When the group arrived at the Ferris Wheel Hotel, Shao Qingge was waiting for them in a hovercar in the parking lot. Lu Jiuchuan, sitting in the car, asked with concern when he saw them, "Was the genetic testing process smooth?"
Tang Ci nodded: "The identities of the ten victims have been confirmed. Zhang Shaohua from Capital Star is the real person."
Shao Qingge sent the message to Qu Wanyue, asking her to follow up.
Xiao Lou looked at Ye Qi and asked, "Does Xiao Ye have any memory of her mother?"
Ye Qi shook his head: "Absolutely not, I've been in an orphanage since I was little. What's wrong?"
Xiao Lou said, " Your mother's remains were not found on the starship, and you are 19 years old now. Your father died 20 years ago, which means that your mother was pregnant at the time and did not escape with your father. We don't know if she was silenced by His Majesty or if she is secretly hiding somewhere and living... We need to investigate further."
Ye Qi scratched his head, took off the necklace around his neck, and then took out the necklace he found on his father's remains. He put them together and said, "The necklace I've worn since I was a child and my father's necklace look like two crescent moons. When put together, they form a circle. Could there be some clues hidden in them?"
Tang Ci took it and examined it carefully for a moment, then suddenly said:
"This is a smart chip. It can't be opened with just a half-circle. Ye Qi's half of the necklace can be considered the key to the smart chip carried by Ye Bowen."
Xiao Lou was overjoyed and quickly said, "Quick, take a look, see if there's any information inside!"
Tang Ci connected the unlocked smart chip to his optical computer, where there was a folder named "[Experimental Group Data]". Opening it revealed many familiar names—
Xiao Lou, Shao Qingge, Ye Qi...
Each case is recorded clearly and completely, including the day when cell replication began, the daily development of different cells, when the clone was born, and what nutrients were added, etc.
Ye Qi was taken aback: "When the plan was restarted in 1985, I wasn't even born yet, was I?"
Xiao Lou opened Ye Qi's medical record and said, "Your mother is already pregnant, and cells with genes identical to yours can be extracted from the embryo. The cloned Ye Qi might even be born earlier than you."
Ye Qi was both amused and exasperated: "Then why bother having children in the future? Just extract embryonic cells, replicate them, and raise them in culture medium until they are five years old. Mothers won't have to go through the hardships of pregnancy, raising children, and feeding formula. They can just have a child who goes straight to elementary school."
Shao Qingge said helplessly, "Then the whole social order will be in chaos. Your child can be raised to the same age as you, or even older."
Xiao Lou carefully examined the data on the chip and said, "This is full of clone cases. Besides the three of us, there are many children of researchers involved in the project, and even their own cells. Our assumptions were slightly wrong; back then, Egret..." The Merfolk Clan likely discovered many clones on the starship, not just three.
Ye Qi remarked, "This way, they'll have more materials for their experiments..."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Let's hurry, we need to make the most of our time."
Shao Qingge started the hovercar, and the group quickly arrived at the fishing village by the sea along the aerial road.
It was already dark, and the fishermen began to rest. Shao Qingge parked the hovercar in a secluded corner where no one would notice, and using various displacement cards, he and his teammates returned to the distant deserted island.
There are only 3 hours left until midnight, at which point all the cards ' skills will refresh. Old Mo's beanbag chair has a cooldown and duration limit, so everyone can make the most of these 3 hours to rest.
Tents were pitched on the deserted island, Xiao Lou started a fire, and everyone sat around the fire, sleeping against the trees.
Everyone woke up just before midnight.
Liu Qiao asked, "By the way, where is my card holder?"
Gui Yuanzhang took out a card holder from his pocket: "It's here with me. When Lao Mo and I rescued you, you were already unconscious. We weren't sure if you were Liu Qiao or a clone, so we took your card holder first. CEO Shao suggested shrinking you down and putting you in a bottle. We also used your [ Thumbelina ] card."
Liu Qiao nodded understandingly: "It's alright, it's good to be cautious. Don't you suspect me now?"
