Chapter 120: Telltale tails.

The rest of the day played out as normal. Following lunch, Wú Haodong went to the hospital to do his physical and also to a fully check up.

She tried to grease up to her parents so that she could go with him to the hospital but they stood firm. She was under house arrest so she won't be going anywhere.

Before Wú Haodong left, Qin Qianyu made sure that he get someone to prepare data on his bone resorption and cranial sutures. This would help determine his age, but also give Qin Qianyu an indication of the elixirs potency.

Qin Qianyu explained that the cranial sutures can be used as an indicator to determine a persons age, as well as her other thoughts.

"Why do you need to know my current body's age?"

"You're overthinking it. One is so I can log the effectiveness of the Asura elixir. You're outer exterior may have changed, but your internal structure may have stayed the same."

"That's true, I don't feel any different though, I just assumed because of all of this, it's good to have a thorough checkup and understanding of my own body."

"Mhm, . . The other is so I can conduct further research into the elixir and also make the appropriate adjustments of it for future use. And the last one is so I can sort out proper identification and paperwork for you,"

"I see. But you don't have to worry about the last one. I had Lin Xie sort that out for me."

"Oh, okay. Well that's pretty much it. I'll see you later on then."

"Mhm, I'm heading off."

With that said, Wú Haodong left. With Qin Qianyu on house arrest, she wasn't bored at all. She had time to spend with everyone in her family.

There was one moment where she thought of Granny Liu and so she gave her a call.

The pair spoke for hours and when the call ended Qin Haoran and Ouyang Zihan who were sitting close by only sighed.

They knew what Qin Qianyu wanted but at this moment in time, it wasn't feasible. It'll actually cause such a huge impact on the lives of all those involved no matter how one looked at it.

Ouyang Zihan had been mulling it over ever since Qin Qianyu had initially brought up the topic of Granny Liu moving in with them.

What Ouyang Zihan was thinking was, she could look for a home close by to theirs so that Granny Liu wasn't too far away for her to visit Qin Qianyu and vice versa.

The prices of the homes around them weren't that high at the moment, and the couple still hadn't touched the money Qin Qianyu had given them.

She had spoken with Qin Haoran about this and he was a little optimistic about the idea, but the thing was how to convince Granny Liu to make the move from the outer regions to the city.

As the day went on, dinner time quickly arrived and the trio sat down to eat.

Wú Haodong had called ahead earlier to explain that he wouldn't be returning till the morning so to carry on with dinner without him.

At that time, Wú Haodong sat in the hospital lobby awaiting his next test. As he did, he couldn't help but feel eyes on him.

He'd look around but only saw nurses or the odd civilian going about their business.

It was the same when he went to the drop off point for where he had, had Lin Xie put and leave all of the identification and all the other related paperwork for him to collect.

"Did Lin Xie set up a tail for me?"

Wú Haodong wondered.

He wouldn't put it pass Lin Xie to do such a thing for the sake of security.

His thoughts were soon broken when his name was called out. He followed the smiling nurse as she fiddle with her hair and tried to make small talk with Wú Haodong.

"You've booked in for quite a lot of test today Mr Wú, are you planning on conscripting or perhaps you're getting ready for University?"

"I've completed my service obligations already. As for University, I'm not sure if I really want to attend any, I might just spend some time alone for awhile."

"Thant's not good Mr Wú, if you start feeling too lonely . . Please do call me, I'll be more than happy to keep you company."

"Thanks for the kind offer, but, It's fine. I have a dumb cat that'll probably entertain me."

" . . . "

He misread the signals and signs as her just trying to keep him calm and comfortable in a very friendly manner.

He pushed the incident of the eyes watching him to the back of his mind as he focused on the task Qin Qianyu had set out for him.

Wú Haodong smiled to the nurse and thanked her as he entered the examination room.

It was late when he finished all his test and examinations. As he left the hospital he felt those eyes on him again.

He looked around and saw or found nothing out of place. Wú Haodong frowned and after finding a blind spot he used shadowless steps to avoid any detection from his tail.

Sensing that he was no longer being followed, Wú Haodong made a beeline into the city and soon entered a housing apartment block.

He went up the loft then he went to a certain door. He pulled out a bag, inside it where the hooded jersey and pink t-shirt he had worn.

The door belonged to Murong Meimei's home.

He also took out some more things and placed it in the bag also. These were all small gifts as thanks.

He rang the doorbell and left.

Murong Meimei came to check, she was home alone as her Aunt was working late.

When she saw the bag her eyes went wide, she raced down the hall trying to spot Wú Haodong but found nothing.

Even the elevator wasn't moving.

She went to the bag and found a note.

"Thanks for the save, I've washed them for you. There's a few things for you too. I wasn't sure what you would like, so I bought what was in style or recommended to me by the staff."

