Chapter 114: For Your Safety

The night meal prepared by the Guard Bureau was extremely plentiful. There were pan-fried, juicy, tender steaks; whole chickens roasted golden brown and tender; thickly sliced sausages; and surprisingly, two bowls of small, neatly packed wontons, along with several intensely flavorful pickled side dishes.

Plus, under Gecko’s special request, they’d prepared several bottles of beer for each.

Beer had become rarer than hard liquor after the Cataclysm due to its shorter shelf life. Most drunkards in Satellite Cities could only make do with poor-quality baijiu brought back by Land Reclamation teams or produced by small workshops. Fortunately, Qinggang City had intact beer and liquor production lines, which the Main City had now restarted. Decent baijiu was being produced again, and beer was flooding the market in large volumes, even being traded to factions Outside the City.

Even so, getting fresh beer in a Satellite City was still considered somewhat luxurious.

“I’m heading home for a bit today,” Lu Xin told Gecko after finishing his late supper.

Mother had mentioned holding a Family Meeting before leaving, and Lu Xin had agreed. He felt the meeting was important. Plus, he actually had some things he wanted to say too.

Gecko’s expression shifted slightly at Lu Xin’s suggestion. He seemed reluctant to let Lu Xin go. Lu Xin guessed it was possible someone had ordered Gecko to keep him at the Guard Bureau for now.

But meeting Lu Xin’s calm gaze, Gecko didn’t argue. Instead, he smoothly changed tack, chuckling, “Go home if you want to go home. After such a big accomplishment, it’s not like they’ll chain us here, right? Mind if I head back with you?”

He laughed heartily as he spoke, adding, “I wanted to drop by your place last time anyway.”

“Er…” Lu Xin looked at Gecko, a bit helplessly, and said very seriously, “What’s wrong with living?”

“Huh?” Gecko froze completely.

Seeing his stiff expression, Lu Xin quickly apologized with a smile, “I was joking…”

“Haha…” Gecko gave a forced laugh, then said sternly to Lu Xin, “Seriously, cut out jokes like that from now on. It’s pretty scary. You know me, I’m the most serious guy, never crack jokes.”

“…”

“Okay,” Lu Xin nodded, then said, “But I won’t invite you over this time. Could you cover my shift here for a while? Just give me a call if anything actually comes up. I shouldn’t need long, and I’ll be back to relieve you soon.”

“In that case…” Gecko could only nod, “Alright, go on ahead.”

……

Lu Xin tidied his things briefly and walked out of the Guard Bureau.

He’d planned to take the subway, but realizing how late it was, he figured it must have already stopped running. Spotting the Jeep that had brought him and Gecko still parked at the entrance, he walked straight over, opened the door, and got in. Only after Little Sister settled beside him did he address the driver, “Please take me to Moon Terrace.”

The driver was a middle-aged man around forty who seemed taciturn. He’d been the one to ferry both Gecko and Lu Xin after their last mission. Clearly, his role was to provide dedicated transport for Ability Users during critical times like these.

The driver said nothing further, just nodded and started the engine.

As the Jeep began moving, Lu Xin noticed several Police Officers hurrying out of the Guard Bureau. One of them was the administrator who wore the thick Protective Suit. They all looked anxiously toward the Jeep but ultimately didn’t order it to stop.

It was only as the Jeep entered the next intersection that several pairs of headlights quickly lit up behind them.

Close to dawn and in the dead of night, especially following the city’s recent Chaos the road was almost deserted. So those following vehicles were extraordinarily conspicuous. No matter how they disguised it, it was clear they were tailing him.

Even in the depths of the dark buildings lining the street, it always felt like several pairs of eyes were watching him.

……

Lu Xin sat quietly in the back seat, head slightly lowered.

Little Sister crouched beside him, her face pressed against the window glass, eyes wide open as she stared into the dark patches between buildings.

If someone was peering at him through binoculars or other instruments right now, Lu Xin was sure they wouldn’t realize that as they watched him, an anomalous little girl beside him was also watching them.

He sighed softly.

He could understand the curiosity and wariness some felt toward him right now. But he disliked being stared at.

