Chapter 309: Yes, All the Animals in the Cages Were Once Human

Jiang Qiuqiu heard Little Qing mention "for human lives," and a flicker of doubt crossed her mind. ’For human lives? What does that mean...’

However, this flicker of doubt was soon overshadowed by something even more shocking.

The door opened. The dim room was clearly empty of people; there was only a single iron cage and a leopard. Yet, the young man beside her called out, "Brother Leopard, Miss Jiang is here. We found Miss Jiang!"

After speaking to the empty room, he actually turned back to her and said, "Miss Jiang, Brother Leopard is right inside."

Jiang Qiuqiu didn’t move.

Little Qing could understand. After all... Brother Leopard’s bestial form after his transformation was rather frightening.

So, he considerately added, "Don’t worry, Miss Jiang. Brother Leopard’s genes haven’t completely collapsed yet. He’s still conscious, so you don’t have to be afraid."

’What did he mean by that?’

’Brother Leopard? Conscious? His genes haven’t completely collapsed? Could it be!?’ Jiang Qiuqiu’s gaze suddenly shot toward the cage.

Then, she felt that her understanding of this era, of this world, was not very deep.

Because that... leopard! It actually started speaking?!

A somewhat hoarse male voice, sounding muffled and dejected, said, "It’s alright, Little Qing. I really do look scary like this. Don’t let Miss Jiang come any closer." The leopard slowly shifted its body, turning its head toward the shadows. "Thank Miss Jiang for me."

Seeing Brother Leopard’s gloomy state, Little Qing’s eyes suddenly reddened. This was the most painful stage for a transformed person: still possessing a human mind, but having already lost their human appearance.

Standing together, it was as if they were no longer the same species. They were either ostracized and feared, or looked down upon.

Seeing the leopard speak, all the information about the rescue center suddenly clicked into place in Jiang Qiuqiu’s mind. Little Qing’s pained expression when he mentioned the words "genetic collapse," the recurring phrase "for human lives"... ’A rescue center? Who exactly is this center meant to rescue?’

She looked at the leopard in the cage, then at the crowd of cats, dogs, and foxes outside the door.

A heavy suspicion suddenly formed in her mind.

Jiang Qiuqiu remained silent, so Little Qing called out to her a few times, "Miss Jiang? Perhaps we should head out first?"

"I’ll thank you on Brother Leopard’s behalf. It’s my fault for not telling you beforehand... and for scaring you."

"Miss Jiang?" Little Qing called out to Jiang Qiuqiu again.

She snapped out of her thoughts, glanced at Little Qing, then at the leopard hidden in the shadows. "I wasn’t scared. I was just thinking about something."

"?"

"This rescue center of yours... it isn’t an animal rescue center, is it?"

"Of course not," Little Qing said. "This is the Federation Warrior Genetic Collapse Rescue Center."

"Then let me ask you one last thing. That row of cages you have inside, past the entrance... are all the animals in them human?"

She seemed to truly not know about this.

Little Qing hummed in affirmation. He used to be devastated whenever one of them transformed, but after seeing it happen so many times, his heart had grown numb. So much so that now, he could state in a calm voice, "Yes. All the animals in the cages were once human."

In that instant, a single word was clearly written in Jiang Qiuqiu’s eyes—Shock.

Seeing her reaction, Little Qing asked, "Miss Jiang, you didn’t know about any of this?"

Jiang Qiuqiu shook her head and said only one thing: "I thought genetic collapse was similar to spiritual power collapse."