Such entertainment would not have been strange to Wu Yiliu if it had urred in some remote and wicked post-apocalyptic world. What he couldnt understand was how this theater existed in the Twelve Worlds Centrumregardless of the type of human society, there must be some baseline standards for it to operate normally. By all ounts, this open-air theater had vited the already not-so-high standards of the Twelve Worlds Centrum.
The Zhai Hospital, of which he had never heard, once used the newly emerged pocket dimension to attract human c.o.c.kpits for its members. Now when he inquired about it, he found that few people knew about Zhai Hospital, and n.o.body had seen a Pilots pocket dimensionand the only person who might have been a member of Zhai Hospital happened to die in another open-air theater he had never heard of before.
You can tell at a nce that you dont pay much attention to whats going on outside, said the old man who sold him the information, puffing on a cigarette. These small organizations have be quitemon in recent years, rising and falling,ing and going No one knows where theye from, and after a while, they vanish.
Is there anything else? Wu Yiliu asked as he opened his silver ring to take out money.
Yes, there is. The old man waved his hand, signaling that Wu Yiliu didnt need to pay, as he counted on his fingers. Ive heard of at least four or five. Ive known about the open-air theater for a long time. You told me about the Fasting Hospital. Someone once told me about a motorcycle sale event, can you believe it? Several years ago, there was a war ve camp, and someone even asked me to buy a war ve uh, recently the thirteenth incubator has been quite hot, but who knows when it will disappear.
Wu Yiliu, who considered himself quite capable, had never heard of any of these names before.
If you cant find it, I advise you not to keep looking, the old man said. If its not doing well, itll disappear on its own, and theres no point in looking. If its doing well, itll be there even if you dont look for it.
Thinking back, this didnt seem strange at all. He remembered a few years ago there was a Progressor Alliance that was very prominent, covering the Twelve Worlds Centrum, but it slowly faded away for some unknown reason. No feaststs forever, especially if its man-made.
Oh no, no, the old man said, suddenly waving his hand. The Progressor Alliance fell because it offended someone, but its formation and operation were clear and public, unlike these small organizations. You can still find former members of the Progressor Alliance, but these small groups leave no trace once they disappear C thats why I advise you not to bother.
Wu Yiliu left with even more doubts than when he arrived. Still, he left a little thank-you money for the old man and exited the subway car. Each car on this subway line could be rented for business, with various strange and unique activities, and the information-selling car was one of the quietest C as it allowed no more than one person in at a time.
He stepped across the cars threshold and onto the tform, instinctively looking left and right. To his left were the stairs to the ground floor. As Wu Yiliu turned to walk toward the stairs, it was as if a force suddenly struck him head-on, instantly pus.h.i.+ng Lin Sanjiu out of him C but in thest instant before she left Wu Yiliu, she saw.
Not far from Wu Yiliu, standing on the subway station tform amidst the bustling crowd, was a slender woman.
Wrapped in a long trench coat, with curly, s.h.i.+ning hair and exquisite makeup, she looked young but had a faint line etched between her nose and lips. That line was only on the left side of her face, as though she always smiled with only one side of her mouth. Her features were not perfectly symmetrical, but it was that slight skew that gave her beauty an irresistible pull.
In the time before the memory of the siblings had faded, Lin Sanjiu had often wondered what the grown-up Reno and Rena would look like. Now, she had finally seen them with her own eyes.
Chapter 1614: Outside the Rabbit Hole
Chapter 1614: Outside the Rabbit Hole
''Where... Where am I?''
Lin Sanjiu awoke with a start, her heart pounding fiercely, her palms cold with sweat. It was her heart, her palms; her body had returned. No, it seemed as if it had never left, as if she had once again perceived her own body.
Before her vision cleared, Lin Sanjiu had already jumped up; by the time she steadied herself, she realized her neck was still twisted to the right, as if still looking in the direction where Rena had been.
Turning her head, as her breath steadied, she gradually saw more clearly.
A dozen or so steps in front of her, Wu Yiliu was sitting on arge stone among the trees. Leaning forward, his arms resting on his knees, his hair soaked and clinging to his cheeks; a faint white mist was continuously whipped up from his shoulders and back, like a halo, gently enveloping him.
His face was pale from the rainwater, droplets falling continuously from his nose and chin, although there was not a drop of rain at that moment.
Thinking of this, Lin Sanjiu was slightly startled and hurriedly looked at her own arms and body, confirming that they were indeed dry.
She looked up; a pale, faded white moon floated on a sea-like ck night, and the vast, deep forest silently sank into the sea''s depths.
She was too familiar with this ce. Lin Sanjiu just couldn''t understand why she and Wu Yiliu had suddenly returned from Twelve Worlds Centrum to the forest where the camping cabin was located. Moreover, there seemed to be an invisible storm, violently battering this forest, but the rain only affected Wu Yiliu in front of her.
This scene also felt eerily familiar.
"Wu Yiliu?" Lin Sanjiu called softly, feeling as though many years had passed since she had been able to move her legs again. "Is that you?"
She could sense that it was indeed Wu Yiliu, although she wasn''t quite sure of his appearance. He must have looked in the mirror during those years, but the images reflecting his face, like eating and grooming, were fuzzy and unclear.
The young man seemed not to hear her call. She approached and finally noticed that his thin lips were moving slightly, as if he was speaking, but no sound came out.
Lin Sanjiu carefully squatted in front of him.
She was beginning to understand.
She looked down at her handsthey were no different from thest time she saw them. Round nails cut short, jagged edges, not smooth. Her hair was also the same, barely touching the corbone; carelessly cut, divided into twoyers, the upper half short, the lower half long.
She had not spent several years with Wu Yiliu; otherwise, her nails and hair would not remain at this length.
"Wu Yiliu," Lin Sanjiu called softly, "can you hear me? Is this... is this your memory?"
The young man continued to speak silently, oblivious to her presence. Although his body was indeed sitting there, he seemed like a pale shadow floating in the water, as if one touch would cause him to dissolve into ripples.
Lin Sanjiu carefully watched his lip movements for a moment and roughly reconstructed his words.
"Professor Qiao was sitting on the sofa with her hands around a teacup, looking as if the entire room was her own sanctuary..."
She shivered, goosebumps rising.
This was the scene when Wu Yiliu sat in the forest under the heavy rain, telling "Abby" about his old world. She had once experienced the Changeling world through that narration and memoryLin Sanjiu suddenly stood up, stepping back quickly, quickly looking around.
This is indeed the scene of Wu Yiliu''s memory; perhaps the Wu Yiliu sitting on therge rock is an image constructed from his memory, because when people recall the past, they won''t appear from the perspective of others.
Where is this ce? What does it mean?
Where did the grand prize go?
In a short period of time, Lin Sanjiu "lived" through several years of Wu Yiliu''s life, and for a moment, her original thoughts and memories seemed a bit incoherent; she only just realized now that she was with the grand prizeah, not just the grand prize, there was also the Veda form of Yu Yuan before she was engulfed by the suddenly broken cosmic space.
At first, she seemed to have fallen into a city street; after taking off her spacesuit, she wandered for a while, not knowing how she suddenly entered Wu Yiliu''s memory. As for the grand prize and Yu Yuan, she didn''t even know where to look.
With full of doubt, she carefully reached out and touched the Wu Yiliu on therge rock. She had never experienced this kind of touch in her life before: not the warmth and flesh of a real human body, but something soft, light, and fleeting, like a touch of some novel sensation. If light were made into a soup, perhaps this would be the feeling.
She should have never seen or touched Wu Yiliu himself, but somehow lived through his memory, and the real Wu Yiliu could be in any corner of the vast world.
Since it''s not him in person, she couldn''t inquire about the whereabouts of Rena.
However, at least she knew that Rena was in Twelve Worlds CentrumLin Sanjiu suddenly frowned.
Huh?
In which of the twelve worlds?
Strangely, thinking about it now, Wu Yiliu''s memory spanning forty months never once mentioned which Twelve Worlds Centrum the "driver" pocket dimension was in. Even yearster, when he got the visa, that part of the memory was nk about the world''s nameas if a hole had been dug out of his memory.
That''s not right, is it?
Lin Sanjiu looked at the young man. He still sat in the invisible storm, presumably reliving that past over and over, entering the pocket dimension again and again, seeing Changelings again, constantly recalling his old world.
She suddenly thought of Qiao Yuansi, the female professor she had never really met, who had vaguely told Mn that she was worried about Wu Yiliu; there seemed to be some tragedy or disaster hidden in his future, and the source was himself.
When Lin Sanjiu witnessed Wu Yiliu killing Pence and nning to starve everyone, she felt a chilling sensation towards him; but now that she had awakened from that past and looked at the non-existent "Wu Yiliu," she felt an impulse to open an umbre for him and shield him from the storm.
He didn''t seem to have any grand ns or wisdom in the rain; he was so thin and fragile, trembling lightly in the cold rain, as if he had never left his old world, and the present Wu Yiliu was just a shadow cast by that boy.
In the end, Lin Sanjiu did nothing. She just chose a direction where the forest gradually thinned and went on her way, leaving the rain-soaked "Wu Yiliu" behind.
Chapter 1615: The Correct Way to Act When Lost in the Mountains
Chapter 1615: The Correct Way to Act When Lost in the Mountains
The scene changed so quickly that it caught her off guard.
One second, she was by a small stream or on the road, and the next, Lin Sanjiu found herself in an entirely different environment. It had been only half an hour since she left Wu Yiliu, but when she looked back, she had no idea where that forest had gone.
This half hour felt like two lifetimes.
After emerging from the forest, somehow, she had triggered two more memories from different people: once, she "attached" to a woman who was trapped in her apartment due to a widespread infectious disease, evolving within; the second time, she fell into the memories of a Twelve Worlds Centrum bookseller, spanning several years. By the time Lin Sanjiu managed to get through those eight years, she felt like she knew the ins and outs of the book trade, industry rules, and business model in the Twelve Worlds Centrum.
"This can''t go on," she muttered, sitting on the road, looking at a small clock in her hand. Only thirty minutes had passed since shest checked, but mentally, she couldn''t help but feel a bit dazed.
People perceive the passage of time through their minds. If Lin Sanjiu continues to be swept into others'' memories, experiencing one stretch of time after another, her brain will feel as though she has truly lived through all those years. This could create significant confusion in her cognition, possibly even leading to abnormalities in her brain function.
Until she figures out how to avoid triggering others'' memories, Lin Sanjiu is afraid to move forward.
Looking back, she saw the bookseller sitting at the front of his shop, leisurely reading a thick book under the shiny Future Book House sign, illuminated by the sun. Like Wu Yiliu in the forest, this scene was built from memoryperhaps he yearned to return to this moment for the rest of his life.
Lin Sanjiu sighed and collected her thoughts.
She now knew that each scene carried someone''s memory, and the scene itself was a physical manifestation of that memory.
Before she triggered the memory, they seemed like ordinary cesake, a street. When she stepped in, she noticed nothing unusual, having no idea what triggered the memory.
For instance, the memory in the apartment took ce as she walked along the sidewalk beneath a row of buildings for at least five or six minutes before she fell into the memory''s host body. What could have been the trigger? Was it hidden between two red bricks?
She sighed again.
This wasn''t even her biggest problem right now.
Her biggest problem was that she had lost her way.
When Lin Sanjiu left Wu Yiliu, she thought she had followed the same direction. The reasoning was simple: when she triggered the memory, her body remained still, and her position didn''t change. So when she awoke from the memory, her path should have been right behind her.
This reasoning seemed sound, but when she left the forest, she entered the streets of a strange seaside town, lined with three to five-story apartment buildings. It was on that street that she triggered the "apartment and infectious disease" memory.
When she finally awoke from that memory, her body was still in the same ce. However, when Lin Sanjiu looked back, she found that her path had turned into a strange school yground, with green grass surrounded by a red track.
The forest where Wu Yiliu was located disappeared without a trace during the ten or so minutes that Lin Sanjiu was trapped in the memory.
Simrly, after she woke up at the entrance of the bookstore, the direction from which she came was no longer where the apartment building was located. Now, ayer of iron-gray smoke was shrouding the horizon, engulfing the end of the Twelve Worlds Centrum shopping street, thickly rolling, as if looking at it for a long time, even the gaze would not be able to be withdrawn.
"Damn, this is interesting," Lin Sanjiu muttered to herself as she sat on the curb. "How can the location just change randomly?"
Themunication device given to her by the grand prize was, of course, unusable when had Heaven ever shown mercy to her? Each memory domain was not small, and even if she screamed her lungs out in front of the bookstore, Ji Shanqing or Yu Yuan, who were in another memory domain, probably wouldn''t hear her voice.
People say that if you get lost while exploring in the mountains, it''s best to stay still and wait for rescue; Lin Sanjiu pondered for a while and felt that either Ji Shanqing or Yu Yuan would likely be more useful in this environment than she was, so she decided not to go anywhere and just wait there until the grand prize came to rescue her.
Properly understanding oneself is also a skill, after all.
Lin Sanjiu thought as she spread her sleeping bag on the road and took out a can of ice-cold beer. Since she had to wait anyway, why not waitfortably?
The bookstore owner was still sitting near the entrance, leisurely flipping a page. He was a refined and plump old man, and running the bookstore in Twelve Worlds Centrum during that time must have been one of the most important memories of his life Lin Sanjiu realized that every memory seemed to hold irreceable importance to its owner.
How did these people''s memories end up in this space?
ording to her past experiences, the Great Deluge should have sent them to anotheryer of the universe, but they fell into this strange space filled with human memories instead.
Shey in her sleeping bag, sipping beer and looking at the bookstore in front of her. The memory constructed by the plump old shopkeeper was quiteplete, even restoring a few customers who peeked through the ss cab in the shops of Twelve Worlds Centrum, theft was a big concern, so the old man simply locked all the books inside, and if someone was interested in a book, they had to call someone to get it for them.
What intrigued her was that Lin Sanjiu had experienced the plump old shopkeeper''s memory, but she didn''t find out where his bookstore was located in Twelve Worlds Centrum did he really never think about his world in those years? How was that possible?
In the memories of both the plump old shopkeeper and Wu Yiliu, this piece of information was removed.
Lin Sanjiu intuitively felt that the person who removed the information made a mistake, but she couldn''t understand why she felt that way after thinking about it for a long time.
With nothing to do, she kept analyzing and thinking, and unconsciously, she put down her beer can and started tossing and turning on her sleeping bag while lost in thought, she suddenly looked up and was taken aback.
The ce that had just been shrouded in dense gray fog was now slowly clearing, and from the depths of the mist, a huge celestial park was slowly approaching the shopping street; at first nce, it looked like the city of Antis rising from the sea floor.
Lin Sanjiu jumped up.
She understood how the positions in this space were changing.
Chapter 1616: Buying Without Selling Precision
Chapter 1616: Buying Without Selling Precision
If Ji Shanqing could see Lin Sanjiu at this moment, who knows what he would think.
Undoubtedly, the grand prize and Yu Yuan must be looking for her, looking for a way out, while Lin Sanjiu, who firmly resolved to wait for rescue, felt no psychological pressure at all. She was aplete personification of ck of ambition." She simply summoned her few humanoid objects to keep herpany and woke Mrs. Manas up, taking out all kinds of food, beverages, ying cards, and pillows, spreading them all out in arge area, covering half the road.
She had an open mind about the situation: even if she understood how the locations shift, so what?
If she managed to figure it out, then the grand prize must have discovered it long ago. Perhaps he understood it even deeper and might be on his way to rescue her. When he arrived and saw how well she was living, howforted he''d be in his heart!
"I always feel that''s not the case." Mrs. Manas''sment went unnoticed by Lin Sanjiu.
Leaning on thick and soft cushions, facing the end of the street is another memory territoryit gradually emerged from the gray fog and seamlessly connected to the memory of the book merchant, with the gray fog disappearingpletely. Many giant artificial metals were slowly rotating in that space.
It seemed like someone had replicated and miniaturized a celestial system for astronomical education in a park, making it look like a small universe from afar. Presumably, in someone''s memory of human society before the apocalypse, parents still strolled in astronomical parks with their children.
"Wait, you need to exin it to me again... You just said that each memory territory is individual and movable?" said the Life Coach, also staring at the same scene. "These are spaces... How can spaces move? How do they connect? I can''t imagine it."
"You see, it''s because you didn''t have a childhood," Lin Sanjiu said, already reaching her second box of roasted cashews within ten minutes, almost rxed. "You must have never blown soap bubbles, right?"
The Life Coach looked at her nkly. Not far away, Caster and the Artist were sniffing a bag of strange-vored peanutsas humanoid objects, food must be the same as rocks and shoes to them, yet their interest in food, although they couldn''t eat it, seemed quite bizarre.
"Could it be..." the Life Coach, not being slow, pondered, "Each memory territory is like a bubble?"
"Correct," Lin Sanjiu said, sipping a beer, "In this cosmic space, there are many memory territories floating like soap bubbles. Sometimes two memories connect, and you can shuttle back and forth; if not, there''s gray fog outside the memory territories... At least, that''s what I think."
It seems that the memory territories are often connected and rarely separated; she has spent nearly an hour in this space and has only seen the gray fog once.
"So, it seems... the reason you can''t find your way back can also be exined," the Life Coach mused. "Because the memory territory you came from has drifted away."
Lin Sanjiu didn''t respondbecause she was reminded once again of Wu Yiliu in the stormy forest. If possible, she hoped to truly meet him once.
Maybe she''d have that chance after returning to Twelve Worlds Centrum.
She inwardly sighed, put down the beer can, and continued, "As for how these memory territories float and connect, I have no clue. If it''s entirely random, it''s going to be bad... I hope the grand prize has already discovered their movement pattern."
"What about the advantage you got from Advaita? If" The Life Coach pped his thigh. "Hey, I forgot, I charge for suggestions. I can''t continue."
Lin Sanjiu nced at him. How stingy.
"You want to charge for that suggestion? I thought of it myself long ago." She had just finished speaking when the Artist beside her suddenly sneezed loudly, startling her to turn her headit turned out he smelled some mustard-vored snacks.
She couldn''t tell if this was the first time she''d heard a humanoid object sneeze.
"Anyway, traveling through cosmic space won''t work," Lin Sanjiu said,ing to her senses. "I''ve exined it to you, right? I have to know the positional rtionship between my target location and me. Since I don''t even know where the target location is, who knows where I''d end up if I take a step out? What if I can''te back?"
"Oh, right, right. You did say that," the Life Coach muttered.
So, waiting for the grand prize is the safest way, she exined.
After her exnation, she rummaged through the food on the ground, pondering whether or not to take out a book to read while eating, and let the humanoid Special Item entertain itself. When the grand prize had not yet be Veda, she would always collect books that he was interested in during their travels together. Now that he no longer needed to read, her habit hadn''t changed. Whenever she came across a new book she hadn''t read, she would always take one.
Once she took out a novel andfortably settled down, she looked up and found that the Life Coach''s face had turned red with restraint.
He looked as if he had bugs under his butt and couldn''t sit still, twisting his head and shaking his legs. If it weren''t for the fact that he was a humanoid Special Item, Lin Sanjiu would have suspected that he needed to use the bathroom.
"What''s wrong with you?" she asked.
The Life Coach cleared his throat forcefully, shaking his head. "No, nothing."
"You look like you have something you''re holding back, and it seems ufortable."
The Life Coach''s mouth was tightly closed, neither affirming nor denying, blinking his eyes at her.
"If you don''t speak, I really don''t know what you n to do."
The Life Coach''s eyes turned a few circles on the food, suddenly scooping up a bowl of steaming noodles and asking, "Can I have this?"
It was her [Demae ho Beef Instant Noodle], which would refill automatically after each meal, a popr food item among posthumans. Lin Sanjiu nodded, still puzzled, only to see the Life Coach crush the bowl between hisrge hands, "crackling" sounds followed, and the hot noodles turned into powder, falling through his palms and disappearing with a gust of wind.
The Life Coach then exhaled a long breath, as if satisfied.
"What... what are you doing?" Lin Sanjiu was stunned. "I thought you were going to eat!"
"Since I''ve taken a fee, I can continue talking now," the Life Coach said, patting his chest. "I initially wanted to request a Special Item directly but was afraid this act itself would give you a hint. If you figured it out on your own, wouldn''t I miss the chance to charge? Luckily, you had this bowl of noodles outside."
Perhaps because they were so familiar with each other, he seemed a bit embarrassed himself and coughed, saying, "Actually, I have an action n to offer you."
"Didn''t I say I''m just waiting for the grand prize? Why do I need an action n?" Lin Sanjiu was getting a little annoyed.
"But... this n isn''tplicated, and everything you need is at your fingertips. Why not give it a try?" the Life Coach said, seeming to digress. "In life''s journey, we must seize opportunities"
Lin Sanjiu gave him a look.
"Actually, it''s like this," the Life Coach said, getting back on track. "When I suggested you use Advaita''s advantage earlier, I wasn''t referring to her ability to travel through space... but something else."
The other thing was Advaita''s seed ability, Lin Sanjiu thought nkly. "Didn''t I say I can''t use human-shaped seeds as a backup life like Advaita?"
"Yes," the Life Coach hurriedly said, "But you can absorb humans or humanoids, then release them again, controlling their position and angle, right?"
Lin Sanjiu was taken aback, finally understanding.
She slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the fat old man at the entrance of the bookstore not far away. He was still leisurely sitting there, reading the book that he would never finish.
He... although not physical, indeed was a humanoid.
"You mean... you want me to try to collect this memory-constructed humanoid?" she asked.
The Life Coach nodded.
Chapter 1617: Washing Machines Dont Eat Burgers
Chapter 1617: Washing Machines Don''t Eat Burgers
She really felt sorry about her bowl of noodles.
Lin Sanjiu stood in front of the portly old book merchant, not really wanting to explore or try, instead feeling ratherckadaisical, needing a push from the Life Coach to move a little. It''s not surprising, considering her previous experiences with countless intense shocks and crises. Sometimes, she wouldn''t even dare to close her eyes for months on end. Now that she hase to this strange yet not particrly dangerous ce, every cell in her body naturally cries out for rest.
The only thing that prompted her to act was a thought: she had already spent the money, and if she didn''t try, the Life Coach couldn''t return that bowl of noodles.
"I''ve touched these human forms built from memories before," she muttered. "Their texture is too different from yours. I can''t tell if it''s made from material or not. If it''s some kind of projection and I can''t capture it... if I can''t bring it in, do you owe me an item?"
The Life Coach was extremely quick-witted in this regard. "Then my next suggestion is free."
"If you don''t haveplete confidence in your n next time, can you hold back and not always think about my stuff?"
"Oh,e on, try it," the Life Coach said, looking even more impatient than she was, feet shuffling back and forth.
Sighing, Lin Sanjiu gently ced her hand on the old man''s shoulder. Even though it wasn''t her first time, she still couldn''t help but be slightly surprised by the sensation in her handit was touchable, perhaps indicating that he was indeed formed of some kind of material; but she had never known of such a substance in the world, light and resilient, reminding her of concentrated light.
Under the Life Coach''s intense gaze, she closed her eyes and activated the seed ability from Advaita.
From long ago, Lin Sanjiu had a vague doubt in her heart.
The more she had experienced and seen since evolving, the more she felt an inexplicable and peculiar sensation; it was almost more like an illusion, like a thin mist floating deep in her mind during a dream, so elusive that she couldn''t even understand it herself, let alone put it into words.
But at this moment, as she tried to incorporate the old man into her seed ability, it was as if a light suddenly shone into her mindthat weird feeling that had lingered deep in her mind for so many years suddenly surged to the surface, bing clear and forming a thought.
Everything... was alive.
All these years, she had been wrong. She had known so many posthumans, powerful and ordinary, and they were all wrong too, only they didn''t know it.
The apocalyptic world, objects, abilities, pocket dimensions... these myriad things that can only be essed within the apocalyptic system, were all alive.
They might not be "life forms" in the traditional sense. For example, a country''s economic system is not alive, but it is certainly activea dead economy cannotst long.
Because everything was alive, it was difficult to define clear boundaries for them. Take washing machines as an example; the instruction manual clearly states its functions and uses within very definite boundaries: a washing machine is an inanimate object, and no matter how much its owner urges, pushes, or forces it, when the drum starts spinning, it will only turn in the prescribed direction.
But abilities, objects, and all kinds of strange things in the apocalypse never operate like that.
A basic question that Lin Sanjiu found hard to believe she had only thought to ask now: Why do human abilities evolve?
Why do humanoid Special Items be more flexible?
Why can Descartes Spirit, essentially a pocket dimension, have preferences and a personality like a human?
Why was she always able to discover more uses for Special Items, evolved abilitieseven unssifiable things like round tea leavesor use them in ways beyond their original purpose?
Now, as she tried to put away the old man, all these questions were answered.
The entire apocalyptic world system was a massive, beautiful, and bizarre ecosystem: whether human or non-human, all were in a dynamic chaos and orderly confusion, constantly exploring, developing, probing, expandingthere were no washing machines in this ecosystem.
Lin Sanjiu realized this answer because her first attempt to collect the old man had failed.
This figure built from memory seems to be a physical entity, but it doesn''t quite feel like one; and yet, it can indeed be touched. She could clearly feel that her seed ability received something instantly from the chubby old man, like a wild animal touching something it has never seen before, not recklessly biting it. As she was about to withdraw her hand, the seed ability suddenly reached out again. It was this single probing motion that made Lin Sanjiu''s entire body break out in goosebumps. She didn''t consciously control it; the situation was as if the seed ability had also realized that apletely new thing had appeared before it, something never defined before C a new territory that could be conquered.
Just as seeds would sprout toward the air, the seed ability immediately grew and expanded in this brand-new direction, rushing again towards this figure. The Life Coach beside her suddenly eximed with delight, "It''s really been taken in!"
Lin Sanjiu opened her eyes, and the chair in front of her was now empty.
She stared at her hand, momentarily stunned. Her blood would flow to where it was needed most; her skin would gradually cover wounds; torn muscles would heal and be stronger; the most wonderful thing was that abilities, items, pocket dimension, Higher Consciousness, and the apocalyptic world seemed to have no difference from this.
"What''s wrong?" the Life Coach asked, leaning over. "Why do you look so shocked?"
Lin Sanjiu looked up, and now when she looked at the figure again, it was with apletely different gaze. She strangely looked at all three figures and finally murmured, "You''re... all alive?"
The Life Coach also paused. "What?"
By the time she hadboriously exined her recent thoughts, the three figures had all gathered around her, listening intentlyeven though it was unclear if the Artist could understand. It took several seconds after she finished speaking for the Life Coach to slowly nod, saying, "I understand. It makes sense. You evolve because you''re alive; your abilities evolve, doesn''t that mean they are alive too?"
"Yes, and I can clearly feel that the seed ability first probed..." Lin Sanjiu said. "Like a wild animal that has never seen a hamburger, sniffing it, licking it, then eating it."
"That exins these two guys as well," the Life Coach said, looking at the other two Special Items. "They knew to fear me at first; now you see, I put my hand on them, and they don''t shy away."
Caster and the Artist looked down at the hands on their shoulders, indeed not flinching at all, not worried that the Life Coach would crush them to powder.
"Including you, you are also constantly changing." Lin Sanjiu smiled at him. "Next time you charge a fee, if I give you the Artist or Caster, could you really do it?"
The Life Coach paused, his face turning red. "I have no problem at all, I can definitely do it! Don''t think you''ve found my weaknessthis fee is necessary"
"I know, I know, I won''t cheat you out of your coaching fee." Lin Sanjiuughed, patting his shoulder, and Caster and the Artist hurriedly moved away from him.
The Life Coach finally calmed down, gathered his emotions, coughed, and said, "Then from now on, you might as well treat all the strange things in the apocalyptic world as living things; there may be unexpected gainsthis advice is free."
Speaking of which, the change and growth of these three figures were already an unexpected gain for her.
Lin Sanjiu sighed as she walked back to her sleeping bag, nning to resttoday''s significant cognitive breakthrough had already satisfied her; it hadn''t been a wasted day.
But the Life Coach came over and nudged her shoulder. "Get up."
"Huh?"
"I didn''t know that putting away the figure would give you this realization... I had a purpose," the Life Coach solemnly said, enlightening her. "I think the function of this figure is quite significant."
Chapter 1618: Mine Sweeping and Aerial Splits
Chapter 1618: Mine Sweeping and Aerial Splits
When Lin Sanjiu looked back, she could still vaguely see Caster and the Artist sitting on the ground in the distance. The former, out of curiosity, had picked up the book from her card library and was shaking her head as she read, not even knowing if she could recognize the characters. The artist, utterly bored, was fiddling with the items on the nket. As expected, he knocked over half a can of beer, then hurriedly scrambled for paper and pen, apparently intending to absorb the spilled beer on the nket by drawing.
She inwardly sighed.
She took those things out for her enjoyment, but somehow, objects that didn''t know how to enjoy had taken her ce, and she had ended up working outside the edge of the celestial park.
At that moment, a humanoid item resembling a fitness coach was looking at her with an encouraging and hopeful expression, inspiring her by asking, "How about it? Have you figured out the answer?"
