ICUGW Chapter 37

An hour passed after containing the contaminated spores. It was confirmed that no spores had overflowed, and all the rotten meat and contaminated bricks had been taken away.

"What should we do with the house?" Liu Niannian asked.

Zhu Ning: "I guess it'll be passed off as an accident caused by a gas leak."

Zhu Ning even thought of an excuse for Prometheus.

"What about the bodies?" Liu Niannian nodded and asked, "Do we also take those away?"

Zhu Ning: "I'll contact a professional."

Zhu Ning was calling Song Zhizhang. Since he worked in a professional containment department, he should be able to handle the corpses.

Song Zhizhang was like a customer service representative waiting for an order online. Or maybe Prometheus had already assigned him the task, because when Zhu Ning called him, he quickly picked up. He briefly listened to Zhu Ning's explanation of what had happened and quickly came up with a solution.

[If it's convenient for you, bring the body here yourself. The fee would be 100,000 per body.]

[I'll also send someone to deal with the aftermath.]

Song Zhizhang said on the other end of the phone: [Oh, and I suggest you get out of that area as soon as possible.]

Liu Niannian was full of curiosity. This was the first time she officially participated in the mission assigned by Zhu Ning. Seeing her talk to someone on the line, Liu Niannian grew more and more curious. Was there really a mysterious organization behind Zhu Ning?

Zhu Ning was very cold when she spoke to the other party. She only said two sentences in total:

The first one: "I understand."

The second sentence: "Can I bring outsiders with me?"

Liu Niannian didn't hear any response from the other end before Zhu Ning hung up the phone.

"Come and help." Zhu Ning called Liu Niannian.

Liu Niannian has a natural trust in Zhu Ning, probably because she once saved her life.

"What about them? Can they help us?" Liu Niannian asked.

"They can." Zhu Ning said, "but it'll be expensive."

Liu Niannian: “……?”

'Do I look like someone who lacks money? '

For the first time, Liu Niannian clearly felt that she was being used as cheap labor, but Zhu Ning was her boss, so whatever the boss wants, the boss will have.

Besides... collecting corpses and putting it into her car was also a very novel experience for Liu Niannian.

Zhu Ning and Liu Niannian moved the corpses, inexplicably developing a bond of.... carrying corpses together.

Liu Niannian was drove in a luxury car that she thought was very low-key. Zhu Ning couldn't recognize the brand, but it kind of look like an extended Lincoln in her previous world. Who knew this expensive car contains five dead bodies in it?

The two women took the corpses of the killers onto the highway, believing that Prometheus would control the cameras so no one would be able to trace them.

But when Zhu Ning looked in the rearview mirror, she saw a car following behind their car.

Liu Niannian: "Don't worry, its from my family."

She couldn't completely get rid of Pei Shu earlier. If something happened again, she would definitely be grounded for the rest of her life.

Zhu Ning was extremely vigilant and did not even take off her helmet in the car. Liu Niannian and Zhu Ning had met twice, both times wearing helmets. In reality, they had never seen each other's true appearance.

Bored while driving, Liu Niannian kept secretly observing her in the rearview mirror. Liu Niannian asked, "Aren't you going to take off your helmet?"

She could feel that Zhu Ning seemed to be injured. A normal person would have taken off their helmet to inspect their wounds, but Zhu Ning didn't seem to have any intention to.

Zhu Ning: "I think it's better if we stay as we are."

Without knowing each other's real identities, their relationship was simpler. In fact, Zhu Ning regretted telling her real name when they first met. If she had known she would get into so much trouble later, she should have given a fake name.

Zhu Ning glanced in the rearview mirror, wondering if she could trust this rich girl.

Liu Niannian guessed what Zhu Ning was thinking and quickly said, "I didn't investigate you."

Liu Niannian thought Zhu Ning was afraid she couldn't be trusted and was planning to kill her to silence any witness. She spoke very quickly, afraid she would be killed if she spoke too slowly.

