Chapter 150: Merging with the Phantom (Part 2)

After deciding to go find Wu Zui, Ming Rourou took off her white lab coat and changed into casual clothes. After greeting the head of the research group, she excused herself by saying she was going out to recruit volunteers, to which the group leader raised no objections.

Although Ming Rourou was immensely talented in scientific research, she had joined the group too recently. Her standing during discussions clearly showed that she was a complete nobody here. After all, every single researcher in this place was among the top geniuses of the Huaguo nation.

Geniuses were simply the average citizens here.

After Ming Rourou left, the group leader began assigning core members to draw Li Jie's blood, spinal fluid, and other biological samples. The research institute needed to fully understand the impact of fused ghosts on humans. If the disadvantages outweighed the advantages, the higher-ups of Huaguo would likely never approve the experiments.

Since Li Jie was the first awakened individual to fuse with a ghost, his research value was immense. Therefore, the institute would do everything in its power to keep him alive until a new fusion subject appeared. Of course, enduring the physical hardships and torment of routine experiments was unavoidable.

Having left the research institute, Ming Rourou certainly had no intention of recruiting volunteers. Taking on the task was merely an excuse to get out. As for the recruitment itself? She could simply have her assistant post a few casual recruitment ads online, and fearless volunteers would naturally flock in.

Her true destination, of course, was where Wu Zui was staying.

Using her researcher credentials, she easily tracked down the hotel where Wu Zui was staying through the Yanjing City Detective Bureau. However, she did not go directly there. Instead, she visited a clothing store that was still open for business and changed into a cute, youthful outfit.

After all, a certain someone did not like sexy styles.

This was evident from the fact that Xiao Ke'ai was thriving under Wu Zui, getting whatever she wanted, while a certain someone had previously asked for a mere drop of blood for research and was flatly refused. The stark difference between the two treatments was obvious.

Well... Ming Rourou still remembered when she first learned about Wu Zui's special blood. She had worn a sexy slip dress and asked Wu Zui to spare some blood for her research. As a result, that unromantic brute had struck her directly on the back of the neck, knocking her unconscious.

"Oh, my disgraceful dark history!"

Ming Rourou stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking at herself as if she had returned to her school days, sighing softly. She felt like it had been a very long time since she had dressed in this style to go out on the street. Yet, she had to admit, her heart fluttered with a little excitement!

Intellect and cuteness combined perfectly in Ming Rourou, and this charm dealt an immensely devastating blow to the male species. Inside the shopping mall, quite a few men were already casting frequent glances her way.

Ming Rourou decisively paid and left.

*Little blood bank! I'm almost there~*

Driving a car with special research institute license plates, Ming Rourou avoided being pestered by persistent suitors. Otherwise, with her current level of attractiveness, people would probably be chasing her endlessly for her contact info.

Arriving at the hotel where Wu Zui was staying, she presented the credentials affiliating her with the detective bureau. Under the guise of official business, Ming Rourou easily obtained the spare key to Wu Zui's room and made her way inside.

Meanwhile, that certain someone, who was still sitting cross-legged on the bed meditating, assumed it was just room service. It wasn't until a pair of somewhat chilly hands wrapped around his neck that Wu Zui realized it wasn't a waiter. Before he could even see who the intruder was, his body instinctively executed a shoulder-strike.

Bang.

Ming Rourou was slammed directly against the wall by Wu Zui, and his arm hooked tightly around her neck. Fortunately, Ming Rourou's magnet-energy cultivation was not low either. Protected by her magnet-energy defense, she didn't suffer any injuries from the impact. Otherwise, things would have gotten very interesting.

"Ming Rourou? How did you find me?"

Once Wu Zui clearly recognized who it was, he withdrew his arm and asked her with a puzzled expression. As for her intentions, he knew them all too well. When had this woman ever shown up without plotting to get her hands on his blood for research?

"A researcher's privileges are huge these days~ Tracking down a tiny fugitive like you is as easy as pie." As Ming Rourou spoke, she pulled out a detective badge, its rank matching that of a municipal bureau chief.

And she was just an ordinary newcomer who had entered the research institute less than a few weeks ago!

*Has the promotion system for Huaguo detectives completely collapsed?!*

Looking at the information on the detective badge, Wu Zui felt his worldview receive a massive shock. Shouldn't a normal municipal bureau chief be at least thirty-five years old with over ten years of work experience? As for Ming Rourou, had she ever worked a single day in the field? Had she ever caught a single criminal?

"Heh."

At this thought, Wu Zui let out a dry laugh.

Ming Rourou: "(｀ι_´メ)"

*You bastard, who are you laughing at with that sarcastic 'heh'?!*

The power of that taunt was so immense that it almost made Ming Rourou immediately execute Plan B—drugging Wu Zui into unconsciousness and then forcibly drawing his blood!

"Wuwu~ I risked being discovered by the research institute to bring you intelligence, and yet you're still bullying me~ I'm so pitiful~" Ming Rourou whined in a sickeningly sweet voice, almost causing the goosebumps all over Wu Zui's body to perish en masse.

