DA chapter 59

Similar to yesterday’s situation at dawn, the patients were like sheep being herded by the shepherd outside the inpatient building during release time.

There were two differences from yesterday’s situation. First, when everyone passed the first floor of the inpatient building, they saw the Fishman behind the consultation desk. It was already the third day, and its mutation speed had increased sharply. Fish scales had grown all over its face, shimmering under the light.

Second, everyone discovered that one more of the eight involved people was missing among those released this time.

The curly-haired man was not there.

Since the nurse was still with them, even though they knew that Jin Jian and the curly-haired man were in Ward 201 together, they could only refrain from asking.

Only after the nurse drove the remaining people to the flower bed and left did the others ask where the curly-haired man had gone.

Jin Jian’s face looked terrible. Inside the circle formed by everyone, he nervously glanced at his brother. Seeing that Jin Jie was still alive and well seemed to comfort him, and he let out a breath.

No matter how much they questioned him, however, Jin Jian remained silent. He refused to answer any questions about the whereabouts of the curly-haired man.

Xiao Yao wanted to hit someone, but Lin Jia stopped him with one glance.

He lightly cast a glance at Jin Jian.

Actually, why the curly-haired man had disappeared and why Jin Jian remained silent — Lin Jia knew the answer. Not only Lin Jia, everyone else also had an answer. Most likely, it was similar to what happened with Jin Jie the previous day. Unwilling to violate the nurse’s warning, he concealed the truth.

However, Jin Jie remained alive and well, yet Jin Jian still refused to speak.

Presumably, Jin Jian saw and heard more than Jin Jie last night. He obtained an important clue and wanted to search for the Soup Base himself to obtain the fish spirit.

Compared to Jin Jie, Jin Jian’s thoughts ran deeper. It would be difficult to force anything out of him through questioning.

“Captain Yan.” Lin Jia said, looking at Yan Xu. “Captain Yan, what flavor of biscuits would you like at lunch?”

Xiao Yao, beside them, was already anxious and irritated because Jin Jian still refused to reveal what happened last night. Hearing Lin Jia’s question, a string of question marks popped into Xiao Yao’s head.

Setting aside the question of whether compressed biscuits even had flavor choices — was this the time to ask about lunch? Shouldn’t they pin down this idiot, Jin Jian, and beat him until he talked? They needed to pry open his mouth to find out what happened in Ward 201 last night.

It was already the third day. If they still could not guess the Soup Base, they would all die in the Fish Belly. Yet Lin Jia somehow did not seem to care much.

Xiao Tian looked at Lin Jia, confusion evident on her face, but it quickly disappeared. Although she often could not understand Lin Jia’s methods, she firmly believed that every action Lin Jia took had a reason behind it.

She remained silent, her eyes fixed tightly on Lin Jia.

Lin Jia’s question was ill-timed, and many people looked up at him.

Among those looking at Lin Jia was Yan Xu, who looked over half a beat later.

“Mm…” He thought for a moment, then asked, “What flavors are there?”

Everyone: “????”

They treated Yan Xu as the final guarantee inside the Fish Belly, but he wasn’t concerned about last night’s situation. Instead, he was thinking about what to eat at lunch?

Jin Jian and Jin Jie looked up at Yan Xu and Lin Jia. They suddenly realized that Yan Xu’s entry into the Fish Belly was probably not accidental. Yan Xu and Lin Jia definitely knew each other, and Yan Xu’s presence in the Fish Belly was undoubtedly due to Lin Jia.

Yan Xu and Sharp Knife were in the same group!

But realizing this now was already too late. Of the eight people involved, two had already died. Of the remaining six, aside from the Jin brothers, all were Sharp Knife people.

In terms of numbers, the Jin brothers had already lost.

A wave of fear rose in Jin Jian’s heart as he looked at Yan Xu.

Today was the third day in the Fish Belly. Everyone had witnessed the Fishman’s mutation, and with the number of people continuously decreasing, most wore grave expressions. However, Jin Jian noticed that Yan Xu seemed to be an exception.

No, it could not be said that Yan Xu alone was the exception—Lin Jia, whom Yan Xu held in such high regard, also had a calm face, as if the Fishman’s mutation were not an issue at all.

Jin Jian knew in his heart that there were no people in this world who were truly unafraid of death. Given the ease with which Yan Xu and Lin Jia spoke, they had most likely already grasped key information about the Fish Belly.

