Chapter 79: Zhou Wu, Deceased
A human's final struggle before death is terrifyingly intense.
The doctor kept flicking the needle with his middle finger, expelling all air bubbles from the syringe.
Once the air was cleared, Xiao Xing firmly held Zhou Wu's head in place as Zhou Wu thrashed violently, trying to break free.
Feeling the prick in his arm, Zhou Wu's eyes turned bloodshot and he sank his teeth deep into Xiao Xing's arm in one last desperate counterattack.
Xiao Xing merely winced momentarily before resuming his eerie smile.
"No! No! NO!!!!"
Gradually, Zhou Wu released his bite - he had already seen the doctor finish the injection.
"Must stay awake... mustn't fall asleep!!!!"
Zhou Wu knew falling asleep meant never waking up again.
Yet his consciousness proved too weak against the anesthetic's assault. His eyelids grew unbearably heavy.
The two figures before him blurred as his vision darkened...
"No......"
......
"What? You said Zhou Wu didn't come to the factory?"
"Alright, I understand."
Shen Xing had just stepped out of the textile factory compound.
The Zhou family's textile factory wasn't small - a mid-to-large scale operation.
Shen Xing was dressed elegantly today.
She wore a chic black Chanel-style outfit, carrying a branded handbag worth 20,000 yuan.
Her right hand - adorned with pink nail art - kept tapping on her 7,000-yuan smartphone.
"He's been missing since morning, left his phone and car keys at home, and didn't come to the factory either. Where could he be? Maybe visiting his aunt?"
Standing straight-legged by the roadside outside the factory,
Shen Xing called Zhou Wu's mother.
The response came quickly: "Xiao Xing? What's the matter?"
"Auntie, is Zhou Wu with you?"
"Zhou Wu? No, why?"
"Nothing serious. He's been missing since morning - left his phone and car keys at home, and didn't show up at the factory. Thought he might be visiting you."
"What?"
Normally, Zhou Wu's middle-aged mother wouldn't have worried - she'd assume her son was off fooling around somewhere.
But after her husband's disappearance, she'd grown hypersensitive to such situations.
Especially since even when fooling around, he'd at least take his phone - modern life was impossible without one.
So where was her son?
Could it be...
"Don't jinx it!"
She dismissed the ominous thought and asked: "Xiao Xing, where are you now?"
Shen Xing looked up at the sky: "Outside the factory. I'll check his usual hangouts."
"Alright, check his regular spots. If you can't find him, return home - he might already be back. Also contact his friends - I'll make inquiries too about Zhou Wu's whereabouts."
......
Alice Apartment, 1st floor, Xiao Xing's unit.
The doctor entered and closed the door, observing the blood-drenched Xiao Xing at the center of the room:
"Your unit's soundproofing is impressive - rivals mine."
Xiao Xing remained silent, toying with Zhou Wu's severed head.
Zhou Wu's eyes would never open again in this lifetime.
If they did reopen, it would likely be a vengeful ghost seeking retribution.
The doctor studied Xiao Xing before shifting attention to the cabinet full of collected heads.
He randomly picked up a middle-aged man's head, squeezing, stroking and tugging at it.
"Huh? I thought these were all real. Some are fakes!"
Still fondling Zhou Wu's head, Xiao Xing smiled:
"Correct. Mostly fakes, with a few genuine ones."
Perplexed, the doctor asked: "Then why display so many fakes? Collecting them too?"
Xiao Xing shook his head: "No. Just to fill space - I like my cabinet looking full."
The doctor gave a long "Ah" of understanding.
Meanwhile...
Live stream room.
The long-haired beauty host reappeared.
This time in a pink qipao dress.
As the poem goes: "Peach blossoms blush to match fair faces."
Only her flawless pale complexion could carry this vibrant pink without looking ridiculous.
Her appearance always signaled important announcements:
[Round 26 - Second lab rat Zhou Wu has died! Total bets placed: 10 million yuan, all transferred to the final prize pool.]
With that, she vanished into darkness again.
Her exit sparked lively discussions about Zhou Wu:
Fairy Sister: [Poor Zhou Wu - lost his life, but at least died painlessly under anesthesia.]
Little Dragon Girl: [True. Luckier than many lab rats. Hey, where's Ultimate Rich Kid? Usually so vocal. Did Xiao Xing's bloody execution of Zhou Wu make him vomit? Weak!]
Ultimate Rich Kid immediately popped up: [Don't slander me! I enjoyed every minute!]
Little Dragon Girl: [Then why silent earlier?]
Ultimate Rich Kid: [I was fine, but my girlfriend puked. Was helping her rinse her mouth!]
Little Dragon Girl expressed shock: [Wait - you're not watching alone? Brought someone else?!]
Ultimate Rich Kid: [Yeah, problem?]
Little Dragon Girl: [The apartment organizers can't stop you, but warn your girlfriend - if she blabs, neither of you will escape consequences.]
Ultimate Rich Kid: [Relax, I've warned her.]
[Actually, I just thought of something about Zhou Wu!]
Little Dragon Girl: [What? The man's dead. Eyeing his girlfriend now?]
Ultimate Rich Kid: [Am I that type?]
[My question: Like Jiang Ran, Zhou Wu didn't enter through the agreement, right? So the 10k daily couldn't go straight to his account. But he stayed several days - how was that handled?]
This question about Zhou Wu had actually been raised by several viewers earlier in the stream, but went unanswered.