"What was the question?" Lin Sanjiu was taken aback.
To be honest, she needed sleep. She had discovered enough truths for one day; the world must be left with some mysteries.
The Life Coach, patient with unambitious pupils, said, "Do you understand how you triggered the memory? Think about it; you''re really clever. I have faith in you."
Clever, was he implying she looked stupid?
"I''ve thought about it before, and I really can''t guess," Lin Sanjiu replied, spreading her hands to show she was out of ideas. She pointed to the celestial park, barely a line away from her toes but a ce she dared not enter. "Sometimes I trigger it the moment I walk in, other times I walk half the day without triggering it. I never touched anything, and there''s no switch on the ground. I just fall into someone''s memory with a ng, and I don''t know why."
The Life Coach was not in a hurry to persuade her. He said, "Go on, keep talking."
"What else to say?"
"Anything about triggering memories, think and say whateveres to mind." He gestured, raising both hands and wiggling his fingers like a starfish. "Think broadly; the answer is in there!"
Lin Sanjiu was almost too exasperated to sigh. She thought aloud, "Hmm... There''s no sign before triggering a memory. Once it''s triggered, I''ve already attached to the memory''s owner, and everything feels natural, even regret. It''s not until a memory ends that I suddenly wake up beside the memory owner. Once triggered, as long as I don''t leave the same memory domain, I won''t trigger it again. You know this."
After she finished speaking, there was silence for a few seconds.
The Life Coach stared at her with wide eyes, barely containing his anticipation.
"Hmm...? Wait, that''s not right," Lin Sanjiu said, tilting her head. "Before I trigger the memory... the memory owner doesn''t seem to exist."
She wasn''t sure, but she felt they didn''t existotherwise, she would have been alert at the sight of a figure from afar, and never would have blundered her way to the memory owner''s side.
She paused. Every time she woke from a memory, she and the memory owner had spent years together; it felt utterly natural for them to be there.
Moreover, taking the example of the fat old man, the moment before triggering his memory felt like eight years ago to Lin Sanjiu. After such a long time, it became hazy to recall exactly what had been there.
"It indeed wasn''t there," Mrs. Manas said, promptly resolving herst doubt.
"Wait, so the first time I went into the forest, I woke up beside Wu Yiliu. The second time I triggered the memory on the sidewalk, and when I woke up, I found Heidi standing behind the door of her apartment building on the first floor, looking through the security bars at the sidewalk..."
Heidi was the owner of the second memory. Lin Sanjiu measured the distance between herself and where she was at the time and said, "Even though we were separated by a door, the distance between us would not have exceeded two meters."
The third time, she woke up in front of the fat, old man, and now she remembered: she had seen a bookstore from afar and just wanted to know if she could collect books. She triggered a memory at the entrance of the bookstore.
At that time, the entrance to the bookstore was empty; the fat old man only appeared after the memory ended.
So, the answer was that simple.
"Could it be that as soon as I approach the range of the memory''s owner, I''ll trigger a memory?" She stared at the Life Coach, speaking with some disbelief. "Before triggering, I can''t see these guys?"
The Life Coach smiledfortingly. "You see, you have proven once again that my faith in you is not misced."
"So, the memory owner itself is like a switch?" Lin Sanjiu muttered. "Just like an ordinary light switch, if you don''t reset it, it will remain in the same on or off state..."
Once she understood this, she also guessed the Life Coach''s intention.
Regardless of what this memory space really was, it certainly had its own set of rules and logicalthough Lin Sanjiu didn''t understand what that logic was yet.
When it ran smoothly on its own track, Lin Sanjiu couldn''t get out, and didn''t know how to find the grand prize and Yu Yuan; to get out, she must first try to disrupt this space, creating chaos within it. Only through chaos might there be a gap.
As for where to start, that was why the Life Coach wanted her to collect the fat old man.
"Very good, your thoughts are starting to take shape," the Life Coach said. "If we are bolder and imagine what would happen if one switch triggered another switch... what would happen?"
They were all essentially objects, and even if they intentionally looked for the memory owner, it probably wouldn''t trigger a memory. But the memory owners were all the same kind of thing, so wouldn''t they react to each other?
They would probably have to try to find out.
Although Lin Sanjiu''s physical and mental energy needed to rest and recover, seeing that a n was taking shape and that it could soon be implemented, she couldn''t find a reason not to do itshe really looked hard for one.
For example, there was a problem that needed to be solved first: they had the fat, old man, but where was the memory owner of the Celestial Park?
"I can''t see him before I trigger it, and it''s useless after I do..." Lin Sanjiu started, her eyes falling on the Life Coach''s smiling face, then on Celestial Park. "...Oh."
"You''ve figured it out, haven''t you?" The Life Coach waved his hand, passing it through the boundary between two memory territories, and then took it back.
She had figured it out.
The Celestial Park in front of her might be during a holiday or weekend, with no shortage of peopleing and going. Hot dog and ice cream trucks, skateboarding girls, young couples sitting on the steps, parents watching celestial bodies with their children, a tour guide in a red hat and her group of touristsit was not as crowded as dumplings in soup, but it was dense enough.
The advantage of having many people was that each person was equivalent to a "there is no memory owner here" marker.
"Strangers usually keep a certain distance from each other," Lin Sanjiu said, feeling her own reluctance. "I can use the park visitors as stepping stones, releasing the fat old man to probe and find the memory owner''s location on the empty ground beside them..."
Certainly, the memory owner might also be apanying someone and walking invisibly next to a tourist; however, if that was the case, they could detect clues from the tourists'' expressions, and before going over, they could use the fat old man to "sweep for mines."
"What if the memory owner doesn''t trigger the memory, and as I go over, I end up triggering the memory myself," Lin Sanjiu asked, grimacing. "Then wouldn''t I have to experience another stranger''s memory?"
"There''s no n in the world that is absolutely sessful, without a hint of unexpected urrences," the Life Coach said, pping his hands. "Every action has risks. When we have a greater chance of winning, we must strike decisively!"
This was just like probing forndmines with a stick, costing her a bowl of noodles.
"I just feel that this n is both tiring and risky," Lin Sanjiu said disinterestedly. "I could have taken a nap with this time..."
Though she said this, having prepared to this extent, she decided to go ahead with it, if only to shut the Life Coach up.
She always acted faster than she thought. As this thought urred, her foot already stepped over the boundary between the Celestial Park and the Twelve Worlds Centrum bookstorejust as her left footnded, she suddenly remembered the human-shaped objects behind her, and she wasn''t sure whether to leave them or take them with her.
"Artist, Caster," Lin Sanjiu turned and called back. "You two, bring the stuff over here!"
As she called out, she was ready to take back her left foot.
However, at that moment, she felt her left foot slowly sliding forward.
Lin Sanjiu was horrified and immediately understood: the Celestial Park was drifting away.
She absolutely could not let the Celestial Park drift awaywho knows what the next memory territory would be like? A memory area full of tourists was ideal and rare; this n could only be implemented in a crowded ce.
But it was already starting to drift outward, what could she do?
Lin Sanjiu''s whole body tensed for a moment, her left foot still firmly nted on the slowly moving ground, her mind a bit chaotic. In her haste, she quickly turned back and urged, "Hurry, bump into my hand!"
The Artist and Caster also realized something was wrongthey hadn''t even had time to wipe the stunned expressions off their faces before they hurriedly jumped up. They sweeped and rolled the stuff on the ground into their arms, ttering towards Lin Sanjiu while dropping things along the way: peanuts, beer cans, ying cards...
The Life Coach, who was very aware of the situation, had already touched her hand and turned back into a card.
Lin Sanjiu''s left foot seemed to be deserting her, gradually moving farther and farther away; one foot was in the Celestial Park, the other in the Twelve Worlds Centrum, her legs were spreading further apart, and her body was gradually sinking downlooking down, the mist was already rising between the cracks.
She was almost driven toughter by the absurdity of it all, wishing she could throw the Life Coach into the mist and abandon him; she looked back and yelled, "Get over here before I split in two!"
Chapter 1619
Chapter 1619
What kind of luck was this?
Lin Sanjiu had been lying around enjoying herself half the day, and Celestial Park hadn''t budged an inch. But the moment she set foot on it, the park started to drift away as if it disliked her and didn''t want her to enter, seizing the opportunity to move outward. If not for her long legs, she might not have had time to wait for those clinking, ttering humanoid items to run close.
Even with the best split, she could at most form a human bridge. In the end, it was through sheer Higher Consciousness that she managed to drag herself over.
Lin Sanjiu stood close to the boundary line, just a palm''s length away from the thick, rolling grey fog. Although she wasn''t the one who had run frantically, the struggle in the air was rather frightening. She stood in ce, catching her breath for a while, staring at the grey fog, pondering a question: if she tried to throw something out now, could she still get it out?
She acted on her thought and raised her hand, a card transforming into a pack of paper in mid-air before the grey fog, seamlessly melding into it and vanishing without a trace. She quickly took a small step back.
Lin Sanjiu didn''t dare to stray too far from the boundary, fearing that she might identally bump into an invisible memory owner. She called out the three humanoid items to surround herself, and also released the fat, old man from her seed ability. These memory owners, constructed as if they were special material human-shaped signs, couldn''t move on their own and required her seed ability to push them, truly testing her practically non-existent skills.
"With my rotten luck," Lin Sanjiuined. "I might just miss the memory owner."
"When a problem arises, you shouldn''t me the external world first; you must look within yourself..." The Life Coach sometimes seemed to switch into counseling mode at the oddest phrases, and Lin Sanjiu nced at him.
The biggest difference between the Life Coach and those human know-it-alls who spout wisdom was that as a Special Item, his purpose was to genuinely assist his mastereven if it was just a pep talk, it was still psychological help, not self-satisfaction. Considering that he was a Special Item...
Lin Sanjiu suddenly cursed under her breath.
"My [No coincidence. No story] is still on."
The Life Coach pped. "You see, you''ve found the reason."
She remembered now that when she and Yu Yuan left the spaceship, she had turned on [No coincidence. No story] to find the traces of the Queen more quickly. Was this ability also responsible for them being pulled into this space? Had the Queen, aary reserve, passed through here without triggering human memories? Maybe the Queen had passed through unscathed, but the three who had followed were now stuck between memories, unable to leave.
It seemed she would have to wait until they got out to investigate further. So far, Lin Sanjiu''s opportunities to meet and part with friends had been rare, while her moments of fleeting acquaintanceship and subsequent loss had been many. Every time she parted with a friend, she had to be prepared never to see them againwhatever their fate, she would never know, left only with the memory of their shared experience. Even that memory was unreliable, fading and wavering like a cloud''s shadow on water.
Perhaps this was the very purpose of this space?
To preserve memories in their entirety before they could fade or change?
After closing [No coincidence. No story], Lin Sanjiu was sweeping for mines, lost in thought. The park''s visitors were not living people but merely animated backdrops, so they could only move back and forth within a five or six step range. She quickly discovered this and realized that the visitors had thus effectively divided the area into small segments without other people. While sweeping for mines, she only had to push the fat, old man along the edge of the regions, saving at least half the effort.
However, even with half the effort, it was still a tedious and boring chore.
"It''s been nearly ten minutes." Lin Sanjiu sighed, looking back. "I''ve only moved two meters from the boundary line. What year and month will I find what I''m looking for? How about this, the three of you go ahead and look around, keep an eye out for anything suspicious."
This instruction might have been too vague, but she had no idea what clues an invisible memory owner would leave behindor if they would leave clues at all. Besides the Life Coach, the other two humanoid objects looked bewildered before leaving, and it was hard to muster any hope by looking at them.
Sure enough, when they came back, the report she received was confusing and messy.
The smartest one, the Life Coach, found nothing and even looked rather smug about it. Caster, who understood and followed themands to the letter, seemed to have only understood "go ahead and look around." Therefore, she went the furthest but was of no serious use, even reading the palm of a gatekeeper, for free.
Surprisingly, the most useful one turned out to be the Artist. He drew a sketch of the park''s terrain, and since it was just simple lines, the drawing did not have any special effects. Lin Sanjiu looked at it and found the terrain veryplete, with clear representations of the front and back doors and walls.
"It''s soplete." Lin Sanjiu put down the sketch and then picked it up again, a vague feeling nagging at her mind. "Tooplete."
"Is something wrong?" the Life Coach asked promptly.
"This is the first time I''ve seen such aplete terrain," Lin Sanjiu said, hesitating. "Wu Yiliu''s forest seemed vast, but the distant peaks were just shadows in his memory. His actual memory territory was not thatrge, limited to the parts of the forest he had been to. Simrly, the memories of the bookseller and the ck flute were restricted to the streets they frequented... They were only backdrops for certain experiences. This celestial park is not small, probably taking an hour to walk around. Why would the entire park be a backdrop?"
She pointed to a young girl nearby ying on a skateboard and said, "For example, if she were the memory owner and the memory content was her ying on the skateboard, her memory territory should only be a small za under this. ces she couldn''t see during this experience wouldn''t be her memory backdrops, right?"
The Life Coach thought for a moment and nodded.
"So, there are two possibilities. Either the memory owner walked the entire park when the memory was formed, or they were in a ce where they could see the whole park," Lin Sanjiu slowly said. "If it''s the former, I''m out of luck and stuck with thisbor. But if it''s thetter... maybe they are still there."
"What ce could provide a view of the entire park?" the Life Coach asked quickly.
Lin Sanjiu looked up.
Above the park, there floated many artificial celestial objects. At the highest point, there was arge orange-red, surrounded by several small asteroids, orbiting it in circles.
"I wonder... are theses operated by someone?" she murmured, looking up.
Chapter 1598: No Human Feeling
Chapter 1598: No Human Feeling
Like many special items, [Pocket Dimension Setting]''s effects could be undone. However, to reverse the effect, you needed to not only get your hands on it but also meet one critical conditionit could only be undone by the person who activated it. That''s why Mn was so determined to track down Wu Yiliu: she had to take him to the consr officer to retrieve the [Pocket Dimension Setting].
When the two of them stood on the rooftop of the high-rise, a wind swept across the city. Wu Yiliu had never been on the top of amercial building before. At dozens of stories high, the wind tossed their hair, clothes, and even their words around, as if one strong gust could lift them up and carry them far away.
"I''ve never seen such... such chaos before," Mn said, pulling her gaze back from the view below. "Especially when I think about how peaceful this world used to be, where I could have lived a normal life. I just don''t get it." She looked at Wu Yiliu and asked, "Did you really set the whole world on fire just to evolve yourself?"
Wu Yiliu kept his eyes on the ground below, silent. He still felt a bit dazed and weak, and her metaphor struck him as strangeespecially considering their current situation, which was more the opposite of "burning."
It was hard to tell where the roads and sidewalks used to be, except for the asional car poking out of the water. The swirling gray-blue water had swallowed up the streets between the buildings, filling every gap and steadily rising. He couldn''t even tell which direction the taxi had crashed into the tree anymore.
This part of the cityjust this part, as a few blocks over everything was back to normalfelt like a woman sinking into a bathtub, patiently waiting for the water to rise from below and wrap around her.
While Mn was telling him about Professor Qiao''s final decision, neither of them noticed that at some point, a posthuman carrying a mini-doomsday had arrived in the neighborhood.
By the time they spotted the flood rushing around the corner as if it were alive, it was toote to run. In a hurry, Mn grabbed Wu Yiliu and pulled him into a nearbymercial building, dragging him all the way up to the rooftop. They waited there, hoping the unknown posthuman would leaveonce they were gone, the pocket dimension would vanish too. No one was going to settle down here, after all.
"I asked you a question," Mn said, ncing at him. Her tone was casual, but her eyes were not; her dark pupils seemed to sink into deep pools, watching him from afar, as if she was weighing her options on what to do with him.
"Yeah, that''s right," Wu Yiliu replied, leaning his weight against the rooftop''s edge. Mn had given him something to drink, and he was feeling much better now. Still, he craved any chance to rest his body, no matter how small.
Mn was taken aback. She hadn''t expected him to admit it so easily and didn''t know what to say for a moment. When she finally spoke again, her voice was cold. "Then you''ll be a dangerous person after you evolve, won''t you?"
Wu Yiliu couldn''t argue with her assessment and muttered, "I... I don''t think so. I''ve never intentionally hurt anyone."
Mn scoffed, and the conversation ended there.
Although it wasn''t clear how the posthuman was moving, they left the area about ten minutester, just as expected. The water hadpletely receded, leaving no trace of the flood behind.
Still, Mn wasn''t taking any chances. She grabbed Wu Yiliu and, keeping her feet off the ground as much as possible, leaped across rooftops, treetops, and car roofs. Wu Yiliu never wanted to experience anything like this again.
They didn''t need to worry about their direction. The fake pocket dimension above them was a whirlwind of light, storms, and bizarre objects impossible to identify. These things would asionally shoot high into the air, making anyone who nced at them from a distance feel uneasy.
Mn finally stopped a few blocks away from the fake pocket dimension, just to be cautious. No one knew how many posthumans were trapped inside the center of it. After all, once you got stuck in someone''s mini-doomsday, whether you could get out depended entirely on luck. Even if you managed to escape, life wouldn''t be easy afterward. After triggering a mini-doomsday, no matter where you went, you''d be followed by a "death zone."
The posthumans'' mini-doomsdays, tangled together in the pocket dimension, had effectively created an evenrger space. And as they fled, this growing zone kept expanding and contracting like a rising tide, increasing the chances of contact with outside posthumans. If it wasn''t dealt with soon, in a week''s time, the whole city might turn into a battleground where different doomsdays collided and devoured each other.
Mn cursed under her breath.
She called the consr officer several times but got no response. Huanzi, however, did pick up, and the moment the connection was made, her sharp, screeching voice forced Mn to yank themunicator away from her ear. Even Wu Yiliu could hear Huanzi''s hysterics clearly, as she repeatedly cried, "Come save me! Come save me!"
Those frantic words rang in Wu Yiliu''s ears, piercing through him even after Mn hung up with a frown. It was as if a wild animal, caged and desperate, was trying to break free at the cost of its life. He had to take several deep breaths to calm the trembling feeling rising in him before asking, "Do you have something that can fly?"
Mn immediately understood his point and snapped back, a little impatiently, "Of course I do. If I could approach from the air, I would''ve flown up there already. It''s because I can''t that I''m stuck."
"Why can''t you?"
"You''re pretty smart," Mn said, pointing into the distance, "so why ask something you already know? Some of these mini-doomsdays reach all the way into the sky."
At least she had thought of that too.
Frustrated, Mn dragged Wu Yiliu around the fake pocket dimension, circling it several times as if searching for a safer way in. But after more than ten minutes, they were still no closer to it.
The consr officer wasn''t as strong as the average posthuman, and now, trapped in a multiyered pocket dimension of apocalypses, it was hard to say how long he''dst. If he died, the whereabouts of the [Pocket Dimension Setting] would be lost for good.
As each minute passed, Mn''s anxiety grew more and more obvious. She kept ncing at Wu Yiliuher inner struggle was written inly on her face, no exnation needed.
Wu Yiliu sighed and said, "Alright, I''ll go."
"You?" Mn''s eyebrows shot up. "You''re the one who caused this mess"
"Yes, but you can''t go in, right?" Wu Yiliu tried to sound as sincere as possible. "What rank is your home world?"
Mn''s expression darkened, and she said nothing.
He had already guessedher original apocalyptic world was likely extremely dangerous. If it were a low-threat E-ss world, she might have been able to activate the [Pocket Dimension Setting] without much concern. Even if she couldn''t undo its effect, she could find an empty ce to wait until the day of transport and survive.
The reason she was hesitating to go in was likely because her biggest fear was her original world being triggered and following her wherever she went.
"I''m just a normal person," Wu Yiliu continued. "If I go in and stick to the gaps between the mini-doomsdays, I won''t trigger a pocket dimension, so it''s safer for me. Plus, I know where the consr officer wasst seen, and I''ve already escaped from a mini-doomsday once before." He spoke calmly. "Add all these reasons together, doesn''t it make me the best candidate? And of course, if you''re willing to lend me something for self-defense, I''d feel even more confident."
"I''ve already thought of all that. But why are you willing to help me?"
"Because I want to make a deal with you," Wu Yiliu replied. "My goal is to evolve, and you already know that. I don''t care what kind of situation gets me there, as long as I can evolve. If you agree to use the [Pocket Dimension Setting] afterward to put me in a low-level apocalyptic world to help with my evolution, I''ll agree to find the consr officer and undo its effects."
Mn studied him closely, as if searching his face for some sign of truth. "And you trust me?"
"I don''t think you''re a bad person," Wu Yiliu said. "From what I saw with Professor Qiao... I''m willing to trust you." He meant it, though he still wasn''t sure if Professor Qiao''s fate had truly been a good one.
Mn''s expression softened slightly. "I liked that olddy more than you," she muttered, finally showing signs of being convinced. "She just wanted to see the apocalyptic world, seemed more human than you."
"Everyone knows a different version of me," Wu Yiliu quietly replied. "Didn''t you say that yourself?"
And so, their n was tentatively set: Mn gave Wu Yiliu two defensive items and amunicator. Once he entered, they would stay in contact. With Mn''s guidance as a posthuman, his chances of survival would be much higher. Besides, when they found the consr officer, it would be Mn who needed to talk to him and convince him.
There wasn''tplete trust between them; their level of trust was just barely enough to move forwardlike two strangers forced to cooperate in daily life.
To help Wu Yiliu regain his strength, Mn reluctantly handed him a small bottle of drink and let him finish it. She wasn''t lying about being obsessed with collecting Special Itemsaside from not being able to help with evolution, it seemed like she had something for almost every situation.
For the first five minutes after Wu Yiliu entered the fake pocket dimension, things were rtively calm. But when he finally caught sight of the nearest mini-doomsday in the distance, he gasped and came to a halt.
On the buildings inside the dimension, several massive snake-like creatures with human torsos coiled around the rooftops, their tails wrapped tightly, obscuring everything. Some seemed asleep, unmoving, while others stood upright on the roofs, their human heads swiveling, as if searching for prey.
"Why did you stop?" Mn immediately picked up on the difference in his breathing.
"When you confronted me on the rooftop," Wu Yiliu lowered his voice as much as possibleeven though he was still far from the creatures, they shouldn''t be able to hear him. "I lied. No, I didn''t push the world into an apocalypse for my own evolution."
There was a noticeable alertness in Mn''s silence.
"Changelings aren''t human. You see this world, thinking it''s peaceful, safe, and well-built. But that''s not because of the Changelings. They didn''t create this; they only slowly rot and decay the world. This world was built by humans in the past. Changelings are just like termites living in houses humans constructed.
"When termites can turn humans into more termites, and humans can''t fight back at all, of course, as a human, I had to protect myself. Human history, human nature, thought, and lifeall of that vanishes once someone''s infected and transformed."
Mn had already guessed what he was about to say. Just as she raised her voice, Wu Yiliu softly interrupted her.
"I brought the flood to wash away the house, to drown the termitesbut my goal was to save the people inside, even if not all of them." Wu Yiliu looked at the distant snake-like creatures, one of which seemed to sense something and slowly uncoiled, looking in his direction.
"If there''s a god, I don''t know whether he thinks what I did was right. But I think I''m right, and for me, that''s enough," he said with a quiet sigh. "I''m sorry I lied to you. I won''t disable the [Pocket Dimension Setting]... From here on, I''m going to do my best to be a posthuman. If I survive and make it out, I''ll return the items you lent me."
Chapter 1620: Told You Not to Overreach
Chapter 1620: Told You Not to Overreach
Unexpectedly, the answer was clearly written on a sign at the entrance of the Celestial Park.
"Operated by internal staff, the celestial system, with a 1:100 scale speed, follows the real celestial bodies'' orbit and angle precisely..."
Lin Sanjiu read up to this point and, seeing that the two paragraphs below were about the celestial system and the park''s setup, her eyes skipped past the crooked lines of text, searching for a further exnation of "internal operation."
For safety''s sake, she couldn''t wander around the park until the memory owner was found, so she still stood in ce, two meters away from the boundary line. The paper full of scribbled handwriting she held was copied by the Artist from the park''s entrance.
Copying unfamiliar writing was clearly not one of the Artist''s uses, so the difficulty he experienced while writing could be seen on the paper. Even with the grand prize''s trantion tool, reading it gave Lin Sanjiu a headache.
"Ah, here it is!" she said, her eyes brightening. "It says here that all thes are controlled by one system. Theary system is also in charge of security monitoring, firefighting, and emergency systems... wow, it''s so useful."
"Where do people operate this system? Inside the?" the Life Coach asked, leaning over.
Lin Sanjiu read the text again for a moment before saying, "Yes, the control room is in thergest orange, the biggest celestial body in the system. In any case, staff members can observe the entire park from inside it."
"By that logic, the memory owner is likely a staff member of the operating system," the Life Coach said, somewhat awed. "See, if you think about it, you can perceive the truth too."
Since the likelihood that the memory owner was in the sky was growing, Lin Sanjiu felt she could take some risks. Looking around, she decided not to clear mines and instead treated the park visitors'' heads as floating inds. She jumped from one person''s head to another''s shoulder, moving closer to the orange by stepping on visitors'' heads. It was good physical training for her. However, as she jumped forward, the human-shaped objects strolled leisurely on the ground, and anyone unaware of the situation might think she was being silly.
The celestial bodies floated high above the ground. From a distance, even the lowest one seemed dozens of meters away. ording to the earlier introduction, different celestial bodies had different functions. Those orbiting stars usually housed surveince cameras that constantly scanned the park. Smaller floating meteorites could be lowered to connect with ground water pipes and create rain showers in mid-air. All operations could be carried out from the control room within the orange, which was also the farthest from the ground.
If the memory owner was indeed in the orange, Lin Sanjiu couldpletely rx. No matter how casually she walked on the ground, she would not trigger a memory; the distance was too far.
"The question is, how do we get in?"
Underneath the orange, several human-shaped objects gazed upwards together; the Life Coach murmured the question as he looked at it.
Lin Sanjiu did have a small aircraftit was the one she ordered at the new gameunch, flown by Yu Yuan. However, if she operated the aircraft to go up herself, she couldn''t help but worry that getting close to the orange would trigger the memory.
"You see, apart from me, you don''t have a second choice," the Life Coach said, rubbing his hands together. "In these twenty-seven or twenty-eight years, I have never tried to pilot a flying vehicle. Ah, life is indeed filled with new experiences everywhere."
No piloting experience at all, could it really be trusted?
After a brief period of familiarizing himself with the controls, the triangr flying vehicle piloted by the Life Coach shakily ascended into mid-air. It looked as if it wasn''t quite sure where to go next, hesitating Lin Sanjiu was really afraid that he might wreck her flying vehicle. She watched anxiously, holding her breath until the vehicle finally trembled and stopped next to the orange star. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
ording to the n, the Life Coach opened the door of the flying vehicle and carefully crawled onto the left wing. Amidst the back-and-forth gusts of wind, he swayed as if he might fall at any moment but managed to hold on. Stretching his neck, he looked up and down at the, which was as tall as a building, and yelled over the rumbling engine, "I see it! There''s a door on the!"
He had to repeat the sentence several times before Lin Sanjiu understood.
Since they could see the door, that made things a lot easier. Next, the Life Coach unfastened a bag from his back, opening it towards the door. As long as the conditions were met, Lin Sanjiu could use the seed ability to make human forms emerge from any gap, opening, or corner. She willed it, and the fat old man''s head popped out of the bag, perfectly colliding with the door on the surface of the star.
The group went quiet, all eight eyes fixed on the fat bookseller''s head. His head pressed against the door, but nothing happened for a long time.
"Maybe the door is still far from the location of the memory owner..." Lin Sanjiu muttered. "You try turning to the other side!"
"I think this is more tiring than giving advice; there should be a charge for this." Despite the loud engine noise, the Life Coach still managed tomunicate that thought.
Carefully circling the vehicle, Lin Sanjiu and others ran half a circle below, like performing aerial acrobatics. The Life Coach climbed out of the vehicle againthis time, he had new information: "There''s a lookout window here, cleverly disguised as part of the sta''s surface! It must be one-way ss; I can''t see inside."
Lin Sanjiu quickly signaled him to open the bag.
The fat bookseller''s head emerged from the bag once more. However, before he even hit the star''s surface, his face and body suddenly flickered, like a TV screen during an electrical malfunction. Lin Sanjiu was startled, but before she could ask, "What''s wrong?", he suddenly erupted in a burst of light, so intense that they couldn''t see his features.
Had the two "switches" reallye into contact and activated?
Caster screamed, pulling Lin Sanjiu''s arm and pointing to the sidejust a nce, and Lin Sanjiu was equally shocked.
The memory territory they had just left, the segment of Twelve Worlds Centrum Street where the fat bookseller''s shop was located, had reappeared out of the distant fog. This was not a regr floating connection, for the memory territory rushed towards the Astronomical Park like a tsunami, breathtakingly fast, without any sign of slowing down.
Lin Sanjiu finally understood. "Is it going to crash in?"
