Chapter 159: Chapter 147: Little Gu Ning is a Mimic Mixed Species?
Kloer was stunned. Jite, who was next to him, pricked up his ears.
"Alex has a Mimic Mixed Species with him?" Kloer asked in confusion. "When did he get a Mimic Mixed Species? Why didn’t I know?"
Hearing him say this, Lanuo found it even stranger.
’Alex is keeping a Mimic Mixed Species with him, how could Kloer not know?’
Mimic Mixed Species were extremely dangerous, and Alex didn’t have many confidants in Zone 19. Even if it was for a secret mission, he should have had someone watching it.
’Kloer is his most capable subordinate. How could he hide it from Kloer?’
Lanuo recalled his last few communications with Alex—all of which concerned Mixed Breeds—and his suspicion grew.
"Alex didn’t tell you?" Lanuo asked.
Jite nudged the stunned Kloer.
Kloer snapped back to his senses. "No... The boss never told us he brought a Mimic Mixed Species with him."
Lanuo thought for a moment. "Does he have a Mixed Breed with him?"
Kloer said, "Yes."
Jite’s eyes lit up instantly. He turned his head in astonishment to look at the little Mixed Breed still sleeping on the sofa.
Everything that hadn’t made sense before—all the puzzling things about the little Mixed Breed—seemed to click into place.
’It’s a Mimic Mixed Species.’
"That explains it," Lanuo’s voice came from the terminal.
Kloer’s reaction was a beat slow. He was stunned for a few seconds before he also understood what Lanuo was referring to.
Just like Jite, after Lanuo’s reminder that there was a Mimic Mixed Species nearby, an explanation suddenly emerged for all the strange things about Gu Ning: her mysterious origins, Alex’s special treatment of her, and everything else that had puzzled him.
’Little Gu Ning is a Mimic Mixed Species?!’
The realization left Kloer utterly shocked.
"How... how could it be a Mimic Mixed Species?!"
Lanuo heard the utter disbelief in his tone and said languidly, "Alex even fooled you all. It seems he’s trained this Mimic Mixed Species well. Maybe it’s also one of the baits for luring out the King Seed this time."
Kloer still found it hard to believe, but... thinking back on how long he’d known Gu Ning, he had never seen her face, nor heard her speak. She couldn’t even write well; Alex was the one who taught her.
Connecting all the pieces, he was forced to believe that she might... really be a Mimic Mixed Species.
Kloer pushed open the half-closed door, wanting to go verify it immediately. Jite stopped him, butting him back out with his head and letting out a low growl, warning him not to be impulsive.
’If Gu Ning really is a Mimic Mixed Species, and the boss didn’t tell us, then it’s possible that, just as Lanuo said, she is one of the Mimic Mixed Species the military plans to use to lure out the King Seed.’
’Even if not, for the boss to catch a Mimic Mixed Species and... train it so well, he must be planning to use it for some mission. We can’t disturb it.’
Kloer looked hesitantly at the little Mixed Breed curled up asleep on the sofa. He restrained himself and decided to wait for Alex to return before asking him.
He reached out, found the living room light switch by the door, and turned off the light.
The room plunged into darkness.
Gu Ning gripped the edge of the blanket, clenched her jaw, and didn’t dare to breathe too deeply. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
’Mimic Mixed Species...’
’Alex sees me... sees me as a Mimic Mixed Species?!’
Her mind felt like it had exploded. A tide of fear surged up from the depths of her heart, threatening to drown her sanity.
’No, I’ve already come clean with Alex. He’s seen me during my period, I’ve spoken to him, we’ve even slept together. Alex licked my skin, using his own scent to cover the female scent on me.’
’How could he possibly do all that with a Mimic Mixed Species?’
After a long while, Gu Ning finally suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her mind and forced herself to calm down.
But the trauma of being captured as a Mimic Mixed Species had always haunted her. After hearing Kloer’s communication with the Beastman on the terminal, she could no longer believe she was safe.
She didn’t dare to take the risk.
Just the thought of potentially being seen as a Mimic Mixed Species made her tremble uncontrollably.
Especially after hearing that the military was using Mimic Mixed Species to deal with Mutant Species.
’If... if Alex is really just doing this for the military’s plan... ’
Gu Ning took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
She had come to trust Alex completely during this time. The conversation between Kloer and the others was like a heavy hammer, making her head ring and dragging her back to cold reality.
’After all, I’m not the same as them... not the same species.’
’Maybe to them, humans really are Mimic Mixed Species.’
Gu Ning pulled the blanket down, stared at the door for a while, then pulled the blanket back up.
Gu Ning didn’t know how she managed to fall asleep.
She had a nightmare. She dreamed of that dim, noisy Underground Arena, with vicious Beastmen cheering and shouting all around her.
She clutched a small, blue-glowing knife in her hand, cowering in terror in a corner of the Beast Fighting Cage.
A hand reached out and roughly tore off her hat and mask.
Gu Ning’s gaze froze on the Beastman’s face in front of her. The next second, the scene shifted. She saw herself stabbing the knife into his eye. Bright red blood streamed down the blade, onto her hand, and then dripped to the ground. DRIP. DRIP.
She tried to back away, but the Beastman grabbed her wrist, his remaining eye staring at her sinisterly. "You can’t escape. I will find you and gouge out your eyes."
Gu Ning woke with a start, gasping for breath as she stared at the dim ceiling, drenched in a cold sweat.
The one-eyed Beastman from her dream was still clearly imprinted in her mind.
After a moment of stunned silence, Gu Ning shot up and turned her head to look out the window.
’It’s him!’
Thinking of Barto and Cook’s strange behavior and the Beastman from her dream, Gu Ning was seized by a splitting headache and overwhelming terror.
’He’s still alive! He’s come for revenge on me and Cook!’
After a long moment, Gu Ning came to her senses, threw off the blanket, and scrambled to her feet.
’If Kuinan was the one who took Cook, then he’s in danger!’
Thinking of Cook’s safety, Gu Ning couldn’t worry about anything else and ran for the door.
She hadn’t run more than a few steps when she tripped over something on the floor and fell onto a warm, hard, broad chest.
"Little Gu Ning, you’re awake?"
Kloer, who had been sleeping on the floor, was woken by the commotion, and his arm reflexively wrapped around her.
Gu Ning struggled out of his grip, instinctively trying to pull away from him. But when she thought about the situation Cook and Barto might be in, she realized she needed help and grabbed Kloer’s arm again.
"It’s not even morning yet," Kloer said drowsily. "Go back to sleep."
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something and was instantly wide awake. He looked at the little Mixed Breed trying to pull him up, and his body tensed slightly.
With a soft click, Jite turned on the room’s light.
Gu Ning rubbed her eyes, not yet adjusted to the light, and hastily took out a pen and paper to write a note for Kloer: [Find Alex. I’m begging you.]
Kloer saw the clumsy but neat handwriting on the note and looked over at Gu Ning.
Gu Ning handed him another note: [I’m begging you.]
No matter what, she had to take the gamble.
"Okay, I’ll take you to Alex. Don’t worry."
Seeing her anxious expression, Kloer gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He still couldn’t believe that this lively little Mixed Breed in front of him was a Mimic Mixed Species. Their time together over the past few days was still vivid in his mind. He had to get confirmation from Alex.
