There are Always Variables in Life
Qian Xu’s scarlet eyes were full of indifference and he raised his sharp claws to stab her.
Luo Lan was full of tears and shrank back in fear, but she still refused to shoot.
Abruptly, Qian Xu’s movement halted, as if his strength was rapidly losing from his body.
The scarlet eyes turned black at speed visible to the naked eye. The bloodthirsty indifference in his eyes turned into a painful look. The hand that nearly stabbed Luo Lan’s heart shook violently.
Luo Lan exclaimed, “Qian Xu!”
He closed his eyes and fainted.
Luo Lan was taken aback for a moment. She was hesitating to reach out. When she reached out her hand to touch Qian Xu, Chen Sha appeared in her vision and threw Qian Xu out of the car.
Right after, Feng Lin and An Na also rushed over. Feng Lin urgently asked, “Luo Lan, are you hurt?”
Luo Lan wiped away her tears and shook her head, “I’m not hurt.”
Chen Sha leaned over to support Luo Lan, wanting to take her away.
Luo Lan pushed his hand away. She got out of the car by herself and looked anxiously at Qian Xu who was unconscious on the ground, “He… will be fine, right?”
An Na, who was checking Qian Xu, had a solemn expression and didn’t utter a single word.
“There should be nothing wrong with him this time.” Feng Lin picked up the empty syringe from the car and said dejectedly, “He realized something was wrong with him. He injected the medicine we developed in advance, but it didn’t work as expected and his mutation still occurred.”
Luo Lan breathed a sigh of relief and asked impatiently, “What is Qian Xu’s disease? His physical features changed only partially but he lost his mind and became bloodthirsty.” Sudden mutation would completely turn the person into beasts without any warning. They would lose their mind and become very aggressive. Natural mutation would turn some physical features into beasts, but they wouldn’t lose their mind. Qian Xu didn’t match with either description.
“His disease is very rare. If it is not rare, he wouldn’t be in the Research Institute. For the time being, we call it ‘natural mutation of pseudo-sudden mutation’[1].”
“What?” Luo Lan knows all kinds of mutations very well, but this was the first time she heard about this disease.
“The patient will show signs of sudden mutation for a short time. When Professor An[2] introduced Qian Xu to me, originally, I thought he was a special case and could be helpful to our study of sudden mutation, so I let him into the Research Institute.” Feng Lin lowered her head, her gaze locked on the empty syringe, and said sadly, “This is the latest medicine developed after studying your genes! For so many years, the Research Institute couldn’t help him nor made any progress for his disease.”
The medical robot carried Qian Xu to the ambulance. An Na went inside to escort Qian Xu back to the Research Institute.
“I’ll leave first, you escort Luo Lan back.” Feng Lin and Chen Sha made a sound, but they both tailed behind An Na to the ambulance.
Luo Lan hurriedly said, “I’ll go back to the research institute with you.”
Feng Lin persuaded, “You go back and have a rest! Qian Xu’s disease… you can’t help him at the moment.”
“There is something that I must say to Qian Xu. I have to wait for him to wake up,” Luo Lan persisted.
Chen Sha made a decision and grabbed Luo Lan’s arm, “I’ll take you to the Research Institute.”
In the car, Luo Lan was in trance.
Over the past ten years, she has wanted to ask Qian Xu countless times about his disease, but she never dared to. She always feels that she wasn’t capable enough to help so she wanted to ask Qian Xu when she was capable enough, in that way she would be able to help him. She never thought that Qian Xu’s disease would be suddenly exposed in front of her without any notice.
Feng Lin looked at Luo Lan, then at Chen Sha, and silently sighed in her heart.
Luo Lan suddenly remembered something, “That.. who was the person that was able to regain his sanity after a mutation? Can I partake in that case study?”
Feng Lin didn’t utter a word at all.
Luo Lan felt strange and asked tentatively, “The patient’s identity is very special?”