Chapter 1621: On the Distant Other End
Chapter 1621: On the Distant Other End
It seemed as if there was an unheard "boom" that suddenly exploded from the remote depths, filling Yu Yuan''s mind with countless strange, long-lost, fluctuating, noise-like emotions once again. Even for Veda, there were unexpected moments.
After falling into the universe''s crack, Yu Yuan never expected tond in a space filled with data packets. Using data packets as an analogy was quite apt, as this space was filled with memory information extracted from human beings; a person''s memory information upied a portion of space, clearly distinguished from each other, just like data packets, wasn''t it?
After falling in, Lin Sanjiu, who had been following him, disappeared, and considering her younger brother''s unhealthy dependence on her, Ji Shanqing had probablye in too. They should all be in the same space now, just separated from each other.
As Yu Yuan looked for the two of them, he also observed and analyzed these data packetsby the time he realized that he had identally triggered one of the data segments to run, Yu Yuan once again felt the tingling blood flow in his hands and feet, the thumping heart, and the tumultuous waves of emotions: nausea, shame, difort, anger, and unwillingness.
''It''s been a while,'' he thought, never expecting to experience emotions again.
He knew very well that these physical and emotional experiences were not his own. They belonged to someone else; judging from the glimpsed surroundings, the person he was now "possessing" was a womanthe exposed thighs from ck riding shorts were smooth, slender, and muscr, sun-tanned to a thin wheat color; the small-sized female running shoes on her feet looked like they were once a high-quality expensive brand, although they were now dirty and misshaped, having endured long wear and tear.
As Veda, the world was absolutely silent. This was not because he couldn''t hear, but because the Veda,cking human emotions, no longer produced random, chaotic thoughts; it felt like he had fallen from a deep mountain forest to a city street, so noisy that he couldn''t even hear his own thoughts.
So human emotions and misceneous thoughts were this clear and strong, confusing, and chaotic... Yu Yuan felt like a small boat constantly battered by huge waves; he really didn''t know how the person experiencing these emotions could still maintain their mental stability.
As the woman lowered her head, Yu Yuan''s consciousness receded instantly, just like the experience of dreaming many years agohe no longer existed,pletely immersed in the dream, bing someone else.
Xie Feng had a short stick.
It was actually a stainless steel chair leg dismantled from a dining chair, heavy and handy. When swung, it danced with the wind.
If only she had it in her hand right now.
She just had to lift her arm, extend the stick, then run down the aisle, and every face sitting in the train seatsthe chin stacked withyers of fat, the face with ck-framed sses, the face withrge pores and stubble, the face whose eyes kept darting towards herevery greasy, smug face would be smashed deep into the facial bones by her.
Even the dynamics of the stick bouncing off one face and swinging to the next, she seemed to see clearly.
Only, she didn''t have that stick in her backpack. In fact, in all the fights she had been in, she had never swung a stick at someone''s face; its bouncing appearance only existed in her imagination.
"Wow, did you see that?"
After Xie Feng found seat 17A by the window and sat down, she heard a few whispersing from the area she had just walked past. "Wearing pants so tight, the shape of her thighs is clear as day..."
The man on the seat in front of her turned his head and nced at her through the gap in the seats. Though he couldn''t see anything, his face puffed up as he couldn''t help but smile. It was a smile she had seen too many times before, one that no woman was unfamiliar with. Beyond prying, sizing up, and toying, there was a hint of condescending mercy, "I won''t make a move on you, but you should know, I could if I wanted to."
Unable to resist, she put her backpack on herp and pulled down her loose sportswear to cover her legs. Halfway through, she suddenly let go of her hand.
Why should she?
Xie Feng flung her backpack onto the empty seat beside her, raised her leg, and kicked the seat in front of her heavily, causing it to ng and almost bumping the man''s head.
The man couldn''t sit still, twisted his body around, and as their eyes met, her anger was suddenly extinguished by a bucket of cold water, her heart pounding, and countless negative news stories shing through her mind.
In the past two years, she had been involved in many conflicts, but never had she faced a man one-on-one.
In this carno, perhaps on the entire trainthere weren''t many women, let alone women of her status and identity. If a conflict arose. Most of the people who could afford to travel on such a high-speed train were Imperial citizens; she couldn''t expect them to intervene, especially if the person needing help was a foreign woman.
But now, she was no longer a "foreigner."
Fortunately, the man only red at her through the seat gap, spat, "Are you crazy?" and turned back.
Frozen in ce for about ten seconds until the train started moving, Xie Feng finally exhaled.
By his ent, this man was a local of Tear City, just like her. Judging by his neat andfortable appearance, he was probably one of Tear City''s appeasers, whose lives were always somewhat better.
Thank goodness this man was a local of Tear City. She had acted rashly in her anger, and if she had kicked an Imperial citizen''s chair, it probably wouldn''t have ended so easily. The Empire never indulged women, believing they were more prone to corruption and must be controlled with stricter rules.
She especially longed for her weapon to be with her.
During the security check before boarding, she was asked by the inspector to take out everything from her bag and spread it on the table for him to see. She knew she would be checked and hadn''t thought about bringing her short stick, but she didn''t expect such a thorough examination, especially since the men before her had simply passed with a quick X-ray scan.
She disyed her tissues, phone charger, hand sanitizer, lip balm, and an apple wrapped in a stic bageverything wasid out under the lights.
Even without looking back, she could feel it.
The faces of the long line of people waiting for the inspection and the thin, dry inspector. Everyone turned to her, strangers'' eyes examining her personal belongings, wandering over her things and her body.
Oddly enough, just by emptying her backpack, she felt exposed.
The inspector bent over, extended a thin, dark hand, and slowly felt through her items. He turned and pinched every object, finally stopping at the lip balm. He twisted it open with a "pop" sound and took a deep sniff, his face seeming to smile, but on closer inspection, it didn''t.
The female worker at the X-ray machine nced over, then turned back, expressionless.
"Can I go now?" Xie Feng wanted to p the inspector. She didn''t know why, but the silent demeanor of the female worker made her feel as if she''d been betrayed.
Chapter 1622: Narrow Path
Chapter 1622: Narrow Path
When Xie Feng looked back at herself from a year and a half ago, it was like she was seeing apletely different person. Only a year and a half had passed, but the girl from back then seemed ten years younger than she did now.
Before that time, Xie Feng had been preupied with things like high school finals, which college to apply to, the stubborn pimple on her right cheek that refused to go away, and whether she could get her hands on the limited edition figure from the anniversary collection. Tear City was smalljust one city in the whole countrybut it felt huge to her, filled with eighteen years of her life, along with her hopes, family, and future.
Tear City got its name because its shape resembled a teardrop, as if it had just fallen from the continent and was about to slip into the ocean. Despite its small size, Xie Feng had never felt uneasy about it; after all, beyond Tear City''s borders was the vast ocean and the rest of the world.
When the news about "Neighbor Star being destroyed by posthumans" first broke and became the biggest global headline, neither she nor her ssmates had any idea that their fates were about to changepletely. They continued with their usual routinegoing to school, hanging out, ying sportswhile, in the background, the world was quietly being reshaped by that single piece of news.
On that day a year and a half ago, although the news had juste out, the situation had already deteriorated rapidly. To be honest, no one had even seen a trace of the posthumans that were supposedly going to bring about the world''s destruction. Yet the chaos was undeniable: newspapers, TV, streets, and ssrooms were filled with endless arguments and protests, to the point where it felt like society had already started to copse. Xie Feng was caught up in the chaos herself, often getting into heated debates with others"Even though Tear City is small, it''s still our country!" "Do you think this is some kind of business merger?" "Of all ces, we can''t submit to the Eirenarch Empire! I mean, you wouldn''t apply for a job without checking out thepany first, right?"
Once, a rtive of hers overheard one of these debates and immediately retorted, "What do you know, kid? Tell me this: Tear City''s army is weak, and we''re under-armed. How are we supposed to deal with posthumans and the end of the world? Other countries can suppress posthumans, but we can''twe''d be the first to get wiped out!"
She was left speechless at the time, and her uncle smiled triumphantly, as if he had won. Later, she thought of many things she could''ve said in response, but the moment had long passed.
Xie Feng didn''t know what people outside of her school thought, but at least within school, most of the students shared her views, especially the girlsthey had all heard plenty about the behavior of the empire''s people. That day, just before they were supposed to meet at City Hall for the protest, Xie Feng had gym ss. She changed out of her school uniform and into sneakers and shorts, stuffing the uniform into her bag, nning not to change back before heading straight to the protest after ss.
If it hadn''t been for that decision, Xie Feng had no idea where she would''ve ended up that day. Thankfully, she was wearing clothes she could move easily in, unlike her friends...
"Come to think of it, the people who got arrested that day still haven''t been released, right?" The overweight man next to her opened his mouth, and a heavy, greasy smell hit her. His tone had long since implied certainty, though he pretended he''d just thought of itas if he''d enjoy seeing any hope Xie Feng had dashed.
Too bad for him, he''d be disappointed.
Xie Feng shoved his phone aside with the edge of her palm, watching him scramble to catch it before it hit the ground. Only then did she coldly say, "If you have bad eyesight, go get it treated. Don''t talk to me."
"So, you''re saying this person isn''t you?"
"Is every fat slob on the street you?" she snapped back, deliberately switching to the local dialect.
The man clearly understood her, and his face tightened as if she had just spat on him. After a few seconds, he suddenly let out a creepyugh and said, "Then I''ll go to the police and let them see who it is."
"Go ahead," Xie Feng replied, turning her head to look out the window. She wasn''t afraid of the man''s threat; as soon as she got off the train, she could easily disappear into the crowded streets. She had been living on the streets for two years nowhe didn''t have her personal information, and even if he did, there was no ce he could find her.
"Or should I call them now?" The man''s smile vanishedpletely.
Xie Feng almost asked what he intended to do but held her tongue just in time. She knew exactly what he had in mindsome things, women just understand.
"I said, do whatever you want."
After all, it had been a year and a half since that day, and plenty of people had escaped the scene back then. The joint military-police forces probably didn''t care about them anymore, and the man likely wasn''t sure about it either.
He probably didn''t expect her to stand her ground so firmly, and for a moment, he seemed unsure of what to do. His face darkened, and he fell silent. The longer he stayed quiet, brooding over whatever was on his mind, the more anxious Xie Feng became.
It should be fine, she reassured herself, quickly analyzing the situation in her head. Even if he called the police now, the joint forces wouldn''t show up immediately. This was the fastest train, with no stops along the wayit wouldn''t reach the terminal for another three hours. By then, she''d have plenty of time to blend into the crowd of passengers and slip away unnoticed...
Suddenly, the man leaned in again.
"You think you''re something special?"
Before the words even registered, his hand shot out and grabbed the flesh under her arm, twisting it viciously in a way that was both greedy and spiteful. The sudden pain left Xie Feng stunned, her mind going nk. By the time she snapped out of it, the man had already hurried off.
Her first instinct was to vomit, but her second reaction was relief.
Perhaps any woman in her situation would feel a faint sense of relief: luckily, his hand, which had clearly been aimed at her breasts, had only reached her armpit because her arm and backpack straps blocked the way.
If that could even be considered something to be thankful for.
Xie Feng knew there was no point in yelling. No one cared about things like this anymore.
For the rest of the trip, she took the chance to get up and head to the restroom, using it as an excuse to check the nearby cars. Sure enough, she spotted the man. When their eyes met, he turned his face away, expressionless, acting as if he had never seen her before.
She clenched her fists, her palms emptyno stick.
Three cars down from Xie Feng''s seat was the dining car, which sold drinks and snacks. As the train approached its final destination, Xie Feng made her way to the dining car and spent a long time staring at the items on sale.
She had two weeks'' worth of wages on her, which wasn''t much. Considering the smugglers were sure to charge a hefty fee, it probably wouldn''t even be enough to cover the cost of an escape. To save money, she''d been eating nothing but an apple for lunch each daytelyshe really shouldn''t have spent a single cent on food from the overpriced train cart.
But if she''d been rational, she wouldn''t have been living in a capsule hotel on the streets for the past two years.
When Xie Feng left the dining car, her timing was perfect: the train had just pulled into the tform and came to a stop. Thedy working the cart, who probably had never seen someone buy food so close to the station, not only prepared what Xie Feng asked for but also gave her an extra two biscuits after looking her up and down, as if she''d figured something out.
She sighed. "You young people have it tough. It doesn''t matter for us old folks; they don''t care about us. But for you... the future..."
Don''t cry over something so small.
After thanking her, Xie Feng bit her lip, tucked the two biscuits away carefully, and gripped the paper cup in her hand as she squeezed into the crowd of passengers getting off. Her slim frame allowed her to weave through the throng, and soon she spotted her target. As the fat man''s back appeared ahead of her, Xie Feng pushed through with a few calls of "Excuse me," managing to get right behind him.
Just as the man was about to step onto the tform, Xie Feng popped the lid off her cup and, with one quick motion, stretched her arm past another passenger and dumped the entire scalding cup of coffee onto his pants. As he let out a yelp of pain, Xie Feng dropped the cup and ducked her head, quickly slipping back into the train car.
She had asked thedy to make the coffee extra hot, and even with the heat sleeve, she''d barely been able to hold itimagine an entire cup poured onto someone''s leg.
Her skin tingled with excitement and nerves, a tremor running through her body. Xie Feng knew better than to linger at the scene, so she quickly made her way through the cars, striding into the next one. When she nced back for thest time, she could see the man, red-faced and furious, storming back into the train, yelling like an enraged boar. He was shouting across the passengers, "Who? Who did this?"
A few secondster, he seemed to have realized something, grabbing someone and asking, "Did you see a girl? She was wearing sports clothes and ck shorts"
Though Xie Feng''s palms were slick with nervous sweat, she could hardly stop herself fromughing. She picked up her pace, slipping out the door of another car and onto the tform, breaking into a run. In the past two years, she had fled countless times, and her speed was well-practiced by now.
Once, during a street sh, imperial guards had charged at her like tanks. She had bolted, but one had grabbed her backpack, causing her to stumble. Instinct kicked in so fast that even she marveled at it afterward: she slipped her shoulder out, letting the bag fall, and took off running, her speed never slowing. She left the guard far behind.
So dodging one fat man was nothing. When Xie Feng reached the exit, she took a quick look around, saw no sign of him, and blended into the flow of people leaving the station. She went through security again, pretending nothing was wrong. As if they were going to find any contraband on a closed high-speed train. The bored inspector barely nced at her and waved her through.
Before she had even left the station, the salty tang of the sea air reached her.
Xie Feng felt as though she''d woken up from a bad dream, her whole body feeling lighter. No matter how unpleasant her experiences were, as soon as she got near the ocean and saw the vast blue expanse, her mood always lifted. To her, the sea represented freedom and the hope of a new life.
But her feet weren''t heading toward the shore.
She followed the address that had been shared in the group chatthe kind of underground smuggling operation she was looking for didn''t advertise with signs, so she couldn''t be sure if the address passed by word of mouth was even real. After a lot of walking, backtracking, and wandering through winding alleys, she finally found the right street name.
Xie Feng entered a shabby little convenience store and looked at the owner behind the counter, who was lounging back, ying a game on hisputer. The shop was dim, probably to save on electricity, with no lights or air conditioning. Dusty goods sat silently in the stifling heat. Was this dingy ce really the start of her new life?
She felt a pang of fear.
The owner didn''t acknowledge her, his nicotine-stained fingernails tapping away at the mouse. She reminded herself that smugglers weren''t going to look polished and professional.
"Excuse me," Xie Feng mustered the courage to whisper, "Chen Qingqing sent me... I''d like to buy a ticket."
Chapter 1623: The Back Room
Chapter 1623: The Back Room
There was probably no woman in the world who would actually walk into the dark back room of a shabby store after the owner casually said, "You can wait in the back."
Xie Feng, of course, didn''t move. She remained standing at the entrance, just one step away from the grayish-blue road outside. If anything went wrong, she could run right out and bolt down the street. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she smiled and said, "No, thank you. I''ll wait here. Looks like it''s going to rain soonit''s so stiflingly hot. How long until he gets here?"
It turned out the store owner wasn''t the smuggler; his shop was just a middleman stop where the smugglers arranged meetings. The owner himself didn''t seem to fully understand what "buying a ticket" really meant, but he was probably paid a little something for his cooperation andck of curiosity.
The owner didn''t seem to care where Xie Feng waited. He picked up his phone and made a call. "Hey, someone''s here to buy a ticket..." he said while still glued to his game of solitaire on theputer. "Yeah, a girl. Says she was sent by someone named Chen Qingqing. When will you get here? Okay, got it."
Xie Feng''s ears perked up.
After hanging up, the owner tossed his phone onto the table and said, "About ten minutes."
Xie Feng nced at the phone.
It was an old model, and the sound leaked during calls. She hadn''t caught everything while the owner was talking, but she could vaguely hear that the person on the other end spoke with an imperial ent.
The imperial ent alone didn''t necessarily mean he was a government officialafter all, the Eirenarch Empire had hundreds of millions of people, and they worked in all sorts of professions. Besides, to be a smuggler, you had to have connections, and ever since the Tear City had been handed over to the Eirenarch Empire, those with the most connections were, of course, the imperials.
Xie Feng admitted that the temptation of escape was so strong that, even after hearing the imperial ent, she decided to take the risk and stay.
"Why would an imperiale all the way here to do business?" she asked casually, testing the waters.
"Wherever there''s money, that''s where people go," the owner said, clearly local, but he didn''t seem to care much about the imperials.
"How long have you been doing this?"
The owner kept ying his game, taking a few seconds before answering. "Hmm? This shop''s been here for over ten years."
"No, I mean him..."
"Oh, how would I know? Half a year, a year maybe," the owner responded, indifferent.
Xie Feng had nothing more to say. She waited silently in the oppressive heat, her eyes constantly scanning the alleywayready to run at the first sign of anything unusual. The store was tucked into narrow, winding streets, and there were traffic mirrors set up to help with visibility. One mirror was conveniently positioned just outside the shop, giving her a decent view of the surroundings.
Outside, gray clouds began gathering in the sky, hinting at another summer storm. The air was sticky, thick, and heavy, clinging to her skin like it could be peeled off inyers. She almost wished it would rain sooner.
"Not many people like you go abroad for work alone," the owner suddenly remarked after ying his game for a bit. "Usually, it''s couples or girlfriends, going together forpany."
"Are a lot of people leaving?" Xie Feng immediately asked.
"In the past few months, quite a few," the owner replied. "I''ve had over a dozen peoplee through here. A lot of women just don''t want to stick around anymore. Honestly, if you ask me, it''s not that serious. No matter who''s in charge, life goes on the same for uswhat''s there to be scared of?"
"But universities andpanies have already started cutting back on admissions," Xie Feng couldn''t help but mutter under her breath. This was only the first step, and everyone could see iting.
The owner seemed unfazed. "Then don''t go, what''s the big deal? There''s always a way to get by."
Of course he was aware of what was happening. There were rows ofmunity posters stered outside his shop, with slogans like "Return to the family, nurture the next generation," "Men and women have distinct roles, society is more harmonious," and "Marriage benefits, dual nationality for your children." The faces of the smiling man and woman posing as a couple were ones Xie Feng had grown tired of seeing everywhere.
"Nowadays, women love entering the workforce,peting with men for jobs and resources," a famous talk show host from the empire had once joked. "At work, the boss has to pay them a sry, and when they get home, they make their husbands hand over theirs. It''s almost too easy to be a woman, isn''t it?"
After the city''s annexation, you rarely saw programs on TV in the local dialect anymore. Most locals spoke the empire''snguage with a noticeable ent, which wasn''t considered proper by imperial standards. So, the flood of imperial TV shows quickly filled the void.
At the time, Xie Feng had been staying at a capsule hotel, and many locals had crowded around the TV in the lobby. When they heard the joke, they allughed.
The owner started another game of solitaire, and Xie Feng fell silent.
She had never left Tear City in her life and knew very little about other countries. The reason she''d made up her mind to leave was, embarrassingly enough, somewhat trivial. When a neighboring star was destroyed, the news channels had run emergency broadcasts from different nations around the clock. She had overheard one male host refer to the neighboring star as a "sister."
Xie Feng exhaled slowly, her eyes sweeping over the traffic mirror outside once againonly to freeze in ce.
The fat man from the trainhow had he found her here?
After she had shaken him off at the station, she''d retraced her steps more than once. Maybe he''d spotted her then. And since she''d only been in this store a short time, if he had been quietly tailing her out of spite, it was entirely possible she was only just now noticing him.
Watching the man scanning his surroundings as he moved toward the store, Xie Feng''s mind raced. She quickly pretended to browse the shelves, taking a few steps deeper into the shadows while keeping her eyes fixed on the mirror outside.
What should she do? Should she alert the store owner? They were in a shady businesswhat if, out of caution, they decided not to deal with her?
At that moment, the entrance dimmed, and someone walked in from the bright daylight outside. Xie Feng''s heart jumped, but she quickly realized it wasn''t the fat man. The neer was of medium height, with trendy, fluffy hair. He looked at the store owner and asked, "Someone buying a ticket? Where are they?"
The smuggler!
Xie Feng breathed a sigh of relief. She gave the man a quick once-over, noting that he didn''t seem to be with the authorities, and called out, "I''m over here."
The smuggler turned toward her voice, looking no older than his early thirties. Xie Feng didn''t have the time to scrutinize his appearance. She quickly asked, "Can we talk in the back room?"
The smuggler gestured for her to follow and, as if he''d done this many times before, led the way into the back of the shop.
Xie Feng followed closely, watching his posture as he walked, and finally rxed. Over the past two years, she had escaped from security officers and military police countless times. She had learned how to spot their typeeven when they weren''t in uniform, they had a certain air about them. As one of her street friends put it, "Even in the middle of a crowded night market, they never bother watching where they''re going."
This smuggler seemed like just an ordinary civilian.
Xie Feng nced back at the shop''s entrance and saw that the fat man had already made his way to the side of the door. He was scanning the street across from the shop. In a panic, she quickly jogged after the smuggler and followed him through a small wooden door.
He reached out to turn on the light and shut the door behind Xie Feng with a thud.
The room was cramped, likely a ce where the shop owner took naps. There was a narrow bed against the wall, and with the table and chairs taking up space, there was barely any room to stand. The only unusual feature was another door at the back of the room, though it was unclear where it led.
Under the light, Xie Feng finally got a good look at the smuggler. He wasn''t bad-lookingconsidering how low the standards often were for men''s appearances, as long as they looked tidy and clean, they were already above average. He would probably be considered attractive to the opposite sex.
"Who referred you?" the smuggler asked casually as he sat down on the shop owner''s bed. The bed''s presence made Xie Feng feel slightly ufortable.
"Chen Qingqing."
She had no idea who Chen Qingqing was. The friends in her group chat had said that without a referral, the smuggler wouldn''t take you seriously, so they had advised using Chen Qingqing''s name. She seemed to be a friend of a friend. The group had hundreds of members, all young people drifting around the streets, and Xie Feng didn''t know them all.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-one." Xie Feng deliberately added a year and a half to her age.
The smuggler seemed satisfied, nodding as he looked her up and down, his gaze moving from her feet to her legs, then up to her chest and face, before settling back on her legs. "Your family''s okay with this?"
"They are."
"Hmm, smart decision to leave." The smuggler smiled. "I''m from the empire myself, and I''ve seen plenty of women who''ve married into the empire. A lot of them can''t adjust and regret it like crazy. Let me give you the basicsyou''ll be traveling with a cargo ship. The trip takes about three weeks, and there are a few destinations to choose from..."
What he said matched the information circting in the group chat, and Xie Feng started to rx. The price was even lower than she''d expected. If she sold the things she''d stored away, she could probably scrape together enough for a ticket.
She had been determined to leave, but now, standing on the verge of actually going, Xie Feng found herself hesitating, searching for reasons to stay: What about her parents? Even though they had told her to consider herself disowned, how could she leave without any guilt? Once she left, it might be for good... Maybe the shop owner had a pointlife would be the same for ordinary people no matter who was in charge...
As she kept overthinking and hesitating to hand over the deposit, the smuggler grew impatient. "Why don''t youe back when you''ve made up your mind?" he said, pulling out his phone and ncing at it.
It looked like he had received a message. He nced at Xie Fengwho noticed his look and kept her eyes fixed on the table, pretending to still be deep in thoughtbefore unlocking his phone and tapping out a reply.
Xie Feng instinctively didn''t turn her head but quickly caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye.
The room was small, so they weren''t far apart. She was standing, and the smuggler was sitting, so she had a clear view of most of his phone screen. Though she couldn''t make out the full message, the first two characters of the private message stood out clearly in her view.
Even from an awkward angle, she immediately recognized those two characters.
"Sister Chen."
There was likely ama following them, as there was a small space after the name.
The person on the other end had called him "Sister Chen."
Xie Feng stood frozen, as if still deliberating, but her mind was now racing with just one increasingly loud thought.
Could the smuggler himself be "Chen Qingqing"?
Chapter 1624: You Know How to Clean Cars, Right?
Chapter 1624: You Know How to Clean Cars, Right?
''Calm down and thinkit''s not the most dangerous moment yet.''
The cabin was stifling, with not a hint of breeze, and the air was so thick it felt hard to breathe. Xie Feng''s heart tightened with cold dread, while her palms and body alternated between hot and cold sweats, as if she were on the verge of a fever.
Young women in their twenties are one of the most valuablemoditiesit''s a truth that applies everywhere. She was well aware of that. What she hadn''t expected was to have such bad luck. It didn''t take much imagination to know what kind of fate awaited her if she were sold.
The only small bit of fortune was that this so-called smuggler hadn''t yet realized she was onto him. As long as she acted like everything was normal and didn''t raise any suspicions, he would have no reason not to let her go.
No one would pass up the chance to exploit someone twice. If she yed along, convinced him she was going to get the money, he wouldn''t be able to resist the extra profit. As Xie Feng thought this through, she opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was hoarse. She quickly cleared her throat, and when she turned her head, she noticed the smuggler staring at her, his phone''s screen now dark.
"What''s wrong?" he asked slowly. "You don''t look so good."
A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead, itching as it went, but Xie Feng didn''t dare wipe it away. She was afraid any movement would draw his attention to the sweat on her face.
"I... I''m just nervous about leaving," she stammered at first, then dug her nails into her palm and forced herself to continue, "But I''ve made up my mind. I can''t stay in Tear City any longer. Even though it hasn''t been said outright yet, eventually, they''re going to arrange marriages for us, just like in other ces... I have to leave before that happens. No matter the cost, I have to get out."
The smuggler stared at her, expressionless.
His face, which wasn''t bad-looking, seemed disturbingly nk.
"I don''t have enough money on me right now. How about I give you 2,000 yuan first?" Xie Feng wished she had a mirror to check her own expression. She wasn''t good at pretendingher emotions were usually written all over her face. Now, as she spoke, she could feel the muscles in her face trembling. "I''ll gather the rest and pay you in full when the boat leaves. Does that work?"
The smuggler thought for a moment before saying, "That deposit is too low. If I save you a spot and you don''t show up, I''ll be at a big loss."
He was willing to negotiate!
Xie Feng exhaled slightly, immediately sweet-talking and making promises, even adding an extra 300 yuanwhich was all she had left. Finally, the smuggler agreed, saying, "I''m only making an exception because you seem like a decent, honest girl."
As long as she could leave this small shop today, any price was worth it. Xie Feng forced a smile and repeatedly thanked the man who was nning to sell her.
While the smuggler counted her money, Xie Feng heard faint voices outside through the wooden door. Her nerves were on edge, so even the slightest sound made her jump. The smuggler heard it too and paused, listening.
The shopkeeper was speaking to a man.
"What... oh, who are you looking for? A girl... what''s your rtionship with her?"
The shopkeeper''s voice was just loud enough to catch bits and pieces, but the other man''s voice was lower, more indistinct. Xie Feng figured that made senseafter all, the guy wasn''t doing anything honest. If he''d been following a woman, of course, he wouldn''t speak confidently.
At some point, the smuggler had also stood up and moved closer to the door, narrowing the distance between them. Instinctively, Xie Feng shrank back toward the corner.
"Did the shopkeeper just say someone''s here looking for someone?" the smuggler asked, ncing at her. "Did you catch who they''re looking for?"
He had been farther from the door earlier and hadn''t heard everything. He didn''t know the man outside was looking for a girlotherwise, he would''ve been suspicious of her already.
Xie Feng quickly shook her head.
The smuggler held his breath and listened for a moment longer.
"Maybe they''re just asking for directions," Xie Feng said, acting casual as she changed the subject. "Check the moneyis it all there?"
The smuggler didn''t sit back down but stayed where he was, counting the money quickly. "It''s all correct," he said, stuffing the cash into his pocket.
He seemed to fully trust her now, but Xie Feng couldn''t leave just yet.
Because, despite the man''s low voice outside, one word hade through clearly"my wife."
If that man caught her outside and imed they were just a quarreling couple, trying to take her back home, no one on the street would help her. Not just because everyone assumes that''s "a private matter," but because, in the eyes of the world, a woman''s wishes don''t matter as much as a man''s.
At this point, staying with the smuggler seemed safer.
