390: Chapter 390 The Mental Ability User Lurking in the Dark

Consciousness withdrew from the bustling streets and returned to silence.

The living room lights were not on, with only a trace of the city's faint glow shining in through the window.

Fang Cheng sat quietly on the sofa, his body's silhouette appearing blurry in the darkness.

His eyes shone brightly, yet they were not focused on any particular spot, the depths of his pupils reflecting an even more profound emptiness.

The scene seen earlier through the mental connection was now replaying with utmost clarity in his mind.

At first, when that woman appeared in his field of vision, Fang Cheng did not recognize her immediately.

He only instinctively felt a trace of unusual familiarity.

That figure, gait, temperament calm to the point of numbness, and a certain complex meaning hidden deep within her eyes.

These subtle features acted like a key, searching for the corresponding keyhole within Fang Cheng's vast Memory Palace.

Until his gaze, through Xiao Sa's vision, accurately captured a line of small text on the work badge on her chest.

[Genetic Engineering Department III - Principal Researcher - Choi Suyoung]

That Fang Cheng fully confirmed it.

This woman was Majima Goro's fiancée who had vanished into thin air along with him, Choi Suyoung.

Countless memories surged into Fang Cheng's heart like a tide.

Half a year ago, Majima Goro, hospitalized due to injuries, vanished without a trace overnight.

Along with him, his fiancée, who was almost inseparable from him, also lost all communication.

The police intervened in the investigation, but gained nothing.

At the time, Fang Cheng faintly felt that this matter was by no means a simple missing person case, and deeper forces were inevitably involved behind the scenes.

Now it seemed that the guess was not only correct, but the truth was far darker than he had imagined.

According to Majima Goro's account, coming from a martial arts family, he had accidentally encountered a representative of a "pharmaceutical company."

The other party claimed that the company was developing an epoch-making drug capable of stimulating the human body to secrete a mysterious hormone, thereby continuously strengthening physical fitness and breaking the limits of mortals.

Out of a desire for power, Majima Goro signed a confidentiality agreement and became a drug tester.

The Early Stage effects of the drug could be described as a miracle.

His physical fitness received an explosive boost, allowing him to be invincible in the ring and win countless honors and wealth.

However, behind the glory lay an abyss.

He quickly discovered that he had developed a terrifying dependency on that drug.

Once he stopped taking it, his body would experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

What was even more terrifying was that his mental state began to become extremely unstable, irritable, and prone to anger.

Even deep within his subconscious, a strong desire to kill bred.

"It's as if a monster is parasitizing inside my body."

Fang Cheng clearly remembered Majima Goro lying on the hospital bed, saying these words to him with a painful expression.

"It could crawl out from inside at any moment and tear everything around it to pieces..."

In order to find a way to cure his chronic illness, Majima Goro followed his grandfather's suggestion and came to Xia Country, visiting famous martial arts masters and combat experts everywhere.

It was also during his stay in Dongdu that he met Fang Cheng, who was then merely a club sparring partner.

The two engaged in a hearty and uninhibited free-fight in the courtyard of that villa.

Fang Cheng's thoughts froze at the scene of the transformation when the battle entered its white-hot stage.

Majima Goro, unable to suppress the "monster" within his body, saw his muscles rapidly expand and undergo a terrifying mutation.

That could no longer be called a human; it was just short of growing two horns and turning into a demonic Incarnation.

Fang Cheng leaned against the sofa, crossing his hands, his knuckles making a slight "crack" sound.

Now it seemed that the so-called "pharmaceutical company" was undoubtedly Noah Pharmaceuticals.

And the drug-testing experiment Majima Goro participated in was merely one instance among countless human experimentation projects conducted worldwide by the Noah Organization.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's gaze flickered as he slowly exhaled a breath of foul air.

Since Choi Suyoung had not disappeared, but instead transformed into a researcher for the Noah Organization.

Then the nature of the whole matter had completely changed.

Perhaps, from the very beginning, she was a watcher planted by the Noah Organization beside Majima Goro?

The appearance of the so-called "pharmaceutical company representative" was even arranged single-handedly by her?

If this deduction held true, then Majima Goro had actually neither disappeared nor died.

How could the Noah Organization easily let a "precious" experimental subject who had achieved Fusion of drugs with his own Martial Artist genes disappear?

The greater possibility was that he had been secretly taken away, locked in an even more secretive laboratory, undergoing deeper human modification experiments.

"Perhaps..."

A thought flashed across Fang Cheng's mind like lightning.

That "important secret" mentioned by Cheng Jiashu, hidden within Noah Pharmaceuticals, which was enough to bury the entire Dongdu Branch...

Could it be an experimental subject similar to Majima Goro, transformed into a biological weapon?

Thoughts surged endlessly in his heart.

Fang Cheng stood up, walked to the French window, and looked at the city shrouded in night.

Countless lights converged into dazzling rivers of light, spreading in all directions in the darkness.

Yet beneath the surface of this bustling metropolis, various sins shocking to the world were hidden.

"As for Cheng Jiashu and the Special Investigation Team, why haven't they made a move yet?"

