they were like pretty dolls raised in a greenhouse. The places they went, besides home and school, were only certain omega-exclusive clubs and beauty salons.

A bar? Too scary. That wasn't a place for a proper omega.

Among the people Yan Xianchuan had encountered these few days, apart from Lu Mingqiu, not one had been an omega. It was as if they were an endangered species, nowhere to be seen.

"First time here?" The bartender spoke, interrupting her thoughts. "What would you like? Need any recommendations?"

Yan Xianchuan nodded. "Yes. Is there a house special? The kind that tastes best?"

The bartender smiled, half-leaning on the counter, a cross earring peeking out from her short hair. "We do have a house special, called 'Aftertaste,' but it's not the best-tasting one."

"The best and strongest one here is called 'Grape Juice.'"

The name had probably fooled quite a few newcomers.

As for which one to choose, was there even a choice?

Yan Xianchuan, an adult, said, "I'll have one of each."

"You've got taste." The bartender snapped her fingers, turned around, took five bottles from the shelf, and started mixing drinks.

She didn't do any flashy moves, just serious and casual at the same time. In a moment, she placed a finished drink on the counter.

"This is Aftertaste."

Yan Xianchuan stared at the drink, which for some reason looked colorful, and suddenly had a sense of foreboding.

If the strongest drink was named Grape Juice, what were the odds that the house special held a trap?

Yan Xianchuan picked up the glass and took a cautious sip. Instantly, sour, bitter, sweet, spicy—all sorts of flavors exploded on her tongue, bringing an indescribable and strange experience.

Her brows furrowed tightly together. At that moment, the bartender placed another finished drink on the counter. Deep purple liquid swirled in the glass, and to Yan Xianchuan's eyes, it radiated an enticing light like a savior.

She grabbed the glass and took a big gulp. The spicy liquid rushed down her tongue, washing away the strange taste in her mouth in an instant. After the heat faded, only a sweet grape aroma lingered in her mouth.

Compared to the previous taste, this grape sweetness was absolutely wonderful.

"Hahaha." The bartender laughed and raised an eyebrow. "So? Best-tasting, isn't it?"

Yan Xianchuan: "Are you the bartender with the highest commission in this bar?"

The bartender stretched. "You're wrong there. I'm not a bartender—I'm the owner of this bar. Zhu En."

Yan Xianchuan pushed the colorful Aftertaste aside a little and said, "What's the bar called? I didn't see a sign."

"It's called Samsara." Zhu En waved over a passing waiter, took a plate of snacks from him, and placed it in front of Yan Xianchuan. "A gift. Consider it an apology."

"Thanks."

Yan Xianchuan accepted the snacks, watched the owner chat with other customers for a while, and then as her gaze wandered, she spotted a gloomy face among a group of laughing and noisy people.

Everywhere she went, observing, looking for anomalies—it was like Yan Xianchuan's underlying logic, already an integral part of her being.

She unconsciously stared at that person for a while before snapping out of it and looking away. Fortunately, the man was too busy drinking alone to notice her intrusive gaze.

The bar had many small booths and compartments, plus various games—darts, billiards, and the like. Strangely, no one inside was smoking. That was bizarre.

In a world where organs could be freely replaced with mechanical ones, most people smoked. Even in the alley she had come through, six out of ten were puffing away.

It seemed this bar wasn't simple.

But all that was none of her business. Yan Xianchuan drank while eavesdropping on a couple arguing at the next table—they were already on the topic of the ex-ex-ex. How thrilling.

She spent a leisurely time at the bar. On her way home, she planned to find some barbecue. As she followed the GPS, she suddenly heard sounds of a fight.

Yan Xianchuan: I'm not the type to go looking for trouble.

Then she turned the corner and saw the gloomy-faced man being beaten by four people. He was barely holding his own, but judging by the punches he took from time to time, he couldn't last much longer.

She watched for a bit longer. A man with spiky hair turned his head to glare coldly at Yan Xianchuan. "Mind your own business. Get lost!"

Yan Xianchuan set down the caramel apple she was holding and said seriously, "I wasn't planning to meddle."