"Does this door lead anywhere?" Xie Feng asked, ncing at the back door. "Where does it go?"
"Why not use the front?" the smuggler asked, sitting back down on the small bed.
"I... I don''t want to be seen."
This seemed to convince him. "It leads to the alley with the trash bins," he replied. "I''ve never used it. Try it and see if it opens."
Xie Feng nodded, tightening the straps of her backpack, even though her back was already drenched in sweat. She stepped carefully around the furniture, moving through the narrow space between the table and the bed, where the smuggler sat, taking up most of the space with his legs stretched out. Her leg brushed against the tip of his shoe as she walked past, stopping in front of the door.
She gently grasped the door handle, feeling his gaze on her back, almost as if the backpack wasn''t even there to shield her. She took a deep breath and turned the handleit moved. The door wasn''t locked.
Just as she cracked the door open, she noticed uneven patches of water on the alley ground outside. It looked like it had started to rain.
That thought barely registered when suddenly, a powerful yank pulled her backpack backward. Caught off guard, Xie Feng lost her bnce and fell, hitting the back of her head hard against the table.
The pain was so intense her vision went ck, and her body copsed to the floor like a broken toy, unable to move. The smuggler stepped over her and mmed the door shut with a heavy thud.
"You really thought I''d let you leave?" Even his voice sounded like it wasing from far away.
Xie Feng felt a hand grab her by the cor and lift her up, shoving and dragging her toward the bed. Panic and fear surged through her as she thrashed and wed with all her strength, her nails scraping something hard. The smuggler cursed loudly in pain.
"You''re pretty good at pretending, you filthy bitch," he spat, mming Xie Feng onto the bed, and swinging a punch toward her face. Though dazed with pain, Xie Feng instinctively rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. She knew the strength difference between them was too greatif she took a few hits like that, she wouldn''t even be able to stand, let alone escape.
Chapter 1625: Venture Capital
Chapter 1625: Venture Capital
When flowers, fruits, or wheat begin to ferment but haven''t fully transformed into wine, they often release a scent that''s hard to describe: a deep and rich base note, soft yet prickly, as if filled with tiny, invisible needles that both please and offend the senses.
Xie Feng had encountered a simr smell once when her mother brewed plum wine. But that batch, with its added rock sugar, had been too cloyingnothing like the strange scent now surrounding her. This new smell was delicate as it entered her nose, but it made no effort to hide its intent to invade and conquer.
The scent wrapped itself around Xie Feng''s mind, pulling her consciousness along like a broken nk floating through a hazy, turbulent dream.
She felt herself moving, drifting in and out of nausea and dizziness. She wanted to wake up, but her eyelids wouldn''t cooperate. ''Where am I? Did I fall asleep on my way to school? Did I miss my stop on the subway? I just want to go homeor no, school''s fine too,'' she thought, the confusion thick in her mind.
"Ah, crying," a woman''s voice, unfamiliar and distant, remarked. The voice carried the same strangeness as the scent that clung to her senses.
''Who''s crying? What''s happening?''
"Sister Dong Luorong, are you really nning to take her with us?"
A man''s voice, sharp with an imperial ent, cut through the haze like a knife, triggering a wave of panic inside Xie Feng. A jolt of awareness cleared her head slightly, though she fought the urge to open her eyes. Instead, she remained still, feeling sweat gather on her skin, quickly cooled by the air conditioning. ''Right, I''m in a car,'' she realized.
"I mean, look at her. Dressed like that, she doesn''t even seem like a girl. She might be one of those dangerous types. Wouldn''t it be safer not to take her with us?" the man continued, unease creeping into his tone.
The woman he called "Sister Dong Luorong" must have been the one who brought her into the car. But Xie Feng couldn''t tell if she was being rescued or if she had escaped one danger only to fall into another. ''Why did she take me? Where is she taking me?''
The woman didn''t respond right away. For a few seconds, the car filled with heavy silence.
Then, as if the man''s concerns had never reached her ears, she suddenly asked, "Do you prefer streetlights or fortune trees?"
"Huh? What does that mean?" The man sounded baffled. After a moment, he gave a hesitant answer. "Uh... fortune trees, I guess?"
The woman responded with a detached tone. "I don''t like either."
''What is she even talking about?'' Xie Feng wondered, her head swimming with confusion.
After that peculiar exchange, the man didn''t press further. The silence returned, and with it, the haze in Xie Feng''s mind. She drifted off again, consciousness slipping away into the unknown.
When she next woke, she opened her eyes to dim surroundings and reached out to feel the space around her.
"You woke up in the car a few times, didn''t you?" the now slightly familiar voiceined. "So why are you acting like a sack of potatoes now that you''re here?"
Xie Feng pushed herself up, still groggy and disoriented. She blinked hard, trying to clear her vision.
Her clothes were soaked through from the rain, clinging ufortably to her skin after being sted with cold air from the car''s AC. Someone had thrown a heavy nket over her, making her feel like she was being buried alive. She shoved it off and sat up, her bare toes pressing against the cold floor, sending a shiver through her body.
Her shoes were gone.
Directly in front of her was arge floor-to-ceiling window, but the lighting in was so dark that it seemed like it was covered with gauze curtains. Outside, the uneven skyline of Tear City loomed, shrouded in sheets of rain and fog. Here and there, a few early lights flickered on, only to be swallowed almost instantly by the thick, oppressive mist, as if they had vited some unspoken rule.
By the window sat a figure. Her bare legs stretched out from beneath a silk robe, resting on a footstool. The dim light barely traced the curves of her silhouette, casting an eerie shimmer over her smooth skin, making her look like a figure sculpted from metal.
The room was cold and dark, devoid of any trace of human warmth. Even the half-full ss of wine on the table, a dish with leftover sauce stains, and a crumpled napkin looked more like artifacts from an ancient past than the remnants of a recent meallunch, maybe? Dinner? What time was it now?
Xie Feng sprang to her feet, but the sudden rush made her head swim, and she almost fell. She quickly grabbed onto the coffee table, steadying herself until the stars in her vision faded. In imperial dialect, she asked, "Wh-where am I? Did you... bring me home?"
"No. This is my hotel room," the woman replied, turning her head slightly. The faint light hitting her cheekbones and jaw gave her face a pale, ster-like quality. "You couldn''t afford the hospital if I took you there, right?"
"I''m not sick," Xie Feng said immediately. "I just fell... Thank you, but I''ll leave now."
"I''m not kicking you out," the woman said with a small smile.
"I-I know... Sorry. I just have something I need to take care of," Xie Feng added, realizing her abruptness wasn''t exactly polite toward someone who had helped her.
"Where are you going?" the woman asked casually.
''What?''
"You said you need to go. Where to?"
Xie Feng opened her mouth. This should have been an easy question to answer, yet she stammered for a moment before finally saying, "I... I''m staying at a hotel."
The silhouette by the window suddenly straightened. The woman bent over and picked something up from the other side of her armchairXie Feng''s backpack.
"You''ve only got three coins left in your wallet," the woman said, cing the backpack on the floor. "What kind of hotel charges such friendly prices?"
"You... you went through my stuff?" Xie Feng''s voice rose, though no anger apanied the words. Somehow, she couldn''t muster even a trace of it.
"I brought you in. I had to know who you were," the woman replied with a sigh. "If something happened to you, I''d need to know who to contact. But... just as I thought, there''s no one."
Xie Feng pressed her lips together, staying silent.
"I ate your apple."
"Huh?" Xie Feng froze. Why was this woman''s style of speaking so spontaneous and jumpy?
Wait. Her apple!
"But... that was my only apple..." Xie Feng whispered, dismayed.
The woman stood silently for a moment, then lowered her legs from the footstool and rose from the chair. The backlight swallowed her features in shadow, revealing only her heighttall, about five foot seven, a head taller than Xie Feng''s morepact and athletic frame.
"I''m Dong Luorong," she said evenly, as if Xie Feng had asked. "Call me whatever you like."
At that moment, Xie Feng hesitated. She wasn''t sure if she should introduce herself. She didn''t want to lie, but she also didn''t dare give her real name to an imperial citizen.
"You have no home, no money. Other than your body, you have nothing." Dong Luorong''s voice was husky but soft, but her words were brutally blunt. She gestured toward the floor-to-ceiling window behind her. "So tell me, which is safer: here or the world out there?"
Xie Feng stayed.
She told herself it was only temporary, that she stayed because Dong Luorong had made some valid pointsand also, because Dong Luorong had ordered room service for her. It didn''t seem realistic to turn down a warm meal in the name of integrity. When the food arrived, Xie Feng nearly buried her face in the te. With every bite ofmb, she bit down as if testing whether her teeth were tougher than the fork.
Dong Luorong looked amused, sipping cold wine as she watched her eat, as if Xie Feng were some kind of entertainment. Xie Feng had never been stared at while eating before, and halfway through the meal, the difort finally caught up with her. Wiping her mouth, she said, "Um, even though I''m staying here for now, I can still keep working side jobs... I''ll pay you back for the food."
The expression that crept across Dong Luorong''s face could only be described as disgust. As her brow furrowed ever so slightly, a thought crossed Xie Feng''s mindone so strange it unsettled her: she could almost understand why people developed masochistic tendencies.
"Don''t pay me back. Stop trying to save money. Order whatever you wantanything at all. Consider it repayment for the apple," Dong Luorong said, as if the mere mention of money was as revolting to her as seeing a cockroach. "If it makes you happy, you can cut up the bedsheets, the bathrobes, and the pillows. Smash themps, tes, and cups. I''ll cover the cost."
Her tone was so nonchnt that Xie Feng felt like she had done this sort of thing before.
"Do you have a grudge against money or something?" Xie Feng asked. Not knowing what to say, she could only force out a joke.
Dong Luorong looked at her, and under the light, her eyes shimmered with the hazy glint of wine.
"Yeah," she replied seriously. "Do you want some? My wallet, jewelry, watchyou can take them. Even my clothes are expensive. The secondhand luxury stores would buy them."
''This woman is seriously strange,'' Xie Feng thought.
It wasn''t just that she encouraged theft. She never asked who Xie Feng was or why she had copsed on a rainy street. She didn''t even ask about the man who had chased and yelled after her. Instead, she seemed oddly curious about Xie Feng''s life on the streets, her school, and her experiences in Tear City. To Xie Feng''s surprise, she found herself trusting this strange womanperhaps too easily. She realized, with some embarrassment, that it might have had something to do with how captivating Dong Luorong looked. Somehow, she didn''t believe Dong Luorong was trying to fish for information about student protests.
After setting down her utensils, Xie Feng hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "Why are you helping me?"
Dong Luorong rested her chin on the edge of her now-empty ss, her eyes drifting aimlessly, the look of someone clearly not built for drinking. Tilting her head in thought, she eventually murmured, "Because I feel like it."
''It''s impossible to have a normal conversation with this woman,''
She naturally didn''t believe the answer, but she knew better than to press further.
Then, unexpectedly, Dong Luorong continued, "And because you''re a girl."
Xie Feng''s head snapped up.
"Because you''re a girl, I knew you wouldn''t get any ideas about me." Dong Luorong pushed a stray lock of ck hair behind her ear, her expression shifting once again to that mix of disgust and weariness. "It''s revolting to think of those schrs who fantasize about the fox spirit falling in love with them."
Xie Feng didn''t fully understandhad a man harbored such thoughts about her before? She couldn''t imagine what kind of person would think a woman like Dong Luorong could fall for them.
Before she could dwell on it further, Dong Luorong spoke again.
"The third reason," she said softly, tilting her head slightly, eyes fixed on the rainy, pencil-gray cityscape outside the window, "is that I''m investing in you. What if you evolve?"
Chapter 1626: Short Film
Chapter 1626: Short Film
Is this a trap? Or is she being sincere?
After all, the other party was an imperial citizen. Being captured as a suspected threat versus being captured as a posthuman could lead to entirely different fates... She should escape now, before Dong Luorong came out of the bedroom, right?
The thought was clear, but Xie Feng still remained seated on the couch, motionless. Curiosity was part of it, but the other reason was simple: she was too exhaustedthis day had stretched far too long.
"Oh, you didn''t run?"
Dong Luorong emerged from the bedroom, carrying an armful of items. She seemed slightly surprised to see Xie Feng still there.
Xie Feng gave an awkward smile.
"Change into this," Dong Luorong said, tossing her a set of pajamas. "Wearing damp clothes must feel miserable. Take a shower while you''re at it."
It was miserable.
"And since we''re going to watch a movie, it''s better to befortable."
A movie? Weren''t they just talking about investing in posthumans? Xie Feng grumbled to herself as she went into the bathroom, rinsed off, and put on the pajamas. Strangely, because this was a hotel rather than a home, she didn''t feel like she was invading someone''s personal space. The sleeves and pant legs were a bit too long, and the fabric felt slick and cold against her skin, making her sneeze.
It was freezingDong Luorong seemed to prefer keeping the room at a temperature few humans would findfortable.
Shivering, Xie Feng returned to the living room. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the gray sheets of rain draped over the city like a giant curtain. In the soft sound of rainfall, it felt as if only she and Dong Luorong existed in the world.
It was already five or six in the evening, but the dimness outside made it seem like a dream hovering between sleep and wakefulness. Dong Luorong sat on the sofa, her face etched with the subtle y of dim twilight, which picked out the contours of her bones in a way that made her features look like the pale surface of sterlike the tombstone of a dying sun.
It was hard to believe that she and the fat man on the train were both human.
In front of Dong Luorong was an openptop. It looked barely used, with a spotless interface that still disyed the original wee message from the day it was purchased. Aside from that, it contained nothing.
Xie Feng sat down beside her, feeling herself drawn into that strange, almost-fermented scent that seemed to cling to Dong Luorongas if she were a flower on the verge of withering, needing the cold air to slow her decay and hold onto her time in this world just a little longer.
"What are we watching?" Xie Feng asked, unable to hold back her curiosity. "And I still don''t understand what you meant earlier about investing in posthumans..."
Dong Luorong didn''t answer. She clicked open a video, one that Xie Feng recognized immediately. Everyone in the world, she was afraid, knew it by heart.
It was the warning broadcast from their neighboring stara short film just under ten minutes long, an unusually lengthy transmission by interster standards.
"Eight minutes and forty seconds in total," Dong Luorong said as she pressed y. "The first six minutes and fifteen seconds are spent introducing the situation and stressing its authenticity."
Xie Feng hugged a throw pillow, leaning in to watch the screen, still dazed. ''What is even happening right now? Just a few hours ago, wasn''t I looking for a smuggler to arrange an illegal crossing?'' The world was so unpredictable.
"I am Lan Lingte, head of external affairs," a middle-aged woman, her attire distinctly characteristic of the neighboring star system, spoke hurriedly into the camera, struggling to maintainposure despite her evident urgency. She switched to anothernguage mid-sentence. "The current date is Fire Period, Day 3, Year 3723 of the Dawnstar Calendar... Five periods ago, our experienced an apocalypse. This is a warning message! Please listenthis is not a joke. This is a real warning, a plea for help!"
Xie Feng barely needed the subtitles anymore. She had seen this warning film broadcast countless times on TV and the inte. But Dong Luorong remained fixed on the screen, her eyes unblinking, as if she were watching it for the first time.
"Arge number of people on our have developed extraordinary abilities. These individuals are referred to as ''posthuman.'' Their powers are incredibly destructive and defy scientific exnation. For example"
Lan Lingte grabbed a newspaper from off-screen, holding it up to the camera. Her voice trembled as it came from behind the paper. "Do you see this? On Oxygen Period, Day 49, a man infiltrated the Star Council during a meetingyes, just one man. He made his way through multipleyers of security and defense. This seemingly ordinary person... everywhere he walked..."
Her voice faltered, hands gripping the paper so tightly it crinkled under her fingers. Even so, the newspaper''srge front-page photo remained visiblea man hunched slightly forward, one hand raised mid-air, his actions unclear. Behind him, two columns stretched impossibly outward from their centers, like a malicious prank from a poorly doctored image.
Oveid on the footage were tranted lines summarizing the news: "Journalist risks life to capture a shot of the man who can reshape objects from a distance. Star Council''s right wing copses; casualties unknown!"
The exmation mark at the end was jarring.
"I''ve lost count of how many facilities and departments have been..." Lan Lingte choked, struggling to get the word out. "...destroyed. There is no doubt that this world is ending. And the culprit..."
She buried her face in her hands, and after a few seconds, she managed to regain herposure. But when she spoke again, she couldn''t suppress the anger in her voice. "Those posthumans show no mercy or respect for our home. They fight to seize resources and run wild everywhere. Our stockpileseverything from raw materials to medical supplieshave beenpletely looted!
"We haven''t been able to track casualties for two periods now. The statistics department stopped reporting... Honestly, that department might not even exist anymore. I don''t know. Everything is in chaos, messages can''t get out, but rumors are everywhere. No one knows which news is real and which is fake." Lan Lingte gave a bitter smile, shaking her head. "Almost all the facilities capable of transmitting interstermunications are gone. It''s ironic that, in the end, it falls on me to send this message to you on Noonstar."
Dong Luorong suddenly hit pause, freezing the video on Lan Lingte''s weary, bitter smile.
"What is it?" Xie Feng nced at her.
"Do you want money?" Dong Luorong asked, her face expressionless.
Her thinking waspletely unpredictable.
Caught off guard, Xie Feng stammered, "What? I already told you, I don''t need your money. I can work odd jobs"
"No, I''m not asking if you want my money," Dong Luorong interrupted. "I mean, do you want to use money in general?"
"Well... of course I do."
"Good. Let''s continue then." Without waiting for Xie Feng to respond, Dong Luorong hit y again with a sharp click.
''What does money have to do with a warning about the end of the world?'' Xie Feng wondered, ncing at Dong Luorong in confusion before turning her attention back to the screen.
Lan Lingte continued describing the dire situation on her for several more minutes. Though the details were barely coherent, Xie Feng had heard them so many times that they almost felt surreal by now.
"In the next section, I''ll share everything I know about posthumans," Lan Lingte exined. "First, every posthuman has a different ability. From the locals who''ve recently begun to evolve, we''ve noticed that their abilities develop in stages. While these abilities may seem miraculous, those in the early stages are still rtively weak in both power and stamina, meaning our military can still subdue themfor now. However,ter-stage posthumans... some of them even carry strange artifacts with them."
Dong Luorong and Xie Feng listened quietly as Lan Lingte gave several examples of the destruction caused by posthumansexamples so bizarre that Xie Feng found them harder to believe with each retelling.
In the final two minutes of the video, Lan Lingte''s tone shifted to one of desperate pleading. "This message will take at least six months to reach you. Even if you respond immediately, it will take two years from today for you to arrive on our. By then... we don''t even know if we''ll still be here. But I beg youplease, send ships. Even if there''s only a slim chance we survive, even if you arrive to find us gone, pleasee."
She wiped her eyes and continued, "Our has 870 million people. We can''t all die. Even if only a few survivors remain, please, rescue them and take them with you. I have a family tooa daughter. If my child lives to see that day, even if I don''t, I want her to survive... I believe all of us would feel the same."
Dong Luorong hit pause again. She remained silent, staring at the screen where Lan Lingte''s face, etched with anxiety, fear, and exhaustion, remained frozen. After a moment, she quietly resumed the final part of the film.
"If no survivors remain," Lan Lingte went on, "at least you''ll be able to witness what happened to our and learn from it, so that others may avoid the same fate." She shook her head with another bitter smile. "I don''t even know what''s happening on your now. Considering how closely our two worlds have developed, it''s possible that your end is approaching too."
Her voice softened into something like a sigh as she said herst words. "After sending this message, I''m leaving. I probably won''t ever know what happens next... Goodbye. I''m going home."
The film ended there.
Like every time after watching it, Xie Feng sat in silence for a long moment. Sometimes she really didn''t know why she kept struggling. If her world was destined for the same fate, then what did it matter if Tear City resisted the Eirenarch Empire? What did it matter what the Empire had nned for them? And what difference would it make if she crossed the border illegally or stayed behind?''
"We''re done," Dong Luorong said, as if wrapping up a mundane task. "What do you think of the video?"
Xie Feng snapped out of her thoughts, unsure of what kind of answer Dong Luorong was expecting. ''What is there to say? Life is unpredictable?''
"I have a thought I usually wouldn''t dare say out loud," Dong Luorong said, recliningzily against the armrest of the sofa, as if her bones had melted away. She raised one leg, using her foot to casually close theptop and prop it on the coffee table. "I don''t think the video is real."
Chapter 1627: Pattern
Chapter 1627: Pattern
When Yu Yuan heard the names "Dawnstar" and "Noonstar," he remembered.
While Xie Feng''s memories were running, he existed in the background, like a background processor rather, he was the background itself. Among the vast and rich data reserves of Veda, information on these twos was stored: the causes of their apocalypses, when they urred, and what futures they faced. Yu Yuan knew these details with absolute rity.
Once he realized where Xie Feng and Dong Luorong were, he could piece together various clues and data reserves. It was almost as if he could foresee the paths their fates would takeeven though his database contained no specific information about these two individuals.
He found himself wanting to warn them.
If they could receive his warning, perhaps their destinies would change. But the very thought of this was a mistakea mistake Yu Yuan couldn''t yet understand.
They were only characters from memory. Everything he saw was history that had already yed out. All he needed to do was observe, to let the memory run its course. ording to his projections, once it ended, he would exit this data packet.
Xie Feng and Dong Luorong, in this very moment, had no idea that the outline of their futures had already been drawn. As they continued trying to discern their paths ahead, Yu Yuan quietly waited for their stories to conclude.
''Could Dong Luorong be the type to believe in conspiracy theories?''
This thought crossed Xie Feng''s mind after watching the short film.
After the warning film went viral and became a global topic, it had been viewed billions of times. Like many other topics, it spawned countless conspiracy theories.
Some believed the video was entirely fabricated. Others thought the film itself was responsible for triggering the rise of posthumans. And so it wentthere was always a segment of the poption ready to believe conspiracies and lies. No matter how absurd the theory, repeated enough times, it would always find believers.
But conspiracy theories were everywheresearching the inte would yield hundreds of thousands of results. There really wasn''t anything that could be described as the sort of "thought I usually wouldn''t dare say out loud."
"You think the film is fake? If that were true, someone would''ve uncovered it by now. If that woman in the film exists on this, it''s impossible she wouldn''t interact with anyone..."
Before Xie Feng could finish speaking, Dong Luorong shook her head.
"I don''t doubt the film came from Dawnstar," she said with a furrowed brow. "And I don''t think Lan Lingte was lying."
So what did she mean by that?
Xie Feng was about to ask, but her thoughts were interrupted by a loud sneeze. The room was far too cold, but she was reluctant to ask Dong Luorong to raise the temperature, even though there wasn''t any particr reason not to.
Dong Luorong stayed silent for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts.
"If I could witness someone evolve firsthand," Dong Luorong said slowly after a long pause, "it might answer a lot of my questions. They say people with more of a rebellious, fighting spirit are more likely to evolve... which exins why the ones recently captured as suspected posthumans are all that type."
Xie Feng''s heart tightened. She suddenly thought of friends from her social circle who had recently gone missing, with no word since.
"Where did you hear that?" she asked casually, grabbing a tissue to wipe her nose. "I''ve never heard that before."
She tried to sound nonchnt. Even though Dong Luorong didn''t seem like a bad person, she was still an imperial citizen with unclear motives. Xie Feng had been deliberately withholding information when sharing her experiences earlier.
Dong Luorong didn''t respond, as if she hadn''t heard the question. Instead, she followed her own train of thought. "In the film, Lan Lingte is introduced as the head of external affairs, right? But external to where, exactly?"
"Huh?" Xie Feng blinked, realizing she had never thought about it before. "She''s probably the head of the department responsible formunications between Dawnstar and Noonstar, right? Otherwise, why would she be the one sending us that message?"
Dawnstar had a slightlyrger poption than Noonstar, but it was governed as a single federal state, unlike Noonstar, which was divided into six nationswell, five now.
Due to the limits of transmission speed, technological challenges, and the high cost of resources, their understanding of Dawnstar was only superficial. But Dawnstar''s example had long fueled the ambitions of some Noonstar leaders, who sawary unification as their ultimate dream.
"Lan Lingte mentioned that Dawnstar has multiple facilities capable of interstermunication," Dong Luorong said quietly. "So it''s clear that maintaining contact with Noonstar isn''t the exclusive responsibility of any one department. And she also said it was ironic that, in the end, it fell on her to send the warning."
Xie Feng opened her mouth, stunned. That was trueif Lan Lingte were specifically in charge of Noonstar rtions, it would make sense for her to send the warning. There wouldn''t be anything ironic about it.
"That''s not really a w," Xie Feng said hesitantly. "There could be a lot of reasonable exnations..."
"Yes, there could be many reasonable exnations. That''s not the issue," Dong Luorong agreed. "The real issue is that we haven''t heard a single exnation."
Why was that an issue? Xie Feng struggled to keep upher mind felt foggy again, and she wondered if she really might have a concussion from her earlier fall.
"Why would people who''ve evolved destroy their?" Dong Luorong murmured. "With their abilities, they could do whatever they wanted. They could have billions of people serve them. Why destroy the? What do they gain from it?"
In fact, many observers and analysts on Noonstar had asked the same question ande up with usible theories. Of course, Dong Luorong wasn''t the first to raise this point. Xie Feng started to mention some of the existing theories, but Dong Luorong waved her off.
"I know. I''ve seen all of themthey each make sense in their own way. But the problem is, all these theories were our guesses. Lan Lingte never offered any reason or exnation herself."
That was true.
"Even you understand the importance of money, yet posthumans supposedly ignore money and go after resources? And with that kind of power, they wouldn''t need to steal anything. Just by sitting there, people would flock to offer them whatever they wanted." Dong Luorong gave a bitter, mocking smile. "Power, at its core, is the ability to control other people''s fates. And what''s stronger than ultimate, unpredictable force?"
''That''s all true, but what do you mean: even I know how to use money?'' Xie Feng thought, feeling a bit offended.
"Of course, there must be reasonable exnations for that too. But once again, Lan Lingte provided none."
At this point, Dong Luorong almost seemed to be talking to herself. If Xie Feng weren''t sitting next to her, she might not even have noticed she was speaking out loud.
"A doomsday struck five periods ago, meaning those posthumans must have appeared much earlier... With so many people developing such strange abilities, how did Dawnstar not notice? They only realized it when those abilities had evolved beyond the point of military control, and by then, the entire was doomed."
This time, Xie Feng stayed silent, already guessing what Dong Luorong was about to say.
"It''s even stranger that Lan Lingte asked us to send rescue ships. ording to her, posthumans from Dawnstar''s poption caused the apocalypse. So how could the remaining survivors just be ordinary people? The ones left behind are most likely the culpritsthe posthumans. What''s even the point of saving them? Sending our ships would just mean certain death."
These weren''t new questions.
Answers were everywhere online, along with official exnations from the imperial authorities. But as Dong Luorong pointed out, the real issue was that Lan Lingte herself never provided any exnation.
Even if she was short on time and overwhelmed, she should have at least rified the situation with the rescue shipsespecially since requesting help was one of the message''s key purposes. How could she expect anyone to risk their lives for a rescue without exining the situation properly?
"You see the pattern here, don''t you?" Dong Luorong asked, ncing at Xie Feng.
"So, you''re saying..."
Dong Luorong suddenly paused, turning her head to stare directly at Xie Feng. Even though they were both women, Xie Feng couldn''t help but feel flustered under that gaze. Stammering, she asked, "Wh-what''s wrong?"
"Why didn''t you say anything?" Dong Luorong asked quietly. "You''re freezing, aren''t you?"
Since earlier, Xie Feng hadn''t been able to stop shivering. Some of the chills were so intense her teeth had started chattering. She had thought she could tough it out, hoping she''d get used to the cold. But the difort was unbearablewaves of heat would rise between bouts of shivers, leaving her unable to tell whether she was freezing or burning up.
Dong Luorong leaned in and rested a cool, slender hand on Xie Feng''s forehead.
She was so close that Xie Feng could feel her breath on her cheek. Her eyes were pitch ckusually, when describing someone beautiful, it''s said that their eyes were lustrous. But, this was not the case with Dong Luorong: her eyes were devoid of light, so dark it felt like one nce could cause her to fall into them.
Xie Feng resisted the urge to tremble, not daring to move. It felt like her heart and mind had condensed into a single point that was being gently pressed beneath her fingertips.
"You seem to have a fever," Dong Luorong said, tilting her head as if unsure. "Then again, everyone feels warmer to me when I touch them."
As it turned out, Xie Feng really did have a fever.
After being frightened, caught in conflicts, and knocked unconscious, followed by getting soaked in the rain and chilled by the wind, it was impressive that she hadn''t fallen ill sooner. But once the fever hit, it came crashing down like andslide. She drifted in and out of consciousness, shaking with chills and unable to open her eyes.
This disease, Xie Feng was sick for three days.
Chapter 1628: Nesting Pit
Chapter 1628: Nesting Pit
If a person has the luxury to fall ill in peace, they can consider themselves lucky.
