TTAETSC Chapter 26.4 - Little Octopus' Key Operation

Translator: Deyonna

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Chen Xinyue paused briefly, then quickly reacted, showing a slightly embarrassed yet anxious expression.

"Yes, yes, yes, it's a very rare evolved species, pink, about the size of a palm. It was squatting on his shoulder when we came in."

Saying this, she looked at Liu Shan, the person in charge.

"Officer Liu, you must have seen it earlier. It's especially cute."

Liu Shan reacted quickly and soon remembered.

Indeed, that's true.

Although evolved species are not few, most are large, fierce, and bad-tempered. The evolved species suitable as pets, like the small ones, are only easy to find in the Main City.

Liu Shan had a deep impression. Besides, a good-quality item like that pink jellyfish would certainly not be cheap.

Upon hearing this, Jon, his face deathly pale, held his stomach and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, yes, yes, that little guy is extremely rare. We must search carefully for it."

Saying this, he waved his hand, wearing a warm expression.

"Quick, everyone, help Captain Chen search carefully."

At this moment, Chen Xinyue helped Jon up from the ground slowly. She did not reprimand him, but only gave him a worried, inquiring look. Jon shook his head and tried hard to open his mouth to show a bright yet ugly grin.

When his lips parted, his mouth was full of blood.

Captain Chen's eyes suddenly turned cold as she glanced at the man who had just kicked Jon, murderous intent rising in her heart.

At the same time, Yuan Ye had already found the lost "little jellyfish," hidden on the inner side of the front tire of the main control signal car. It seemed frightened, trembling and curled up, showing only half of its head.

Its soppy, round blue eyes stared at him without blinking, but it did not come closer.

Yuan Ye's heart constricted, and he immediately walked over in long strides. Earlier, the "little jellyfish" had always been very proactive about climbing onto his body, but this time it didn't move.

"It's here! It's here!"

This time, someone shouted and reached out to grab it, but the "little jellyfish" panicked and hid, though it did not run.

Why didn't it run away?

Injured?

Yuan Ye's face suddenly became very grim.

The man who had kicked Jon just now drew a very sharp dagger and reached in from the other side, seemingly trying to pry it out.

"Fuck, this little thing is quite good at hiding."

Bang—!

With this sound, Bernie was no longer in the same place. He was kicked out, rolling and sliding across the gravel-covered ground. It took more than ten meters for the force to dissipate.

A long bloodstain instantly appeared on the ground, and Bernie lay in the distance, completely silent and motionless.

Thud!

A black boot stepped on the dagger, and countless white lines flashed. The next second, the dagger and even the ground around it broke apart with a sound.

Boom!!!

Four stationed signal cars sank into the ground, almost half of each vehicle's body buried.

Rumble—

Even deep in the mountain forest, a flock of frightened birds took flight in panic, trying to escape.

"Holy crap!"

Jon was so shocked that he forgot the captain's gag order.

Chen Xinyue's hair stood on end, and she subconsciously pulled Jon back several steps. As a mutant, her sharp intuition frantically warned her, even making her consider running away.

In that instant, Chen Xinyue suddenly understood Hu Changchuan. She understood the seemingly exaggerated actions of the other man, and she also understood the genuine fear he felt toward Yuan Ye from the bottom of his heart.

The former chief of decontamination officers…

Even though he had committed a serious crime, Her Majesty the Queen had only issued a banishment order. Apart from that, there had been no other punishment.

For the first time, Chen Xinyue thoroughly understood what lay behind this seemingly absurd rumor.

The surrounding military investigators stood with blank expressions, their bodies swaying, lips trembling, unable to utter a word.

The person in charge, Liu Shan, barely managed to stay on his feet. That afternoon, the leader had specifically warned him about a man carrying a long knife, but he had never imagined the man would turn out to be such a terrifying individual.

But no one dared to speak.

Surrounded by countless fearful or panic-stricken gazes, Yuan Ye's face showed no particular expression. Or rather, he had grown accustomed to it and no longer cared.

The young man crouched down, searching anxiously for the little jellyfish hidden inside the side of the tire.

At this time, Ye Yunfan had also regained his senses.

Earth… earthquake…?

But it didn't quite seem like one.

Without thinking too much, the little octopus suddenly caught sight of those familiar heterochromatic eyes. His eyes lit up, and he immediately reached two tentacles toward the young man.

Small waves~

Yuan Ye paused for a moment. Having experienced it once, he understood the meaning of the gesture at once.

—It wanted him to hug.

To hug…

The young man hesitated for a few moments, the slippery, sticky sensation still lingering on his right hand. But he slowly extended both hands and gestured to embrace the "little jellyfish."

The next second, the pink little tentacles wrapped around Yuan Ye's fingertips, and the familiar soft, moist body quickly settled into the hollow of his palm.