Murong started to blush as she read the letter, she was even more surprised when she saw the items. They were all famous luxury brands.

She closed the front door and rushed to her room happily.

As Wú Haodong left the apartment block, he retraced his movements from when he was found there, back to the area where he was attacked that night.

It didn't take long and he found his shattered mask. He collected all the pieces of that and started looking for his "Haodong" mask as well as the guns.

He managed to find the knives he had thrown out but no guns. This perplexed him a little.

"The mask and guns shouldn't have been too far from the rest of these items, so where the hell could they be!?"

Wú Haodong mumbled out aloud. He only shook his head angry at himself for loosing those two items.

He made three stops on his way to a hideout in the city. He had delivered three letters to three seperate families.

The Tang the Hao and the Xiong.

They were all letters for a challenge of debt.

Wú Haodong decided to stay out because of the eyes that were on him from earlier today at the hospital, so he went to another one of his properties to hunker down there for the night.

Qin Qianyu snuck out that night and headed to the clandestine lab in the city to meet up with Wu Yihuan.

Tonight was the night for her tests from the tasks she had assigned her prior to heading abroad to Laos.

When she arrived, the first thing she did was check on the worms.

"They all perished."

The replacement worms had all died from self mutilation or were victims of cannibalism.

Qin Qianyu sighed lightly. There was nothing she could do about them now. She could only hope that DDT and Doctor Cao made some progress themselves.

Any sort of advancements with all of them working on the solution would be the ideal scenario.

"I'll check in on them another time."

Qin Qianyu thought to herself.

She took the containers and flashed fired them in the incinerator.

Hearing the noise, Wu Yihuan investigated the location of the sound only, to find Qin Qianyu burning biological waste materials.

"Ma'am you're here."

"Tsk! . . Is it really that hard to call me cousin?"

" . . . "

Wu Yihuan nodded shyly. But the reason why she found it hard was because of the debt she owed Qin Qianyu.

To Wu Yihuan, it was too large of a debt to ever payback.

The guilt she felt from the selfish request she had made of Qin Qianyu, a 15 year old girl, to kill her had multiplied since finding out the phantom fox's true identity.

"Well it was kind of forced onto you, hearing you call me ma'am makes me feel like I'm the boss and you're the subordinate you know what I mean?"

"Yes ma'am, I do!"

"Tsk! . . Are you sure?"

Wu Yihuan nodded in affirmation and with firm resolve.

"Well how about this, in public I'm your cousin, in private you can call me whatever you like."

"Understood ma'am."

Alright, let's do a physical examination before we start."

"Yes ma'am. "

Qin Qianyu shook her head lazily.

The physical was a short process. Qin Qianyu mainly checked her pulse and manipulated certain muscles groups.

"Have you thought about the tasks I left for you?"

"Yes, and like I said before, I'll do my best to complete them all so please allow me this chance to prove myself."

Qin Qianyu nodded and said no more. Majority of the tasks she had listed were simple in fact. There were three difficult tasks and one uber extreme one which is task number 4, exit the lab in under 20 seconds.

Qin Qianyu had set no restrictions on how Wu Yihuan would complete her tasks or the order in which she had to do them.

After the examination was done, Qin Qianyu gave Wu Yihuan a few moments to adjust her mindset and to prepare for the tasks.

"I'm ready ma'am."

"Remember, if you fail any one of these tasks, there won't be a do over afforded to you and the entire test will be forfeited."

"Yes, I understand."

Qin Qianyu nodded and asked Wu Yihuan which one she would like to do first.

"Task number four ma'am."

"Wu Yihuan, good luck."

"Thank you ma'am."

Qin Qianyu didn't need to remind Wu Yihuan or try and persuade her. Wu Yihuan had already made her decision and so, Qin Qianyu would respect that.

"Give me 10 or so seconds to go down stairs. Put your hand out this window here, when I see it disappear I'll start the timer."

"Understood ma'am."

Qin Qianyu headed outside and after a few seconds Wu Yihuan looked out to see Qin Qianyu standing at the bottom.

Wu Yihuan was truly amazed at Qin Qianyu's skills. But now wasn't the time to be in awe. She had a task to fulfil and needed to stay focus.

Wu Yihuan placed her hand out of the window. Qin Qianyu saw this and she got ready with the stopwatch.

Wu Yihuan took a deep breath and counted down from five.

As soon as she hit zero, the hand disappeared from sight and Qin Qianyu started the timer.

Three seconds passed then Qin Qianyu looked up as she saw a large blurry mass flying out of the very window Wu Yihuan had her hand out of.

Wu Yihuan had tossed out a rope, and she followed after it running down the side of the building face first.

This was a technique known as Geneva style abseiling.

