Thrive in Catastrophe by 焦糖冬瓜

Chapter 73 Xiao Yan's Defense Mechanism

Xiao's vigilance peaked as he stared at the man in front of him. His gut was telling him that there was something distinctly different about this man, far different from any man he had ever seen.

But what was that difference?

He smiled and looked over Xiao, staring intently at him, as though assessing something. He reached his hand out and stroked his dark hair, sweeping his knuckles along the silky strands. The light gesture brings a torrent of trembles to Xiao Yan's heart, like the feeling of hundreds of wings flapping inside his chest.

"You are pure Asian. There are less than one tenth of humans that share such a bloodline. After all two hundred years of living and reproducing in such a small space dilutes the blood lines."

As the man pressed closer, Xiao Yan did not retreat, but the air emanating from him was heavy with oppression.

"I really wanted to have a child like you."

At this statement, Xiao was finally able to guess the identity of the man.

"You are Jane Wallace's father!"

"Yes. But I am not only his father, I am also his creator. It has been a long time, and these children have helped me through these dark and lonely years. They have taken to calling me father for so long that I don't even recall my own name. Hm...Let me think...Ah...it is Valentin Sheen."

Xiao Yan recalls the connection of the Surge organization and their promises of immortality using the comet virus.

"How long have you lived?"

"I am two hundred and seventy-two years old."

Xiao Yan stands shocked at the number.

"..." He stares deeply into the man's eyes, they do not waver in the slightest. It seems his claim is true.

"The comet virus enables the zombies to recover by absorbing heat to energize the body. Think about it. It has been more than two hundred years, and they are still moving about. Isn't this a hint to the humans about the next level of creation? I used the virus to continuously regenerate my damaged organs and extend the longevity of my life. The problem is that there is one crucial part of the body that I cannot repair."

"Brain."

It was well understood that the zombies relied on instinct. They were not capable of any higher level cognition, due to the atrophy of their brain matter.

"You are quite smart. I need someone with such rare intellect to help me with this dilemma."

The man tapped his finger against Xiao's temple and chuckled.

"Don't be so nervous. I will give you time to seriously weigh the matter. Will you return to your underground city or live free like Jane? I heard that Heine Burton survived due to your role in the development of the X-2 virus. He will be the first Special Forces fighter to break the shackles of his decade expiration date--Another layer added to his mythical status. But from the way I see it, this miraculous myth belongs to you, not to him."

Xiao Yan licked at his dried lips, but couldn't speak.

"You are special, child."

Valentin's hand stroked his cheek and then his fingers dragged through his hair. The gesture was overly familiar, but Xiao knows that his words and actions are directed towards the value of his brain, not himself.