章 51: I Want To Be Strong

Zhang Jue woke up from his bed, very depressed. He always felt that a force in the underworld didn't want him to figure things out. Why else was the timing so coincidental each time he was there, interrupting him just when he was about to make progress in his investigation.

The first time he had returned to his world Zhang Jue had made a few posts, and now someone had replied. Perhaps a survivor of the Red Moon incident. Even if he couldn't contact that person, it would be better if he could even look at the content of the replies.

Zhang Jue grunted quietly. Geniuses were indeed envied by the gods. After a moment of sulking, he glanced at the wall clock. It was 5:30 am.

Sleep was definitely out of the question, so he decided to go out for some fresh air. But before he did, he decided to take a pee—he needed something to warm up his brain for activities.

Zhang Jue's dormitory building was not far from Site-14. The site's main building was taller and had a better view, so he decided to go to the roof of the main building to see the view. Site-14 had just experienced an infiltration and containment breach, and the site's defenses were one level higher than before.

According to the general situation, the early morning should be the time when the guards are most likely to relax and get sleepy. But now, they were all in high guard, watching every corner for any signs of the unusual.

When they saw Zhang Jue, the two guards at the entrance immediately put their feet together and saluted. Now Zhang Jue's reputation within Site-14 was even higher than that new Site Director, Huang Xingwen, due to the popularity he had accumulated by saving his colleagues twice.

Zhang Jue nodded his head in salute. He was going up this time and didn't want to bother other staff in the containment area. He took the elevator and made his way to the roof of the building.

The sky was already with white clouds glowing like a pearl.

Zhang Jue took a breath of fresh air and was about to do some stretching exercises, the eighth set of radio gymnastics or something. When he suddenly saw a person standing by the railing at the edge of the building.

Looking from the front and back, the long hair flowing through the body, it was clear that the person was Yang Xue. Of course, it was her.

As soon as he saw her, Zhang Jue drowned in a cloud of thoughts. Ever since that day at the airport helping with Lei Shan's departure, Yang Xue looked at him differently.

To describe it, she saw Zhang Jue as her "ex-husband who returned triumphantly after years of searching their children thinking they had run away with a negative heart but had endured the humiliation of being undercover in an enemy camp".

Zhang Jue was stunned by her look. If not because this was a parallel world, he should probably think about what he did when he was young. He must find Lei Shan and ask him what he had said to Yang Xue at that time.

-----

Yang Xue was leaning on the railing, looking into the distance. Ever since her uncle retired and the site was reorganized, she has been caught up in a certain mood. After a few days of thinking about it, she finally knew what she felt. It was anger, anger because of her incompetence.

Ever since Zhang Jue had come to Site-14, she had relied on him a little too much. Starting with the SCP-682 containment breach incident and all the way to the Jiangzhou university ceremony. Zhang Jue had saved her many times, and she hadn't been able to help much or even burdened him.

As a senior researcher and doctor of the Foundation, she shouldn't be like this. Before she met Zhang Jue, she always thought of herself as a strong and independent woman. After all, within Site-14, she had the most vital operational skills and was trusted by others.

Now it seemed that was false, or rather, she was a bogus. She was still far from being strong compared to the powerful ones. She had to make herself strong as well. She was lost in her thought. A noisy voice can be heard behind her.

"The cool breeze has letters, the autumn moon has no boundaries, thanks to my sentimental emotions these few days. Although I am not as dashing and suave as a jade tree, I have a broad mind and strong arms." Zhang Jue walked to her side without looking away.

"Long night and couldn't put your mind away, huh? I thought I was the only one who was having that trouble, so you couldn't sleep too, Dr. Yang." Yang Xue glanced at him and didn't say anything.

If it were an ordinary person, he would probably feel a little embarrassed after making a fool of himself. But Zhang Jue was a man with a face as thick as a wall, and he only believed in one thing. As long as you don't feel embarrassed, it's others who are embarrassed.

He plopped down next to Yang Xue and looked out into the distance as well, "Dr. Yang is so excited to get up so early to see the early moon?"

Today is the first day of the year, and it's almost dawn when you can see the early moon.

Yang Xue glanced at him and said, "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything." Zhang Jue laughed and turned around to lean on the railing, looking into her eyes, "It's you, Dr. Yang. I see you've been absent-minded these days, not even going to the lab. What's wrong? Did that kid Lei Shan give you a memory delete sedation?"

Zhang Jue was right. She had been missing out on her work and acting out of the ordinary in her current state. Yang Xue was silent, not knowing how to answer his question.

Zhang Jue shrugged, "I heard that you studied a double doctorate in biology and chemistry in college, so let me ask you a question. What do you think is the biggest difference between humans and animals?"

Yang Xue knew about the answer. As she was just about to speak, she was interrupted by Zhang Jue.

"Don't fool me with those dead concepts you learned from books. Let me tell you, the biggest difference between humans and animals are, first, people can use tools. Second, people can cooperate."

Zhang Jue's expression gradually became serious.

"Even the most powerful individuals need other individuals. They need others to help them. Whether they are people or things, to make things happen, you can't work alone in this world."

Zhang Jue meant something, not knowing if he had guessed what was going on inside her mind. Yang Xue lowered her head and thought about what he said.

A moment later, Yang Xue said, "I want to find my father."

Her voice was so small that Zhang Jue didn't hear her for a moment, "What?"

"I'm going to look for my father, but not now." Yang Xue raised her head, "I know that I'm too weak to be qualified involved in what happened back then. I must become strong."

Seeing Yang Xue finally rekindle her fighting spirit, Zhang Jue smiled and applauded, "Wow, that's right, Dr. Yang. You don't have to be presumptuous, and you have an advantage over yourself. You still seem to have a good sense of self-knowledge so far."

"..." Talking to Zhang Jue had to be a very tiring thing to do.

One second he's comforting you, and next, that comfort will turn into a mockery. Yang Xue covered her forehead, how helpless she had to be.

"Zhang Jue. You just said that you couldn't do it alone to make things happen. What can you say about yourself?" Yang Xue looked at him, "Did you also go through other people's help and guidance?"

"Me?" Zhang Jue pointed at himself as if he had heard the world's funniest joke.

"Dr. Yang, didn't I tell you that I'm a genius? Geniuses are destined to be alone. Hey, it's not easy to live in my position."

(SCP-X Anomalous Subject Monitoring Session. Internal Group Communication Line: 597078661)