Qin Qianyu cocked an eyebrow then chuckled to herself as Wu Yihuan passed the halfway point at 8 seconds and she was still running for the gold medal.

With a loud thud Wu Yihuan hit the ground, at the same time Qin Qianyu hit the stop button.

Wu looked to Qin Qianyu with anticipation, however, the look on Qin Qianyu's face told her otherwise.

"Ma'am?"

"I'm sorry Yihuan . . But there's no need for you to carry on with the other tasks."

" . . . "

"So I failed?"

"Unfortunately . . Yes, . . "

"I'm sorry ma'am,"

"Don't be, it was a grand effort. You did well."

"I'm unworthy of such pause ma'am,"

Wu Yihuan says wholeheartedly. She let out a huge sigh and started squaring herself away, starting with undoing her harness.

Qin Qianyu helped Wu Yihuan and the pair walked backed up to the lab in silence.

Qin Qianyu was surprised that Wu Yihuan hadn't asked for her time as they walked. She observed Wu Yihuan. There were no tears, not even a hint of remorse or anger on her face. It was completely stoic.

Once at the top, Qin Qianyu fetched Wu Yihuan a glass of water and several other items.

Wu Yihuan saw this and looked to Qin Qianyu confused.

The items were a bodysuit, boots, cloak and Fox mask exactly like the one Qin Qianyu was currently wearing.

"I don't understand, didn't you say I failed?"

"Yes, yes you did."

"Then . . . "

"You failed at failing the hardest task on the list. So now there's no need for you to finish off the rest as they're easier than taking a piss."

"I failed at failing . . the . . task? So I passed!?"

"Swimmingly . . "

Qin Qianyu says as she showed Wu Yihuan the stop watch. It stopped at 00:00:15:11.

Wu Yihuan slumped to the floor. She realised that Qin Qianyu had played a prank on her. She looked up at Qin Qianyu and pouted. Her eyes started to well up. The emotional storm she had been suppressing on the walk back up to the lab was let loose then and there!

Qin Qianyu smiled her cheeky smile as she added,

"Sorry cousin I just had too, I mean, the feat you achieved just now is incredible. I just had to knock you down a few pegs for your own good, you know?"

"You're so cruel! . . "

Wu Yihuan muttered as she readjusted her mentality and emotional state.

"You're welcome."

Qin Qianyu replied with a smile.

The pair spoke some more and Wu Yihuan was so excited she started stripping off all of her clothing to try on her new suit.

Qin Qianyu shook her head at the woman's unabashed behaviour. A few moments later, Wu Yihuan was fully transformed into the splitting image of the Phantom Fox.

"We could pass as sisters like this wouldn't you say so cousin?"

Qin Qianyu says her mouth agape as she looked to Wu Yihuan in awe. She realised that when she use the technique on Wu Yihuan to change der face she really did unconsciously used her own looks as a reference.

"I'm a stunt double at best, I even lack your most basic of skills and abilities."

"Mhm, give it time, I'll train you."

"Really!? That'll be great."

Qin Qianyu nodded. She had told Wu Yihuan all about the humanoid stick insect, so having another pair of fighting hands would be good for her.

"Well I'm on house arrest at the moment so it'll be . . Wait! . . Even the most evilest of prisoners are allowed visitors right!?"

"Mhm, I guess . . "

"Good, then tomorrow I'll have you come over and train with me."

"Oh crap that reminds me!"

"Hmm?"

"I left my car by the antique store, I'll have to go and get before anything else."

Wu Yihuan explained to Qin Qianyu how she had bought a little "runabout" for herself.

"You know there's vehicles and motorbikes in the garage right!?"

"Yes, . . But I didn't ask and you didn't say I could use them so I went out and bought myself a car."

"Mhm, well you know now, well I see you at my place tomorrow after you've done with your business."

"Alright, I better head off now, remember this though. From this moment onwards you are my people. We are family. No matter the hardship, let's see it though together as a family. No matter the problem, big, medium, small or even supersize, we'll all tackle it together."

"I understand ma . . I understand cousin."

Qin Qianyu smiled brightly and left the lab in a good mood.

As she left, she looked in the direction of the hospital. After few moments she shook her head.

"Do I really need to get personally involved with every little thing? . . Lu Mingyu has Mu Liang with her, they'll be fine for the most part. As for the wolf . . "

Qin Qianyu knotted her brow, she was still a little pissed at him for his actions that night. She closed her eyes and after collecting her thoughts, she exhaled slowly then left for home.

As she did, she couldn't help but look over her shoulder a few times, this spooked her a bit. She went towards the industrial district and climbed to the highest building close to her.

She perched herself on the edge and looked out at her surroundings then over the city.

She was sure she was being followed, even now, from the height she was at she could vaguely sense eyes on her.