The Creature Keeper - chapter 38

Tang Rou was completely unreasonable when it came to protecting her own.

“This is too much. Number 17 is the victim here, and now you’re labeling him as a dangerous individual?”

“…Because he really is dangerous,” Aselan replied weakly.

Tang Rou sneered, “Look at him-how is he dangerous?”

The young man, right on cue, played the part of a fragile, alluring consort in her arms, clinging to her neck with a pitiful air. His naturally lethal tentacles curled up, making him look rather pitiable.

Tang Rou was like an enraged tyrant, grabbing his tentacles and asking, “If those Experimental Subjects don’t attack him, would he ever hurt anyone on his own?”

Whether intentional or not, the tentacles were limp and powerless.

The young man’s eyelids drooped, his face frail and weak.

“Fine, fine, your Little Octopus is the most innocent and pitiful of all.”

What else could be said?

Aselan felt utterly exhausted, body and soul.

Although Number 17 had harmed over a hundred precious Experimental Subjects in the Base this time, he had also forced the Base to reevaluate him. Such a powerful, highly intelligent being who obeyed his master’s commands would undoubtedly become the ace of Babel Tower.

On the surface, it looked like they had lost a third of their Special Grade Creatures, but in reality, they had gained something even more dangerous and powerful. It wasn’t a loss at all-rather, it was an unexpected boon.

Tang Rou, however, was lost in thought.

The collective loss of control among the Experimental Subjects in Sector S could be explained by the Sonar experiment, but their joint attack on Number 17 was truly bizarre.

These marine creatures weren’t social animals; they were highly independent and indifferent, caring little for anything beyond themselves. Killing was a genetic instinct for them.

But instinct wouldn’t drive them to target just one individual. So Number 17 must possess something different from the others, something that made him the collective target.

That was one of her theories. Another was that these creatures were incited by some unknown force, and that force had controlled them to attack Number 17.

If this hypothesis was correct, it was terrifying.

Because it meant that some powerful, incomprehensible force was now hostile toward Number 17.

.

Leaving this heavily fortified metal prison was much easier than Tang Rou had expected. She applied for permission and received feedback almost immediately; the doors swung open.

Someone even thoughtfully asked, “Do you need a transport vehicle?”

Tang Rou glanced at Number 17, who indicated he didn’t want to enter a confined space, so she politely declined.

An S-Class Experimental Subject not being transported in a secure vehicle sounded illogical, but no one stopped her.

From the moment Number 17 left the metal cell, it was as if everyone in the building had been cleared out in advance, leaving only a squad of Security Officers armed with heavy weapons trailing behind.

After leaving the tower-shaped building, Tang Rou was guided through an underground passage to the temporary laboratory-after all, she couldn’t just stroll through Sector S with him in tow.

Emerging from the secret passage, she ran into several Security Officers from Noah Base. Seeing Tang Rou holding hands with a young man who was clearly a Special Creature, walking out without any protective measures, they all raised their weapons.

Then, spotting the Security Officers who had come out of the passage with her, their expressions turned to shock, as if they’d discovered a new continent.

Did Babel Tower Base actually have free-range Experimental Subjects?

Tang Rou had no idea that her actions had caused a tidal wave among the Security Officers of the neighboring Base. She brought the Little Octopus into the temporary laboratory.

Overall, it was still clean and bright.

“The previous laboratory was severely damaged. It’ll take a few days to repair,” Tang Rou said as she poured culture medium into Number 17’s water tank, stirring it with her hand. “Alright, you’ll stay here for now.”
The Little Octopus suddenly showed a look of unease again, glancing at Tang Rou, somewhat guilty.

He probably thought he had destroyed Tang Rou’s laboratory.

Tang Rou patted his dangling tentacle. “It’s not your fault. The lab was invaded by an unfamiliar Experimental Subject.”

Aselan said, “Stop abetting evil, you foolish tyrant!”

After a while, someone knocked on the door, saying they needed to take Number 17 for an examination.

They wanted to escort him to the medical center, but the octopus refused to let go of Tang Rou. With no other choice, Tang Rou had to accompany him into the treatment room, though she had to wear a heavy protective suit.

Number 17 held her hand through the thick gloves, like a pitiful puppy that couldn’t leave its owner.

Fragile, in pain, his eyelids drooping half-shut.

As if his spirit had been tormented.

Beneath his pale blue-white skin, faint blue veins could be seen. The wounds had already healed, but he still looked somewhat melancholic.

All Experimental Subjects were examined by machines; no medical staff dared approach.

But that also meant the process was slower.

Tang Rou waited idly. An engineer requested over the intercom that she draw a sample of his blood. A blood-drawing kit was sent in through a small hatch.

She took it, carefully disinfected Number 17’s wrist with an alcohol swab, expelled the air from the syringe, and said to Number 17, “I’m going to insert the needle. It might hurt a little, so bear with it.”

He looked at her expressionlessly, but his actions were gentle and cooperative.

The pain from the syringe drawing blood was almost negligible to him. The pain from each Division Experiment was the real agony, but for beings like them, sensitivity to pain was very low.

The needle was specially made; with a bit of force, it pierced the Experimental Subject’s tough skin.

For some reason, she thought of the Mermaid.

She wondered how he was doing, and if his tail had gotten any better.

Tang Rou’s movements were gentle. With two fingers, she held the needle steady, and a tube of pale blue blood was placed into the tray.

The moment the needle was withdrawn, the puncture had already healed rapidly. Still, Tang Rou pressed a piece of disinfectant cotton on it. “Hold it there.”

The young man obediently pressed on the spot where the needle mark had already disappeared.

His dark green eyes remained open, gazing at her longingly.

Tang Rou couldn’t help but reach out and cover his eyelids. “Sleep. Don’t keep your eyes open.”

The octopus was quiet for a while. When Tang Rou lifted her hand, he opened his eyes again, staring straight at her.

Tang Rou found it amusing. “The scan will take a while. Why not rest for a bit?”

He blinked lightly, his voice a little muddled. “Rou… can you… call me by my name?”

“…”

There were several therapists sitting outside the door, and this examination room probably had audio recording equipment as well.

But she couldn’t resist his pleading gaze.

After all, he was a child she had raised herself.

Tang Rou leaned in slightly and said with a smile, “Alphino, can you rest for a while?”

The soft tentacles curled around her again, but she gently patted them away. “Don’t move, you’re being scanned.”

The injured Little Octopus was very dependent on Tang Rou. He didn’t want to stay lying in the examination pod and tried to crawl out. Tang Rou pressed him back in, her expression turning stern, and he finally behaved.

Looking at him, she suddenly thought of another Mermaid who was also gravely injured.

Number 17 could receive proper treatment, but what about him?