Chapter 179: Completion Rating “B”
Chapter 179: Completion Rating “B”
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Rapid, rhythmic footsteps echoed outside the hotel as a fully armed Support Team charged in.
“It’s her.”
Lu Xin pointed toward the Front Desk Girl. The Support Team immediately rushed over.
“What are you doing?”
“Why are you arresting me……?”
“……”
Facing the advancing Support Team, the Front Desk Girl screamed in terror.
Her reaction seemed genuinely fearful, struggling inwardly but too scared to resist.
Watching through the camera on Lu Xin’s chest, Han Bing explained softly:
“She probably genuinely doesn’t know why right now. That Ghost must be hiding.”
“He can actively control the actions and consciousness of the person he possesses, or retreat deep into their mind to avoid detection. Still, once we’ve confirmed his presence, we can force him out of this girl.”
“……”
Lu Xin nodded. He trusted Han Bing’s analysis completely. Catching this Ghost so smoothly was largely due to her work.
He thought for a moment. “What will happen to the Ghost?”
“Under Qinggang City’s laws,” Han Bing replied over the channel, “he’ll likely face the death penalty.”
Lu Xin’s tone lifted slightly. “The death penalty? Truly?”
Han Bing paused briefly before answering gently, “The death penalty means revoking his right to exist.”
“So in Qinggang, he’s already considered dead. Whether sent to the Research Department or the City Defense Department as part of a D-grade special dispatch unit—both would count as favorable outcomes for him.”
“……”
Lu Xin nodded. The answer didn’t surprise him.
Glancing around, he felt relieved now that the Support Team had arrived.
He just watched as, amidst cries of protest, the girl had a Protective Visor secured over her head and an Ability Suppressor clasped around her neck. Then two layers of triple-fiber protective clothing were wrapped around her, bundling her completely like a dumpling. A powerfully built member of the team bent down, scooped her up in a princess carry, and strode toward a vehicle with a glass enclosure outside.
Throughout the process, he only said one thing: “Please cooperate calmly. We’ll ensure your safety. Afterwards, you’ll also receive compensation of at least ten thousand yuan……” The girl’s shouting noticeably weakened at that, though traces of fear lingered.
……
The whole procedure made Lu Xin’s scalp tingle……
This Support Team was too efficient……
Just looking at that sequence—unless this Ability User possessed Telekinetic Power powerful enough to shatter the Ability Suppressor, burst through the Protective Visor and protective gear, then breach the bulletproof glass container—escape was impossible……
……The only uncertainty lay with this implicated girl. What would become of her?
Outside, lines of soldiers continued pressing forward, keeping the area locked down.
Lu Xin knew even though he’d caught the “Ghost,” their work wasn’t finished.
By protocol, they’d perform further tests until confirming the capture.
Additionally, those who’d witnessed the Aberration required examination and final processing.
……
“Any need for me to stay?”
Lu Xin addressed the Team Leader approaching him. It was Cheng Hui, an Investigation Team Lead he’d worked with before.
“You’ve worked hard, Mr. Lone Soldier.”
Cheng Hui saluted him first, then relaxed into a smile.
“Just doing the job.”
Lu Xin returned the smile and turned to leave the hotel.
“Hey……”
A slightly trembling voice stopped him. Turning, he saw the young Front Desk Girl.
Li Mengmeng—she still hadn’t calmed down, yet she’d called out to him.
“You……you’re just leaving like this?”
“Yes.”
Lu Xin smiled at her and said: “My job is finished.”
“You…”
Li Mengmeng hesitated, looking up at Lu Xin with a hint of expectation in her eyes: “What’s your name?”
“Huh?”
Lu Xin looked surprised and glanced at her.
Not far away, Little Sister, who was crouched against the wall, suddenly gave a cold “heh” of laughter.
Li Mengmeng blushed under Lu Xin’s gaze and quickly explained: “Don’t… don’t get the wrong idea, I just… just thought I might run into issues later… so I could call and ask you then… oh, this is…”
Her face now flushed scarlet: “Could you… leave me your phone number?”
“It’s useless.”
Lu Xin shook his head. Even if he gave her his number, she wouldn’t remember it.
According to Special Contamination Protocol, she might have forgotten everything by the time she left the testing facility.
After a slight pause, he still smiled: “Don’t be afraid. He’s been caught, there won’t be any more problems.”
