Chapter Sixty: Sowing Discord

Watching Big Lung wield the scalpel, removing the spider legs one by one, yet failing to extract any useful information, Ye Hai couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Do spiders not feel pain?"

Big Lung turned around and replied helplessly, "No, Mr. Ye Hai, spiders do feel pain! It's just that this mutant doesn't."

"It seems that during the first attempt to fuse humans with spider mutants, someone deliberately removed certain genetic fragments, resulting in this outcome."

A little surprised, Ye Hai continued, "So what you're saying, Mr. Big Lung, is that this mutant is a fusion of spider and human?"

Big Lung nodded affirmatively. "Yes. The fusion method is quite peculiar—so much so that I can't immediately grasp the principle! Human genes are a double helix, while spider genes, even after assembly, remain highly fragmented. There are many repeated sequences, but they are irregular..."

"I find it hard to imagine how human and spider genes could merge and coexist perfectly."

"This is a fascinating research topic. If I could figure it out… perhaps I could give Mr. Qiao a pair of wings."

Ye Hai rolled his eyes, thinking: Wouldn't that make him a bird-man?

Big Lung went on, "And if I fused some chameleon genes, maybe the wings could turn invisible!"

Ye Hai nearly stumbled—an invisible bird-man’s wings, of all things.

He clapped his hands, resigned, and said, "Well then, it seems torture is of no real use with this creature?"

Big Lung grinned sheepishly. "I suppose that's right! However, these strange spiders have a peculiar energy source near their heart, allowing them to release bizarre energies—manifesting as wind, fire, lightning, or other forms."

"It's fascinating, though I still can't fully comprehend it. But I'm quite sure these abilities are tied to certain genetic fragments. I'll do my best to find the answers."

Ye Hai frowned slightly, understanding that the abilities Big Lung referred to must be psychic energy.

Combining this with what Big Lung just said about these psychic creatures being the product of human-mutant fusion, Ye Hai thought of Tang Jie—and gained some insight into the odd behavior of the human-faced spider.

"Alright, Mr. Big Lung, let's leave the research here for now."

"Tonight, I've invited several other forbidden figures for dinner—would you like to join us?"

Big Lung grinned widely. "No, I'd better not—I might accidentally eat them all! So, I'll pass."

Ye Hai smiled, "You may not know, but on this trip with Qiao, we've found two new corpse catchers for the organization..."

"Don't you want to meet them, Mr. Big Lung?"

Big Lung was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with wild joy. He spread his arms, aiming to give Ye Hai a bear hug.

But Ye Hai deftly pushed Qiao into Big Lung’s soft embrace instead.

Qiao, utterly innocent, endured Big Lung's affectionate patting, lamenting inwardly: Why does everyone bully me...

Big Lung said happily, "Wonderful! Our organization hasn't welcomed new members in ages."

"I must go change clothes, to look more dignified."

"I can't afford to lose etiquette in front of the new corpse catchers."

"Such a joyous occasion—I'll do my best not to devour the trash halfway up the mountain..."

When Liana and Javier arrived at the mountaintop, leading more than three hundred people in grand procession, Ye Hai and Qiao greeted Liana’s family with smiles.

As for Mr. Big Lung, he was still beautifying himself...

Given his size, changing attire was no easy feat.

Ye Hai led the group to the dining hall, settling them on the first floor, and ordered the kitchen to prepare meals early for these starving relatives of Liana.

For a while, Ye Hai received a flood of praise.

Perhaps because this survivor camp’s people weren't from the vicinity of the black market, and after being captured by Zera, had been imprisoned in pitch-dark caves, they felt little fear toward Ye Hai, one of the forbidden figures of the Platty Black Market.

Instead, they showed gratitude to their savior.

Uncle Jill, who had raised Liana single-handedly, clung to Ye Hai, talking incessantly, his gaze full of the warmth of a father-in-law regarding a son-in-law.

Such enthusiasm overwhelmed Ye Hai, who quickly found an excuse to retreat upstairs.

The canteen was built to accommodate a thousand corpse catchers; three hundred people didn’t feel crowded at all.

Once the food arrived, the hungry crowd fell into silence—save for the sound of ravenous eating.

Zera arrived early at the mountaintop with two fairly sharp subordinates, politely asking the guards for directions before heading straight to the second floor of the dining hall.

As dusk fell, the other forbidden figures arrived together.

Unlike Zera, each of the other three forbidden figures brought a crowd of followers—some fifty or sixty, others at least thirty.

Clearly, they intended to feast generously.

Led by the guards to the canteen, they were told, "Mr. Ye Hai has instructed: the second floor may not seat too many. Each boss may bring two subordinates to dine upstairs..."

"The rest, please remain on the first floor for a meal!"

Lakan, his face bristling with scars and a fiery temper, snorted coldly.

Believing himself the strongest in Platty Black Market, Lakan felt insufficiently respected.

He grumbled, "Ye Hai is just the Crow's appointed agent—how dare he set rules for us forbidden figures?"

"To be honest, Ye Hai’s status is a generation below ours!"

Seeing Lakan stir up trouble, a shifty-eyed little man smiled and continued, "The corpse catcher organization doesn't care about us!"

"I, Hu Kong, don’t have much business with them, but Lakan here is their main arms supplier..."

"They dare to be so indifferent… Tsk, tsk!"

"I can't stand it."

At once, Lakan’s face grew darker.

The other forbidden figure, Bell, remained silent nearby, thinking, "Lakan, the brainless brute, has been manipulated by Hu Kong, this sly fellow, with just a few words."

"He'll surely stir up trouble soon—perfect for testing the corpse catchers' strength."

"Though the alien merchants have said that corpse catchers are very powerful, and warned me never to cross them..."

"But interestingly, none of the forbidden figures seem to know exactly what makes the corpse catchers formidable."

"Since Jack recruited the corpse catchers for me, I’ll see just how powerful this organization really is!"

With that, Bell strode into the canteen, turning to Lakan and saying,

"Lakan, my brother, don’t be angry..."

"We are guests on their turf—sometimes you just have to bow under the eaves."

"Everything can be negotiated!"

Watching Bell's retreating figure, Lakan’s eyes flashed with resentment.

He glanced at the three hundred people lingering in the canteen after dinner.

Lakan asked the guide, "Who are these refugees?"

The guard, uncertain about their origins and unaware that the organization had recruited two new corpse catchers, relied on old experience and assumed they were new recruits. He replied, "Mr. Lakan, I'm not quite sure…"

"But they might be newly recruited peripheral members!"

Lakan patted the guard’s shoulder, nodded in satisfaction, and headed upstairs with two men.

Along the way, he pulled one subordinate close and whispered, "Later, cripple this bunch of refugees for me—just don’t kill them, do as you please!"

"The corpse catcher organization claims never to kill the innocent? Then let them support a bunch of useless trash..."