Xiao Lou looked at her, a gentle smile in his eyes: "Of course, you know so much about the secret room we went through before, how could it be fake?" He paused, then said to Gui Yuanzhang, "Senior, when we go into the water later, please return the card holder to Xiao Liu. In case she encounters any danger in the sea, she can protect herself with the card holder."
Yu Hanjiang suddenly said, "Leave the [Daughter of the Mermaid] and [Witch] cards to me. [Daughter of the Mermaid] can turn everyone into mermaids and dive into the deep sea to reunite with you; while the [Witch] card contains an antidote. CEO Shao and Ye Qi have already used their bug king cards, and the Witch's antidote might be a lifesaver in a critical moment."
Gui Yuanzhang drew the two cards and gave them to Yu Hanjiang, then handed the card holder to Liu Qiao.
It was exactly midnight. Xiao Lou stood up, glanced at the dark sea in the distance, and said, "The three of you, move quickly and be careful. If you encounter Merfolk Clan patrols, you can use the Invisibility Cloak to hide. If you encounter a danger you can't handle, call me using Telepathic Connection, and I'll pull you back to Peach Blossom Spring."
Xiao Lou summoned Qin Guan and established a Telepathic Connection with Lao Mo.
Yu Hanjiang instructed, "Once we find the clone lab, Lao Mo should immediately activate the marker and pull us there."
Mo Xuemin nodded solemnly: "Okay, we will definitely complete the mission."
The three exchanged a glance, then leaped nimbly into the dark sea.
Their green, blue, and white tails splashed beautifully across the sea. In the blink of an eye, the Three of a Kind mermaids vanished. They could travel at 200 km/h, and the deep sea was more than 10 kilometers from the deserted island, beyond the effective range of their team headsets, so they could only communicate via Telepathic Connection.
Xiao Lou used Telepathic Connection to say to Lao Mo, "This operation is very risky, so be careful. If things get really bad, just call me and I'll bring you back."
Old Mo replied, " Professor Xiao, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
On the deserted island, Xiao Lou watched the sea gradually calm after the waves subsided, his brow furrowed, his face filled with worry. Under the moonlight, his face was much paler than usual, and his hands were clenched into fists at his sides, as if he were very uneasy.
Yu Hanjiang stepped forward, gently put his arm around his shoulder, and whispered, "Don't worry, now that Senior Gui and Lao Mo know the truth, they will be even more careful. Although our plan this time is risky, it is also the best option."
The man's deep, comforting voice made Xiao Lou feel much better. He took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "I hope everything goes well and they don't get trapped in the maze."
Ye Qi said optimistically, "No, they won't. The three of them grew up in the deep sea, and their combined strength is greater than that of our large group."
"To navigate a maze, one needs to be agile and nimble; besides, Lao Mo has the best sense of direction and is the best at navigating mazes among us. As long as there aren't any strange traps in the maze, I believe he can quickly figure out the path if it's just about exploration."
This maze is quite special. In previous mazes, there were no people, and the twelve of them walking together didn't feel crowded. But this time, the Mermaid Royal Palace is full of Merfolk Clan members and patrol forces. If they all enter the maze together, they are likely to attract the attention of the Merfolk Clan, and being surrounded and attacked would only make things worse.
Sending out an advance force, though risky, is currently the best strategy.
At this time, Liu Qiao, Lao Mo, and Gui Yuanzhang had already infiltrated the palace.
Mermaid Royal Palace is more active at night than during the day, with patrolling mermaid guards roaming around. But this is not a problem for the three who grew up in the palace, since they not only have mermaid abilities but also a large number of cards.
Gui Yuanzhang used a writing brush to speed up their movements within the palace.
Moreover, wearing an invisibility cloak, they would be completely undetectable by patrol forces.
Old Mo had already checked the western palace; there would be even more forks in the road to the east.
The three of them quickly explored the route, while Old Mo memorized the path in his mind.
The Invisibility Cloak only lasts for half an hour. Once it fails, they might be surrounded by the Merfolk Clan. Old Mo lowered his voice and said, "Time is running out. The three of us will split up. Make sure to leave a mark at any dead end. Keep in touch via voice headset."
The distance within the palace is no more than 10 kilometers, and the three of them can communicate with each other through their headsets.