"Besides, the internal list of the cleaning center is not that easy to get. I don't have the authority to look for it."

It was very difficult for Liu Niannian, an uneducated rich daughter, to get information about a cleaning center employee.

Liu Niannian only knew Zhu Ning's name. and that she came from the cleaning center as she was wearing a cleaner's uniform. But, Liu Niannian couldn't tell whether Zhu Ning was really a cleaner or a witcher in disguise.

Zhu Ning hummed, and Liu Niannian breathed a sigh of relief. "You also don't ask about my identity."

Zhu Ning seemed to have never asked Liu Niannian which family she was from.

Zhu Ning: "It's not necessary."

As long as Liu Niannian could be used, it didn't matter to Zhu Ning which family she came from. The more she knew, the more she would be involved. A deeper connection with Liu Niannian's family might lead to another problem.

Liu Niannian actually felt relieved. She sometimes feared that Zhu Ning would change her attitude towards her once she knew her identity. Their relationship getting closer or getting distant would equally make Liu Niannian feel uncomfortable, so Zhu Ning was right. It was better for them to maintain their status quo and avoid revealing their real identities to each other.

Zhu Ning asked, "But, why on earth are you doing this?"

Liu Niannian herself said uncertainly: "...Because you will give me money?"

Zhu Ning: “…”

Liu Niannian: "I've been interested in contaminants since I was a child, but my family wouldn't allow me to get involved much."

As the daughter of a wealthy family, it was impossible for her to actually become a witcher, but her family could still tolerate some of her little "hobbies". It was completely in Liu Niannian's interest to follow Zhu Ning on their little adventures.

Zhu Ning was silent. She really didn't understand how the rich second generations sought excitement. However, it was clear that Liu Niannian was very easy to use and also very cooperative. Maybe they can really work together for a long time in the future.

But, she was currently too tired to think about the follow-up.

The dazzling lights of the highway reflected in the car window. Zhu Ning leaned against her seat, lost in thought. From this vantage point, she could overlook part of Area 103. They had already left Rome City, but the people were completely unaware of what had just happened.

Before Zhu Ning started working, she asked Fang Ying if her job includes collecting corpses, and indeed she collect corpses–corpses of contaminants. But now, she was really collecting corpses.

The address Zhu Ning gave was of the "Noble Queen" store. Although there was also a containment department near the Rome City residentials, Zhu Ning still preferred to deal with people she knew; the fewer people who knew her, the safer she was.

When Liu Niannian parked the car in front of the "Noble Queen" store, she fell silent. The pink sign in front of her was still flashing.

Liu Niannian was obviously shocked. It took her a long time to get the courage to speak: "Do you usually come to places like this?"

Zhu Ning: “…”

'Wait, let me defend myself.'

Song Zhizhang had received Zhu Ning's message long ago and was waiting at the door of the store.

After Liu Niannian rolled down the window, she saw a man standing by the railing. He was wearing a purple turtleneck and waved to Zhu Ning: "Baby, you're here?"

Zhu Ning was still not used to his joking style. She raised her hand stiffly to greet Song Zhizhang and said dryly, "I'm here."

Liu Niannian glanced at her.

Zhu Ning: “…”

Well, okay. She can't defend herself.

Although the Noble Queen store looks a bit immoral, its location was very good. There were few people with only three scattered stores on the entire street.

Because of the low traffic volume and remote location, it was a good place for some shady operations. Song Zhizhang, a professional containment department worker, asked his colleagues to deal with the bodies in the back of the car.

Liu Niannian couldn't leave for too long, so she sent Zhu Ning to the door of the Noble Queen Shop and watched curiously as Song Zhizhang led people to move the body.

Song Zhizhang leaned against the car window and greeted Liu Niannian, "Hi~"

Liu Niannian: “…Hi?”

Song Zhizhang smiled at Liu Niannian: "Are you her friend?"

Liu Niannian was silent for a while, not daring to agree nor deny.

Song Zhizhang: "Would you like to come to the store and sit down when you have time?"