In that dim hotel room, as Xie Fengy feverish and bedridden, she quietly shed tears more than once.
Her entire body ached under the high fever, as if her skin and bones were on the verge of bursting. Every time she turned over, it felt like torture. Yet, she had thefort of a dry bed, free from wandering the streets under endless rain, with three meals a day and fever medicine she could afford. Most importantly, she wasn''t alonesomeone was by her side.
Though by any stretch of the imagination, Dong Luorong was not someone you''d call nurturing.
The food came via room service, and the medicine was bought by a driver. There were no scenes like in TV dramas where someone cools a fever with a damp cloth. Instead, arge pack of fever patches was tossed onto the nightstand with a thud, and Dong Luorong''s idea of care was simply saying, "Stick one on yourself."
When Xie Feng quietly asked if she could boil some hot water, Dong Luorong''s expression was one of genuine confusion.
"Why would you need hot water?" she asked, as if she trulycked all basicmon sense in life. "Hot water, cold waterit all turns into body temperature once it''s inside you, right?"
Technically, that made sense. But a sip of warm tea would''ve been nice for the throat.
"Didn''t I already buy you throat lozenges?"
At that moment, Dong Luorong looked like a child who had begged for a pet only to realize it involved cleaning up after itannoyed and unwilling but unable to shirk responsibility. "Fine, fine, I get it. Hot water, right?"
She stood by the electric kettle, rocking impatiently on her toes, as if willing it to boil faster with sheer mental force.
Even though Dong Luorong was such a personand an imperial citizen on top of ither presence was still a greatfort to Xie Feng.
Xie Feng often felt as if she were hanging by a single thread, one gust of wind away from plunging into an unknown abyss. The sense of security that had once tethered her to the world, like a screw firmly fastened, only seemed to exist when she waspliant and obedient. The moment she expressed discontent or resistance, the world revealed a very different face.
She had an older brother who worked at City Hall. On the day of the city''s surrender, she even saw him on the TV news in the station lobby, standing with his colleagues at the entrance to City Hall, all beaming with pride.
If there had ever been a choice between the two siblings, Xie Feng knew she was the one left behind.
"The Empire guarantees Tear City''s future safety. You''ll still be able to study, work, marry, and have children. How has the Empire wronged you?" her brother had lectured her at the dinner table, just before she decided to leave home. "Girls shouldn''t carry so much anger and resentment all the time, looking so bitter and twistedit makes people want to keep their distance."
Women''s protests turned out to be an offense, a principle that Xie Feng understood at the age of eighteen.
The Empire is protecting you, but the price paid is me.
Xie Feng was in a trance, staring at the scrambled eggs on the table, wondering when she would next taste her mother''s cooking. Tear City wasn''t far from the Empire, and in this age of instant information, it was easy to see what life under imperial rule would look likeespecially for ordinary women at the bottom of society. The only difference was whether you chose to open your eyes and or not.
Before she left home, Xie Feng hadn''t been at the bottom. But after leaving, she fell to the very bottom, only one step away from sinking into the mud of the streets.
From that perspective, finding shelter with Dong Luorong might have been the luckiest thing to happen to her in the past two years. But for Xie Feng, this "luck" wasn''t about materialfortit was about Dong Luorong herself.
Even though Dong Luorong never talked about her own life, she seemed like someone barely hanging by a thread too.
Despite not knowing how to take someone''s temperature, Dong Luorong had her own way of being attentive. Xie Feng was given a room in another part of the hotel. Whenever Dong Luorong visited, she always brought along a book or a handheld game console.
Tear City''s rainy season was relentless. On rainy days, Dong Luorong would sit in the armchair by the bed, propping her feet up on Xie Feng''s mattress, flipping through pages of a book or tapping away on her game console. Every time Xie Feng stirred and opened her eyes, however slightly, she would see the glow of the bedsidemp illuminating the edge of Dong Luorong''s face.
No matter how dark, cold, and stormy the world outside became, this corner of the room always had ampand someone in it.
With her eyes shut, pretending to sleep, Xie Feng slowly slid her foot out from under the nket. Her toes found Dong Luorong''s bare, cold foot, making Dong Luorong shiver. Even that tiny, cool toucha fleeting connection that wasn''t even warmfelt enough to soothe everything Xie Feng had been through over the past two years.
"It''s so hot," Dong Luorong muttered after a moment, pulling her foot away. "Are you trying to use me to cool down?"
So, she had noticed she was awake after all.
"But..." Xie Feng mumbled in her fevered haze, her words slipping out unfiltered. "It''s been so long since I''ve touched someone''s skin. When I was sick, my mom would always hold me."
"Hold you? You people in Tear City are really that emotionally open?"
''That was back in grade school,'' Xie Feng thought, though she didn''t say it aloud.
When Dong Luorong climbed into the 39-degree fevered bed, she had a hopeless look on her face. There was no way she''d hold Xie Feng, but she could at least tolerate lying beside her, letting Xie Feng rest her head on her arm.
"Alright, stop crying," Dong Luorong said, her voice unexpectedly gentleso gentle it only made things worse. "There''s nothing in this world worth crying over."
Although Xie Feng''s fever lingered and came and went, she got a little better each day.
Dong Luorong didn''t seem to find anything unreasonable about taking in someone with no clear background and looking after them. In fact, she stopped by Xie Feng''s room every daychecking if she had eaten, dropping broli she didn''t like into Xie Feng''s bowl, learning the local dialect of Tear City, and applying face masks with her, proudly dering, "This is the best fever patch!" only toin momentster, "Are you a furnace? You''ve baked the mask dry."
However, she never once mentioned anything about herself. Who Dong Luorong was, what she did, or why she was in Tear CityXie Feng didn''t know any of it. And to be honest, Xie Feng wasn''t sure if that information even mattered to her anymore.
No matter who Dong Luorong was, this was just the kind of person she was.
On the fourth night, Xie Feng finally felt refreshed and light, as though she hadpletely shaken off the fever.
After days of tossing and turning in bed, her body ached all over. Now that the fever was gone, she naturally wanted to get up and move around. It wasn''t toote, and Dong Luorong was probably still awake. But if Xie Feng wanted to chat with her, she knew she''d need to bundle upshe wouldn''t dare knock on the door of that icebox without wearing extrayers.
She slipped on the hotel''s thick bathrobe, pulling the cor up to cover her neck, and grabbed a pillow before heading out. Anyone who saw her would think a snowman hade to life. Dong Luorong''s room was at the end of another hallway, past the elevator lobby. Shuffling slowly like an olddy, Xie Feng reached the elevator lobby just in time to see one of the elevators close its doors.
She didn''t think much of it.
Even when she noticed a man walking ahead of her, she still didn''t think much of it.
The man walked steadily in front of her without stopping at any of the doors along the hallway. It was only when he stopped at the door of a room at the end and turned around to ring the doorbell that Xie Feng finally frozeit was the very room she was going to as well.
Moreover, she knew that man.
Almost everyone in Tear City would recognize himhis face had be all too familiar over the past year. Chief Qiu, the security chief responsible for maintaining order in Tear City and leading the hunt for suspected posthumans, was a regr feature on the news and in newspapers.
He never personally dealt with low-level troublemakers like protesting students, but officers from his department had once chased Xie Feng for two streets, tearing her backpack off her shoulders in the process.
Standing there in the empty hallway, Xie Feng feltpletely trappedunable to move forward or retreat.
In person, Chief Qiu looked even sterner than on TV, his tall frame upright and devoid of any excess weight. As he waited for the door to open, his side profile showed no emotion, as if he were there strictly on official business.
Sensing someone behind him, he nced back, his gaze sweeping over Xie Feng''s bathrobe without a hint of suspicion, and then turned away.
Xie Feng clutched her pillow tightly, pretending she was about to knock on the door of another room. Her hand trembled slightly as she lowered her fist.
The door opened.
As always, Dong Luorong''s expression was cold and indifferent. She said something in a low voice to the man at the door, but it was inaudible from a distance.
Then, as if sensing something, she leaned out slightly, the two''s eyes met in midair.
After Chief Qiu entered the room, Dong Luorong, still expressionless, closed the door behind him.
Chapter 1629: National Hatred
Chapter 1629: National Hatred
TheWildWind23: Does anyone know the people involved in that cruise nightclub incident?
SpringBlossomMeadow: You mean the one with the mayor''s son?
TheWildWind23: Yeah. With so many people involved, it feels unsafe. Isn''t the snakehead smuggling rumor fake anyway?
SpringBlossomMeadow: I don''t know them... They don''t seem like high schoolers; they''re way too bold.
SoAnnoying: My friend knows them.
TheWildWind23: Really? I didn''t expect much, honestly. Do they know them personally?
SoAnnoying: Not exactly. One of them is the older brother of a ssmate in my friend''s ss. Why are you looking for them?
TheWildWind23: I wanted to ask if they have any follow-up ns. I want to join them.
SpringBlossomMeadow: Join them? But their actions are really dangerous... By the way, where have you beentely?
Xie Feng stared at the glowing screen of her phone, unsure how to respond.
TheWildWind23: I''m not afraid. I feel like everyone''s kind of discouragedtely. Same hereI even thought about escaping the city by smuggling myself out.
SoAnnoying: That''s understandable... Aren''t we just ants trying to stop a chariot?
SoAnnoying: I don''t see much hope either... but maybe my life''s purpose is to defend Tear City.
SpringBlossomMeadow: I don''t me anyone for wanting to leave. I get it. Even as a guy, I can barely take it. If girls want to leave, I understand even more.
JingIchida: If you''re gonna leave, you''d better do it soon. I heard they''re going to close the borders soon.
TheWildWind23: Thanks, but I''m not leaving.
TheWildWind23: Just chanting slogans doesn''t seem to mean anything anymore. No matter how much we protest, do you think anyone''s going to listen? They''re not even pretending anymore. All it takes is one charge against us, and we''re just handing our brothers and sisters over to prison.
SpringBlossomMeadow: Yeah...
LittlePuppet: If peace doesn''t work, then we have no choice but to abandon peace. I get it.
TheWildWind23: Isn''t history shaped by major events? If our voices no longer matter, then I want to do something biggersomething that can change history.
SoAnnoying: I''ll DM you.
Before putting down her phone, Xie Feng nced at the timeit was already past 1 a.m.
The heavy rain that had battered Tear City for days, even unusual by local standards, had finally stopped. Aside from the raindrops snaking down the window, the world outside seemed to have fallen into silence. It was only when she looked out the window that she realized the ss was soundproof. The roads between the tall buildings still shimmered with streams of lights, as if they would never stop flowing.
Every corridor in the hotel led straight to the elevator lobby, with nothing to hide behind or take cover in. So, after Chief Qiu entered Dong Luorong''s room, Xie Feng immediately returned to her own room, leaving the door slightly open as she sat on the floor within the doorway. From this spot, she was out of sight, but if she heard any noise from the elevator lobby, she could peek out right away.
She had been sitting there for two or three hours, checking the elevator at least four or five times. Each time, it had been someone else entering or leaving the elevatornever Chief Qiu.
The first thing Xie Feng did upon returning to her room was search for information on Qiu Chantian. Like all imperial officials, the inte only had official, curated information about him, filled with glowing reports of his dedication and integrity. It was no surpriseimperial bureaucrats were always praised as model public servants until they fell from grace, at which point everyone acted shocked, as if no one had seen iting.
However, there was one detail about Qiu Chantian that stood out from the typical bureaucratic image: despite his sessful career and promising future, he was still unmarried.
That was curious. In politics, it was difficult for an unmarried person to earn trust, yet Qiu Chantian''s career had progressed smoothly. Still, given his age, he didn''t have much time left to dy marriage.
Would Xie Feng feel better if he were married? She wasn''t sure.
Either way, she was far from feeling "better" right now.
She felt like a trapped animal, too naive to realize she had been caught in aonly now, as the ropes tightened around her, did she struggle to escape, only to find it was toote.
Did Dong Luorong deceive her? No. But it was worse than being deceivedDong Luorong had known everything all along. She knew why Xie Feng had ended up on the streets. She knew about Xie Feng''s anger toward the Empire. Yet she had said nothing. She hadn''t lied to Xie Feng, but she also hadn''t offered her any answers, as if unwilling to take on any guilt herself.
And wasn''t Xie Feng just as guilty? Hadn''t she suspected something? The path open to an imperial woman was always narrow and short. Though it might seem as broad as a man''s, many doors closed once she reached marriageable age. The entire Empire pressed down on women, keeping them under a certain ceiling. How could Dong Luorong, living so far outside the norm, enjoy a life more privileged than the average middle-ss man?
Had Xie Feng ever asked? Not even once. If she had been too timid to ask, could she really me Dong Luorong for not volunteering the truth?
And besides, Dong Luorong probably didn''t even want this life.
But what difference did that make? Even if Dong Luorong had been with a wealthy merchant, Xie Feng wouldn''t feel this troubled. The problem was that Dong Luorong was tied to an imperial officialthe security chief representing the Empire, who had seized Tear City''s sovereignty and crushed countless citizens.
Xie Feng wanted to tear her pillow apart. She wanted to be angry, but she didn''t know at whom. She wanted to leave the hotel that very night and cut ties with Dong Luorong, but she kept thinking about how she had saved her and taken care of her. She tried to find reasons to hate Dong Luorong, but she couldn''t. Instead, she couldn''t help but think about the other''s suffering. At times, Xie Feng felt she should help her; at other times, she thought she should hate her. And at moments, she feared she might drag her down with her.
Dong Luorong was a trapped beast herselfand now, she had trapped Xie Feng too.
Eventually, Xie Feng made up her mind.
There was no need to twist herself into knots over someone from the Empire who had happened to help her. She was a citizen of Tear City. She had responsibilities to Tear City. Her mission was with the people who had bled, cried, and gone to prison for their cause. Now that fate had handed her a chance to achieve her goals, how could she let personal matters stand in the way? How could she betray Tear City and all those who had sacrificed so much?
She just had to be careful when the time came, ensuring she didn''t drag Dong Luorong into any unintended consequences. It was a good thoughtbut the more she thought about it, the more it felt like a way tofort herself.
Getting in touch with the people involved in the cruise nightclub incident turned out to be easier and faster than Xie Feng had imagined. She had assumed they would beying low, avoiding contact with outsiders.
Her phone vibrated silently in her pocket. She immediately pulled it out, put her earphones in, and covered her mouth with one hand as she whispered, "Hello?"
Two or three hours had passed, and Qiu Chantian still hadn''t left. It seemed unlikely he would leave tonight.
"Xie Feng, right?" The boy''s voice on the other end of the phone was clear, and even if he were older than her, he couldn''t have been much past college age. It was hard to imagine that someone with a voice like his had been involved in the cruise nightclub incident. "I''ve heard about you."
"Huh?" Xie Feng was startled, feeling a bit like a fan who had been recognized by a singer at a concert. Someone so high-profile, someone wanted with a bounty on his head, knew about her?
"That scene where you escaped from the security forces, it''s pretty famous." The boy chuckled, his tone carrying a subtle, soft, and slightly effeminate quality.
So that was it. Since he already knew who she was, that made things easierat least all the effort she had spent figuring out how to prove herself was unnecessary now.
"Is he still in the hotel?"
"Yes, I''ve been keeping watch upstairs. I haven''t seen him leave." Xie Feng didn''t go into detail about her encounter, saying only that she had happened to spot Chief Qiu at the hotel. "When I saw him, he was aloneno security or staff with him."
"Normally, the driver would be put up in a different room," the young man mused. "But it''s strangemeeting a woman at a hotel so openly... People are bound to notice. Isn''t he worried about his reputation? Or does he really think Tear City is already his private domain?"
Xie Feng suppressed the difort in her heart and said, "Yeah, it is strange. I don''t get it either."
Whatever Qiu Chantian''s situation was, it wasn''t their problem to dwell on. As the young man put it, the way an imperial official thought was none of their businessas long as they aplished their goal.
There was a fine line between provoking the Empire into retaliating and sessfully achieving their demands. They couldn''t afford to misstep.
An hourter, still waiting at the door, Xie Feng dozed off, only to be startled awake by the vibration of her phone.
"There are two dog cars parked on the street near the hotel."
They''re already here? Xie Feng''s heart jumped. Before she could respond, the young man spoke again, his tone pleased. "That means someone important really is inside."
Everything was moving too fast. Even though she was the one who found the information and provided it, Xie Feng couldn''t help but feel that things were spiraling out of control.
"He hasn''t left yet... but how are you going to get in without being noticed? The hotel has cameras," Xie Feng asked nervously. "Do you have to act tonight? Isn''t it a bit rushed?"
"Even we didn''t know we''d be acting tonight, so there''s no way Qiu Chantian could have predicted it. The fact that he''s not taking precautions now means this is our best chance. Besides, he probably thinks no one in Tear City would dare touch him. It''s been over a year since the surrender, and before the nightclub incident, people were just chanting slogans, right?" The young man gave a quietugh. "We''re not going in just yet. We''ll regroup and contact youter."
Xie Feng ended the call, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She had been sitting at the door for far too long, and her bodystill weak from the recent feverwas starting to ache again. Her mind was being torn in every direction by countless thoughts, each one pulling at her like it wanted to rip her apart. But there would be no relief. She wouldn''t be torn to piecesno such luck. She would just keep suffering.
"Oh, you didn''t run?"
Dong Luorong''s soft, raspy voice came out of nowhere, apanied by that peculiar, strange scent like drunken flowers
Chapter 1630: Confession
Chapter 1630: Confession
"Were you sitting at the door just to see when he''d leave?"
When Dong Luorongzily sat down, her silk robe slipped down her legs, as light and delicate as smoke being blown away. She wasn''t wearing any makeup, yet her lips remained a deep, almost cruel, blood-red. A thin line of silvery-white reflections glistened off the bony shapes of her knees, calves, and ankles, clear and smooth as if they were crafted of metalexcept, they were so extremely thin, it seemed they could break with the slightest bend.
No matter what kind of person Qiu Chantian was, he definitely had impable taste in women, Xie Feng thought, though she wasn''t sure what to feel about it.
The only light in the room came from a smallmp, casting a hazy, dream-like glow. Dong Luorong lowered her head, as if she sighed softly, but Xie Feng couldn''t quite hear it.
"Why aren''t you saying anything?" Dong Luorong tilted her head and asked, "Are you mad at me?"
Xie Feng raised her hand and slowly untied the belt of her hotel robe, letting it fall to the ground. Under Dong Luorong''s slightly surprised gaze, she turned away, biting her lip as she pulled off her shirt, clutching it in her hands.
The cold air in the room made her skin prickle with goosebumps the moment it touched her bare body. Her shoulders, chest, and back were all exposed to the light and shadow, yet strangely, Xie Feng didn''t feel vulnerable. Maybe because taking control of the situation is a kind of power in itself.
"Can you see these scars?"
Dong Luorong made no sound.
"Right before the surrender, the public opposition was at its most intense. Tear City was still technically its own country, but it was already imperial soldiers patrolling the streets, hunting us down." Xie Feng''s voice trembled. "Once, we got separated by a group of security officers, and in the chaos, I panicked and ran the wrong way and got chased by two or three of them. One of them kicked me hard in the lower back, his boot was so heavy. I fell face-first into the ground, and then they started hitting me with batons..."
She usually acted as if none of this had ever happened.
"I used to think batons were blunt weapons. That day, I learned a blunt weapon can still tear you apart, split your skin open, and make your head bleed just as easily if they hit hard enough." Xie Feng looked down at the floor. "Honestly, I don''t remember most of it. I just recall an olddy nearby, screaming at them to stop hitting, stop hitting, she''s just a little girl, she''ll be beaten to death by you guys...
"It hurt so much while they were hitting me that I thought to myself, hurry up and grab me, just stop beating me. As long as they stop beating me, anything was fine. When they finally did stop, a man grabbed me under my arms to lift me up, and I almost started crying out of fear."
Dong Luorong rose from the couch, her clothes rustling softly as she moved. She walked up behind Xie Feng, and that distinct presence of hers wrapped around her like water. When Dong Luorong''s cool fingers touched Xie Feng''s skin, the chill made her shudder.
Despite how abrupt the gesture was, it didn''t feel awkwarding from her. It was like a mother instinctively wanting to soothe the wounds of a child who had been hurt.
"And then? How did you escape?" she asked quietly.
"By that point, I was half-unconscious, couldn''t even stand. They probably thought I''d passed out, so they let their guard down and only left one guy to watch me... There were a lot of people around, shouting that he''d hit me too hard and shouldn''t have done it. The security officer got distracted and didn''t notice the taxi that had just pulled up at the curb behind him." Xie Feng''s voice was hoarse. "The driver and I locked eyes for a few seconds, and after a moment''s hesitation, he opened the door. I crawled past the officer''s feet, and I don''t even know where I got the strength, but I jumped up and ran into the car... The driver didn''t dare keep me in the cab for long though, he dropped me off a few streets away."
"It''s his department''s style," Dong Luorong said slowly. "Do you hate him?"
Xie Feng thought about it. "No," she replied honestly. "He''s too distant from me, as the leader. He never personally hurt me... I don''t hate him, I''m afraid of him."
A low-ranking security officer was already enough to ruin Xie Feng''s life. Someone like Qiu Chantian, far above in rank and countless security officers, was so distantly powerful that he only filled her with fear.
The idea that she would face off against someone like him tonight felt naive, almost unreal.
"But the more afraid you are, the more you desire it, right?" Dong Luorong gently leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You want to see him knocked down, defeated, unable to keep that arrogance. You want to watch him fall down, feel pain, regret, just like any ordinary person, don''t you?"
It was like she could read her mind.
Xie Feng put on her clothes without saying a word as there was still a part of her that worried Dong Luorong might be trying to trap her. It wasn''t impossibleafter all, she still didn''t know what Dong Luorong''s true rtionship with Qiu Chantian was. Everything was just her own spection.
By the time Xie Feng turned back around, she had organized her emotions and asked as calmly as possible, "Why did you save me?"
"Didn''t I already tell you?"
"I didn''t understand at the time. You were a strangerwhy would you save me?" Xie Feng said quietly. "What I''m asking now is, why would you, as... as someone from the Empire, save me?"
And not just anyone from the Empiresomeone connected to Qiu Chantian.
Dong Luorong suddenlyughed, like mist clearing from a deep abyss to reveal a single, withered flower in decadent mourning. "You''re still young. You don''t understand... In a man''s world, women don''t have a country."
No, Xie Feng thought to herself, she was the one who didn''t understand. Being from the Empire, Dong Luorong wouldn''tprehend the weight of responsibility she felt for Tear City.
"Are you his...what?" Xie Feng finally asked.
Dong Luorong gave her a sidelong nce, leaning her head against the couch, and asked, "Do you want the simple answer or the full answer?"
The phone in Xie Feng''s robe pocket remained silent, so she figured she still had some time.
"What''s the simple one? And the full one?"
Dong Luorong smiled. "The simple answer is, I''m his ''girlfriend.''"
When she said "girlfriend," she lifted her hand and made air quotes. Even though Xie Feng had already suspected it, her heart still sank. Did that mean she was a lover? No, that didn''t seem right. Qiu Chantian wasn''t marriedso what was the difference between a lover and a girlfriend in this case?
"And... the full one?"
"It''s a long story," Dong Luorong said slowly, her eyes drifting to a point behind Xie Feng, as if she were talking to herself. "I don''t like him, and he knows I don''t like him. He doesn''t like me, and I know he doesn''t like me. He seems to prefer sweet, obedient girls without much of an opinion. As you can probably tell, I''m not that kind of woman."
Xie Feng was sure the confusion was written all over her face.
"I''ve been with him for some years now," Dong Luorong said with a sarcastic smile. "A lot of people know he has this long-term girlfriend who''s supposedly head over heels for him. But to them, I''m just someone to keep around for fun, not someone you marry. In the eyes of the Empire, a young and sessful man like Qiu Chantianif he''s willing to mess around with you, that''s already a big deal. And if he hasn''t gotten tired of you after all these years, they practically think he''s a saint."
"But... it''s not true?"
Dong Luorong gave a short ''ha''. "There are countless young, beautiful women who''d be perfectly content to be kept as mistresses, pop out a few kids when asked, no questions asked. Why would Qiu Chantian keep a woman he doesn''t even like? It''s not like he hasn''t thought about getting marriedhe wants to get married. I know for a fact there were two women he seriously considered marrying. As for me? I''m a liabilitya mark against him. Not enough to get rid of me, but enough to lower my score."
Xie Feng quietly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed across from her.
"When I was twenty-one, I lost everythingmy family, my home... I became an orphan. It''s an old, tired story, not worth talking about."
She seemed to have had a bit to drink earlier; there was a slight haze in her voice and eyes.
"In any case, I turned my tragedy into a gift for him. It helped him take his first step up thedder. After that, I spent years convincing him I was his good luck charm in his career path. Don''t be fooled by his tough acthe''s actually pretty superstitious."
Dong Luorong''s next words came just as Xie Feng''s phone buzzed in her bathrobe pocket.
She let out a smallugh and said, "If you''re going to be treated like an object, being a lucky charm is better than being a sex tool, right?"
Chapter 1631: Whirlpool
Chapter 1631: Whirlpool
Dong Luorong''s talk about "investing in posthumans" was probably just an excuse.
As Xie Feng descended the stairs, her thoughts drifted in a haze.
Back when she was still in school, she had to squeeze into the subway or bus every day. After spending so much time on public transportation, unpleasant encounters became inevitable. She remembered one time in middle school, still looking like a child. One day, while leaning against the handrail by the subway door and reading a book, a girl wearing a nearby high school''s uniform frowned and called out to her.
"Stand here with me," the older girl said, grabbing Xie Feng''s elbow and pulling her over without exnation.
Confused, Xie Feng nced back to see what the girl had noticed. But nothing stood outevery man in the crowd looked perfectly ordinary.
"Don''t go back over there," the unfamiliar girl said.
It was like an unspoken code between them, exchanged without words. Two girlsone about thirteen, the other seventeen or eighteenshared everything they needed to know in silence.
From then on, whenever Xie Feng took public transportation, she stayed close to other female passengers.
There was really no need to ask why Dong Luorong had saved her; the answer was just that simple.
Watching the numbers on the elevator disy count down, Xie Feng thought about Dong Luorong''s suspicion toward the warning film. She couldn''t understand why evolution would inevitably lead people to destroy the world. Did their nature change along with their powers? Did they all be monsters?
If she herself ever evolvedgaining power beyond ordinary human resistance but staying true to herselfshe swore she''d be the best investment Dong Luorong had ever made. She would return to this hotel, knock on Dong Luorong''s door, and put an end to her days of being used as an object forever.
''If only I could evolve,'' Xie Feng thought, recalling the makeshift baton she carrieda broken and humble dining chair leg. Even holding that simple object gave her a sense of power. If she really evolved, what a free and fearless life would that be?
"Do you think I''m dirty?" Dong Luorong had asked offhandedly before leaving.
Lucky charm or not, personality ws or not, at the end of the day, Dong Luorong was still a womana woman with beauty like hers. That wouldn''t stop Qiu Chantian from using her however he pleased.
The thought of what she might have endured felt like a blow to Xie Feng herself. She had always dreaded seeing news about women being assaulted, abused, or killed. It was as if, on some level, those horrors also happened to hersome experiences were simply too easy for women to rte to.
In a low voice, Xie Feng had answered, "If someone doesn''t bathe, brush their teeth, and is covered in filth, then sure, I''d think they''re dirty. But other than that, I don''t know what would make me see a living, breathing person as dirty."
Dong Luorong pressed her red lips together slightly, as if she wanted to smile.
She had only told Xie Feng a very small part of her story, and Xie Feng didn''t dare ask more. A woman as clear-minded as Dong Luorong couldn''t have arrived at such a fate without pain.
As Dong Luorong turned to leave, Xie Feng suddenly rushed forward and grabbed her arm. When Dong Luorong turned back, Xie Feng gently embraced her.
"I never got the chance to say thank you," Xie Feng murmured, burying her face in Dong Luorong''s ck hair, inhaling her scent. "I hope we''ll meet again."
Xie Feng kept her n and her intentions entirely to herself. From Dong Luorong''s perspective, it probably seemed like Xie Feng just wanted to put some distance between herself and Qiu Chantian for safety''s sake. Xie Feng had intentionally left things vague to create that impression.
Whether what she was doing was right or wrong, Xie Feng didn''t know.
"Be careful," Dong Luorong said softly, lowering her head as she stroked Xie Feng''s hair, her touch a mixture offort and amand.
After Dong Luorong left, Xie Feng stood by the door for a long moment, lost in thought.
The n had already been set in motionthere was no stopping it now, nor did Xie Feng have any reason to stop it. When she reached a parking lot near the hotel, she felt as if she had been swept into a powerful vortex, one that would only spin faster from here on out.
The young man who had spoken with her on the phone hadn''t given his real name, only told her to call him "Ah Cheng." When Xie Feng saw an old gray car with its headlights on, she quickly approached and peeked insidefour young people sat in the car, all boys.
"You''re Xie Feng, right? Get in," Ah Cheng said from behind the half-open window. She recognized his voice instantly.