Gui Yuanzhang nodded: "Okay, be careful."
Leaving a fluorescent card with the Four-Way Arrow design would be too easy to spot, so leaving a marker would be safer. The three agreed to turn back when they encountered a dead end and leave an arrow-shaped mark at the intersection.
A moment later, the three met at a major intersection. Invisibility Cloak couldn't see each other, and the three almost bumped into each other.
Old Gui immediately said, "I've walked through more than a dozen side roads, and at the end of each road are all Merfolk Clan residences. I didn't find anything unusual."
Liu Qiao said, "Me too."
Old Mo wondered, "With so many forks in the road and no clues, what exactly is the structure of the maze on the east side?"
Old Gui said with a headache, "My sense of direction isn't great, so I'll have to rely on you to navigate the maze."
Old Mo nodded: "I'll go forward, Xiao Liu will go to the left, and Senior Gui will go to the right. Let's continue exploring!"
A moment later, Old Gui and Liu Qiao met at the original point, but Old Mo was nowhere to be found.
Liu Qiao asked in confusion, " Where did Uncle Mo go? Was his route the right one?"
Just then, Mo Xuemin's familiar voice came through their earpieces: "I understand now. The maze on the east side is actually a complex 'fishbone' structure. Many of the branching paths are the dwellings of the Merfolk Clan people. No laboratory was found. There is only one main path in the maze, just like the spine in the middle of a fishbone."
Liu Qiao's eyes lit up: "That makes sense. No wonder we encountered so many interfering factors. It seems these forks in the road are branches of the fishbone... Uncle Mo, do you think the lab will be located at the head or the tail of the fish?"
Old Mo said, "I've reached the fish's head. It's a beautiful 270-degree viewing platform, surrounded by colorful fish, just like an aquarium. I didn't find any obvious mechanisms, so the laboratory is probably at the fish's tail."
Gui Yuanzhang asked, "Do we have to go in the opposite direction?"
Old Mo said, "Hmm, let's try going straight back."
He quickly approached Liu Qiao and Gui Yuanzhang and continued his investigation in the opposite direction.
Just then, they saw Xiao Lou pass by in the spacious corridor. Several guards around him saw him and immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness."
Xiao Lou frowned and asked, "Hmm. Still no news of the princess?"
The guard lowered his head in shame and said, "I sent people to search the nearby sea, but we couldn't find the princess. In addition, Elder Gui and Mr. Mo have also disappeared."
Xiao Lou said, "Keep searching, and report back to me immediately if you find anything."
The three of them held their breath and hid nearby, not daring to breathe, until Xiao Lou passed by and disappeared at the end of the corridor, at which point they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Qiao suggested, "Follow him. This area is where the elders of the Merfolk Clan live. He doesn't usually come here. He suddenly came today and is even going deeper into the maze. Maybe he's going to the clone lab?"
Gui Yuanzhang nodded: "That makes sense. Let's follow them and see."
The three followed Xiao Lou from a distance, arriving at the "fish tail" position of the maze.
This looks like the V-shaped tail of a normal fish, with two branches, one on the left and one on the right. Old Mo looked closely and found that the structures on the left and right sides were exactly the same, and there was a door on each side with a switch shaped like a diagram on it.
He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "Two doors that are exactly the same?"
Gui Yuanzhang frowned: "The theme of this escape room is cloning. Just as there are real and fake people, there are also real and fake mazes. If we open the real door, we can enter the clone laboratory; if we open the fake one, we might all be wiped out."
Old Mo said happily, "Luckily, we ran into Xiao Lou No. 5 today, and he showed us the way."
Since the three of them couldn't follow too closely, Xiao Lou No. 5 had already disappeared from sight. But Old Gui still keenly noticed a clue: "He went to the left. Look, the waves on the left are different from those on the right. Obviously, someone just passed by."
Old Mo nodded: "That's right, I've already notified Professor Xiao via Telepathic Connection. He told me to activate Li Qingzhao's marker now to summon everyone over and deal with this Xiao Lou No. 5 first."
He summoned Li Qingzhao,
The "Accidentally Entering the Depths of Lotus Blossoms" marking skill has been activated.