“…”
Looking at Lu Xin’s smile, Li Mengmeng’s expression grew complicated.
She lowered her head slightly: “If I encounter a problem like this again… you’ll come protect me, right?”
Lu Xin smiled: “That would depend on our Team Leader’s arrangements…”
“…Perhaps another colleague would come protect you.”
“…”
Li Mengmeng seemed a bit choked, but finally managed a smile: “Anyway… thank you…”
“It’s fine.”
Lu Xin smiled honestly: “I’m drawing a salary for this.”
“…”
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Li Mengmeng had no idea how to respond.
After a moment, as if gathering courage, she lifted her head forcefully: “I still feel like…”
Before she could finish, a clack sounded, and a glass helmet clamped down over her head.
Her remaining words became muffled and indistinct.
Lu Xin gave her a strange look, then turned to the two Support Team members beside her.
The two Support Team members also looked stunned. They exchanged glances, then gave Lu Xin apologetic looks:
“Should… should we take it off again?”
“…”
“No need.”
Lu Xin smiled at them, waved his hand, and walked out of the Hotel.
Inside the Hotel, Li Mengmeng kept her head raised, watching until two Support Team members wrapped her in a Protective Suit and carried her away.
…
…
“I’m heading back to the Guard Bureau first.”
Straddling his Motorcycle, Lu Xin let out a soft sigh.
Reflecting on the entire capture operation, he felt a sense of surreal absurdity.
But thankfully, it was resolved smoothly.
“Alright, I’ll help Mr. Lone Soldier organize the requisition request. I’ll submit it later along with your Work Report…”
In the comms channel, Han Bing replied cheerfully.
“Thanks, thanks. Oh, if there’s any other available tasks, could you find some for me…”
Lu Xin said happily. Seeing that Little Sister had already climbed onto the handlebars to sit, he notified Han Bing and started the Motorcycle.
Cool wind brushed his face. After riding quite a distance, Lu Xin suddenly remembered something: “Little Sister…”
Little Sister sitting on the handlebars immediately turned to look at him.
In the comms channel, Han Bing audibly startled – perhaps knocking over a teacup. After a beat, she softly responded: “Hmm…?”
Lu Xin’s face reddened slightly, but since the words were out, he had to continue: “Back there… was I pretty cool?”
“Sticking out her tongue… bleh!” Little Sister pulled a silly face at Lu Xin… an incredibly convincing one.
Over the comms, Han Bing started laughing delightedly: “Though I didn’t witness any of it…”
“…You were absolutely cool beyond words!”
“…”
“Handled well. Took less than two hours…”
As Lu Xin rode his Motorcycle away from the scene, a discreet business vehicle idled near the still-cordoned area undergoing final assessments. Inside sat three plainclothes personnel facing a row of computers displaying constantly updating data, performing evaluations of Lu Xin’s “ghost-hunt” assignment.
“To be precise, from initial contact with the target to capture completion – one hour and four minutes.”
Another analyst added: “Of course, that excludes prep time. For the operation: 200 personnel seconded from the City Patrol Army, 50 from the Support Team, deployment of ten Ability Suppressors, five hundred Protective Suits, multiple vehicles…”
“132 civilians affected. Five minor injuries, two critical…”
“Medical team just confirmed the critical patients are stable. That’s a point in his favor.”
“…”
After tallying the data, they exchanged looks and offered their individual assessments:
“Grade B.”
“…”
The youngest-looking analyst tilted his head: “Just B? I thought it was decent. That kind of Ability User… one dwelling inside another person’s mind? Terrifying. He devised a strategy without prompts, captured the Ability User successfully within an hour. That’s pretty good, isn’t it?”
The other two analysts shared a smile.
“We used to follow Team Leader Chen. Know how she’d have handled it?”
The slightly heavier analyst thought briefly: “Being wise after the event… but I imagine once Team Leader Chen identified Ghost’s target, she’d make subtle, hypnosis-level contact. Have the target lure Ghost either directly to her, or to a pre-set trap where immediate capture would follow. No bystanders.”
“If the City Defense Department ran it?” continued the third analyst dryly. “Grade-D personnel would serve as bait seeded city-wide. Ghost takes interest? The bait electrocutes them during… intimate moments. Minimal fuss.”
“…Of course, sometimes they’d just authorize remote artillery…”
“In those scenarios,” the heavier analyst concluded, “you wouldn’t need the City Patrol Army. Two casualties max.”