People in his line of work can tell at a glance who are the real rich women. Looking at the car Liu Niannian drives, she was obviously not just a rich woman in the ordinary sense, but a super rich woman!

Liu Niannian was stunned. To be honest, she had been reckless since childhood, but she had never been to a brothel. It was because she didn't need to. If she liked handsome guys, she could just hire a celebrity.

"Don't harass her. She's not your guest." Zhu Ning suddenly spoke.

Song Zhizhang was a little disappointed.

Song Zhizhang had been talking to Liu Niannian in a playful tone, but then he switched to a low and serious voice, "Do keep this place secret."

Liu Niannian nodded blankly.

Zhu Ning had brought her to the Noble Queen store because she trusted her. It would be awkward if she went out and talked nonsense to other people.

Liu Niannian checked the time. She had been out for too long. She had to go back before her family members noticed she was gone.

Liu Niannian: "I'm going home first. I'll contact you when I get back."

Zhu Ning looked particularly tired. She just nodded and watched Liu Niannian drive out of the street of the Noble Queen.

Pei Shu was waiting for the eldest lady at the street corner. He opened the passenger door and got into Liu Niannian's car. Pei Shu was ordered to protect Liu Niannian's safety closely, as he had been away for too long in violation of the rules.

After Pei Shu got in, Liu Niannian drove, and soon they left the Noble Queen store behind. It would take them forty minutes to get back to the Lu family.

Pei Shu: "I was wondering who saved you last time. It turns out there really was a master."

This place is too close to where Liu Niannian had an accident, which easily reminds people of the last incident at the hot pot restaurant. Liu Niannian did not explain. She did not need to say anything to her bodyguard.

Pei Shu paused and said, "But I suggest you stay away from that store."

Liu Niannian asked, "What?"

Does Pei Shu know about the brothel?

Pei Shu: "The owner of that shop is not a good person. The Lu family doesn't care about what you do, but don't get yourself into trouble."

Before Pei Shu went to work as a bodyguard for the Lu family, he was a witcher at the cleaning center. Because Liu Niannian insisted on becoming a witcher when she was a child, her family hired a witcher as a teacher with a high salary.

Many people think that Pei Shu was her bodyguard, but in fact he was more like her master. From Pei Shu's tone, it seemed that he knew Song Zhizhang. It seemed that the shop owner just now was quite famous. But...he was not a good person?

Does Zhu Ning know?

…

Zhu Ning entered Song Zhizhang's office.

She didn't need to worry about the messy debts later; Song Zhizhang would find someone to take care of them. Zhu Ning was very cautious and only took off her helmet after entering the office. The lower half of her face was covered in blood, like a female Asura.

Song Zhizhang frowned when he saw Zhu Ning. He threw her a towel, and nagged like a mother, "Go to the bathroom and wipe your face. It's covered in blood."

Zhu Ning held the towel with disdain.

Song Zhizhang saw what she was thinking and said unhappily, "They're clean! Yes, this is a brothel, but we are also a business. And businesses must maintain clean sanitation. Our stuff are all disposable. Rich women don't like second-hand goods."

Zhu Ning: “…”

There's no need to explain it in such detail. How can a person be disposable?

Zhu Ning replied with an "oh" and went to the bathroom to wash her face.

After staying in that weird house for one night, Zhu Ning could only wash her helmet. So now, she felt very happy to be able to wash her real face.

Zhu Ning was still bleeding from her nose and it didn't stop even after washing it several times, so she decided to just stuff two balls of cotton into it.

Song Zhizhang had been leaning against the door watching. When Zhu Ning came out, he frowned and handed her a bottle of mental healing potion. "Go lie down on the sofa for a while."

No matter whether it was a wasteland world or an apocalyptic world, the folk remedies for treating nosebleeds were the same.

Zhu Ning had two balls of cotton stuffed under her nose, a bottle of mental healing agent in her mouth, and was lying on the sofa like a dead fish.