Li Qingzhao's marker could teleport teammates to their location five minutes prior; they just needed to wait another five minutes, and their teammates would instantly appear before them. The three nervously waited to the side...
Five minutes passed quickly, and Xiao Lou and his group, now transformed into mermaids, appeared before them as expected.
At this point, Liu Qiao and the other two's Invisibility Cloak had lost its effect. Xiao Lou walked over to Lao Mo and whispered, "Are you sure that Xiao Lou No. 5 went through the left door?"
Old Mo nodded: "Yes."
Xiao Lou said, "Let's go to the right."
Liu Qiao paused, then asked in confusion, "Why go to the right? Didn't he go to the left?"
Xiao Lou smiled slightly and looked at Liu Qiao, saying, "He's a clone, he's fake, so the places he went to are obviously fake too. Maybe he already discovered you and is trying to lure you all into a trap."
Liu Qiao suddenly realized: "That makes sense."
As soon as Xiao Lou finished speaking, Yu Hanjiang had already swiftly arrived at the door of the secret room on the right.
There was a graphic mechanism on the door. Old Mo said, "It should be a fishbone. The floor plan of this maze looks a lot like a fishbone."
Yu Hanjiang drew fish bones on the platter with his finger, and the door opened.
He glanced around warily, then strode into the room—
The scene inside was horrifying. One after another, coffin-sized glass containers were filled with a pale blue liquid, and within those liquids lay human "specimens," including even grown-up Xiao Lou, Shao Qingge, Ye Qi, Lu Jiuchuan, Tang Ci …
Seeing so many "replicas of himself" suddenly appear in the lab, all lying in strange nutrient solutions, Ye Qi felt a chill run down his spine: "I'm definitely going to have nightmares from now on!"
Just then, a vessel in the laboratory suddenly began to shake violently.
A girl crawled out of a "transparent coffin." She was covered in a strange blue liquid, her hair was sticky, and her skin was dehydrated from being soaked in nutrient solution. She looked utterly disheveled...
She and Liu Qiao have the exact same face!
Liu Qiao took a step back in shock: "She...she's my clone? When was I copied? And...she's been raised to be an 18-year-old girl just like me!"
Liu Qiao, covered in nutrient solution, stared coldly at the other person. Her voice was hoarse from being in the nutrient solution for so long, but her tone was extremely calm: "You are the clone."
Liu Qiao looked to Xiao Lou for help: " Professor Xiao, she actually wants to pass off a fake as real?"
Xiao Lou immediately connected with Liu Qiao via Telepathic Connection and asked in the mental channel, " Have you looked at the Traditional Chinese Medicine materials on the 23rd floor of the Medical School library?"
Liu Qiao, looking disheveled, paused for a moment before quickly replying, "Our Medical School library doesn't have a 23rd floor at all; it's only 12 floors at most. The books on Traditional Chinese Medicine are all on the 6th floor."
Xiao Lou decisively said, "Take her with you and let's get out of here!"
The next moment, Yu Hanjiang suddenly used a white silk card to tie Liu Qiao, who was next to Xiao Lou, into a rice dumpling. Immediately afterwards, everyone disappeared from Mermaid Royal Palace and appeared under the peach tree.
— The Peach Blossom Spring, transmitted collectively.
Both Liu Qiaos arrived at Peach Blossom Spring, but one was disheveled while the other was well-dressed.
Xiao Lou took off his coat and draped it over Liu Qiao. Liu Qiao glanced at him and said gratefully, " Professor Xiao, I didn't expect you to find me so quickly."
Liu Qiao, her clothes neatly arranged, said with a pale face, "What do you mean? Do you believe her but not me?"
"I knew you were an imposter all along. You fell into my trap without realizing it. The Medical School library doesn't have a 23rd floor." Xiao Lou turned to look at the girl in front of him, his eyes devoid of their usual gentleness, and said calmly, "I put on this show for you because we need to rescue the real Liu Qiao as soon as possible."
Yu Hanjiang's gaze sharpened: "You cooperated with Xiao Lou (No. 5) to lure us to the palace, intending to wipe us out at t
he bottom of the sea, didn't you?"