Should she get in? Like any girl would, Xie Feng hesitated for a moment.
But she climbed in anyway. The two boys in the backseat scooted over, making room for her.
"Did you bring the keycard?" Ah Cheng asked.
"Got it." With the keycard, they could ess the hotel''s underground parking lot. As Xie Feng answered, she noticed her voice trembling slightly. She took a silent breath, deliberately exhaling slowly to calm herself.
The moreplex a n, the more likely it was to go wrong, so their n was extremely simplecalling it a "n" might even be overstating it. It was more of a spontaneous ambush, so straightforward that Xie Feng found it hard to believe it could really seed.
The entire operation could be boiled down to a few sentences: Before leaving the hotel, Qiu Chantian would undoubtedly notify his driver and security team to prepare. For example, the security team would temporarily clear the lobby and block ess, going upstairs to escort Qiu Chantian, while the driver would move the car to the hotel entrance to wait.
Their task was to stake out the elevator in the underground parking lot and follow Qiu Chantian''s driver when he came down.
After all, while Qiu Chantian might have entered the hotel alone, it was hard to imagine him leaving without an entourage. Even though this wasn''t Tear City, as an imperial official, it was second nature for him to be wary of the publicand besides, having a grand exit was good for appearances.
"With five pairs of eyes watching these two elevator exits in the parking lot, we''ve got more than enough coverage," Ah Cheng said.
When they smoothly drove into the parking lot and parked across from the elevator, Ah Cheng turned to the others and said, "Looks like Qiu Chantian is spending the night here. You can all rest for an hour or two. I''ll keep watch. We''ll start paying closer attention around four or five in the morningthere''s still time."
"But none of us have seen his driver before," Xie Feng couldn''t help but say. "How will we recognize him?"
There was a way.
First, they could ignore any women exiting the elevatorQiu Chantian would never use a female driver, for obvious reasons. Second, they could also rule out men who looked too young or too old, or those who had put too much effort into their appearance.
Based on what they had gathered through various sources and rumors about imperial officials, the driver was most likely a man in his thirties or fortiesin-looking, serious, and modest. As soon as someone matching that profile appeared, at least one of them would need to follow him.
It turned out that finding the driver was much easier than expected.
At 5:30 in the morning, one of the parking lot elevators opened, and out walked a man in his thirties or forties. Beside him was a burly man who was unmistakably a inclothes security officer.
The moment the security officer stepped out of the elevator, he scanned the area with a sharp, cautious gaze. Fortunately, they had ducked low in their seats the second they heard the elevator chime, avoiding detection from inside the nearby car.
"The driver even has security with him," muttered the short boy in the passenger seat, nicknamed Shorty. "There are four of uswe could take two guys down, but it''ll probably make a lot of noise, right?"
The boy next to Xie Feng, who was wearing a headband, whispered nervously, "The problem is, what if the security guy has a gun?"
"They don''t carry guns when they''re chasing us-" The fourth boy, nicknamed ck Dog, started to say, only for Ah Cheng to correct him.
"That''s to keep us from grabbing their weapons. But it''s definitely different when they''re protecting a high-ranking official."
As the driver and the security officer turned a corner and continued walking forward, a spark ignited in Xie Feng''s chest. Suddenly, she leaned forward and pped Ah Cheng on the shoulder. "Drive!"
Ah Cheng froze.
"Crash into them," Xie Feng said through gritted teeth. "First, knock down the security guy down with the car. That way, we''ll have a better chance of taking him down, right?"
Chapter 1632: In a Flash
Chapter 1632: In a sh
The car had been stopped for several seconds. In the early morning silence of the underground parking garage at 5:30 a.m., it seemed all the earlier sounds had been captured and frozen in the air.
The sudden roar of the engine when it sped up; the startled gasps and angry shouts as the two people ahead turned around in panic; the sharp screech of tires against the ground when the security guard dove to the side and the car followed him with a swift turn...
And finally, the heavy, muffled thud of the car mming into a body, still echoing in Xie Feng''s ears.
She was the first to open the car door.
Random checkpoints were frequently set up along the roads in Tear City, so there were no weapons in Ah Cheng''s carjust some car repair tools to avoid suspicion when passing through. As Xie Feng jumped out of the car, she was already gripping a metal wrench tightly. It wasn''t as long as her usual stick, but she liked its weight.
Without anyone needing to shout, the other guys in the car also jumped out. Each of them had already tied a bandana around their necks, ready to pull it up and cover their faces. Xie Feng wasn''t as prepared, but with all the blood rushing to her head, worrying about her face was thest thing on her mind.
Her eyes were locked on the driver.
The security guard had been knocked to the ground, and the driver, who had tried to flee in the other direction, stumbled and fell. When he saw several masked people jump out of the car, his face turned pale. "Help! Somebody!" he shouted as he scrambled to his feet, trying to run.
Xie Feng sprinted after him.
She was only of average height for a girl, and her frame was slight, but as she charged toward the 5''9" man, she felt an odd illusion that she was hunting. Just as the man was finding his bnce, she raised the wrench high and ruthlessly mmed it into the side of his face. With a metallic ng, a car key dropped from his hand.
Was this man innocent or not? Xie Feng never even thought to ask herself.
She, and so many others like her, had been violently torn from their original paths in life, left with nowhere to stand, nowhere to breathe. Deep down, she instinctively knewonly by sinking her teeth into her enemies, by tearing them apart, could she carve out even the smallest space for herself.
The driver let out a pained cry, and realizing she was a girl, his aggression red. He swung his arm back, aiming at Xie Feng''s face. She quickly dodged, but even as his hand swept past her nose, the wind from his strike stung slightly. The physical strength difference between men and womenit was undeniable.
As this thought crossed her mind, Xie Feng felt a surge of anger.
She took the opportunity to step back two paces, lifted the wrench, and threw it with all her strength. The wrench whistled through the air and struck the driver''s temple with a sickening sound, as if the skin had torn open on impact. The driver let out another cry, this time fully realizing the pain, and turned to run againbut by then, Ah Cheng and another boy, ck Dog, had rushed forward and kicked him from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground.
After knocking down the security guard first, everything else went smoothly. It felt like in a blink of an eye, both the driver and the guard were subdued and tied up by the boys. Xie Feng stood where she was, her chest heaving with heavy breaths, a strange sense of confusion washing over her. The targets were down, but the ragethe desire to tear the world apartstill burned inside her, making her eyes red and her head buzz.
She had no idea where her rage wasing from.
A few of them knew there were definitely security cameras in the parking lot, so they didn''t waste any time. Quickly, they dragged the two men into the gray car. In a dazed state, Xie Feng found the car key on the ground and pressed it lightly. She heard the sound of a car unlocking nearbyit was arge, heavy ck SUV, its windows so dark that no light could pass through.
"That one, huh," Ah Cheng walked over, nced up at it, and naturally took the key from her hand. He patted her shoulder and reminded her, "ck Dog and I will take Qiu Chantian''s car. You should get back to the car. And next time, remember to cover your face."
Being seen didn''t matter to her. Even she didn''t know where she would end uphow could the pursuers track her down?
That was what Xie Feng thought, but she still went back to the car. The security guard they''d injured was both useless and a problem, so they''d simply tied him up, gagged him, and stuffed him into the trunk.
Since Ah Cheng wasn''t there, the guy with the headband took over driving. Shortie sat in the back with the tightly bound driver, and Xie Feng slipped into the passenger seat. As soon as she sat down, the headband guy remarked, "I didn''t expect it. You, a girl, could act so quickly and decisivelyfast and ruthless."
Xie Feng reminded herself a few times that the guy meant it as apliment.
Shortie was holding his phone, still on a call with Ah Cheng, while pping the driver''s face a few times and questioning him, "Qiu Chantian ising down soon, right? Weren''t you supposed to be waiting for him at the hotel entrance?"
The driver had a gash on his forehead, and one of his eyes was covered in blood. He was terrified, panting as he stammered, "Youtaking the car won''t help you. Chief Qiu has security with him. There''ll be at least one guard getting into the car with him..."
Xie Feng froze. She hadn''t thought that far ahead, but the driver was rightit was a problem. Ah Cheng was driving, and the only person hiding in the backseat would be ck Dog. Even if they had a gun they''d just taken from the security guard, how could they possibly threaten both Qiu Chantian and his guard at the same time?
However, when she looked around, the headband guy and Shortie''s expressions hadn''t changed at all. Even Ah Cheng, who was still on the call, didn''t react. They had clearly thought of this already and had a nwhat was it?
"I suggest you answer properly," Shortie asked again, his tone much harsher now. "Weren''t you supposed to be waiting for him at the hotel entrance?"
The driver, on the verge of tears, leaned back against the seat and whimpered incoherently, barely managing to squeeze out a weak "yes."
Ah Cheng immediately responded through the phone, "Alright, I''m pulling out now. You guys follow at a distance."
Soon, the ck SUV ahead of them came to life, its taillights glowing as it reversed out of the parking spot and turned toward the exit. The driver''s eyes widened in disbelief, as if he couldn''tprehend what their n was. Xie Feng, just like him, was confused.
But she didn''t want to ask.
Whatever they had thought of, she could figure out too. Even if she didn''t know, she would soon find out by watching what they did. She just refused to ask.
The two cars left the underground parking lot, one following the other at a distance of about ten meters. As Xie Feng nced back in the rearview mirror, the concrete-gray parking garage was bathed in harsh white light, and the lifeless stillness made it seem like nothing had ever happened there.
The heavy downpour that had stopped for only a few hours seemed ready to start again. Even though it was daytime, the thick clouds above still hung dark and oppressive, as if the sky itself were suffocating.
As the ck SUV in front approached the hotel''s main entrance, it was clear that Qiu Chantian had already arrived. The hotel valet had been sent to a far corner, while several men dressed in ck surrounded the entrance, forming a circle that cut Qiu Chantian off from the outside world. As the SUV neared, a man who looked like a security officer quickly stepped forward and reached to open the back door.
Xie Feng gasped, suddenly understanding.
"It''s about to start," Ah Cheng''s voice trembled slightly over the phone, though it was hard to tell whether it was from nerves or excitement.
Opening the car door for a superior is practically a required course for anyone in the Empire. It''s not just for officials of Qiu Chantian''s rankeven a mid-levelpany boss would have someone rushing to carry their bags, open doors, light cigarettes. But the real question is: what happens after the door is opened?
Once the leader is seated, the bodyguard who follows has to sit in the same car. What, are they supposed to tell their superior, "Could you scoot over a bit"?
No matter where they sit, the security guard by Qiu Chantian''s side would first close the door after he got in, then open the door to his own seat. That moment when he closes Qiu Chantian''s door is exactly what Ah Cheng in the car ahead was waiting for.
As soon as Qiu Chantian''s door shut and the guard turned to open the front passenger door, a barely audible click sounded through the open phone linethat was the sound of the car doors locking.
"Hmm? What are you" Qiu Chantian''s voice, filled with confusion, barely made it through the phone before it was cut off by the sudden roar of the engine as the car sped forward.
The bodyguard outside had just touched the door handle when the ck SUV shot forward, elerating rapidly. His hand seemed to get scraped as he instinctively jerked back, taking a step away. Realizing something was wrong, he quickly began running after the car, shouting loudly. Through the ss, Xie Feng could faintly hear him yelling, "Stop the car! Stop the car!"
"You''re not my driver," Qiu Chantian''s voice, now filled with anger, boomed from the phone. "Who are you people? You''ve made a grave miscalction"
He didn''t finish the sentence. His anger, along with his voice, was abruptly silenced.
There was a rustling sound over the phone.
When Qiu Chantian spoke again, his tone had changed dramatically. He suddenly sounded oddly polite, like he suddenly turned into an considerate elder. "Whatever demands you have, we can discuss them. But harming an Imperial official will only backfire."
At that tense moment, something inside Xie Feng seemed to snap. She couldn''t hold it in any longer and startedughing, her shoulders shaking.
No need to askshe knew that Qiu Chantian had just seen ck Dog and the gun in his hand.
As they drove past the hotel entrance, she almost enjoyed the sight of the chaotic scene among the attendants and security. All of them had their phones pressed to their ears, their mouths moving, arms waving frantically in the air. The valet and manager were both in a panic, running in circles under their directions.
One of the security guards was craning his neck, looking toward the parking garage. A few seconds after they passed, Xie Feng suddenly realized that aside from Qiu Chantian''s personal vehicle, there should have been another car following themthe security guard they had taken down in the parking lot was probably supposed to drive the second car to pick up the rest of the security team.
"By the time they find the second car and catch up, we''ll be long gone," Headband said tightly, "I can''t believe it all went so smoothly."
Xie Feng rested her head against the cold ss, staring at the ck SUV ahead, shrouded beneath the lead-gray sky. She didn''t respond.
Looks like it was going to rain again.
Chapter 1633: Editing
Chapter 1633: Editing
Xie Feng thought she would get a message from Dong Luorong, but her phone remained silent; there was nothing.
In fact, she wasn''t even sure if Dong Luorong had her numberbecause she certainly didn''t have Dong Luorong''s.
She shoved the silent phone back into her bag. Once her anger burned out, all that remained was exhaustion. Even though things were only now reaching the most critical moment, she couldn''t summon the energy she neededmaybe because she was still recovering from her recent illness.
After unexpectedly capturing their hostage without a hitch, the next step was a chase and an escape.
Their advantage was that it was still early in the morning. The streets of Tear City, where people were used to sleeping in, were still empty, and traffic was smooth. But Qiu Chantian held a high rank, and his kidnapping was nothing short of a political earthquake. Soon, the entire city''s security forcespolice, soldiers, patrols, and surveincewould be mobilized to find him.
"Call your deputy," Ah Cheng''s voice came through the phone, still connected on the open line. "Tell them you suddenly felt like going for a walk alone. Make sure they don''t overreact or send anyone after you."
Smart, Xie Feng thought appreciatingly in her heart. Even if the deputy didn''t fully believe it, it would create some confusion and ayer of doubt. And confusion was valuableone hint or vague suggestion from a superior could ripple downward, spreading uncertainty among the lower-level staff and producing unexpected effects.
"What if they ask where I went?" Qiu Chantian asked.
"Say you went to Tai Lion Mountain."
Tai Lion Mountain was a well-known leisure spot in Tear City, offering panoramic views of the city. It was popr among the wealthy and influential, so Qiu Chantian going there seemed perfectly usible.
Following Ah Cheng''s instructions, Qiu Chantian repeated the story over the phone, keeping the call on speaker the entire time. No sooner had Qiu Chantian ended the call than another phone began to ring inside the cara sound that jolted Xie Feng. She immediately realized the other party had ced a call to the driver''s phone.
"You know what to say, right?" Shortie asked as he frantically pulled the phone from the driver''s pocket. He shot the driver a warning. "Focus. Say that Chief Qiu told you to drive off. Got it? Or we''ll toss you into the ocean."
The driver swallowed nervously and nodded.
"Hello?" Shortie answered, lowering his voice to a gruff tone. "Yeah... right... that''s correct..."
At that moment, an idea shed in Xie Feng''s mind. She quickly typed out a message on her phone, turned, and showed it to the driver. She whispered, "Say this."
Shortie froze and leaned in for a look.
The message on the phone was brief: "Sister Dong knows too. The chief said she''lle byter."
The driver''s eyes widened in surprise at the mention of "Sister Dong," and he instinctively nced at Xie Feng with his mouth slightly open.
Using Dong Luorong''s name made Xie Feng feel uneasyit felt like a cheap trick. But if invoking the words "Sister Dong" made the story more convincing, it was worth it. Besides, she had already thought of a way to distance Dong Luorong from the situation if things went wrong.
Just as the driver opened his mouth to speak, Shortie nudged him sharply. "Don''t say it yet," he muttered, ncing at Xie Feng with a look that told her to wait.
The driver hesitated for a moment, and the chance to speak slipped away.
Xie Feng kept her phone raised mid-air for a few seconds before lowering it, suddenly overwhelmed by a strange sense of shame, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground.
"Did Chief Qiu say when he''ll be back?" the voice on the speakerphone asked.
"No... no, he didn''t." The driver nced between Xie Feng and Shortie, hesitating again before adding, "I''ll let you know if I hear anything."
After ending the call, Shortie cleared his throat and asked, "Who''s this Sister Dong?"
"What''s going on?" Ah Cheng''s voice came through another phone, sharp with curiosity. Shortie gave a quick exnation.
"I saw Qiu Chantian with a woman, right? Before she got into the elevator, there was a guy who looked like a driver, and he called her Sister Dong," Xie Feng exined awkwardly. "I thought if we mentioned someone familiar, they''d trust it more..."
"Shortie was right to stop him from saying it," Ah Cheng said once he understood the situation. "We don''t know what kind of rtionship they have. If she''s just a high-end escort or something and leaves after the night, using her name might backfire on us. Next time you get an idea, check with us firstdon''t act on impulse."
This whole operation was born from her impulse, wasn''t it? And since when would a driver call an escort "Sister Dong"? "Miss Dong," maybe, but not that.
Despite feeling a bit reluctant, Xie Feng only muttered, "Okay" in a rather abrupt manner. She didn''t want to argue over something so minor.
Ah Cheng, still next to Qiu Chantian, was using a headset to stay on the call. While Qiu Chantian probably hadn''t heard the mention of Sister Dong, he could easily guess they were discussing the woman with him. The fact that they had spected she was an "high-end escort" only confirmed to Qiu Chantian that these people had no connection to Dong Luorong.
At least, Xie Feng thought, even though the n didn''t work perfectly, it hadn''t caused any harm to Dong Luorong... right?
She sank back into her seat without a word, and both cars drove in silence for nearly ten minutes.
Ah Cheng seemed to have decided long ago where they were taking Qiu Chantian. It wasn''t even far from the hotel where they had abducted him. After the driver finished his call, Shortie blindfolded him with a scarf. As they approached a stretch of opennd with the sea visible in the distance under a hazy sky, Xie Feng felt a sudden surge of energy and sat up straighter.
"Where are we going?" she typed on her phone and showed it to Shortie.
Shortie, perhaps feeling a bit guilty after what had happened earlier, gave her a detailed answer.
"Because of the heavy rain, the sea level has risen. Lots of areas around the nearby port are floodedyou knew that, right?" his reply read.
She had spent the past few days sick in the hotel and hadn''t heard any of this.
"The flooded areas have been evacuated, and the flood barriers are set up around the perimeter of the port, leaving the entire port underwater. There''s no one there now. You''ve probably heard about us because of the cruise nightclub incident, right?"
Xie Feng nodded.
"That night, the mayor''s son took a yacht to the floating nightclub... and after we found him, well, you know what happened next." Shortie chuckled as he continued typing: "That yacht is still floating in one of the flooded port warehouses."
"You''re nning to head out to sea?" Xie Feng asked on her phone.
"No, that''s where Ah Cheng''s brilliancees in," Shortie replied. "They might send a coastal patrol team, so going out to sea isn''t safe. But the lower deck of the yacht has no windows. If we lock him in there, he won''t be able to see outside, but he''ll feel like the boat is drifting on water."
Chapter 1634: Disposal
Chapter 1634: Disposal
When Xie Feng was sick, lying idle in bed, she reyed the short film and Dong Luorong''s exnation in her mind at least a dozen times, weighing every detail. This conclusion seemed the most likely to her.
It had been thest message sent by Lan Lingte on behalf of Dawnstara message concerning the survival of the human race.
At that moment, the usual limitations on resources and rules for interstermunication no longer mattered. If the message was toorge, it could have been sent in multiple parts, even if they arrived at Noonstar in fragments. At the very least, theplete information would have been conveyed.
If the Empire had received more than ten minutes of footage and had stitched together an edited version... Xie Feng realized she wouldn''t even be surprised. It was exactly the kind of thing the Empire would do.
What she didn''t expect was Qiu Chantian''s sudden reaction the moment she said it. His expression shifted sharply, as if she had stabbed him, and he nearly broke free from his restraints. The man who had been calm and collected up to this point now wore his rm on his face for all to see. Even Ah Cheng shot to his feet in shock, his face going pale.
Everyone instinctively took a step closer.
"You really did edit the footage?" The boy with the headband asked slowly, word by word.
"No," Qiu Chantian snapped, spitting the word like a nail. Realizing how unconvincing it sounded, he clenched his teeth and added, "No, really. I''ve never even heard of such a rumor! The video we saw was exactly the same as the one you saw. Otherwise, how could I understand the situation well enough to do my job?"
The room went quiet for a moment.
"And besides," Qiu Chantian continued, "we''ve made significant progress in preventing the spread of posthumans. We''ve even identified individuals whose physical abilities have increased far beyond normal. How do you exin that if they haven''t trained? It''s because they''re in the early stages of evolution. If we leave them unchecked, they''ll destroy your Tear City."
He pressed on, using offense as a defense. "Where did you even hear such nonsense? Some conspiracy theory? Do you have any evidence?"
Xie Feng remained seated on the stairs, motionless and silent.
"Anyone would be emotional under those circumstances, especially Lan Lingteshe''s a woman, after all. It''s not surprising that she might have lost her train of thought or failed to be clear in the video." Qiu Chantian''s voice took on a pleading tone. "If you have any questions about the video, I can exin them to you."
The more Qiu Chantian exined, the clearer the truth became to her.
Suddenly, Xie Feng yanked up the cloth covering her face, pressing it tightly over her entire face.
She squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears soaked through the fabric. Her breath became ragged, and soft sobs echoed intermittently through the cabin.
The darkness beneath the cloth was her only refuge. She didn''t want to cry in front of Qiu Chantian, but she couldn''t hold it back any longer.
What was the point of all this?
Two years of resistance, estrangement from her family, sleepless nights filled with anxiety, and a gnawing sense of guiltnone of it had mattered. It had all been a waste.
All thosete-night arguments with friends, the debates over what they would do if they ever reimed Tear City''s autonomywhether they could survive the posthuman threathad been over nothing. The entire idea of posthumans was a lie.
Tear City hadn''t needed to go through any of this. They hadn''t needed to be homeless, to live on the streets. Their lives could have carried on as usual. She could have continued with her studies, gone shopping, watched movies, without worrying about being forced to pair off with some imperial citizen.
But the Empire didn''t care. To expand its territory, it was willing to discard the people and lives on thatnd. Perhaps Tear City was only the beginningjust the first stop in their n. And on Noonstar, there were other nations still waiting, unaware that they, too, were part of the Empire''s grand, ruthless scheme.
But her old life was gone, and it wasn''ting back.
"You lied," Xie Feng said, her voice heavy with congestion, still hitching with sobs. "You always lie. But I never thought... I never imagined it would be such an enormous lie."
Ah Cheng finally spoke, his voice quiet. "It''s precisely because it''s so big that ordinary people wouldn''t even consider it could be a lie."
Qiu Chantian stopped speaking, staring at them with cold disdain.
"Wait... I still don''t get it..." ck Dog muttered, clearly shaken by the weight of the revtion. His face had gone pale. "Are you saying the apocalypse is a lie?"
"No, Dawnstar was likely destroyed," Ah Cheng said slowly, his gaze fixed on Qiu Chantian. "But only they know what really happened. Without scaring us into believing that posthumans would rise from among usand that we''d need their help to maintain orderhow else could they take control of our nation?"
"So... what really caused Dawnstar''s destruction?" Shortie mumbled.
To answer that, they''d probably need to figure out who Lan Lingte really was. But from the look on Qiu Chantian''s face, it was clear he wouldn''t give up any information so easily.
"I know he''s afraid of death," Xie Feng said softly, her crying finally subsiding as a sense of calm returned to her. "Men obsessed with power and status are always terrified of dying. To be an imperial official, you have to stay alive first."
Qiu Chantian pressed his lips together. Even in fear, he maintained the air of dignified righteousness that the Empire so carefully cultivated.
"The Empire"
"I know," Xie Feng interrupted, her voice weak but steady. "The Empire will retaliate. But maybe... maybe that wouldn''t be such a bad thing."
"How so?" Ah Cheng asked, ying along smoothly.
"Tear City is divided into two factions, which is why we''re in this mess," Xie Feng said, her tone almost numb. "But if the Empire retaliates and decides to wipe out Tear City, everyone wille together againjust like that."
Though it made sense in theory, in reality, things wouldn''t be so simple. How many people would end up dead or imprisoned? How would they resist the Empire''s strategy of dividing and conquering? And if the Empire opted for subtle, societal punishment rather than brute force, how could they fight back?
But Xie Feng knew she didn''t need to think that far ahead. She just needed Qiu Chantian to believe that these reckless youths were fullymitted, that his life was genuinely in danger. That was enough.
Ah Cheng, sharp as ever, quickly caught on to her intention. The others were slower to grasp it, but after a few rounds of encouragement from Ah Cheng, they started chiming in. The more their agreement solidified, the darker Qiu Chantian''s expression became.
"Answer the questions, or we''ll kill you," Ah Cheng said with a shrug. "Either option works for us."
"Wait, I''m not lying!" Qiu Chantian interrupted, his tone urgent. "There are things I really don''t know!"
"Then what do you know?" Xie Feng asked immediately. "Who is Lan Lingte? What''s her actual position?"
At the same time, Ah Cheng pressed him, "Will posthumans really emerge from among us, or is that just another lie?"
Qiu Chantian instinctively turned to Ah Cheng and answered, "It''s true. The apocalypse wille with the rise of posthumans. I swear it on my life."
"What caused Dawnstar''s destruction, then?" Shortie asked again.
Qiu Chantian turned to Shortie and said, "You might not believe me, but I really don''t know. All I know is that posthumans are a phenomenon that emerged from the apocalypse. The destruction of Dawnstar likely wasn''t caused by them, but they can still create significant chaos and crises for us. As for what actually caused Dawnstar''s downfall... my clearance level isn''t high enough to know."
It sounded like the truth.
"So, the Empire had no legitimate reason to take control of Tear City, and Tear City had no valid reason to submit to the Empire," Ah Cheng said quietly. "Ah, I know exactly what to do with you now."
Xie Feng, who had been nning to ask her own question after the others were finished, was startled by this. Everyone''s attention immediately shifted to Ah Cheng.
"The way it looks now," Ah Cheng began, "the Empire received the message from Dawnstar, but they edited the footage to make it seem like posthumans caused the destructionand that posthumans could soon appear on our too. Using that as an excuse, they struck a deal with our governor. And he must have gained something from it, right?"
Qiu Chantian gave a stiff nod.
"Ha. Whatever benefits he got don''t even matter anymore, because he still used this manufactured crisis to hand our nation over on a silver tter. Am I right?"
Qiu Chantian winced, as if in pain, sucking air through his teeth. "No one will believe that story. I advise you not to spread it around carelessly. This is ssified information. If it gets out, the Empire will mark you as their top enemy."
Ah Cheng smiled slightly.
"Thanks for the concern, but I understand the stakesI won''t say a word," Ah Cheng said smoothly. "That''s why you will. As the acting governor of Tear City, anything you say carries much more weight."
Qiu Chantian stared at him as if Ah Cheng had just asked him to sacrifice his own mother.
"W-What?"
Ah Cheng seemed to have thoroughly thought through his n. "We won''t kill you. We won''t even hurt you. In fact, we''ll send you back safe and sound. All we need is for you to sit in front of a camera and tell the whole trutheverything about the Empire''s conspiracy and the real cause of the apocalypse. If you refuse, well, the ocean is just outside."
"Stopdon''t joke around! That would be the end of me!" Qiu Chantian''s face flushed with anger, and he shouted uncontrobly, "I''d be arrested and sentenced immediately. Do you think prison is any better than being thrown into the sea?"
"I''m not forcing you down a dead-end path," Ah Cheng said slowly. "After you record your confession, I''ll give you two days to escape before we upload the footage. It won''t be asfortable as things are now, but you''ll still have your life and freedommore than most of our captured brothers and sisters can say."
"Stop joking. Stop joking..." Qiu Chantian repeated the words over and over, his eyes bulging, as if his mind had shut downpletely.
Xie Feng felt a chill run through her entire body.
Record the video, and then release Qiu Chantian?
But what about Dong Luorong? If Qiu Chantian''s political career were to end in disgrace, what would happen to her? As someone treated like a lucky charm, would she still have a way to survive?
Chapter 1635: Sudden Change
Chapter 1635: Sudden Change
Are we really going to let him go? Wouldnt it be better to kill him after recording the video? Shortie asked quietly, leaning against the yachts railing.
After confirming the prisoners were securely tied, the group had left the lower deck to discuss Ah Chengs sudden decision in private, away from Qiu Chantian.
With the Empires backing, Qiu Chantian had trampled on Tear City for so long that most of its people wouldnt mind seeing his corpse floating in the sea. Now that they had the chance, the group found it hard to understand why Ah Cheng was so intent on releasing him.
Of course, were letting him go.
In the wide warehouse, dim lights flickered over dirty yellow water pooling on the floor. Everyone kept their voices low to avoid echoes. Ah Cheng lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, If we kill him, the only thing well gain is a sense of satisfaction. It wont help us in any meaningful way.
Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to exin. Xie Feng stood silently to the side, twisting the hem of her s.h.i.+rt with nervous hands. More than anything, she just wanted to leave.