Fang Cheng's heart was full of doubts, and he turned to think about another key issue.

Reasonably speaking, with the strength of the Special Investigation Team, even without direct evidence, it would be sufficient to conduct all-round monitoring and infiltration of Noah Pharmaceuticals.

But judging from Xiao Sa's intelligence, it seemed that no traces of police personnel had been found at all.

Were they afraid of alerting the enemy? Or were they waiting for an optimal timing for a surprise attack?

Fang Cheng furrowed his brows, countless thoughts flashing rapidly through his mind.

The second hand of the wall clock made a soft "tick, tick" sound, appearing exceptionally clear in the silent room.

As if the footsteps of time were approaching step by step, beating upon his heart.

Fang Cheng had no sleepiness at all, merely standing before the window, silently waiting for news of the other party showing themselves to arrive.

Suddenly, he thought of a remark Chen Chen had previously mentioned.

The Noah Organization was facing a storm involving high-level maneuvering that could turn Dongdu's underground forces upside down.

A bold guess couldn't help but well up in Fang Cheng's heart.

Perhaps Noah Pharmaceuticals was deeply implicated, and its sensitivity had exceeded the jurisdiction of the Special Investigation Team.

Investigator Gao Jin most likely had not received formal authorization from his superiors, and everything he was doing now was actually acting on his own accord.

Therefore, in a strict sense, Cheng Jiashu was not cooperating with the official Special Investigation Team, but with Gao Jin's "private team."

Fang Cheng's eyes shone brightly as the numerous cluttered clues in his mind were quickly sorted out.

In this way, many things made sense.

They could not mobilize large-scale official forces to conduct all-round monitoring, nor could they openly conduct investigations.

All they could do was lurk in the dark like lone wolves, relying on limited manpower and resources to find an opportunity to sneak in and steal intelligence data.

This also explained why Cheng Jiashu would risk exposing himself to invite an "external aid" like himself to join the action plan.

Because their manpower was indeed stretched to the limit.

"If this really is the case..."

Fang Cheng's gaze instantly turned sharp.

Then his original plan must also undergo corresponding adjustments.

While pondering whether to contact Cheng Jiashu again to sound him out.

Buzz——Buzz——

At this moment, the phone placed on the coffee table suddenly vibrated and rang.

Emerging on the screen was Xiao Sa's number.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng immediately walked over, picked up the phone, and pressed the answer button.

"Hello."

From the other end of the phone came Xiao Sa's deliberately lowered voice:

"President, it's already 8:30 PM, and Chen Chen still hasn't come out of the building."

"I just asked Secretary Liu, and he said the other familiar cadres who were called to the meeting haven't come out either!"

Hearing this, Fang Cheng's pupils flashed slightly.

Before cutting off the mental connection earlier, he had instructed Xiao Sa to continue keeping an eye on the movements of those attending the meeting inside the Noah Building.

Nearly half a day had passed, and they still hadn't been released; the answer was self-evident.

The internal purging and vetting within the Noah Organization should have reached a white-hot critical node.

They would rather take the risk than keep all potential unstable factors firmly under control in their palms.

It was just unknown what Chen Chen's current status was, and whether he had been exposed at all.

What kind of action would the Noah Organization take next? Would it affect Cheng Jiashu and Gao Jin's plans?

Thinking of the various speculations earlier, Fang Cheng's gaze narrowed slightly, and then he said:

"A-Ren, do you still remember that woman I had you keep an eye on earlier?"

"I remember."

Xiao Sa immediately replied, "Is it that long-haired female researcher? What instructions do you have, President?"

"Tomorrow morning, find a reliable opportunity."

Fang Cheng instructed in a deep voice:

"Find a way to secretly slip a note to her. But remember, you must absolutely not expose yourself; it's best to let someone else do it."

Xiao Sa felt a chill in his heart, able to sense the solemnity in the President's tone.

This was no longer a simple monitoring task, but taking the initiative to strike.

His adrenaline began to surge, the whole person became excited, and his brain began to spin rapidly.

After brief contemplation, he quickly replied:

"Rest assured, President!"

"Those two brothers posing as security guards at the building entrance, called A-Fei and A-Bao, are on very good terms with me and often flatter me."

"They are quite sharp. I'll have them figure out a way, and they can definitely handle the matter properly, without anyone knowing."

"For example, pretending to accidentally bump into her, helping to pick things up when she drops them, and casually slipping the note into her bag—guaranteed to be seamless!"

"Very good."

Fang Cheng was very satisfied with his reaction speed, and then added:

"Just write on the note, 'Where has Majima Goro gone?' Just these eight characters, no need to say anything else."

To prevent Xiao Sa, this semi-illiterate person, from writing the names wrong, Fang Cheng deliberately slowed down his speech and taught him character by character.

"The 'zhen' of reality, the 'dao' of island, the 'wu' of five-six-seven-eight, the 'lang' of a talented man and beautiful woman—did you hear clearly?"

"Heard clearly."

Xiao Sa recited it silently in his heart, firmly carving these eight characters along with their spellings into his mind.

"I understand, President, mission guaranteed!"

