Chapter Eighty-Six: The Pistol

“Keep that pistol I gave you, and the extra bullets, somewhere safe,” Li Qingshui said, pulling a silk vest from inside his white coat. “And take this as well. It’s a new biological weapon developed by Group 2—a bulletproof vest woven from spider silk by the Spider. Its protective capability is excellent, yet it’s light and flexible, hardly restricting your movement at all.”

“So you were prepared for the experiment to fail all along.” Liu Chang accepted the vest, thinner than paper, folded it a few times, and slipped it into his pocket.

“Yes, it’s always best to have a backup plan, as thorough as possible. There’s no harm in being cautious.” Li Qingshui smiled at Liu Chang and the little girl. “After all, you two might be the only family I have left in this world. How could I let you die so easily?”

“Then let’s both make sure we don’t die! I may not understand political intrigue, but I know how ruthless it can be. I hope when I return, I’ll still find you alive.” Liu Chang took the little girl’s hand, and together they looked at Li Qingshui. “When this storm has passed, whatever the outcome, we’ll come back to see you.”

Li Qingshui nodded, his eyes brimming with confidence. “You really don’t need to worry about me. It’s not so easy for anyone to kill me. As a scientist, neither the government nor the military would truly want me dead. Even if I lose in this power struggle, whichever side wins will want to keep me as their puppet. Without us, they wouldn’t get far.”

“Besides, in Zhengzhou, there are very few people who could genuinely kill me.” Li Qingshui’s gaze sharpened a little. “I’m not so easily eliminated. In fact, I’m more worried about your safety. I sought you out so urgently because as this storm brews, Zhao Zhuo has started taking an interest in you to control me. Once you leave today, he’ll surely send people after you tomorrow. He wields great influence in the military and controls a group of gene-synthesized mutants for assassination missions. These creatures are extremely powerful—their speed, strength, and reflexes are all top-tier. Their skin is so tough that even military assault rifle bullets can’t penetrate it, which is why I went to such lengths to get you this pistol from Commander Xie.”

“Just in case.”

“Mutants?” Liu Chang frowned.

“Yes, a kind of biological weapon. Created by Zhao Zhuo. They’re not very intelligent, but their combat power is off the charts!”

“If Xiaojing analyzes them, what would their vitality rating be? Can this pistol kill them?” Liu Chang was now highly alert, knowing they might be hunted.

“The lowest of those mutants have a vitality of at least twenty-five, but their combat ability is even higher. Their senses are sharp, and they’re specialized for fighting, making them even more dangerous than their vitality suggests. In the wild, they might not survive as well as pure natural creatures with a rating of twenty-five, but against humans, especially those of medium size like us, they have an absolute advantage.” After recalling his recent research on these mutants, Li Qingshui pointed to the huge pistol Liu Chang carried. “As for this pistol, it was designed specifically for them. It should be able to kill them! Its firepower is truly immense—perhaps unrivaled in the world!”

“This was modified by the weapon masters of Group 2. Originally called the Pfeifer Zeliska revolver, made in Austria, it’s now been altered so you can wield it one-handed. Before, its size and recoil made it impractical for combat, so it was mostly used for hunting large animals.”

“It wasn’t widely adopted before?” Liu Chang looked at the pistol.

“No, because people simply weren’t strong enough to hold and control such a monster properly. Lacking the necessary physical resilience, the recoil could break a person’s wrist. The requirements were too harsh for it to be used in war. But now, you’re far stronger than any ordinary human, and your toughness is unmatched, so this gun suits you perfectly!”

“How powerful is it?” Liu Chang examined the half-meter-long revolver closely.

“The muzzle energy is 6,230 joules,” Li Qingshui answered.

“And what does that mean?” Liu Chang raised the pistol and tried aiming.

“It means it’s incredibly powerful. You know the Desert Eagle? The iconic big-caliber handgun?”

“Of course. I used it all the time in CS—the single shot does more damage than any submachine gun!”

“Right. The Desert Eagle’s muzzle energy is 1,570 joules. So the Pfeifer Zeliska is four times that.”

“That’s incredible!” Liu Chang opened the oversize cylinder and looked at the enormous rounds inside. “With power like this, it should blast those mutants to pieces, right?”

“Yes, at the very least you could seriously injure them, if not kill them outright. But don’t underestimate them. They’re much faster than you, and from what I’ve observed, their effective sight range is over ten meters, nearly as good as yours. In a real confrontation, it’ll be tough to hit them.”