Otherwise, these two would not have the spare attention to conduct a Q&A about lunch at this moment.

Jin Jian’s gaze moved back and forth between Lin Jia and Yan Xu as many thoughts arose in his mind. He guessed that perhaps the only reason they were still accompanying them inside the Fish Belly was because some details of the Soup Base were still missing.

They simply did not care what had happened in Ward 201 last night nor did they force him to speak.

Jin Jian’s mind raced. Although everyone remaining was Sharp Knife people, obtaining the fish spirit would most likely be impossible. However, compared with the fish spirit, human life was more important.

After all, they risked entering the Fish Belly to obtain fish spirit only in order to survive in the Underwater World. Now they had a path to live — Yan Xu and Lin Jia were about to find the Soup Base, but…

They still had to return to the Underwater World.

Lin Jia’s identity was a mystery to Jin Jian, but Yan Xu’s was not. Yan Xu was the inspection team captain. If they safely returned, would Yan Xu target him for concealing information?

In the Underwater World, it was simply too easy for people in the administration to target an ordinary person, not to mention that Yan Xu held a high position and had Deputy Chen behind him.

Thinking of this, Jin Jian could already picture Yan Xu bringing people to ‘raid his home,’ so he hurriedly said, “Captain Yan, last night I…”

Jin Jian swallowed and continued, “Last night, a shadow appeared in Ward 201. I remembered your instruction, Captain Yan, and did not respond, but, but…he opened the door…”

Lin Jia looked at Jin Jian lightly. Jin Jian kept swallowing. Seeing the slight frown on Lin Jia’s face, he thought Lin Jia was impatient. Not wanting to keep them waiting any longer, he continued. “That shadow bewitched him with its voice. I did not dare go too close. From my angle, the one knocking was just a shadow, not a person.”

Only then did Lin Jia relax his slightly furrowed brows and ask, “What did they say?”

Jin Jian said, “The thing outside asked why his belly had not grown big yet and said that many places needed money.”

Everyone listened to Jin Jian’s account.

Jin Jian said, “He said he didn’t know.”

Jin Jian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: “Then that shadow touched his belly, and his belly suddenly grew big.”

Lin Jia: “And then?”

Recalling last night’s scene, Jin Jian continued, “Then the shadow left.”

“Just that simple?” Xiao Yao looked completely incredulous. “Why didn’t you say that at first?”

“I…” Jin Jian stammered for a moment. “Because the nurse wouldn’t let me! Didn’t the doctor’s orders say you can’t go against the medical staff?”

Xiao Yao still wanted to say something, but Lin Jia stopped him.

“Enough.” Lin Jia cut Xiao Yao off. “Raise your voice a little more and the nurse will come over.”

Xiao Yao could only shut up. After Xiao Yao fell silent, Lin Jia looked deeply at Jin Jian once. Jin Jian hurriedly lowered his head, avoiding Lin Jia’s gaze.

“Really, just like that.” Jin Jian emphasized.

Xiao Yao was extremely irritated and wanted to say something when Xiao Tian, who was sitting next to him, pulled him lightly and whispered, “Brother Xiao, I understand now.”

Xiao Yao asked, “What?”

Xiao Tian signaled for Xiao Yao to look at Yan Xu. Following his gaze, Xiao Yao saw that while Lin Jia was staring down Jin Jian, Yan Xu was also looking at Lin Jia.

Xiao Tian said, “Brother Jia asked Captain Yan what he wanted to eat at lunch on purpose.”

Xiao Yao: “Wh…”

After all, Xiao Yao was not stupid. With Xiao Tian’s reminder, he quickly understood what she meant.

Lin Jia had deliberately asked Yan Xu what he wanted to eat at lunch — or rather, Lin Jia had deliberately appeared at ease for Jin Jian to see.

This caused Jin Jian, who was already under pressure, to mistakenly believe that their ease meant that they had found the key clue to the Soup Base. Jin Jian judged people by status and advantage. Knowing that he was surrounded by Sharp Knife and that the clue in his hand was insignificant, he would never dare to posture because leaving Fish Belly meant returning to the Underwater World.

So with one sentence, Lin Jia drew out the clue Jin Jian had refused to say.

Xiao Yao once again admired Lin Jia’s mind.

Yan Xu too.

He looked at Lin Jia and discovered Lin Jia was very skilled at controlling people’s hearts.

Mm.

He mustn’t be manipulated by Lin Jia.

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