Thrive in Catastrophe by 焦糖冬瓜

Chapter 33 Put Your Head In a Jar

Xiao Yan looked up towards the observation deck and narrowed his eyes. He wondered who was up there watching him.

" What purpose? What was I suppose to do? If I didn't apply some pressure there was no way you would go through with the test, much less give it your all. I appealed to the upper ranks. If you test into a higher level than you can assist me in my research."


"Really?" Xiao Yan looked at him with deep suspicion clouding his eyes.

"What else? That way you are at least near me. If I let you go out into the field all the time, I will worry every day."

Casey's expression is severely earnest.

Xiao Yan sighed, he hadn't been very thoughtful when it came to his friendship with Casey. Casey had been so worried, yet was not able to do anything to put himself at ease. Realizing this, Xiao felt ashamed. Casey had been thinking of him and looking out for him all this time.



"Don't be angry with me...I only have you and a friend...I just don't want you to go to dangerous places..."

Casey bowed his head. In that moment Xiao is reminded that no matter how much of a genius Casey was, no matter how strong and arrogant he appeared, he was still just a teenager. In this sterile and cold research center, he is revered as a golden researcher and treated like an adult.

Yet how many people remembered that he was still a child?

Xiao Yan pulled him in for a hug and gently patted him on the back.

"You are my dearest friend. When I was laughed at for being a waste of resources, only you stood up for me."

It is a big deal to be moved into Class A through this test, and a huge opportunity to become Casey's research assistant. Although he is not particularly interested in researching the x virus, Casey did have the most sophisticated research equipment. He also had access to the most confidential data.


Casey rested his chin on Xiao Yan's shoulders, his eyes were glassy and the curve of his mouth creased his face in a complicated expression.

After handing in the testing data, Lily was sent to the infirmary. Xiao Yan felt the pressure of everything lift off of him and he stretched languidly, releasing the residual tension in his muscles.


"I'm hungry, let's eat something!"

"You don't care about your test results at all?"

"What is there to be concerned about? If I end up as your lab assistant, then I am a class A elite. If I am sent back into the field, I am still in B class."

"You are so calm. What about Lily? Don't you really like her? I remember every time you passed by her after class your eyes were glued to her chest."

"That is just the nature of a man, we chase after beautiful things. It's human instinct."


Xiao Yan and Casey left the lab.

In the upper level observation room, a man in uniform stood in front of the glass.

"Reporting. The test results are out."

"What is his rating assessment?"

"A level."

"What is the speed of his brain processing at the terminal?"

"Three hundred trillion mega-neuro rate, the same as the data transmitted by Shen Bing's base."

The man rubbed at his chin, deep in thought.

"Shen Bing's mental interface rate is only 260 trillion mega neuro rate."

" Do you need to change Xiao Yan's student level?"

"No, of course not. Now that we know the Surge are targeting research craft, to harvest the brains of the researchers, we can't have them knowing the true potential of Xiao Yan and his neural rate they will surely target him. Inform the research institute. Have them leave Xiao's level unchanged. Raise his safety risk level and assign a security detail to him."

"What about Lt. Colonel Casey's request?"