“Still, having this gun gives me a fighting chance. Otherwise, I’d stand no chance at all.” Liu Chang holstered the pistol and its custom case on his hip. “Whether I can actually hit them, though, that’s up to fate.”

Li Qingshui nodded, then walked over and pulled back a corner of the laboratory curtain to peer outside. “It’s getting late. You’d better leave now—after dawn, it’ll be impossible to get out.”

“Okay,” Liu Chang replied, lifting the little girl into his arms. “We’re off then. No more goodbyes—just take care of yourself.”

“You too.” Li Qingshui patted his shoulder, then glanced at the little girl, who stubbornly ignored him and said with a smile, “Still mad at me? We’re saying goodbye—you’re not going to talk to me?”

“I don’t want to talk to you because you’ve changed!” she muttered, turning her head away.

“She’s just being a child. We’ll be going now.” Sensing the awkward mood, Liu Chang picked up the girl and left the laboratory without another word.

They passed through corridors and courtyards, returning first to Liu Chang’s room. He packed quickly, taking the wood box for the experimental “Millet Worms,” his military crossbow, and other gear, then grabbed a canteen and left as swiftly as the wind.

Guided by the girl’s psychic senses, they found a spot along the science park’s perimeter wall that was unmanned. Liu Chang leapt over the wall with the girl in his arms, as agile as a wildcat, and left behind the eye of the storm, heading out into the world of ordinary people.

Stepping onto the street outside, carrying his crossbow, holstered pistol, the girl in his arms, and the small box, Liu Chang felt an unexpected sense of freedom as he walked over the soft grass.

“Doesn’t it feel a bit like a successful jailbreak?” he asked the girl.

“Yes, the park was too suffocating—everyone scheming against each other,” Xiaojing replied, meeting his eyes. “You don’t belong there. For you, it’s even more dangerous than the jungle.”

“Yeah, in there, I’m like a creature with a danger rating of only 0.5. If it weren’t for Teacher Li, whose rating is a hundred, shielding me, I’d be dead already.”

“Speaking of Teacher Li, do you feel he’s changed?” the little girl asked as she hugged Liu Chang’s neck. “He gives me a strange feeling now, something he never used to.”

“I don’t know, maybe it’s just being in that environment for too long,” Liu Chang sighed. “People change. Was I the same two months ago as I am now? Don’t overthink it—if Li has changed, it’s for survival. He won’t harm us, just as I’d never harm you.”

“Okay.” Hearing this, the little girl nodded vigorously and hugged his neck tighter.

They walked through the streets of Zhengzhou, not stopping in their haste to distance themselves from the research park. The city was quiet at night, grass growing lush and birds singing—apart from the calls of insects, birds, and various unknown beasts, there was no sign of human activity.

For humans, the night was always more dangerous than the day—reduced visibility, disrupted routines, and the rules of nocturnal hunting all limited people’s movements after dark.

So, as Liu Chang walked the overgrown streets, he encountered no one. Unfamiliar with Zhengzhou, he simply headed east, retracing the route he’d taken along Zhengkai Avenue.

The science park was in Jinshui District, the north side of the city, while Zhengkai Avenue was in the east—far apart, and perfect for Liu Chang’s plan to get as far from the storm’s center as possible.

They traveled on, guided by the girl’s psychic scans to avoid most dangers, and by dawn they reached an area in the east side of the city.

“Let’s stop here,” Liu Chang said, seeing they were at the city’s edge. Any farther east and they’d be near the forest, and according to the girl’s senses, there were hardly any people beyond this point. Liu Chang chose not to continue and found an empty apartment building. After opening the door, he and the girl went inside.

“We’ll stay here for now. When we have time, we’ll look for somewhere more comfortable.” The place was empty but still furnished. Liu Chang set down the girl and their things, then lay on the dust-covered sofa with her in his arms.

“I need some rest, I’m a bit tired.” With that, Liu Chang closed his eyes—after a night of surgery and farewells, his body wasn’t exhausted, but his mind was fatigued.

The little girl locked the door, then leaned against him and fell asleep as well.

Several hours later, a thunderous sound of drums startled them awake.

Dong, dong, dong!

It was the sound of a metal spoon banging against a skillet, jarring and harsh, with a penetrating clang that snapped Liu Chang from his half-sleep.

“What’s going on?” he muttered. The morning sun had already lit up the red mist outside, and Liu Chang checked his military wristwatch—10:43.