Marked the Protagonist A (Translated)

Chapter 25: Playing with Me

Chapter 25: Playing with Me

In the midst of this peculiar look, Chi Zhuo explained, "No, Bai Han probably saw you in danger and directed you towards me."

"You mean she acted on her own?"

"Your Highness, as a prince of the empire, we can't just stand by and do nothing. After all, we are good citizens of the empire."

Ji Chenxi almost laughed during the escape. He wondered how Chi Zhuo could say such things with a straight face. It seemed he wasn't the only one with a distorted self-image.

"Oh, I see!" Ji Chenxi said meaningfully.

"What does Your Highness think it is?"

With the monsters chasing him now blocked and a path cleared ahead, Ji Chenxi was no longer as anxious. He chuckled lightly, "I don't think much of it. After all, I'm not Chi Zhuo, so how can I know what's on your mind?"

Chi Zhuo didn't respond further. Anything he said might give Ji Chenxi something to use against him.

"You're abnormal." Even though Chi Zhuo remained silent, Ji Chenxi finished this remark on his own.

Chi Zhuo's footsteps faltered slightly, but he pretended not to hear.

Ji Chenxi stopped chatting. The initial lively atmosphere between them vanished completely.

Chi Zhuo kept an eye on Ji Chenxi out of the corner of his eye. Noticing this, Ji Chenxi raised an eyebrow, as if asking, "What are you looking at?" Chi Zhuo averted his gaze, and Ji Chenxi lost even that slight reaction.

Abnormal?

If anyone were to be called abnormal between them, it might be Ji Chenxi.

Every time Ji Chenxi felt he understood Chi Zhuo a little better, he would find Chi Zhuo to be as unfathomable as an endless deep sea—seemingly beautiful and simple, but actually profound and complex.

After joining Chi Zhuo, Ji Chenxi's luck improved dramatically. With Bai Han's help, they found a small weapons cache. However, while the outer alloy door opened easily, the inner door with a semi-transparent blue aura was impossible to open, even with Bai Han's assistance.

It was just a permission gate, not the sort of simple mechanism that could be opened by passwords or facial recognition. No wonder Bai Han didn't directly help them; apparently, it was a gate that would self-destruct if tampered with.

"It seems we can only make do with what we have," Ji Chenxi sighed softly.

Chi Zhuo, not very knowledgeable about this type of gate, suggested, "Try using firepower to force it open. If it really doesn't work, we should quickly move on to our main task."

"What is the main task?" Ji Chenxi asked with interest.

"This is a human modification laboratory. What do you think our main task is, Your Highness?"

"Stealing experimental data? Or perhaps obtaining some specific research from them."

The terms "steal" and "obtain" were rather unrefined, but Chi Zhuo nodded slightly, "About right. This laboratory has been on my radar since I returned. I didn't expect to run into you while investigating."

When Chi Zhuo said this, his tone became slightly somber, clearly feeling that their encounter was too coincidental, and suspecting that Ji Chenxi had deliberately arranged it.

Understanding the implication, Ji Chenxi defended himself, "Firstly, this was indeed a chance encounter. I'm not so capable that I can always track your movements. Secondly, since you're considering forcibly opening the gate, why don't I give it a try?"