323: Tracking 1

The two exchanged a look, and without a word, they simultaneously darted toward the blind spot on the side of a nearby five-story old residential building. Debris was piled there, shielding them from the view on the street.

"Transform!" "Transform!"

Two low shouts rang out almost simultaneously.

There were no flashy light effects or lengthy processes, only an instantaneous completion of biomass coverage and structural reorganization.

Wei Ziqing was encased in streamlined plain white and black, a poison-tipped scabbard quietly appearing at his lower back; Lu Jianchuan was covered in silver-white armor with biological textures, his Aura heavy and condensed.

The appearance of the two sets of armor was swift and silent, like blades suddenly flashing in the shadows.

"Go!"

Lu Jianchuan gave a low shout and exerted slight force with his legs. The powerful strength granted by the silver skeleton armor allowed him to leap diagonally like a cannonball. With a tap of his toe on a protrusion on the building's outer wall, his body rose several meters, and he sprang directly onto the roof of a slightly taller building nearby.

His method of movement carried a direct and forceful aesthetic of violence, each stomp causing the precast concrete slabs beneath his feet to tremble slightly.

Wei Ziqing's movements were more light and mysterious. His physical coordination and sense of balance, enhanced by the Hero Shadow armor, reached their peak. Like a weightless ghost, he climbed rapidly along the wall's drainage pipes, air conditioner brackets, and narrow window sills. His actions were smooth and swift, barely making a sound as he followed closely behind Lu Jianchuan and landed on the roof.

From their high vantage point, their vision suddenly cleared. On a branch road not far from the alley entrance below, a gray-white bus painted with the words "Ecological Love Association" was slowly starting up. The curtains were drawn on all the windows, making it look quite suspicious.

"Follow it!"

Two figures turned into streaks of black and white light, racing between the buildings.

Lu Jianchuan's route was broad and bold. Relying on his explosive speed and precise judgment of landing points, he leaped between rooftops of varying distances, sometimes even gliding briefly, staying tightly glued to the bus driving on the street below.

Wei Ziqing fully utilized the agility of the Hero Shadow, taking a more tricky route. He used billboards, drying racks, ventilation ducts, and all other protrusions as leverage points. His body moved like the wind, trailing closely behind Lu Jianchuan's flank, ensuring they didn't lose the target while also keeping an eye out for any reinforcements or ambushes.

The bus didn't seem to notice it was being followed, or rather, it simply didn't care. It followed its planned route, calmly leaving the dilapidated old city area, crossing several main roads, and finally merging into the bustling traffic of the city center.

The glass curtain walls of the skyscrapers reflected the sunlight, and pedestrians and vehicles flowed like a river.

The bus eventually slowed down, turned into a high-end business district, and stopped in front of a magnificent skyscraper with a highly modern artistic design.

The building's logo was an abstract mark combining leaves and certain curved patterns, with the gold-embossed words "Evergreen Life Technology Group" underneath.

The doors opened, and the group of excited young people from the alley now appeared somewhat flustered and restrained. Under the watchful eyes of several serious-looking security personnel in similar uniforms—who seemed to be "guiding" but were actually monitoring them—they lowered their heads and quickly got off the bus, entering the glitzy building that represented wealth and technology one after another.

On the roof, Wei Ziqing and Lu Jianchuan quietly landed in the shadow of an adjacent building and deactivated their transformations.

Wei Ziqing looked at the glass skyscraper, which appeared incredibly "correct" and even "noble" in the sunlight, and sighed softly, "It really is... not what it seems on the surface."

Lu Jianchuan put his hands back in his pockets, his sharp eyes scanning the security and revolving doors at the building's entrance. He made a decision in a calm tone: "Since the target is roughly determined, it's too conspicuous to force our way in or conduct a close investigation during the day. Let's familiarize ourselves with the surroundings first and come back for a 'visit' at night."

"Fine," Wei Ziqing nodded in agreement, then asked, "So where to now? Just wait?"

Lu Jianchuan looked around and pointed to a cafe across the street with a minimalist decor and a moderate number of customers. "Let's go sit there. We can check some things while we're at it."

The two crossed the street and entered the cafe, finding a corner seat by the window that offered a view of the side of the Evergreen Group building. After ordering two ordinary coffees, Lu Jianchuan took out his phone, connected to the cafe's Wi-Fi, and began searching for information related to 'Evergreen Life Technology Group.' Wei Ziqing sipped his coffee while keeping a vigilant eye on the activity at the building outside the window.

Lu Jianchuan swiped the screen and shared what he found with Wei Ziqing in a low voice: "Evergreen Group's main business focus is biotechnology, specifically concentrated in fields like Cellular Anti-aging, Genetic Telomere Repair, and Geriatric Disease Intervention. They have several high-end health products and customized health management services that claim to 'delay aging' and 'enhance life vitality.' Their main customer base... is the wealthy, especially the billionaire class who are desperate to extend their healthy lifespan. They also collaborate with some large elderly care institutions and high-end medical insurance."

Listening to this, Wei Ziqing's brow furrowed slightly. "A biotech company doing longevity research... connected to those extreme animal rights activists, and possibly even to 'evolution' and 'Higher Life Forms'?" He really couldn't see the logical chain between the two.

"Who knows," Lu Jianchuan put down his phone and picked up his coffee cup, his gaze still locked on the skyscraper opposite. "Maybe it's a simple relationship between a financier and a 'white glove.'"}, short pause, then continue: "The group provides funding to support these seemingly harmless or even 'politically correct' animal protection groups to expand their influence and recruit specific groups of people.

After all, people who pursue longevity are often easily interested in concepts like 'transcending the Mortal' and 'ascending life forms.'" He paused, lowering his voice a bit more.

"Or perhaps... the high-level executives of this group themselves are some kind of 'longevity seekers.' They fund these groups not just for image or indirect control, but to screen, contact, and even... find 'Materials' or 'paths' for their own 'longevity' or 'evolution'?"

This speculation caused Wei Ziqing's eyes to narrow. Combined with the young man's slip of the tongue about "evolving into a higher life form" and the group's extreme loathing of their own human identity, Lu Jianchuan's guess was not unfounded.

"If you put it that way... it's indeed possible," Wei Ziqing said slowly, feeling a hint of coldness in the coffee in his hand.

The two discussed and speculated in low voices based on the limited information, as time passed amidst the aroma of coffee and the gradually setting sun outside the window. They observed the flow of people entering and leaving the Evergreen Group building, the security shift patterns, and the general locations of surrounding surveillance cameras.

Until night had fully fallen and the lights were coming on, a waiter at the cafe walked over to politely remind them that they were about to close.

After paying and leaving, the two stood once again in the cool night breeze. Across the street, the Evergreen Group building was still brightly lit, but compared to the daytime bustle, the people going in and out were much scarcer now, with only the silhouettes of security personnel visible through the glass doors.

Wei Ziqing flexed his wrist, looked at Lu Jianchuan beside him, and said briefly, "OK."

Lu Jianchuan nodded, his eyes appearing exceptionally bright in the darkness. "Let's go and see what this 'Life Technology' company is actually 'researching' at night."