CHAPTER 423: CHAPTER 423 DIFFERENT THOUGHTS

"I know perfectly well they don’t like me, but my mother is here, and so I must stay. She’s very old now, and I can’t just abandon her here."

Some things are not a matter of impossibility, but a matter of unwillingness.

Just like the situation now, he knows exactly what is going on in his heart, but he doesn’t want to let it end this way.

Ji Yu couldn’t persuade someone to act against filial piety, and she also understood that during this time, it was thanks to Lin Zhiyuan and the old lady’s care that she managed to survive. If she were to say something excessive now, she would undoubtedly feel guilty about it.

"No matter what, Brother Lin, if you ever need my help in the future, I will come to assist you. I understand that things must have been relatively simple for you these days."

Their way of thinking was different, which meant problems between them were inevitable.

Just like the current situation.

"Actually, none of them are bad people—they’re just driven by the struggles of life. In this village, they can only rely on these methods to protect their own safety."

Many of them had no other choice, but having been here for so long now, there was no way to change everything anymore. They could only accept the situation and move on.

"I don’t want to harm you, and that’s because I believe you don’t belong here. You are a smart and remarkable young woman. If you leave this place, you’re bound to accomplish far more."

These people had already been trapped here, so they naturally didn’t want to pull unrelated people into their predicament. Otherwise, they would only bring harm to others alongside themselves. It was better to send them away instead.

Looking at him like this, Ji Yu understood—he really was a good man, just born into the wrong place. If he lived in a normal society, he would undoubtedly have been a truly decent person.

"Miss Ji, you don’t need to look at me with such pity. Actually, I’ve been quite happy during this time. In my life, having so many people care for me is already a great blessing."

Although his mindset clashed deeply with this place, his mother still loved him deeply and took care of him. Even at her age, she never considered anything else.

"I know you’re happy now, but what about later? If this place is ultimately destroyed, what will you do then?"

Places like this always operate under secrecy. If there were ever a risk of exposure, it would be utterly eradicated.

Ji Yu knew this very well, which is why she worried about their future at this moment. She couldn’t predict what might become of them afterward.

"You don’t need to worry about that. This place has always been very safe. As long as we stay quiet and focus on harvesting medicinal plants for them, they won’t target us."

There were many tasks here that others couldn’t manage, but for the residents living in this secluded village, they were still feasible.

"For now, they won’t do anything to us. After all, we are still quite useful to them. The new drugs they are developing largely come from our hands."

Ji Yu couldn’t help but think of the drug that had affected Gu Qixiao before.

"Brother Lin, does this place have any drugs that cause memory loss? And if there are, is there an antidote?"

"You must be talking about one of the recent products. If you know about this, you probably have some connection with those people. But as for the new drug, there is naturally no antidote yet. We’re still working on developing one." He had already guessed as much, considering that most people who reached this cliffside had ties to those higher authorities.

Ji Yu hadn’t explicitly explained where she came from, but her behavior strongly suggested some connection to those people as well.

"Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. Though my relationship with them isn’t particularly good, it’s not terrible either. It’s just that I saw them use these drugs on some people, which left an impression."

"Then you must know Jiang Huai, right? He’s a regular visitor here, though he hasn’t been around for quite some time." Lin Zhiyuan instinctively thought of him and, deep down, still held Jiang Huai in high regard.

"Though that man can be a bit crazy at times, he’s undeniably a genius. The things he creates amaze us." He didn’t know what relationship existed between Ji Yu and Jiang Huai, but his impression of Jiang Huai was just like that.

When Ji Yu heard that familiar name, she had a sinking feeling. Sure enough, as he spoke, her distaste for Jiang Huai grew even stronger.

"As long as you haven’t offended him, there shouldn’t be any major issues. In this organization, he’s probably the only one with that level of authority."

Well, wasn’t that ironic? The very person she had offended was Jiang Huai.

Of course, Ji Yu wouldn’t confess to this. If she did, she might be stuck here forever, with no end in sight.

"Brother Lin, if someone comes looking for me later, please help me hide for a bit. I don’t want to leave so soon, and my leg is still injured. I’m worried they might deceive me."

Even now, she remained highly rational and knew that dealing with these people later would require other means.

Alone, she was powerless here. She would need Lin Zhiyuan’s assistance.

Lin Zhiyuan already cared deeply for her, so hearing this request, he immediately agreed.

"Brother Lin, I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done for me. If there’s an opportunity in the future, I will definitely help you escape this place. Of course, your family will leave with you."

Ji Yu had always been someone who repaid kindness. So, faced with such a situation, her first thought was to return the favor.

"You don’t need to think about that. My family would never leave this place. Their entire memory is tied to this mountain and this village."

He had tried countless times before, but the outcome was always the same. By now, he didn’t want to attempt it anymore. Things were already fine as they were.

"But how can you know without trying again? Maybe they would change for your sake. If you leave this place first, perhaps they would eventually follow you because of you."

Ji Yu was firmly optimistic about this and believed that these people might not have stayed here by choice.