Chapter 252 191: The Predator Behind
"Future, are you sure the dose you gave KK is okay?"
In the underground laboratory of Edge Mansion, Su Mo and Future were alone in a room, softly asking.
Future calmly said, "Are you talking about that anti-hallucinogen compound? Boss, you don't trust others, don't you trust me? When have I ever messed up a technical issue?"
"That anti-hallucinogen compound was personally concocted by me. The drug has a half-life of 7 days and can resist all known hallucinogens on the market during its effective period, without being detected by any means."
"If things go as you expect in the worst-case scenario, and Ou Chenyu doesn't trust KK, using truth serum or other hallucinogens for interrogation, KK can still remain fully conscious."
At this point, Future squinted his eyes: "In my view, the biggest problem isn't the drug, but whether KK can act out the effects of a hallucinogen while fully conscious. It's not easy to mimic those physiological reactions."
Su Mo sighed, "It's actually his acting skills that I'm least worried about. You haven't seen how good this kid can act."
"I just regret that I probably shouldn't have assigned him this task right from the start."
Future shook the reagent, observing the color change inside, and asked, "Why, are you afraid KK might mess up?"
Su Mo gently shook his head, "No, I just feel like I'm being too selfish... This is between me and Ou Chenyu. KK isn't a combat personnel like Dongdong, how can I let him take this risk..."
Future saw the color he wanted in the reagent, smiled, and said, "Boss, don't feel guilty. You did try to persuade KK, but he insisted on doing this for you."
"Do you know why KK is so determined to stand up and help you? Because he considers Edge his home. He is deeply attached to this big family and doesn't want to just take from it; he wants to contribute to Edge and to you."
"He knows that among so many people in Edge, being the one who's been with you the longest yet with the least presence makes him the easiest to earn the enemy's trust, so he resolutely took on this counter-infiltration mission."
"Boss, give KK some confidence. Even if he doesn't understand technology as well as I do or fight like Dongdong, he's a companion we can trust to guard our backs."
...
Tiger Fang Mercenary Corps base, basement.
"I'm...not...an undercover..." KK's pupils were dilated, his body shuddering erratically as he murmured.
Ou Chenyu glanced at Cao Yilin.
Cao Yilin shrugged, "Captain, I've told you, if they truly staged a self-harming play to trap me, it would require recognizing my identity first."
"But for a professional like me, exposure is impossible. Unless that Su can open the Celestial Eye... What a waste of a good drug."
"Cut the nonsense; being cautious is never wrong." Ou Chenyu tossed the empty syringe into the trash can and sat back in his chair, "Inject him with the antidote and wake him up."
Cao Yilin retrieved the antidote to the truth serum and injected it into KK's body.
Gradually, a series of physiological responses on KK subsided, and his scattered gaze regained focus.
He initially looked bewildered, glancing around as if he just woke up, feeling confused.
Upon seeing Ou Chenyu, KK jolted awake, clumsily falling off the table in a panic, and curled up shivering in the corner, looking at him with fear and resentment.
Ou Chenyu approached KK, squatted down to meet his eyes, and feigned touching his head with a softened tone, "Oh K, you have to understand, brother. I have to be responsible for the entire Tiger Fang Mercenary Corps' safety."
"Think about it, if a high-ranking defector suddenly switched over, I wouldn't dare to trust on just one or two verifications."
KK: "Ou Chenyu..."
Ou Chenyu: "Hmm?"
KK: "F*** your mother!"
Ou Chenyu chuckled lightly, nonchalantly saying, "Anyway, my mother passed away long ago, insult me all you want, as long as it makes you feel a bit better."
KK gritted his teeth, pointing at Ou Chenyu's nose and said, "Let me tell you this, the price Cao Yilin quoted before is null and void! You better give me 10 million this time, or I won't help you even if I die!!!"
Ou Chenyu grinned, nodding slightly.
If KK had gone through all this chaos without demanding more money upon waking, it would indeed be unsettling.
Asking for a high price, raising the stakes; this is the normal response.
Ou Chenyu patted his face, "As long as we can collaborate well to bring down Edge, the price can be negotiated. 10 million can be 10 million."
He paused and his tone became slightly sinister, "But, to get that money, you still have one more hurdle to overcome."
With those words, KK was grabbed and pinned down on the table again.
"What are you doing?! Ou Chenyu, f*** your ancestors! What do you want to do now?!" KK struggled and shouted.
A tranquilizer needle was injected into his body.
The tranquilizer wasn't a hallucinogen, his internal resistance did not activate, and he passed out with his eyes rolled back.
...
When KK awoke again, he found himself lying on an operating table, with Ou Chenyu watching him from not far away.
"Finally awake."
KK frantically felt around his body, finding a small healed incision at his lower back.
He asked in terror, "Did you take my kidney, Ou?!"
Ou Chenyu let out a short laugh, "Why would I want that? Don't worry, everything you're supposed to have is there, and there's even something extra."
His gaze turned sinister, and he slowly said, "I had a mini-bomb implanted in your body. The control switch is in my hand, and it has a countdown system. If not reset in time, it'll automatically detonate. This is my insurance for you."
KK's face turned ashen, "Are you f***ing insane?! You even used a truth serum, and now you're doing this to me?!"
Ou Chenyu said calmly, "Don't you want to help me with my work? If you have a clear conscience, what are you afraid of?"
KK yelled, "What if it suddenly explodes?!"
Ou Chenyu's lips curled into a dangerous smile, "Don't worry, the bomb is very stable. As long as I don't press the control switch, and regularly reset the countdown for you, there won't be any danger."
"Oh, by the way, just so you don't do anything stupid, here's a reminder."
"The bomb is equipped with the world's most advanced anti-tampering device. Any attempt to disarm it will trigger the failsafe, causing it to explode."
"Trust me, if anyone dares to lay a finger on it, you'll end up as pieces that New Moon City's best undertakers can't piece back together."
KK listened, his gaze utterly devoid of focus.
Ou Chenyu walked to KK, lifted his chin, staring into his unfocused eyes, "I don't care if you truly betrayed Su Mo, genuinely wanting to ally with me..."
"Or if you somehow withstood the truth serum interrogation to infiltrate Tiger Fang."
"It makes no difference now. If you want to live, you can only listen to me. No matter how well Su Mo treated you, no kindness is worth more than your own life, am I right?"
KK's eyes filled with uncontrollable fear, his shaky breathing echoed in the operating room.
Ou Chenyu wickedly smiled, "Alright, welcome to Tiger Fang. Now go do the first task for me."