Song Zhizhang was counting Zhu Ning's contaminated spores nearby. The two had only met twice before, yet Zhu Ning was already treating this place as her home. Maybe it was because Song Zhizhang did not look like a threat at all.

Zhu Ning asked in a muffled voice, "You're actually willing to let me bring outsiders here?"

Song Zhizhang: "Baby, I run a business here. Everyone in this business knows what this store does."

It wasn't an airtight organization. Anyone who has been exposed to contaminants knows what the side business of the Queen's Store is.

In addition to witchers and cleaners, many people from the public also participate in eliminating contaminated areas. They collect the contaminated spores and bring them to Song Zhizhang in exchange for money. So, Song Zhizhang has always been open to welcoming guests.

Zhu Ning: "Where will they be sent?"

She was asking about the bodies.

Song Zhizhang said without even turning his head: "Send it for an autopsy."

Wow, the store was really the real deal. It even has a professional team that can perform autopsies.

Zhu Ning asked, "Then, can their identities be found out?"

Song Zhizhang used his small calculator to calculate the accounts. "I think it's very unlikely. Their business was too difficult to investigate. I advise you not to get too much hope."

Zhu Ning uttered another "oh," not holding much hope, and asked, "Do you know Eternal Life Pharmaceutical?"

clatter--

Song Zhizhang's sounds of settling accounts suddenly stopped. Zhu Ning tilted her head and saw Song Zhizhang with his head lowered. She couldn't see his expression.

After a while, Song Zhizhang said calmly, "It's hard to explain."

Zhu Ning: “…”

...It's hard to explain?

When they first met, Song Zhizhang asked Zhu Ning what he was doing at the hot pot restaurant, and Zhu Ning also replied that it was hard to explain. So, was he using her own method to deal with her?

Song Zhizhang obviously didn't want to talk about it anymore, so Zhu Ning stopped asking.

Zhu Ning: "Take your time to settle the accounts. I'll sleep here for a while."

She curled up her body and finally relaxed completely, feeling drowsy.

She developed symptoms similar to Li Nianchuan's. The more she relaxed, the more the side effects of a damaged mental state began to appear.

Although Zhu Ning's mental status on the system panel had returned to 100, the side effects seemed to still be there. Perhaps the computer was overloaded and nearly fried the CPU, and now the entire machine was heating up.

Her brain was not working well now and she needed to rest urgently. Her eyelids were drooping.

Song Zhizhang: "Hey, don't sleep here with me. Go back if you want to sleep."

Zhu Ning had already closed her eyes: "I'll just sleep for one night."

Song Zhizhang: "This is a brothel after all, can you please respect me?"

What's the matter with a woman sleeping in a brothel?

Zhu Ning buried her head in the sofa: "Am I not your baby?"

Song Zhizhang: “…”

For the first time, he paid the price for his own joke.

Zhu Ning fell silent after she finished speaking.

Was she really asleep? So fast?

Song Zhizhang stopped settling the accounts, stood up, and walked to Zhu Ning's side.

Song Zhizhang was still a man after all, but Zhu Ning doesn't seem to be afraid of him at all. Her mental state must be really damaged.

She kept frowning in her sleep, completely letting down her guard, looking more like an ordinary person.

Song Zhizhang's shadow fell completely on Zhu Ning, pressing down heavily. Song Zhizhang had a rather feminine appearance and usually had a warm and gentle smile. But when he had no expression, he looked cruel.

Since he usually had a smile on his face, few people in the Queen's Inn had ever seen him with such a cold expression.

Song Zhizhang stretched out his hand to her, almost touching Zhu Ning's face, but she didn't react at all.

'Zhu Ning would be murdered sooner or later.' Song Zhizhang thought.

He covered Zhu Ning with a blanket and turned off the light.

"Good night," Song Zhizhang said softly, "baby."

---

The translator has something to say:

the third arc is finished!! Thank you for those who had been reading until here. This is the last chapter in my stock, and i'll be officially dropping the series ( ;´ - `;). Sorry everyone!

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