Wu Zui shivered and cut straight to the point: "Ming Rourou, we've known each other for a long time. Can you just state your business directly? Please stop playing cute to scare me! Do you know how terrifying you look when you do that?"

Ming Rourou's face darkened rapidly, and she quietly felt around her waist. As a wuxia fan, she carried all sorts of concoctions copied from martial arts novels within reach—such as knockout powders, corpse-dissolving liquids, three-step gut-wrenching poisons, aphrodisiacs...

*Fine! Since you're courting death, Plan B it is!*

"Alright! This piece of intelligence is crucial, the life-and-death kind! I want a hefty price! Ten vials!" Ming Rourou crossed her index fingers to form a plus sign.

Hearing this, Wu Zui knew she never joked about such matters. After all, until Wu Zui's unique physique was thoroughly understood, Ming Rourou would never bear to let him die, nor would she push him to the point where he loathed the sight of her.

"Tell me first, price is not an issue."

Wu Zui sat back on the bed, gesturing for Ming Rourou to continue.

Ming Rourou glanced at him, keeping her distance, and spoke directly: "A fat sheep arrived at the research institute today. He is a deviant who fused with a six-star ghost. Inspired by him, the institute is now preparing to conduct research on ghost fusion.

"The primary purpose of the experiment is to have awakened individuals fuse with ghosts and then send them out to absorb the apocalyptic black mist. Your blood causes immense damage to ghosts. Once discovered, you are very likely to become the inhibitor used to prevent backlash during ghost fusion."

Ming Rourou tried to keep her explanation as concise as possible to convey the severity of the current situation.

"Fuse with ghosts? Are they courting death?!"

Wu Zui's hand twitched involuntarily, and the words slipped out of his mouth.

He was genuinely startled by what Ming Rourou had said. These research madmen really dared to think of anything and try anything!

Ming Rourou offered no comment on Wu Zui's remark. If researchers were afraid of death, how could they possibly deal with those terrifying ghosts? Besides, aside from a freak like Wu Zui, everyone else relied heavily on special weaponry to fight ghosts, and those weapons were all developed by their research!

Ming Rourou curled her lips in disdain, then crooked her finger at Wu Zui, signaling him to pay up the agreed-upon price.

"I don't have that many blood vials on me right now! You brought a syringe, didn't you? I'll go draw some. Take a seat and wait for me for a moment; help yourself to whatever is on the table." Wu Zui gestured to Ming Rourou, knowing she always carried scalpels and syringes with her.

One was for self-defense, and the other was for drawing his blood.

Sure enough, Ming Rourou handed over a set of syringes.

Without inspecting them closely, Wu Zui took them and headed straight for the bathroom. Draw blood in front of Ming Rourou? Ha, you have no idea how crazy that woman was. She would pester you endlessly, refusing to let you stop drawing blood until you had bled to near-fatal levels!

Bang.

Click.

Entering the bathroom, Wu Zui casually locked the door.

Meanwhile, Ming Rourou swiftly retrieved the prepared medicine bottles from her waist. They were identical little porcelain vials filled with white medicinal powder. Only Ming Rourou, the one who concocted them, could tell them apart by their scent.

This was a safety precaution. If anyone ever discovered them, Ming Rourou could easily fool them by claiming it was pearl powder! What if some fool actually ate it or rubbed it on their skin? That would be quite a spectacle.

Ming Rourou opened one of the bottle caps and sniffed it.

*Poison? Not this one!*

She opened another and sniffed.

*Aphrodisiac? Not this one either! Where did I put it? I should really make a small mark next time!*

The third one—she sniffed it.

*Knockout powder! This is the one! Damn you, Wu Zui, once I knock you out, I'm going to drain your blood dry!*

Toying with the small porcelain vial containing the knockout powder, Ming Rourou gnashed her teeth and thought viciously to herself.

Click.

Screech.

The bathroom door was pushed open a crack by Wu Zui. Ming Rourou hurriedly put down the bottle in her hand and rushed over, using her body to block the doorway.

"Ming Rourou, this syringe has already been used! Are you trying to trick me?" Wu Zui raised the used syringe and questioned her.

Ming Rourou glanced at the syringe.

*Ah right, when that ghost fusion subject came over earlier, I fooled him into letting me draw a tube of blood first! Damn it, I forgot to switch to a new syringe!*

"Oh, is that so? Let me have my assistant bring a new one over, it'll be really fast! Just wait a moment, you know how it is—things bought outside aren't properly sterilized anyway!" Ming Rourou pulled out her phone from her pocket and called her assistant at the research institute.

Along the way, she also reminded her assistant to make sure the volunteer recruitment ad was published. Since Ming Rourou still had to block the doorway to prevent Wu Zui from seeing the small porcelain bottles on the table, she chatted with her assistant while keeping Wu Zui trapped in the bathroom.

At this moment, Lai, who had been fast asleep on the bed, woke up. It slithered off Xiao Ke'ai, rummaged through the fur on Xiao Ke'ai's back while she continued to sleep, expertly located the red crystal Wu Zui had left behind, and began to munch on it.

Crunch, crunch. The sound made Ming Rourou slightly curious.

Just as she was about to turn around and look, Wu Zui called out to her.