The cellphone had been out of signal all along. Zhou Ziang regretted it—not that he regretted following Locke’s directions into the unknown Underground Biopark—but that he should’ve called Xi Lijuan right after getting off the airplane. He could imagine his mother definitely sitting by the phone at home, dialing nonstop.
Looking at the concealed entrance of the Underground Biopark, Zhou Ziang thought to himself that women really were troublesome creatures. In his mind, he involuntarily recalled the little woman who had "bitten" him while in a daze that day. A smile unconsciously spread across his lips—women were also adorable creatures.
At the entrance of the Underground Biopark, the surveillance camera was still focused on Zhou Ziang. That slight smile of his was captured completely, transmitted to the central meeting room of the Biopark, onto an eighty-one-inch television screen.
"Celeste, it seems that the problem isn’t with the boy’s orientation; it’s that your daughter’s charm isn’t sufficient. Why don’t you make a move yourself? Perhaps you could win over the lad," Quinn toyed with a cigar in his hand, not bothering to light it, just savoring its scent under his nose.
"Quinn, if you make another joke about my daughter, be careful or I’ll dislocate your arm. After all, the Biopark could use fewer artificial fertilizers," Celeste kept her gaze fixed on Zhou Ziang’s face, her eyebrows lifting subtly. Zhou Ziang? Indeed, he was a young man with bright red lips and white teeth, quite exceptional, especially his lack of panic upon entering the Underground Biopark.
However, if he thought he could play with her daughter’s feelings with just a handsome face and a bit more courage than the others, Zhou Ziang was greatly overestimating himself.
Locke wasn’t in the central meeting room. He walked through the concealed forest path in the Biopark, heading to the entrance to greet Zhou Ziang, to complete this special encounter with the three bigwigs of Meng Mountain.
After Zhou Ziang entered his name and verified his irises, the door made from an indiscernible material before him slowly rose.
There was no stifling air characteristic of enclosed spaces; instead, there was a fragrance akin to that of a tropical rainforest, fresh and moist.
His ears picked up keenly on the sounds of birds and animals, along with the babbling of flowing water. At a glance, Zhou Ziang couldn’t determine how many species were in the Biological Garden or the scope of its size.
He didn’t rashly enter, but instead waited where he stood. Such cautious behavior won Quinn’s approval, "This young man, with that level of steadiness, I find quite likable. His face may look slightly punchable, but he handles matters with a firm grasp, not rash like other young people of his age."
Celeste snorted, "Let’s wait until we understand whether he is one of us before saying anything. If it’s just about being smart, we have plenty of such people under our command."
Locke appeared on the surveillance screen, extending a hand in a friendly gesture and giving Zhou Ziang a firm hug, just as he had done upon their first meeting.
"Ang, listen, you don’t need to answer. When you walk in later, remember the path I lead you on. I can only bring you in, as for whether you want to leave or how to leave, that’s all up to your own abilities," Locke pounded a fist against Zhou Ziang’s chest and led him inside with an ordinary expression.
Those in the know about the Underground Biopark, across the entire Mengshan Company, wouldn’t exceed 0.1 percent. Even Aisha, being Celeste’s daughter, only knew of its name without having truly entered.
The reason for not allowing access wasn’t just because the Biopark cultivated and bred a large number of rare animals and plants inside; it also housed many species that would cause a sensation if they appeared on land. For example, just now, when Zhou Ziang had looked up, he had spotted an ancient and toxic tree species that was thought to only exist in prehistoric times—Blood Poisoning. If such tree species were truly made public, they would surely be used for shared scientific research, an outcome the Mengshan Company was clearly not eager to see.
According to Zhou Ziang’s rough estimate, this Biopark had an expanse of at least a hundred acres. Such a vast space, to be hidden underground, must have required special authorization from the relevant departments.
The indoor temperature was roughly between fifteen to twenty degrees, very comfortable to the human body. The interior of the Underground Biopark wasn’t dim; overhead, at every ten or so meters, there was a row of lights resembling the sun, and every fifty meters, there was a mist-type sprinkler installed to maintain the indoor humidity.