Yuan Ye weighed it in his hand with a hint of wonder. The "little jellyfish" seemed to have grown slightly heavier.

But he didn't mind. After a quick look to confirm the little guy was unharmed, Yuan Ye's expression improved considerably.

He stood up, ignored everyone's gaze, and left directly.

However, this time Yuan Ye didn't put the "little jellyfish" on his shoulder. He held it in his palm instead.

Chen Xinyue also came to her senses. She pulled Jon along and, without saying much, quickly left, following behind Yuan Ye.

It wasn't until the backs of the three had disappeared into the distance that Liu Shan finally managed to catch his breath.

"Squad... Squad Leader Liu…"

Someone swallowed hard, their voice trembling. Then another man crawled and ran to check on Bernie's condition, so frightened that he subconsciously cried out.

"De... dead... he's dead!"

Liu Shan's expression suddenly darkened, and he turned around and roared, "Shut up!"

That afternoon, Team Leader Liang had already instructed them to set aside the matter of the death gratuity temporarily. Before Chen Xinyue and the others left, no new issues were to arise.

Above all, under no circumstances were they to offend the man with the long knife. None of them could afford to offend him. And now, the outcome…

Liu Shan glanced at Bernie's body, angry and resentful to the point that his teeth itched. But this matter still had to be suppressed.

He took a deep breath and coldly swept his eyes across the surroundings.

"Tonight's events. No one is to speak of them!"

"...yes."

At the same time, Yuan Ye and the other two had already returned to the car.

Chen Xinyue started the car cautiously, turned slowly, and tried to minimize the jolting.

Jon sat in the passenger seat. The captain even fastened his seat belt. Each breath brought intense pain, so he could only keep his eyes closed and stay silent.

The curly-haired puppy's face was deathly pale. He bit his lips tightly, as if trying to endure the pain. Yuan Ye sat in the back seat, his eyes fixed intently on the "little jellyfish" in his palm.

It didn't run around cheerfully as usual, walking in its two shoes, nor did it lazily lie down to play. All its tentacles were retracted, tightly hugging its belly, curled up into a ball.

Yuan Ye didn't understand what was wrong with it, but it was clear that something was not right with its condition. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have let it run around recklessly.

Yuan Ye did not realize that this was the first time he had felt regret.

At that moment, no one said a word, and for a while the atmosphere inside the car grew heavy and stifling.

Chen Xinyue glanced at Jon, who was barely breathing, her eyes slightly red at the corners. She suddenly felt a pang of regret for her impulsiveness.

Seeming to notice Chen Xinyue's gaze, Jon made an effort to look relaxed.

"It's... it's alright, Captain. My luck has always been good."

At first he wanted to comfort Chen Xinyue, but after saying this, Jon realized that they had gone through so much trouble in the middle of the night and still hadn't found the most important thing.

Saying his luck was good was clearly not right.

For example, shortly after he joined the team, all the team members had sacrificed themselves. The curly-haired puppy's mood plummeted.

"I'm sorry, Captain, I... I'm too stupid, I didn't find... cough cough... I didn't find the thing, and I was discovered by someone…"

Jon felt very bad about himself, dragging everyone down again.

"I've caused trouble for you all…"

"Nonsense!"

Captain Chen interrupted him at once.

On the way back, she drove very slowly, even deliberately avoiding the bumpy sections of road and trying to keep the car steady.

"If the thing wasn't found, it wasn't found. How is it your fault? In the Main City, with so many big shots, can those guys still escape?"

Chen Xinyue glanced at the dejected Jon, sighed, and reached out to rub his soft curly hair with one hand. Her voice grew particularly gentle.

"Don't say anything for now. Rest well. Our seventh team has only the two of us left. You have to take care of yourself, you know?"

"Captain…"

Jon was immediately moved to tears.

While Captain Chen comforted the curly-haired puppy, the little octopus popped his head out of Yuan Ye's hand. He looked out the window, trying to estimate in his mind how far they had traveled.

At that moment, Yuan Ye was in no mood to think about the chip. His brows were wrinkled, and his gaze stayed fixed on the "little jellyfish," not moving away.

He had found that the little guy was indeed not injured, but he didn't understand why the little guy was acting so unusually.

So he kept staring at it, trying to work out what this little guy was up to.

After a few minutes, the little octopus finally confirmed that they had traveled far from the temporary signal station and that the surroundings were safe.

It was only then that he unfolded his small tentacles one by one, took out the metal piece hidden under his belly, and held it up high.

Ta-da!

The little octopus confidently put his hands on his hips.

Yuan Ye, who was stunned: "...???"

Chen Xinyue, who happened to see it in the rearview mirror, was also stunned: "...!!!"

Following the captain's gaze, Jon slowly turned his head and looked over. He sat sluggish for two seconds before suddenly exclaiming—

"Chi, chi, chi... Chip?!!!"

☰