For such an important case, it must be in-depth research that covers various aspects. But, every time this case was mentioned, it was only a vague description, so far as to not disclose the personal data of the patient at all. It was just known that there was a case of someone that regained his sanity and changed back to a human.
Feng Lin’s expression was solemn and respectful, “It was Odin’s first consul, You Beichen.”
Luo Lan realized quickly that he was the legendary figure who built Odin Federation from scratch! The outside world only knew that You Beichen died from illness when he was less than 300 years old. People thought he fell ill because of overworking. Turns out, it was because of a sudden mutation. Such a huge secret, if it was spread out, no doubt it would lead to a great disturbance all around Interstellar. No wonder it was strictly confidential.
Feng Lin continued, “Because it is related to the consul, the research has always been led by someone that was specially elected. Now, Professor An is the one in charge. Even I myself can only view the research results and can’t directly participate in the research. If you want to transfer to Professor An’s office, I can submit an application for you, but…”
“No need!”
Luo Lan didn’t want to come in contact with such a confidential secret in the slightest. It’s the gene of the most talented person in Federation history. Last time, because of two apples, she was almost put to death by Aerdes. For the sake of her life, she already learned not to touch what should not be touched! Such a precious gene was one of them!
However, when all is said and done, that case was the sole case of a person regaining his sanity from sudden mutation. Although he still succumbed to death because of a sudden mutation, it was still a valuable reference to study for Qian Xu’s disease.
Luo Lan bit her lips and asked, “Can I check Professor An’s research data?”
“It’s all on the internal information network. I can help you apply for permission. But, if you need more detailed research data, you can directly contact Professor An and ask him for access.”
Luo Lan was relieved. It seems that the old professors have long designed a set process that allows everyone to access his research and let them do their research without bringing danger to themselves
————·————·————
When Qian Xu opened his eyes, what greeted him was Luo Lan that was half-lying beside his hospital bed, browsing medical materials. She was holding her head in one hand and a pen in the other hand. The long curly hair was casually tied behind her head, one strand was still unruly and curled up around her face. There were several red marks on her skin, which look out of place on her fair skin, but her expression was full of focus, unintentionally showing a serious beauty.
Qian Xu was staring at the graze on her cheek. Luo Lan seemed to be aware of his stare. She promptly lifted her head, smiled, and said, “Are you awake?”
“Mn. Why are you here?”
“I am returning this to you!” Luo Lan put the gun he gave her on his hand.
Qian Xu held the gun. His eyes were deep and serene, “Why did you not shoot?”
“You… remember what happened?”
“It was as if I was in a dream. I was like a bystander, watching on the side, but I know I broke the window and tried to kill you.” Qian Xu stared at Luo Lan, “Why did you not shoot?”
Luo Lan was angry. “You know you could regain your sanity and still ask me why I did not shoot? If I listened to you, wouldn’t I become a murderer who killed my best friend??”
“If I don’t regain my sanity, you will be killed by me.”
“Oh! So in order not to be a murderer, you let me be a murderer! ”
Qian Xu was taken aback. He closed his mouth tightly, his eyes were full of pain.
Luo Lan softened at once, “Let’s not quarrel about what didn’t happen. Anyway, you didn’t kill me and I didn’t kill you. Nothing happened, okay.”
“You want to act as if nothing happened? You still have the courage to go out alone with me after everything?”
“Yeah! Why should I not?”
Qian Xu stared at her, “Even if I can regain my sanity this time, it doesn’t mean I can regain it next time!”
“I’m not afraid!” Luo Lan raised her chin. “If you aren’t convinced yet, we can go out alone together tomorrow.”
“But, I’m afraid!” Qian Xu diverted his line of sight, his words were bitter and astringent, “I don’t want to kill you, nor do I want to be killed by you. The best choice for both of us is to have less contact.”
Luo Lan didn’t dare to misunderstand and looked at Qian Xu conscientiously, “Are you joking?”
“No one will joke about their own life.”