Think about it, Ah Cheng continued. If we kill him after recording the video, the Empire will just say he was coerced into confessing. Even without a body, they could fabricate one, im hes dead, and dismiss the video as a lie from a desperate man under threat. Then, itll just turn into a useless back-and-forthThe videos real. No, its not. And its impact will be ruined.
Shortie nodded slowly, absorbing the logic.
If we kill him, the Empire will retaliate, Ah Cheng said, ncing at Xie Feng. Thinking Tear City will suddenly unite is just wishful thinking. Submitting to the Empire didnt unite us, and the Empire isnt stupid enough to retaliate in the most obvious way. They have countless ways to punish us. Killing Qiu Chantian just to vent our anger isnt worth it.
Xie Feng remained silent.
As events have evolved to this point, she felt a strange realization sinking in.
Something monumental was happeningsomething that could change the future of Tear City. And her phone call had set it in motion. But that didnt mean she was part of it. She was merely witnessing history s.h.i.+ft. The oue of these events wasnt in her hands. Her opinions, in fact, held no sway over what would happen next.
She was nothing more than a bystander who happened to be there.
It was a bitter pill to swallow. Tear City was her home, and she had triggered these events, yet when everything started to move, she found herself separated, as if a barrier stood between her and the unfolding future. She couldnt quite exin the feeling, and didnt know what was exactly causing it.
So, were really giving him two days to escape? ck Dog asked, clearly reluctant.
No, that wont work either, Ah Cheng replied. If he goes missing, the Empire will say we killed him. Sure, theyll secretly worry that he might resurface and probably try to hunt him down, but his disappearance will still weaken the videos impact and credibility. For us, the best oue is to send him backintactinto the Empires hands.
What? Shortie gasped. No one had seen thating.
Hear me out. If everyone sees him return safely and unharmed, then when we release the video, itll hit with full force. A leak or betrayal from within always causes more damage than external resistance.
Through the haze of cigarette smoke, Ah Chengs face was barely visible, but his bitter, hateful smile still shone through. Of course, well need to make the video look natural, as if hes just having a conversation. We could set up a camera in front of him so he thinks hes confessing directly to it, but well film him from the side with a phone instead. We can make it work.
It was too ruthless.
Xie Fengs palms were covered in cold sweat.
Sending Qiu Chantian back unharmed before releasing the video would ensure the Empire had no reason to me Tear City. Their only target would be Qiu Chantian, the traitor. Whether he betrayed them willingly or under duress wouldnt matterhe would be the first one theyd eliminate.
The harshest method Xie Feng could imagine was simply killing Qiu Chantian, but the Empire undoubtedly had ways of tormenting people that were far worse.
She wasnt worried about Qiu Chantian, of course.
Once he was safely sent back and realized hed been yed, there was no telling what kind of mad dog he would be.
There was one thing Xie Feng was certain of: Dong Luorong, who depended on him, would not have a good ending.
If an object could be used to satisfy l.u.s.t, it could also be used to vent rage.
The others, however, seemed more optimistic. Will he really cooperate? Shortie still looked uneasy. This isnt some trivial matter
The group huddled together, whispering about how to force Qiu Chantian into submission. If he believed Ah Chengs lie, they might seed. A desperate person, after all, would cling to even the flimsiest hope like it was a lifeline.
Xie Feng felt lost in thought as she stood alone outside of the circle.
How could she protect Dong Luorong?
When the discussion ended, the group fell into brief silence. After a few moments, ck Dog sighed. Then our world, will ite to an end or not?
Dawnstars destruction was catastrophic, yet the Empires first thought was how to use it to expand their territory. That tells me they probably arent worried that well meet the same fate, Ah Cheng said with a wry smile. If they arent worried, maybe we dont need to be, either.
Not necessarily, Xie Feng thought. Just because people in power held authority didnt mean they werent foolish or p.r.o.ne to mistakes. They often made poor decisionshistory was full of examples. Why? Because they rarely paid the price for their errors. Their ambitions and desires were often iprehensible to those beneath them.
If something on Dawnstar destroyed their world, and we had the same thing here, the Empire would be more cautious. The fact that theyre willing to lie about it, scaring the world with this unseen posthuman threat, suggests that whatever destroyed Dawnstar isnt present here.
Ah Cheng gestured for them to head back to the lower deck.
What do you think it was? Shortie asked.
I dont know. We can push him for more answers.
Xie Feng followed the others in silence as they returned below deck. Ah Chengs a.n.a.lysis made some sense. If the threat were something immediatelike nuclear falloutthe Empire would tread more carefully. Whatever had wiped out Dawnstar must seem distant or irrelevant to them, something they believed posed no threat to Noonstar.
Lost deep in thought, Xie Feng wasnt even sure what happened next.
She only remembered the four boys walking ahead of her, descending the narrow stairs one by one and pus.h.i.+ng open the door to the lower cabin. As she prepared to follow, she saw thest boy, the one with the headband, suddenly stumble. His foot caught on something, and he lost his bnce, falling forward.
He tripped?
That thought had barely formed when a dull thud echoed from somewhere out of sight in the lower cabin. Xie Feng instinctively recoiled, her foot snapping back as if shocked by electricity.
The kids got a gun! a strange male voice shouted from below.
Shortie! Ah Chengs voice rang out, followed by the sharp crash of furniturea chair, perhapsbeing knocked over.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
Xie Feng forgot to breathe for a moment, stumbling backward to the upper deck of the yacht. From below, the sounds of violent struggle eruptedgrunting voices, the deep growls of men locked inbat, and the heavy thuds of bodies mming against walls. The entire lower deck seemed to shudder as if the fight itself had taken on a physical form, cras.h.i.+ng wildly throughout the cabin. The yacht rocked under the impact, and Xie Feng lost her bnce, falling hard onto the deck. She almost rolled through the railing and overboard.
Whats happening? Werent the prisoners all tied up? How is this even possible?
A gunshot suddenly exploded through the chaos, freezing Xie Feng in ce, her heart hammering to a stop. She clung tightly to the railing, her eyes fixed on the narrow staircase. More gunfire erupted, one shot after another, the sharp sts reverberating through the warehouse, making her ears buzz with deafening echoes.
Who fired? Which side was it?
As the echoes of gunfire faded, an eerie silence fell over the lower cabin. It felt like an eternity before Xie Feng finally heard voices from below.
She rubbed her ears and pressed on them, trying to clear the ringing enough to make out the words.
Sir, the unfamiliar male voice called, though m.u.f.fled, are you alright?
Xie Fengs heart sank like a stone into the depths of despair.
Untie me, Qiu Chantian ordered coldly. Hurry.
Amid the sound of shuffling and rustling, she caught fragments of Qiu Chantians words, This time you reacted well How did you let these kids get the better of you?
The next part came through loud and clear. There are only four of them, plus a girl who should be outside. Once Im free, go find her immediately.
No. No, I have to move. Now.
Despite how easily Xie Feng talked about deathwhether it was hers or someone elsesas if it were nothing, the reality of death closing in hit her hard. Knowing that people shed just spoken to moments ago could now be dead left her trembling, her limbs weak, and her vision blurred with tears.
In her neen years, she had never even attended a funeral.
Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to remember what she needed to do. On all fours, she crawled and rolled toward the rear deck, doing everything she could to stay silent. Qiu Chantian had been tied tightlyuntangling him should take at least a few more seconds. Swallowing the sob rising in her throat, Xie Feng finally made it to the rear deck, just as the heavy sound of boots echoed from the narrow stairs.
Huh? The man grunted in surprise, a sound escaping from his throat.
It was clear from his reaction that this wasnt what he expected. This was a warehouse, not open sea. His confusion gave Xie Feng the split-second chance she needed to save herself.
This was the critical momentshe couldnt afford to make a single noise. No matter how panicked she felt, she had to stay calm and deliberate.
The heavy boots clomped across the front deck in a slow circle. Xie Feng didnt need to see them to know who they belonged to. She had experienced firsthand just how heavy the boots of the security officers could be.
Finding nothing at the front, the boots abruptly changed direction, stomping purposefully toward the rear deck.
But when the boots reached the back of the yacht, the deck was already empty.
Remember to vote andment! Since Xie Fengs arc has started, it hasnt gotten nearly the same amount of love as Wu Yilius arc.
Chapter 1636: A Close Encounter
Chapter 1636: A Close Encounter
No matter how smart you are, how meticulous your nning, or how strongly you believe youre defending your home and doing whats right, in the face of bullets, youre nothing.
Xie Feng drifted up and down in the water, coughing and sputtering, even cking out for a moment. Just when she thought this was the end, she managed to fight her way to a scaffold outside the warehouse.
The dark storm had begun again.
Every ounce of strength seemed to drain from her, as if it had been swept away with the filthy yellow water, along with her tears. She finally climbed high enough to get above the waterline, but the sea breeze and cold rain hit her at once, making her s.h.i.+ver violently, her teeth chattering as if they might fall out.
What time is it now? Qiu Chantian must be back by now, right?
They had the yacht. Escaping the flooded harbor wouldve been far easier for them than it was for her.
The moment the security officer circled to the rear of the yacht, Xie Feng squeezed through the railing, clinging to the engine as she slipped quietly into the dirty water.
She had been naive, thinking she could hide beneath the boat, grab hold of something, and hitch a ride out with them without being seenjust like a small fish clinging to a bigger one on TV.
The second she hit the water, though, she knew it was impossible.
To avoid detection, Xie Feng forced herself to keep her eyes open in the murky, debris-filled water and swam deeper. Not far from the warehouse, she spotted some metal racks on the ground and used them as cover. Only after reaching the shelter of the racks did she dare to surface and catch her breath.
At that moment, Qiu Chantian was losing his temper on the yacht.
Hed been through a lot today, especially emotionally. From the shock of being kidnapped to regaining someposure, to believing he had figured out the kidnappers intentions, only for Xie Fengs unexpected question to expose him.
After that, everything spiraled out of control. He was convinced his career was over and feared for his life. One moment he cursed, the next he begged, then promised, then threatenednone of it graceful. When his subordinates finally rescued him, all that pent-up emotion had to go somewhere.
A couple of kids! And they managed to take down both of you? Where the h.e.l.l was your security awareness? Calling yourselves security officerswhat a joke! Have you followed any protocol at all? Is this how you do your job?
His shouting echoed under the warehouse ceiling, so loud that Xie Fengs ears buzzed just listening from afar. Great job! Now weve let one of them get away. The ce is flooded. Where could she go? Obviously, she jumped into the water. Get down there and find her!
Xie Feng bit down hard, clenching her teeth to keep from making any noise. She didnt know if it was the cold or fear causing her to tremble.
One of the security officers mumbled something quietly. Both men were standing on the deck, while the driver sat hunched to the side, too afraid to speak under Qiu Chantians fury.
Just do it! If you get worse and end up in the hospital, you can file for reimburs.e.m.e.nt!
I didnt hear a ssh. Maybe she left earlier the officer said, his voice rising slightly.
Qiu Chantian went silent, staring at him.
Im giving you a chance to make up for this. Think it through carefully.
The security officer didnt dare say another word. Holding onto the railing, he stripped off his heavy boots and outerwear. With a loud ssh, he jumped into the water, and Xie Feng, already submerged, felt her heart tighten in fear.
Heading toward the warehouse entrance now would be too obvious. With no other choice, she pressed herself against the bottom, holding her breath and praying not to be found.
But it was only a false rm.
The warehouse was sorge that even without the flooding, it would take a while to search. With his injuries, the officer had to swim and dive through the murky water, checking every corner. Anyone thinking rationally would know the chances of him finding Xie Feng were slim without pure luck.
Once, Xie Feng even saw him swim past her, not far away. It looked more like he was going through the motions than actively searching for someone.
After he climbed back onto the yacht two or three times, only to be sent down again, Qiu Chantian seemed to realize the search was futile. Of course, he wouldnt admit he was just venting his frustration. After scolding the officer thoroughly, he gave him a few words of praise and some vague promises to smooth things over.
Listening to their conversation, Xie Feng figured out how the officer had escaped. On the way over, she had suspected that he might have gone to the parking garage to get a car. But she hadnt thought to search him for keys. Everything happened too fast, and no one expected his car keychain to have a multifunctional military knife. Using the de, he had slowly cut through the ropes.
As for that nonsense about doomsday, dont take it to heart, Qiu Chantian said, trying to rea.s.sure his two subordinates. They jumped to conclusions without even giving me a chance to exin. Yes, a small part of the video was cut, but that part has nothing to do with our. It doesnt affect the bigger picture. You both understand the sensitivity of this information, dont you?
Xie Feng strained her ears, hanging on to every word.
Nothing to do with us?
Dawnstar and Noonstar were twos with very simr conditions. How could they be so certain that some of the factors behind Dawnstars destruction had no relevance to Noonstar?
But this brief exnation was already more than Qiu Chantian usually offered, and his subordinates nodded obediently, unwilling to ask further questions. With that, the topic was closed.
When they finally started the yachts engine and roared away, Xie Feng was so cold that her head began to spin, her fingers slipping from the metal rack she clung to.
She had no idea how she managed to get out of the water.
Unfamiliar with the harbor, she didnt even know where the exit was. After stumbling upon a scaffold to rest on, she scanned the rain-soaked surroundings and spotted the flood barrier in the distance.
It would be tough, but she could make it out of here. What really worried her was the backpack she had left on the yacht and the phone inside.
Xie Feng had taken precautions, never storing personal information about herself or her friends on her phone. But if they went through her chat groups and followed the trail
She needed to get back to the city to warn them. But the entire security force was probably mobilized,bing the streets for her.
Would returning to the city be walking into a trap? If she didnt go back, what could she do? How did things get to this point? Was it all her fault?
Amid the chaotic swirl of thoughts in her mind, Xie Feng found only one smallfort: now that Qiu Chantians career remained intact, Dong Luorong likely wouldnt suffer any consequences either.
Chapter 1637: News
Chapter 1637: News
With just a bit more money, Xie Fengs situation changed drastically.
Inside Dong Luorongs coin purse, along with several coins, was a bundle of crumpled bills, including a few high-value notesmore than enough tost her at least a week.
Xie Feng hailed a cab, finally spared from walking through the pouring rain. As she sat quietly in the back seat, her fingers traced the outline of Dong Luorongs purseand the spare hotel key card shed found inside.
Dong Luorong had to know that Xie Feng returning would put both of them at risk. Yet, she still left her a way back. When the security bureauunched their citywide search, Dong Luorongs ce was one of the least likely spots theyd check.
Xie Feng thought back to stories shed read, especially martial arts novels, where two heroes would meet for the first time and, recognizing their kindred spirits, be sworn brothers for life. Yet she could never recall any female characters sharing that same experience.
Now she knewit wasnt that it didnt happen. It just hadnt been written about.
This d.a.m.n rain wont quit, the cab driver grumbled, watching the wipers struggle to keep the winds.h.i.+eld clear. In all my thirty-odd years, Ive never seen rain this heavy go on for so long.
Xie Feng hummed distractedly, already nning her next move. She needed to warn her friends in the group chat before the security forces got to them. The capsule hotel shed stayed at before likely hadnt drawn the bureaus attention yet. If she could find someone she knew there, she could borrow a phone and send a message.
The driver, indifferent to her silence, kept ventingabout his family in the hospital, getting hit by a stray bullet from the security forces, his kids school being shut down because the curriculum didnt meet imperial standards, and the mounting expenses everywhere. Id saved up for ages, hoping to take my kid to see Dawnstar one day. Now thes gone, and the moneys gone with it.
I always wanted to visit, too, Xie Feng said, stirred by the memory of a childhood dream. Chatting with the driver almost made it feel like her world hadnt fallen apartlike this was just an ordinary, unlucky day.
Right? Ive only seen those red maple trees on TV, so tall and beautiful, the driver sighed.
The ma.s.sive red maples, rising straight into the sky as if to touch the stars, were a signature of Dawnstarsndscape. It was said that walking among them could make you feel as if youd stepped back into prehistoric times.
Suddenly, Xie Feng sat upright.
Wait.
Yes If there was anything unique to Dawnstar that Noonstar didnt have, it was the red maples.
The trees werent just a different species; they belonged to a different botanical family altogether. Vast forests of them were so breathtaking that entire cities had been built around them, turning into major tourist destinations. If doomsday was linked to the red maplesif they were the cause of Dawnstars extinctionof course the empire wouldnt be concerned.
But how could red maples destroy a? She had no idea.
And what about the posthumans? Where did theye from? Qiu Chantian didnt seem to be lyingposthumans had appeared on Dawnstar. What connection could they possibly have to the trees?
The thoughts swirled in Xie Fengs mind without resolution as the cab pulled up to her destination. After paying the fare, the driver handed her an umbre, left behind by another pa.s.senger. s.h.i.+elded from the rain, she made her way to the capsule hotel, almost feeling like shed stepped back in time.
Fortunately, she ran into a familiar facesomeone she knew from the streets, though not well. Still, she managed to borrow his phone and sent out as many warnings as she could, hoping to s.h.i.+eld others from the fallout she now faced alone.
Make sure no one knows we know each other, she warned as she returned the phone. If they find out, it wont just be trouble for me but for you, too.
The boy hesitated for a moment, realizing the weight of the situation. What about you? Do you have somewhere to go?
No.
Even with nowhere to go, Xie Feng didnt dare linger a second longer. Despite the torrential rain outside, as if it was trying to wash the whole world away, she gripped the flimsy umbrealready trembling under the downpourand stepped into the storm. The umbre was practically useless; the wind blew so fiercely it felt like walking through ocean waves.
Theres nothing left to hold on to, she thought.
Meeting Dong Luorong had been an unexpected gift. Now that she no longer had to worry about her other friends, Xie Feng felt an odd sense of relief wash over her. With nowhere to go, she figured shed just take things one day at a time. If her life happened toe to an end tomorrow, she was ready for it.
With that mindset, she entered a restaurant and ordered a steaming te of curry rice, eating until sweat trickled down her face. Afterward, she cradled a free cup of hot tea and spent over an hour there, watching the endless rain fall outside. The storm shrouded the world in a dim gloom that made it feel like evening, though it was only the afternoon.
While the security forces scoured the city for her in the pouring rain, she satfortably inside the restaurant, almost tempted tough at the absurdity of it.
The ce was empty, and the owner didnt seem to mind her staying. Exhausted from the sleepless night, Xie Feng unknowingly drifted off, slumped over the table. She was startled awake by a gentle nudge on her arm, nearly b.u.mping her head into the person standing next to her.
The owner, startled as well, stepped back.
What whats wrong? Xie Feng asked groggily, sitting up. Was the owner asking her to leave?
Without a word, the woman nced toward the gloomy rain beyond the .s.s doors, then pointed to the television on the wall.
Puzzled, Xie Feng turned to look.
The TV was ying an emergency news broadcast, disying a blurry image of a persons face. It seemed like a cropped section from an erged photo, the details fuzzy. But anyone who knew Xie Feng would recognize her features instantly.
Shed seen that photo before. Back on the high-speed train, the overweight man who had grabbed her had shown her the same picture.
She almost wanted tough bitterly: If shed known it woulde to this, she wouldnt have wasted that cup of hot coffee on him.
That man mustve reported her right away, submitting her photo. Qiu Chantian mustve confirmed her ident.i.ty, matching it with existing records at the security bureau, which exined why the arrest notice had gone out so quickly.
Wait, did this mean the parking lot cameras hadnt caught her?
If they had footage of her from the surveince cameras, wouldnt they have used that instead? After all,paring her appearance from a year ago tost night would have been far more useful.
The shop owner unmuted the television, and the news anchors crisp Imperial ent filled the room, Among the rioters involved in this mornings terrorist activity, one female suspect is still atrge Citizens who provide effective leads or a.s.sist in her capture will be rewarded.
Its been ying for a while now, just on repeat, the shop owner said quietly in the local dialect from behind Xie Feng. They want every shop on the street to install surveince cameras. I havent installed mine yet. I wont call them, but you shouldnt stay here either. You need to go.
Already on edge, Xie Feng grabbed her umbre and hurried to the door. Just before leaving, she turned back and softly said, Thank you.
The owner gave her a silent nod.
She couldnt stay on this street. Other shops might have surveince cameras. Fortunately, the heavy rain offered some cover; in the dim light, it was difficult for anyone to make out the person under the umbre. And in this downpour, there were hardly any people on the streets.
Xie Feng didnt dare take a taxi again. She walked slowly through the pouring rain, soon bing soaked to the bone. As she pa.s.sed various shops, she caught fragments of the news from their TVs. It turned out that two of the people with Ah Cheng were still alive, though severely injured and undergoing emergency treatment at a heavily guarded hospital. The mayors daughter-inw tearfully thanked Qiu Chantian on television, saying he not only captured the culprits but also recovered their yacht. Her husband, however, was too embarra.s.sed to make a public appearance.
Different people were being interviewed and offering opinions, but Qiu Chantian himself never appeared on screen.
This was strange. Whenever he captured suspected posthumans, he would give long speeches on TV. Yet for such a major aplishment, he was nowhere to be seen? He hadnt been injuredXie Feng knew that much from how energetically he berated his subordinates back at the warehouse.
Puzzled but unable to linger in one ce, she stood near shop entrances, listening to the news through open doors, unwilling to close her umbre. Anxious, she kept moving from one street to the next. Then, as if by some stroke of luck, she finally spotted an electronics store.
In the window,rge, high-definition TVs were all broadcasting the same news.
Through decisive and intelligent leaders.h.i.+p, with unwavering resolve in the face of danger, Officer Qiu not only escaped harm but sessfully apprehended the criminals. He is in good health and currently resting, so theres no need for public concern, the male anchor said solemnly. He stands as a pir holding back the rise of posthumans and preventing the impending doomsday! What kind of heartless criminals would jeopardize the entire city like this?
If red maples were truly the cause of Dawnstars downfall, then calling Qiu Chantian a pir made sense. After all, a pir just divides the river, letting the water flow around it.
Xie Feng scoffed quietly, standing in the rain, watching the broadcast a little longer. The more she listened, the more a nagging unease settled over her. It wasnt based on anything concretemore like the paranoia of seeing shadows where there might be none.
But why would Qiu Chantian choose this moment to rest?
His absence only fueled spection and rumors. If he wasnt seizing the opportunity to ept praise, bolster his image, and intimidate potential threats, was he really just lying in bed?
Dong Luorong had mentioned that her driver was suspicious of Xie Feng. If the driver reported this to the security bureauor worse, directly to Qiu Chantian himself
She stood on the street for nearly twenty minutes before finally gging down a taxi. Jumping into the cab, she barely managed to close her umbre, blurting out the hotels name, Please, hurry!
Chapter 1638: In the Tigers Jaws
Chapter 1638: In the Tigers Jaws
Xie Feng stood frozen for a moment. She had rushed all the way here, taking the risk of being recognized by the taxi driver, only to realize at the hotel entrance that she had no way to get inside with her wanted face stered all over the city.
She had thought she could blend in with the other guests or sneak in through an employee entrance. But because of the heavy rain, hardly anyone wasing or going. After circling the hotel twice, she noticed a few stationary cars at every entrance.
Without lingering too long, she saw people sitting inside some of the cars, holding what looked like radios.
Even if she tried walking into the hotel casually, a young woman matching the profile of a fugitive would raise suspicion. The inclothes officers would only need to alert the hotel staff to check her IDor worse, take a closer lookand she would be done for.
She hoped she was being paranoid, but she knew better than to rely on luck.
What made things worse was how conspicuous she lookeda soaking-wet woman lingering outside with an umbre in a downpour, looking like a ghoste back for revenge. Where could she even go? She couldnt even enter a convenience store to buy a mask. The next person she encountered might not be as kind as the previous shop owner.
How was she going to get inside without arousing suspicion?
The hotels back door was rarely used, opening into a quiet alley. Xie Feng slipped under a tree, finally s.h.i.+elding herself from the relentless rain that had left her s.h.i.+vering.
Several cars were parked along the alleys edge. One at the front caught her attentionit was obviously a surveince vehicle. The driver sat inside alone, staring absently at the road ahead. But when Xie Feng approached, he perked up, scanning her with wary eyes.
Her heart pounded, so hard it felt like it might burst.
She could barely hold her umbre, her hands trembling from a mix of cold and fear. Clenching her fists didnt stop the shaking. When she stepped up to the car without a word and reached for the pa.s.senger door handle, a thought struck herwhat on earth was she doing? How could she be this reckless?
As expected, the door was locked. She tugged once, but it wouldnt open.
The inclothes officer stared at her, clearly stunned. He hadnt expected some random woman to show up and try to get into his car. Before he could react, Xie Feng knocked on the window with her knuckles. Open the door!
It took several seconds before the window rolled down just a crack, as if even the car shared its owners hesitation.
What do you want? the officer asked, his voice guarded. Who are you?
Xie Feng stood firmly in the rain, her umbre concealing part of her face. Positioned by the pa.s.senger-side door, she didnt bend down far enough for him to get a proper look. With her half-obscured features, the officer failed to realize she was the fugitive they were hunting.
Youre the driver I called, arent you? she said, rattling off her words in rapid session. Whats going on? Why are you sote? Do you know how long Ive been standing out here in the rain? Youre already over ten minuteste! Ive been waiting out here getting soaked. Open the door! Do you even have tissues in there?
Her nerves lent speed to her words, making her frustration sound genuine.
No, no, Im not the officer stammered, waving his hands as if to protest that he wasnt her ride. But Xie Feng had a mission, and she wasnt done yet.
Do you have any idea how much Ive been rained on? I walked around the entire hotel trying to find you, and your directions were useless! Just look at meIm drenched! I look like I fell in a river! She ignored his protests and kept going until she had said everything she needed to.
I already told you, Im not your driver, the officer said, irritation creeping into his voice. Go find someone else!
With that, he rolled the window back up.
Listening to the relentless rain pounding the ground, Xie Feng paused before finally turning away from the car.
Only now did she allow herself to exhale a shaky breath, still unable to believe she had actually pa.s.sed the first hurdle.
She walked away from the vehicle, keeping her back to it, ncing around as if she really were waiting for someone.
When the moment felt right, she steeled herself and made her move, striding toward the hotels back entrance under the officers watchful gaze.
As she rounded the corner, she stole a quick nce backhe hadnt moved.
Well, it made sense. A frustrated guest waiting too long for a ride, deciding to go back insideit wasnt suspicious, right?
Her nerves had been stretched so thin that her mind started to feel oddly detached, as if everything happening was just a dream.
She couldnt exin why, but as she crossed the threshold, her eyes instinctively caught the security camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling.
In a split-second decision, just as she was about to close her umbre, Xie Feng tilted it sideways, tucking it between her neck and shoulder. The umbre slid down until her head stopped it, hiding her face entirely from the cameras line of sight.
At the same moment, she dropped into a crouch, pretending to tie her shoces.
While retying herces, she peeked from under the umbreand her heart sank.
On the other side of the lobby, near the entrance to the main hall, stood a bellboy in a hotel uniform next to a burly man in in clothes, his expression br.i.m.m.i.n.g with hostility.
And that wasnt all. A quick scan revealed two or three more inclothes men stationed by the front entrance and near the elevators, likely security officers. Even by the reception desk, one lingered like a leashed dog pacing back and forth.
This was bad.
She hadnt ounted for this. Shed expected the hotel staff to be cooperative, but she hadnt imagined they would allow so many security personnel inside the lobby itselfa miscalction born of thinking like a Tear City native.
Hotels were private property, and normally, government agents would need a court order to operate inside. But she had forgotten that Tear City was no longer the same Tear City.
This level of security wasnt just to catch a fugitive who, by all logic, shouldnt have returned.
Every hair on Xie Fengs body stood on end. Even under the umbre, she could feel the weight of the inclothes officers eyes on her.
Are you a hotel guest? the bellboy called out from across the room. Please show your room card and let me know your room number.
As soon as she raised her umbre slightly, therge, broad-faced man beside the bellboy turned toward her. His heavy gaze settled on her, waiting for her to lower the umbre and approach.
There was no turning back now.
A chill ran through Xie Feng, as if the rain had drained everyst bit of warmth from her body, leaving behind only a lump of cold regret, heavy in her gut.
She hadnt been caught, but she had walked straight into their hands.
So, this was it. There was no escape nowwhatever happened next, she would have to face it.
She knew that the rain had left her skin pale, making her look even more like she did in the year-old photo they were using to track her down.
She should never have thrown hot coffee at that man back then.
Acid wouldve been better.
Just a few dozen meters above her, separated only by an elevator ride, was Dong Luorong.
In another world, on a different timeline, they might have casually taken that elevator whenever they wanted, met whenever they likedperhaps strolling arm-in-arm through a shopping street, sharing a box of takoyaki, chatting while looking out at the endless blue sea.
If she was destined to be caught, Xie Feng thought, the best oue would be to get caught this close to Dong Luorong. At least Dong would know she hade back.
Though her heart was sinking into despair, her body clung to any remaining sliver of hope, buying time like her muscles carried a stubborn will of their own. Half-turned, she slowly closed her umbre and shook off the waterjust then, a voice called from across the lobby.
