Chapter 67: Reagent Zero

Jin Yinghui braced himself against the wind, making his way down the long street until he reached the entrance of the Ninety-nine Bus. When he knocked on the door, Zhou Peng opened it, looking at him with an exasperated expression.

"Why are you here so early?" he asked.

"Come on, let’s go buy groceries before it gets dark. We’ll have a good dinner tonight!" Jin Yinghui, unable to contain his excitement, tugged at Zhou Peng, eager to leave.

To be fair, Jin Yinghui knew Zhou Peng preferred to shop for groceries in the evening. According to Zhou Peng, that was the best time to buy—the lowest prices. Once darkness fell, no one dared linger at their stalls, and anything left unsold might spoil by the next day. So at this hour, every stall owner slashed prices, desperate to make those last few sales before packing up.

Zhou Peng resisted a little. "Let’s be clear—who’s paying?"

Jin Yinghui replied impatiently, "Come on, do you think your big brother can’t afford it? I’ll pay tonight!"

Zhou Peng eyed him suspiciously. "Why so generous? Got your paycheck? What do you want to eat?"

"Hmm... Let me think. Grilled fish. The really spicy kind!"

"Hah, so you’re not actually paying, then!" Zhou Peng scoffed, but still obediently put on his coat and followed outside.

Jin Yinghui looked surprised, confused by Zhou Peng’s reaction.

Zhou Peng explained, "I know exactly what you’re up to. If you’re paying, you let the others decide what to eat; if someone else is paying, you pick your own favorite. Think about it—am I wrong?"

Jin Yinghui’s face froze. "You really think I’d admit to that?"

"Then you pay!" Zhou Peng retorted, quick as a flash.

At the market, they picked out a fish that somewhat resembled the pre-mutation perch, raised at a farm outside the city. Apparently, the farm had decent output, and even people from the outer city could occasionally afford it. The farm’s owner, rumor had it, was later recruited by the Outer City Patrol and made the leader of Team Four. Not long after, he was transferred directly into the inner city.

During his tenure as Team Four leader, there was a saying in the office: "Old Qiao, I want fish tonight!" If Captain Lu Biao said those words, it meant a mission was coming his way.

Zhou Peng, thinking there would be quite a crowd that evening, bought two large fish at once, much to the vendor’s delight.

By the time the city lights began to twinkle, everyone had arrived for dinner. Ye Chen and Ye Shanshan, after stowing away their market cart, brought along the unsold ingredients from the day. The newcomer, Qiao Mucao, as usual, arrived with a bag of fruit, and suggested, "Why don’t we try making juice tonight, like they do in the inner city?"

Everyone cheerfully raised their hands in agreement.

Xu Fan, noticing that everyone else had brought something while his own hands were empty, declared he’d go invite some older sisters to liven things up, only to receive a sharp knock on the head from Aunt Chen beside him.

Dinner was a group effort. Cleaning and preparing the fish fell to Ye Chen, whose knife skills were unmatched. It had been a while since Ye Chen had indulged his love of anatomy, and he took great satisfaction in the task. Too bad they weren’t making sashimi tonight—he would have sliced the fish as thin as a cicada’s wing.

Qiao Mucao took charge of the juice, even bringing his own sugar for mixing—the care he put into it was impressive.

Ye Shanshan, Jin Yinghui, and Chen Bingfeng prepared the garnishes and base for the grilled fish, while Xu Fan stood by the window, eyes darting about in search of pretty women passing by—none appeared, so he lapsed into nostalgia for the inner city’s bustling streets.

Zhou Peng personally prepared the secret marinade. Once the fish had soaked up the flavors, he fried them in hot oil, then plated them atop the vegetables and sauce in two large iron trays, doused them in a rich, aromatic broth, and sprinkled green leaves on top for garnish. Beneath each tray, a low flame kept the fish hot, and soon the whole room was filled with the savory scent, chasing away the smell of alcohol and filling the air with the warmth and bustle of human life.

Everyone’s mouths watered at the sight.

Conversation quickly turned to Ye Chen’s recent trip to the inner city. With Ye Shanshan present, Ye Chen carefully omitted many details, glossing over the combat and simply saying he was stronger than his opponent, carried healing agents, and managed to recover Qiao Mucao’s box without much trouble—just a minor scratch from an arrow, nothing more.

After all, when spinning a tale, it’s best to mix truth with fiction—it shouldn’t sound too far-fetched. He wanted Ye Shanshan not to worry.

However, Ye Chen forgot about Qiao Mucao’s talent for storytelling. Not a single detail escaped him. Qiao Mucao, living up to his reputation, soon wove a mythic tale of Ye Chen’s rooftop battle with the cloaked figure, from the explosion’s roar to Ye Chen advancing through a hail of arrows, concluding with a divine, decisive strike. His vivid narration transported everyone, as if they themselves stood on the rooftop, caught in the deadly duel.

No one touched their chopsticks or sipped their drinks—the only sound was the constant swallowing as they listened in awe.

When the story was done, Ye Shanshan sat quietly, as gentle as a little rabbit, her doubts resolved. She gazed at Ye Chen, long lashes trembling, a wave of tenderness and concern rising in her heart.

Hiding things from me again!

"By the way, Qiao Mucao, I think it’s time you told us what was in that box." Ye Chen, unable to meet Ye Shanshan’s gaze or her look of quiet reproach, tried to steer the conversation away, sensing this new topic would be just as juicy—after all, the cloaked figure had been so persistent.

Besides, it was about time for the mystery to be revealed.

He was fairly certain the contents were related to Captain Lu Biao’s secret of regained youth. But guessing and knowing are two entirely different pleasures.

"There wasn’t much in the box," said Qiao Mucao, adopting a mysterious air and instantly capturing everyone’s attention. "Just an ordinary syringe and two vials—one red, one blue. They’re called the Zero Serum, reserved for only the most prominent figures in the inner city. Do you know what it does?"

Most people shook their heads, except for Jin Yinghui, who answered with a complex expression, "It’s for prolonging life—or turning back the clock."

Everyone gasped.

Xu Fan piped up, "Can it make you a virgin again?"

"Shut up!" Another knock on the head. "If you want that, just chop off the old one and get a new one. You don’t need any serum for that!"

"So, the cloaked figure wanted the serum to...?" Ye Chen pressed.

Jin Yinghui extinguished his cigarette, turning the case over in his hands with a wry smile. "He wouldn’t use it himself. Most likely, he’d sell it on the black market—there, it’s worth a fortune. And if you want to stay young forever, you have to take a dose regularly. If you stop, your body will deteriorate even faster than normal. So it’s a double-edged sword."

Ye Chen understood—the cloaked figure wouldn’t inject himself because he couldn’t maintain a steady supply. It was better to sell it for cash.

Sitting quietly nearby, Zhou Peng asked, "Old man, how do you know all this?"

Jin Yinghui lit another cigarette, pausing thoughtfully before replying, "Because I once had the chance to take it myself—but I refused."