“Less contact? Then how about none at all! Wouldn’t it be safest! Never seeing each other again!” Luo Lan was peeved. She let out her temper and spoke some foolish words, hoping the cruel words that hurt the other and also herself could make Qian Xu take back his words. However, a person like Qian Xu had another way of thinking.
Qian Xu was silent for a moment, he even said in agreement, “Right, certainly it’s better that way.”
Luo Lan was going to be mad at him. Trying her best to be ferocious while her heart was drenched in cold water, she asked, “Qian Xu, I’ll ask you for the last time. Are you going to cut off all contact with me?”
Qian Xu was silent and didn’t answer.
Luo Lan looked at him coldly. She seemed stubborn and didn’t care at all about Qian Xu’s choice, but only she knew how panicked and uncomfortable her heart was.
Tinkles of bells sounded from the door, breaking the deadlock between them.
Luo Lan turned around and before she could utter any word, Zong Li and Zi Yan walked into the ward one after another.
Luo Lan asked, “What are both of you here for?”
Zi Yan stopped at her side and said with a smile, “Work.”
Zong Li went straight to the hospital bed and showed his credentials to Qian Xu, “I’m Zong Li, the Federation Minister of Public Security. Four people died in our federal territory. I need your cooperation in the investigation.”
Qian Xu sat up, “Okay.”
Zong Li was the chief of the police and there were fake police involved. It’s only natural he would want to investigate, but… Luo Lan reacted very fast, she urgently grabs Zi Yan’s arm, lowered her voice, and said, “Do me a favor…”
Zong Li’s cold voice sounded, interrupting what she had not finished saying, “Madam Commander[3], please go out. I need to talk with Qian Xu alone.”
Luo Lan tightened her hold on Zi Yan’s arm violently. Her whole person was petrified. Her body and mind were blank. She never expected to hide her secrets from Qian Xu all her life, and even considered when to confess her secrets to him. However, in many scenarios she had conjured, she never thought that Qian Xu would find out that she had deceived him all the time in this kind of situation.
“Madam Commander?” Qian Xu’s voice was erratic and lacked his usual strength as if it came from a very distant place.
Perhaps he wanted Luo Lan to say, “He admitted the wrong person”, but currently Luo Lan didn’t even have the courage to look at him.
Footnotes
假性突发性异变的自然性异变- jiǎ xìnɡ tū fā xìng yì biàn de zì rán xìnɡ yì biàn; lit natural mutation of pseudo-sudden mutation. I’m not good at making up names, so I put it literally.↵
安教授 – ān jiàoshòu; Professor An. Different character from An Na (安娜), but they share the same surname (安).↵
指挥官夫人- Zhǐhuīguān fūren; lit. Madam/Lady Commander.↵
Amoeba’s Corner
See? See? Chen Sha is a good boy, at least he is on time this time. ಥ◡ಥ) (But I still love Qian Xu more, sorry Chen Sha)
Ngl, Chen Sha was so pitiful in this chapter, he was her husband yet… Ya, please send some love to him.
Zong Li is the kind of friend that could never read the mood in the room. No wonder he is always so gloomy. ಥ◡ಥ)
See you on Sunday! All parts of Chapter 9 will be released next week~! By the way, my time zone is UTC+7. So, some of you probably will receive the next chapter and so on earlier. (ﻭ˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
This chapter words count (excluding title, footnotes, and TL’s corner): 2041
“Chen Sha leaned over to support Luo Lan, wanting to take her away.
Luo Lan pushed his hand away”. CS is trying but too little too late.
What an emotional chapter. How could Luo Lan shoot her only friend? Thank god QX fainted at the right time.
One secret is in the open, I think QX will use it as a further excuse to try pushing Luo Lan away as he is afraid of hurting her.
If a word can be used to describe Chen Sha, it must be “regret”, after all.
Chapter 9 would be more emotional! I hope my translation will be passable enough to convey the emotions…!