Besides, he was currently going home for the Family Meeting. Lu Xin didn’t know to what extent this trailing or surveillance would persist. What would happen if they crossed a line? Would it further anger Father, who was already likely in a bad mood?

After some thought, he took out the satellite phone and dialed.

Chen Jing answered quickly, her voice maintaining its usual efficiency: “What is it?”

“Things on this Satellite City are pretty much handled…”

Lu Xin pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, “I intend to go home now.”

“You should just go then,” Chen Jing replied. “No need to report such things to me.”

Lu Xin paused briefly. “But many people are following me. I dislike that.”

“…”

Chen Jing was silent for a while before saying, “Understood. Give me a moment to arrange things.”

…

The call ended, and Lu Xin waited silently in the back seat.

Through the rearview mirror, the driver glanced at him, seemingly surprised by his method of addressing the tail.

It’s unclear what arrangements Chen Jing made, but several vehicles trailing the Jeep soon turned away.

The unsettling sensation of being watched by several hidden gazes also vanished.

This convinced Lu Xin that those assigned to follow him had indeed been withdrawn.

The satellite phone rang. Upon answering, Chen Jing’s calm voice came through: “Those tailing you weren’t dispatched by Headquarters. I’ve recalled them all. You won’t be troubled by this for now, maybe even— Keep your hands steady!”

“Haven’t you seen a woman’s intestines before?”

“…”

Lu Xin, about to respond, was interrupted by her sudden remark. Instinctively he asked, “What are you doing?”

“Performing surgery,” Chen Jing answered. “Sustained an injury during the attack. Only now have I time to address it.”

“…”

Lu Xin hesitated, then asked, “Is it serious?”

“Not serious,” Chen Jing replied, tone tinged with nonchalance. “Just an abdominal laceration hitting internal organs. Suturing will fix it. I’ve used my ability to self-hypnotize; I feel no pain… Your matter is more pressing. I heard about you dealing with the Psychic Entity. Well done. However, precisely because it was handled proficiently, certain individuals became apprehensive.”

“But it’s not solely about you. When recruiting Doll, Drunkard, Gecko – even when first assessing me – they all reacted similarly. We in the Special Contaminant Cleanup Division have protocols. Disregard these bothersome trifles.”

“…”

“Understood. Focus on your surgery.”

Lu Xin spoke into the phone, then hung up.

Only then did he recall his own injury. Looking down, he saw the wound had already formed a scab, seemingly almost healed.

He thought silently to himself: Chen Jing is his superior, and she’s undergoing surgery…

…Should he buy her some fruit?

…

The Jeep drove for half an hour before halting beneath an Old Building.

Lu Xin exited the vehicle and walked to the driver’s window. Addressing the driver, he said, “You needn’t wait. I’ll return independently later.”

Expressionless, the driver nodded and murmured, “Understood.”

Lu Xin nodded back, then turned towards the pitch-dark stairs of the Old Building.

The moment he entered the stairwell, a room on the fourth floor, left-hand side, abruptly lit up with a warm glow.

…

The driver steered the car silently toward the Guard Bureau. Only after traveling a great distance did his hands visibly begin trembling on the wheel. His impassive face relaxed slightly, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow. With a faint shaking hand, he retrieved an earpiece and placed it in his ear. The channel crackled with urgent calls:

“Orders from above: Cease surveillance on Lone Soldier…”

“B3, acknowledge! Orders from above: Cease surveillance on Lone Soldier!”

“…”

“Acknowledged!” the driver rasped. “He was just in my vehicle. Why this directive?”

“Special Operations Team member Chen Jing provided a guarantee for him.”

“But… hasn’t his threat level been assessed as A-Class?”

“…”

The channel fell silent briefly before responding: “This is also to ensure your safety. Headquarters just received reports. During his execution of the Satellite City No.2 ultra-tier-two Psychic Entity Cleanup Mission, several agents dispatched to investigate him… met their end.”

“Among them: a senior Investigator, an A-Class elite Special Agent, and even… an Ability User.”

“Cause of death… unknown.”

“…”

Instinctively, the driver glanced back toward the district containing the Old Building.

A long, tense moment passed. Suddenly, goosebumps erupted across his skin. He slammed the accelerator, speeding away from the area.