"Go do it."

The call hung up, and the room returned to silence once more.

Fang Cheng was silent for a moment, walked back to the window, and casually inserted both hands into his pants pockets.

His gaze pierced through the night veil, as if able to see the towering skyscraper on the other end of the city.

Choi Suyoung was merely a testing stone he casually cast down.

Regardless of whether she was enemy or friend, this stone would ultimately stir up a circle of ripples and produce some reaction on that seemingly calm lake surface.

We'll see what kind of echo we can get by then...

Amidst his contemplation, Fang Cheng thought of Xu Hao, whom he hadn't contacted for many days.

This time, the Noah Organization gathered many boss-level figures from the Dongdu Branch for a meeting; as a sixth-level cadre, could this guy have been called over too?

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's thoughts stirred slightly, his consciousness turned inward, sinking into the Memory Palace once again.

Mental Energy, like an invisible probe, rapidly locked onto that familiar coordinate within the vast starry dome.

The next moment, his consciousness detached from his physical shell, like a stream of light piercing through layers of darkness.

Countless high-rise buildings and dazzling neon lights flashed past rapidly in his perception.

The connection was established quickly, and his field of vision switched instantly.

A noisy and chaotic scene came into view.

This was a spacious meeting room, but the people inside had no awareness of holding a meeting.

Seven or eight men who looked like ruffians and hoodlums gathered together in twos and threes.

Some crossed their legs and boasted loudly while chatting, while others bit on cigarettes, turning the meeting room foul with smog.

Still others simply gathered around together, playing poker and gambling.

Because the windows were not opened, the air was filled with the mixed smell of tobacco and boxed lunches, appearing exceptionally murky.

Chen Chen was not here.

It seemed that people of different levels or different systems were placed separately in multiple rooms.

As for Xu Hao, upon whom Fang Cheng's consciousness descended.

At this moment, this guy was lazily slumped in a chair, holding a fashion magazine with both hands, the cover featuring a female celebrity dressed extremely scantily.

He read with relish, a lewd smile occasionally appearing at the corners of his mouth.

Fang Cheng's consciousness quietly condensed in his mind, calling out:

"A-Hao..."

"Boss?!"

Xu Hao, who was immersed in pleasant fantasies, was startled so much by this sudden voice that his whole body shuddered.

The magazine in his hand dropped to the ground with a "clack", almost shouting out on the spot.

Fang Cheng was somewhat speechless, and was just about to ask Xu Hao about the specific situation.

However, in the very next second, his heart thumped fiercely.

A strong warning sign suddenly rose from the depths of his consciousness.

He keenly sensed that the moment he established a mental connection with Xu Hao, an extremely obscure yet bone-chillingly cold consciousness, like a viper lurking in the dark, quietly probed over.

It was a Mental-type extraordinary!

The Flame of Spirituality in his mind, resembling a lamp flame, trembled violently and issued a warning.

Fang Cheng's heart palpitated, and without hesitation, he immediately compressed all his thoughts into a most concise piece of message, transmitting it like lightning.

"You must be careful; someone is monitoring your mental states in real time. Starting from now, do not contact the outside world casually to avoid exposing your identity. Take care of yourself!"

Having said this last sentence, Fang Cheng cut off the mental connection without hesitation, retracting his own consciousness.

Truly coming in a hurry and leaving in a hurry.

Inside the meeting room, Xu Hao still maintained an expression of astonishment, standing dumbfounded and stunned in place.

He could feel that the Boss's aura had vanished without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

Xu Hao touched his head, completely unable to figure it out.

Why did the Boss suddenly contact him and disappear after saying a few inexplicable words?

What on earth was going on here?

But on second thought, today's meeting indeed exuded strangeness everywhere.

Station Chief Feng and that pretty boy Zhuo Feng had called over all twenty-something of them—cadres with their respective territories across Dongdu and bosses of peripheral forces.

As a result, during the meeting, they only talked about some irrelevant bullshit.

Then, they threw out several important vacant positions, including the directors of the Field Department and Medical Department.

They said several persons-in-charge unfortunately died in the line of duty a while ago, and now they were publicly recruiting among these middle and lower-level cadres.

Put this way, it was normal enough.

But the condition for application was not ability, but looking at the so-called "loyalty."

To test this loyalty, they were asked to enter a small dark room one by one and personally swear allegiance to the "interviewer" inside.

Even more outrageously, before the final results came out, everyone had to stay in this building and were not allowed to go out privately.

In the hallway at the door, there was even the Noah Organization's most elite "Pursuer" squad guarding it.

Xu Hao picked up the magazine that dropped to the ground, his gaze lingering on the sexy and alluring female star on the color page, yet his mind was in a daze.

Having waited all afternoon and watching the sky turn dark, his heart had been a bit jittery.

Now, after Fang Cheng's reminder, a chill instantly surged from the soles of his feet straight to his crown.

He subconsciously raised his head, his gaze involuntarily casting toward the surveillance camera in the corner of the meeting room flashing with a faint red light.

Behind the camera, it seemed there was a pair of cold eyes quietly gazing at him.

(End of Chapter)