Hey! Put a cover on that umbre, will you? Youll get water everywhere.
Xie Feng froze, startled by the suddenmand. When she looked over, she saw a cleaningdy in the corner, visibly frustrated by the rainwater making a mess on the tiles. Next to her was a roll of stic umbre covers.
Oh, sure, sorry, Xie Feng said, heading toward her while calling back over her shoulder to the bellboy, Just a sec!
She kept her head low, her wet hair falling over her cheeks. She wasnt sure if it concealed her face enough, but the cleaningdy didnt care what she looked likeonly that she didnt drip water onto the freshly cleaned floor.
This gave Xie Feng an excuse to stall a little longer as she carefully pulled a cover over her umbre. She was already soaked through, so the umbre hardly mattered. The cleaningdy nced disapprovingly at her waterlogged shoes, and that was when an idea struck Xie Feng.
Once the umbre was covered, she tucked it under her arm and headed toward the bellboy and the security officer. As she walked, she lowered her head slightly, pretending to search her pocket for her wallet and room key.
The most important thing was to act natural.
Room 1702, she said before reaching them, throwing out a random room number. Will this take long? Im soaked, and I really just want to get changed.
Not long at all, the bellboy replied cheerfully.
Just as Xie Feng was about to hand over the room key, she deliberately stumbled and fell to the floor with a thud. Both the bellboy and the security officer flinchedwhile the bellboy rushed forward to help, the officer stayed put.
The bellboy reached out, grabbing her arm to help her up, and in doing so, he unintentionally blocked part of the officers view. Seizing the moment, Xie Feng pressed a hand over her face and winced, handing the key over with her other hand.
Ow, I hit my chin. It really hurts Can I just go now? she muttered, her voice m.u.f.fled with pain.
It wasnt exactly the most sophisticated n. If they recognized her, she was certain shed be theughingstock of the entire security department for months.
The officer scrutinized her, his gaze roaming over her partially obscured, grimacing face.
A year had pa.s.sed, and Xie Feng knew she looked different. She was thinner, darker, and her hair had changed. After being beaten by security forces, even her nose had slightly s.h.i.+fted, and the photo they were using wasnt the clearest.
Got ID? the officer asked.
I didnt bring it. I can grab itter if you want. Xie Fengs tears welled up onmandsomething she had mastered in the past two years. In seconds, she was sniffling and sobbing, her face flushed red and contorted with exaggerated misery. It really hurts Can I please go?
The officer frowned deeply.
Men often recoil when women cry, especially when they cry messily or hysterically.
As Xie Fengs heart pounded, the officer gave an irritated shrug, nodding toward the elevators.
Fine. Go.
Chapter 1639: Red Wine
Chapter 1639: Red Wine
On her way up, Xie Feng realized something: all this security couldnt possibly be meant for her.
Logically speaking, what reason did she have toe back here?
This hotel was where Dong Luorong and her driver had seen her. It was also the location of Qiu Chantians kidnapping. Now that the attempt had failed and her ident.i.ty had been exposed, there was no benefit toing backonly danger. Anyone withmon sense would have stayed far away. If the security forces were looking for her, focusing their efforts on the hotel made no sense.
Since the heightened security wasnt for her, it was obvious who it was for.
This realization was how she had managed to slip into the hotel. But it also meant she couldnt just walk up to Dong Luorongs door and knock.
She remembered the elevator had a phone. Could she use it to call Dongs room? But what if Qiu Chantian answered? Then what?
Xie Feng only wanted to confirm that Dong was safe. Whether or not they could meet didnt matteronce she knew Dong was okay, she nned to leave immediately. She kept her head low, covering her face as much as possible. As the elevator doors slowly opened, she raised her umbre, using the back of her hand to wipe her face at just the right moment, blocking the camera from catching her face.
Even she was impressed with her quick reflexes.
Once inside the elevator lobby, she reached for the phone on the small table, but her hand froze. Instead, she pretended to check her reflection in the elevators mirror, turning slightly to scan the hallway with her peripheral vision.
At the far end of the hall, right outside Dong Luorongs room, stood two men who looked like bodyguards.
Qiu Chantian really was here. Any lingering hope shed had vanished.
He never liked Dong Luoronghe barely visited her, maybe once a week at most. And yet, the moment he escaped danger, he came straight to see her. That couldnt be a good sign.
Xie Feng rubbed her lips nervously. Even though she was staring at her reflection, she could sense the two men at the end of the hall had noticed her. They didnt move or say anything, but she knew they were watching.
Was her heightened awareness because of how anxious she was?
The thought flickered briefly through her mind and disappeared.
Lingering too long in the elevator lobby would be suspicious, so after another nce at the mirror, she turned and walked away. She made her way toward the hallway where her old room was located, holding the key card in her hand. As she walked slowly down the hall, a question suddenly surfaced in her mind.
She had a.s.sumed the key card Dong Luorong gave her was for Dongs room. But was that really the case?
Dong hadnt expected to run into Xie Feng when she went downstairs, so the card she took with her should logically have been for her own room. That was what Xie Feng had always a.s.sumed.
Frowning in thought, she decided to test it.
She walked up to the room shed stayed in the night before. Before unlocking the door, she held her breath and listened carefullyno sound came from within.
With a soft exhale, she pressed the key card against the lock. A green light blinked, and the door clicked open.
It really was the key to her own room.
On second thought, it made sense. Dong Luorong had booked the room, and during the days when she was taking care of Xie Feng, she must have used the spare key toe and go. If she normally kept the card in her coin purse, it was only natural that she would have brought it along when she went to the convenience store earlier.
After all, it was just a coincidence that she ran into Xie Feng.
Though that was her n, Xie Feng stayed on high alert.
She turned the doork.n.o.b slowly, waiting a few seconds before pus.h.i.+ng the door open just a crack to listen for any signs of movement inside.
Silence.
When she fully opened the door, she found the room exactly as she had left it. Even the half-empty .s.s of water still sat untouched on the table. The bathrobe she had tossed by the foot of the sofa remained in the same spot, and when she inspected it, she found a strand of her hair tangled in the fabric.
No one had been here. But why?
If the driver had already revealed her presence, why hadnt he told them which room shed been staying in? Knowing a suspectsst known location, wouldnt the security forces have searched it?
Had the driver not given her up after all?
The questions in her mind multiplied until she began to suspect this was a trap. But the undisturbed room said otherwiseno one hade.
Unable to make sense of it, Xie Feng pushed the thought aside and picked up the phone by the bed. She cleared her throat and dialed Dong Luorongs room number.
The phone rang four, maybe five times before a soft click sounded on the other end.
Qiu Chantians voice came through, low andmanding, the same imposing tone he always carried. Who is this?
Xie Feng had antic.i.p.ated this, but the moment still made her freeze, her throat tight with panic. She pitched her voice higher and pressed the phone close to her lips, letting her breath hit the receiver to distort the sound on the other end.
h.e.l.lo, sir. Would you like turndown service tonight? she asked.
No, came Qiu Chantians curt reply without hesitation. It was so short that Xie Feng couldnt gather anything from it.
Before he could hang up, she blurted out, Ms. Dong said she wanted to send up a bottle of wine
Wine?
Qiu Chantian let out a low chucklea short sound, but there was a subtle s.h.i.+ft in the way his voice trailed off at the end, as if he had turned his head to nce at someone nearby, his voice drifting slightly from the receiver.
A momentter, he was back on the line, voice clearer and colder. She wont be drinking much wine anymore.
Before Xie Feng coulde up with a response, she heard the sharp click of the line disconnecting.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, Xie Feng began trembling uncontrobly. The soaked fabric clinging to her skin felt heavier and colder than before, as if the chill had finally sunk into her bones. Maybe her fever had returned, or maybe it was the emotional pressure that had built up inside her, now bursting from that single, ominous sentence.
She realized the sound of soft whimpering, mixed with the chattering of her teeth, wasing from her own mouth.
Unable to hold herself up, she slipped from the bed, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
Her mind fogged over, and she had no sense of how much time pa.s.sed. It wasnt until she heard the door creak open that awareness snapped back into her, sharp and sudden.
Get in, Qiu Chantians voice barked from the doorway. Silence followed.
I didnt expect you to be this clever, he said with a sneer as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a heavy thump. If I hadnt checked your credit card charges, I wouldnt have figured out that you booked two extra rooms. You mustve known she was hiding something all along, huh? Thats why you used a decoy room to throw off Huang?
Chapter 1640: The Best Investment
Chapter 1640: The Best Investment
Modern hotel beds usually have no s.p.a.ce underneath.
Xie Feng felt overwhelmed. The relentless trembling, dizziness, and sense that her body was falling apart were too much to bear. She wanted to surrender, to let the strange sensations consume her entirely.
But deep down, she knew that giving in would mean being caught on the floor, right beside the bed, by Qiu Chantianturning herself into undeniable evidence of Dong Luorongs guilt.
She had no idea what was happening to her, only that she had to fight off the crus.h.i.+ng sensations with thest shreds of her willpower, as faint as smoke, to keep them from taking control.
Dong Luorong had booked a standard double room for her. From the entrance, you could see the two twin beds at the back of the room. The only bit of luck was that, when shed made the call earlier, she had been sitting on the bed farthest from the door. If she fell off the bed, whoever entered the room would have to walk in and circle around toward the window to spot her lying on the floor.
Xie Feng forced her eyes open, but her vision was shattered, as if someone had smashed it into fragments and shaken them up in a bag. A piece of the floor-length curtain melded with the distorted outline of an armchair, everything swaying and blurring into the rooms background. What illness could make me feel like this?
Get in, Qiu Chantian barked from the hallway again. Want another p?
Xie Feng bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, stopping her teeth from chattering audibly. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but she didnt care. All her focus was on dragging herself toward the curtain.
If shed been thinking clearly, she wouldve known that moving the curtain could easily attract attention. But in her current state, the idea of hiding behind it took every ounce of effort to conjure, leaving no room for further thought.
Soft footsteps entered the room, followed by the door mming shut with a resounding bang.
Xie Fengs head was nearly touching the curtain. She tried pus.h.i.+ng herself off the ground several timesor at least she thought she did, the way someone might dream theyve gotten out of bed. Everything around her felt like it wasing apart in rippling waves, making it impossible to stand.
Soon, even the sounds she heard no longer felt real.
Exin yourself. Why didnt you let Huang see her? Qiu Chantians voice sounded distant, as if carried from far away. What were you trying to pull?
The day I rescued her, she was sitting right there in the back seat. I didnt cover her face, Dong Luorong replied, her tone cool and emotionless, like she was reciting a report. If Huang cant remember what she looks like, thats not my fault. I booked the extra room because I thought Huang might need somewhere to rest asionally. How was I supposed to know hed turn on me?
Aside from the day Xie Feng had pa.s.sed out in the back seat, the driver had never seen her again. Even when he brought medicine, he had only handed it to Dong Luorong. It was perfectly reasonable that a sick girl would stay in bed and not let a strange man insideit hadnt raised any suspicion at the time.
You think Im an idiot? Qiu Chantian sneered. I was doing just fine in Tear City until you started mingling with shady people. And now, Ive been kidnapped. You think thats something I can just shrug off? How do you think my superiors are going to see this? Let me tell youif anything happens to me, youll pay for it tenfold with your life. You think youre special? Start searching!
Searching? For what? My stuff? The thought rose briefly, then drifted away.
In her distorted state, Xie Feng sensed someone approaching the window.
If it was Qiu Chantian, his silence made no sense. So it had to be either Dong Luorong or just another hallucination.
She desperately wanted to turn her head and see who it was, but her neck, as if it had a mind of its own, refused to move.
She didnt know how much time had pa.s.sed when she suddenly felt her foot brush against warm skin.
Xie Feng had taken off her soaked shoes as soon as she entered the room, tossing them into the closet. Shey barefoot on the floor, and ever since that strange numbness began, she hadnt been able to feel her toes. But now, she clearly sensed someones ankle lightly touching hers.
Dong Luorongs body temperature had always been cooler than most peoples, but at this moment, her warmth surpa.s.sed Xie Fengs, spreading through her like a gentle current, as if drawing Xie Fengs very mind toward it.
Let me check if theres anything under her pillow, Dong Luorong said softly.
In a haze, Xie Feng saw her bend down, as if searching the bed. She quickly stripped off the nkets and pillows, shook them out, and tossed them onto the floorconveniently covering Xie Feng beneath them.
Under the weight of the heavy nket, in the dim darkness, Xie Feng finally allowed herself to surrender to the overwhelming force that threatened to crush her.
What happened next, she could only piece together bit by bitter as her mind slowly returned to rity.
As soon as the nket dropped over her, Qiu Chantians shadow moved between the two twin beds. Searching for any sign of Xie Feng, he opened the nightstand drawers and threw all the bedding onto the floormaking the heap next to Dong Luorong seem perfectly natural.
After rifling through the desk, Qiu Chantian strode toward the closet and yanked the door open.
Call someone toe up and open the safe, Qiu Chantian ordered, though he stopped mid-sentence, his voice cutting off abruptly.
At the time, Xie Feng was so disoriented that she didnt even remember who she was, much less think to understand what he had foundthe pair of wet shoes inside the closet.
Come here for a second, Qiu Chantian said after a brief pause, his tone oddly calm.
Dong Luorong stayed where she was. What is it?
Come here, he repeated, his voice unwavering.
After a moments hesitation, Dong Luorong finally moved. The warmth that had been against Xie Feng vanished as she carefully and slowly made her way toward the closet. She stopped two steps short of Qiu Chantian.
Im not going to eat you, Qiu Chantian said, his voice pleasant. From the sound of it, he had reached into the closet and picked something up.
The wet shoe made a loud smack as it struck bare skin, the noise sharp and clear, like a p with water behind it.
Ill deal with youter.
Qiu Chantian said nothing more. As he walked toward the spot where Dong Luorong had been standing, his heavy steps thudded against the carpet, the sound dull but still audible, as if the floor itself trembled beneath his weight.
It was all clear: the shoes were still dripping steadily, meaning they had only just been taken offwhoever had worn them was likely still in the room. And the only ce Qiu Chantian hadnt searched was where Dong Luorong had just been standing.
When his gazended on the trembling nket, a puzzled sound rumbled from his throat. In the next instant, he yanked the nket off Xie Feng with a sharp pull, and a shocked cry burst from him. Evolutionshe evolved!
Dong Luorong, who had rushed back with him, froze at his words.
Evolution? She stepped back, her lower back colliding with the wooden chair by the desk. This this is what evolution looks like?
Qiu Chantian paid her no mind and didnt dare get close to Xie Feng. He stumbled backward, taking two steps toward the door. Though he said nothing, the urgency and fear in his intent to call for help were so palpable it seemed to hang in the air like a scent.
As for Dong Luorong, she had already been erased from his thoughts.
Just as Qiu Chantian turned around and took his first step toward the door, Dong Luorong grabbed the wooden chair with both hands, raised it high, and brought it cras.h.i.+ng down over the back of his head. The chair hit with a dull thud, the kind that makes muscles twitch at the sound.
But life isnt like the movies. Even after taking such a heavy blow, Qiu Chantian didnt lose consciousness. He staggered but started to get back up, fear and rage twisting his face into a hideous snarl.
You stupid b.i.t.c.h, he snarled, grabbing the chair leg and flinging it aside. Dong Luorong couldnt let go in time and was thrown along with it, mming against the desk and hitting her head on the mirror mounted above it. You dare hit me?
He stepped forward and smashed the chair down onto her. Dong Luorong curled in on herself over the desk, not even making a sound.
Qiu Chantian tossed the chair aside and nced back at Xie Feng, confirming that she was still lying on the floor, trembling and unable to stand. He then grabbed a fistful of Dong Luorongs hair, yanking her head down onto the desk. Are you one of those perverts who likes girls? Huh? Is that why youre so cold to men but fight me for a woman? You want to fight? Then fight me! Why arent you fighting now?
But it wasnt long before he stopped moving, too.
With Dong Luorongs head pressed against the desk, his eyes fixed on the mirror in front of him.
In the reflection, Xie Fengher trembling body s.h.i.+fting and unstablewas clutching the curtain, slowly rising to her feet.
For the first time, she saw herself in the midstof her own evolution.
Chapter 1641: Slaughter Prodigy
Chapter 1641: ughter Prodigy
The moment Xie Feng took a step forward, it felt like someone kicked her legs out from under her. She copsed to the floor, half-falling, half-kneeling.
Her evolution had only just begunher body was not yet hers tomand. What she didnt know was that no posthuman, no matter how experienced or capable, forced themselves to act during evolution; it was nearly impossible.
Falling again seemed to break the grip of fear that had frozen Qiu Chantian. He half-turned, gasping for air, his eyes wide, fixed on her.
After a seconds hesitation, he released Dong Luorongs hair, taking a step sideways, never breaking eye contact with Xie Feng.
When Xie Feng, with her arm still rippling like liquid, tried to prop herself up and slowly raised her head, Qiu Chantian couldnt hold back a startled cry.
Hey! he called as he backed toward the door, ncing between her and Dong Luorong. Arent you close with her? Go check on her! Hold her down and stop her from moving! This is strangeshe shouldnt be able to move! She shouldnt be able to move!
Dong Luorong slowly pushed herself off the desk, her dark hair slipping down over her pale face and shoulders. Her eyes s.h.i.+mmered like the surface of water stirred by the wind. She coughed a few times, clearly still in pain from the beating shed taken.
Unaware of herself, Xie Feng attempted to stand again, which sent Qiu Chantian into a panicked frenzy. Hurry! What are you waiting for?
You nning to call for help? Dong Luorong asked calmly, leaning against the desk, her breathing unsteady. Blood seeped from a split along her temple, trickling down her cheek and eye, the varying shades of red forming a pattern like an abstract painting.
Seeing that Dong Luorong wasnt going to cooperate, Qiu Chantian cursed furiously and nced once more at Xie Feng lying on the floor. Then he turned and bolted for the door.
Dong Luorong stepped forward, though she could barely keep herself upright. The sharp intake of breath from her pain cut through Xie Fengs hazy awareness like a cold needle.
The two of them disappeared from Xie Fengs limited field of vision, heading into the hallway.
Let me go! Qiu Chantians enraged voice echoed, followed by a dull thud as if someone had mmed into the closet door. I swear, Ill kill you right here! You believe me?
Dong Luorongughed softly.
It was the sameugh shed made that day. Xie Feng remembered waking from sleep to see her sitting alone by the floor-to-ceiling window. The gray-white light outside drifted through the rain like smoke, and Dong Luorong sat half-shadowed in the dimness.
That quietughcalm, distant, as if her soul were detached from her bodywas exactly the same.
How long do you think itll take to kill me? Dong Luorong asked, almost with interest. If not for her uneven breathing and the asional cough interrupting her, she would have soundedpletely at ease. Ten minutes? Twenty? How long will it take her to finish evolving?
Without waiting for an answer, she continued, Youre in such a hurry to leaveshe probably wont take that long. Go ahead, do what you need to do.
Move! Qiu Chantian barked, his voice carrying more than just ragethere was a trace of fear woven in, almost imperceptible. Are you insane? Do you have any idea what youre doing? Dont you know posthumans can destroy society? When she wakes up, youll die too, along with everyone in this city! Millions of lives. Do you even understand?
Dong Luorong hesitated for a moment, as if those wordsmillions of liveshad finally made her pause.
Thats what disgusts me the most, she whispered after a few seconds.
Her voice was low, almost bitter. You always talk about saving millions, billions, the entire world. But if it suits you, youd line every person up and crush them one by one, wouldnt you?
Xie Feng used every bit of willpower to control her s.h.i.+fting, distorted body as if it were made of light and shadow instead of flesh and blood. Slowly, she dragged herself toward the hallway. The faint rustling sound she made seemed to alert Qiu Chantian.
Get out of the way! Qiu Chantian shouted. There was a scuffle, followed by a heavy thud as someone fell hard onto the hallways tiled floor. Are you out of your mind? he roared in painit was clear he had been the one to fall. Let go of me!
Before he could finish, his voice hitched, transforming into a strangled squawk.
By now, Xie Feng had fully crawled out from behind the bed. The effort required to do so was unimaginable, even for the most experienced posthuman. Yet inch by inch, she dragged herself forward like a vengeful ghost, determined to pull someone into the abyss with her before breaking apartpletely.
Dong Luorongy sprawled on top of Qiu Chantian, pinning down his arms and chest with her full weight. She was in rough shape, blood streaking her temple, cheek, and lips. When she looked up and saw Xie Feng crawling toward her, she couldnt hold back a faint smile. Her bloodied face resembled a withering flower, savoring its final moment of beauty in pain.
Look, shesing to help me, Dong Luorong whispered, her words sticky and wet with the blood on her lips.
Let go of me! Qiu Chantians earlier aggression vanished the moment he saw Xie Feng. Shes not here to help you! Im telling youone of them evolved in the control room after we captured them. Their face split wide open, and they bit off a guards hand, eating it whole. They dont care about helping anyonethey just want to kill!
Dong Luorong faltered for a moment. Really? she asked, ncing down at him.
Why the h.e.l.l would I lie to you right now? Qiu Chantian stammered, nearly biting his tongue in his desperation. Taking advantage of the moment, he shoved Dong Luorong aside. She lost her bnce and hit her head against the wall with a dull thud.
Scrambling to his feet, Qiu Chantian didnt get far before Dong Luorong grabbed his ankle and yanked him back. He crashed to the floor again, this time smacking his face against the door handle. He let out a pained yelp, but there was no time to waste. Pressing against the door, he banged on it frantically and shouted, Help! Somebody! Open the door! Save me!
Dong Luorong coughed and gasped from where shey. This hotel is soundproof, she said, panting. I made sure of that. No need to worry about the quality.
Qiu Chantian turned his head in terror, ncing back. Xie Feng was already dragging herself into the hallway, like a predator drawn by the scent of blood. Nothing could stop her now.
Driven to the edge of fear, Qiu Chantians panic boiled over into blind rage. He kicked Dong Luorong hard in the shoulder, sending her sprawling backward.
You wont let me leave? Fine! Then Ill kill her. Im not scared of her. Ill stop her before she finishes evolving! His eyes were bloodshot, foam flecking the corners of his mouth as he ranted. He decided not to fleeDong Luorong alone was no match for him. With a furiousugh, he threw a few wild punches at her. Instinctively, she raised her arms to s.h.i.+eld her face, shrinking under the a.s.sault.
Laughing breathlessly, Qiu Chantian tried to stand but failed, too injured from the scuffle to move properly. Instead, he crawled toward the bathroom on all fours. As he pried the lid off the toilets water tank, he shouted over his shoulder, Come on, get in here! Dont tell me youre not fully evolvedIve already killed plenty of you freaks in the early stages!
Dong Luorong struggled to her feet, watching as Xie Feng slowly crawled past her, inching toward the bathroom without acknowledging her presence, as if she didnt exist. Xie Feng was focused solely on reaching Qiu Chantian.
Wait! Dong Luorong called out, panic creeping into her voice. She hesitated, torn between stopping Xie Feng and staying away from her. Dont go in there! Can you hear me? Xie Feng? Xie Feng?
When she tried to shut the bathroom door, Qiu Chantian was already staggering toward the doorway, clutching the heavy ceramic lid from the toilet tank. He raised it high above his head, ready to strike.
The white porcin lid came cras.h.i.+ng down on Xie Fengs ever-s.h.i.+fting head, shattering into fragments and dust that scattered into the air.
Qiu Chantians lips and cheeks trembled, disbelief written all over his face. Slowly, a grin started to creep onto his faceuntil Dong Luorong rammed into him, throwing him off bnce. He toppled backward into the bathroom, hitting his head hard on the edge of the toilet.
You had to give it to Qiu Chantianhis skull was tough. After all the blows hed taken, even lying sprawled out on the cold tiles in excruciating pain, he still hadnt pa.s.sed out. But as he gasped for breath and tried to sit up, Xie Feng had already reached him.
If anyone were watching this scene unfold, they would think they were witnessing some kind of absurd theater.
Are you going to eat him? Dong Luorong asked from the doorway, her voice tinged with uneaseeven though she knew Xie Feng was far from capable of answering. So posthumans really eat people?
Wait! Qiu Chantian gasped, staring into Xie Fengs constantly s.h.i.+fting face, his own drained of color. Xiao Rong, please pull her away! We we loved each other once, didnt we?
Dong Luorong couldnt help itsheughed.
As her low, quietughter echoed, Xie Feng slowly steadied herself, supporting her unstable body. She raised one hand, cing it on Qiu Chantians face.
An iplete evolution made even basic movement a challengelet alone anything requiring strength or skill.
Soter, when Xie Feng recalled this moment, even she found herself stunned, wondering how she had thought of what she did next. It was as if her instincts had taken over, a predators brain guiding her every move without hesitation, effortlessly knowing how to use every advantage to kill.
Under Qiu Chantians wide, terrified eyes, Xie Feng forced her hand into his mouth, prying his jaws apart and shoving her fist inside.
Her body was still in flux, and the shape of her hand continued to s.h.i.+ft and ripple wildly.
Each pulse, each violent twist within his mouth, smashed against the walls of his oral cavity. His teeth shattered one by one, his facial bones snapped inward, and a mixture of blood, saliva, and fragments of shattered bone seeped out from the torn corners of his mouth.
Qiu Chantians desperate kicks and iling punchesnded uselessly, as though striking stone. Xie Feng seemed oblivious to them, her arm pressing deeper and deeper until nearly half of it was engulfed in the warm, wet interior of his skull.
Dong Luorong, pale and stumbling, had alreadybacked away from the doorway.
Chapter 1642: You Wont Be Abandoned
Chapter 1642: You Wont Be Abandoned
When Xie Feng woke up, she was lying in the bathroom, the air thick with the pungent stench of blood and bodily waste.
She wished someone could censor what her eyes were seeing because the moment the bathroom scene became clear, she couldnt hold it in anymore. She lunged toward the sink and emptied everything from her stomachpulling her arm out, the wet squelch of rotten flesh stirred under her touch, a sensation she knew she would never forget for the rest of her life.
Xie Feng turned on the faucet. For the next several minutes, all she could do was vomit. Her mind was nk, unable to process anything else.
She caught a glimpse of her blood-soaked arm and quickly thrust it under the running water. As she rinsed, she gagged and threw up several more timesfragments of nerves wedged under her nails, shards of bone slipping off her skin. The blood was so thick it seemed to rinse awayyer afteryer, as though she would never reach her own flesh.
Amid the sound of water and retching, she still caught a faint rustling, the soft whisper of fabric s.h.i.+ftingsomeone seemed to be approaching. Xie Feng straightened up from the sink and turned toward the bathroom door.
Dong Luorong never stepped into view.
The two of them, one inside and one outside, waited in silence for a while. Finally, a soft voice broke through the stillness.
Xie Feng?
The moment her name was called, something inside Xie Feng cracked open, letting all her bottled-up emotions spill free.
I did I really evolve? Was it me who did that just now? she asked, her voice trembling, almost breaking into sobs.
You you can still talk? Are you going to kill and eat me too? Dong Luorong asked cautiously from the other side of the door, her voice filled with hesitation.
Xie Feng wanted tough and cry at the same time. She stumbled out of the bathroom into a dimly lit room, where only a single deskmp was on. The faint light from outside filtered through the relentless gray rain, casting a hazy mist into the room.
Dong Luorong sat curled at the edge of the bed, her legs drawn up. Blood from her body stained the white sheets in patches of red. Her face looked like frozen snow, paler than the bedsheet beneath her. She stared at Xie Feng, as fragile as a tightly bound paper doll, ready to crumble with the slightest touch.
I dont eat people, Xie Feng blurted, suddenly realizing she needed to make that clear. I dont you dont need to be afraid of me!
At least, she hoped she didnt. The state Qiu Chantian had been left in made it impossible to tell if hed been eaten or not. Xie Feng quickly ran her tongue along her teethher mouth seemed clean enough.
Whatever Qiu Chantian had been talking about with eating people, it didnt seem to apply to her.
Dong Luorong gave a small nod, but she didnt dare move right away. After a few seconds, she asked, Whats going on do you know?
Xie Feng felt like she knew, but at the same time, she didnt. She looked down at her hands and said, I have a vague idea, but its blurry. I need to test it out to be sure. But hes dead really dead. I killed him. What about you? What are we going to do now?
Dong Luorong s.h.i.+vered, as if a cloud of confusion had drifted across her face.
After fighting for her life, she seemed to have run out of strength. Whether it was from exhaustion or injury, she now looked lost and fragile, as if she no longer had the energy to think clearly.
I I dont know. She gave a small, quietugh and murmured, I always thought hed live forever, with all his power. Its kind of funny, isnt it? Everyone dies, but I never believed he would. I thought so many times, If only he were dead. Why does the world reward people like that? To live with dignity, you have to do undignified things its just not right. I had so many chances to kill him, but I never believed he would actually die. Not ever.
Xie Feng trembled as she walked over and knelt by the bedside. Her thoughts drifted away, her voice soft and hazy, as if the threads tying her to life were slowly unraveling.
Its all right, she whispered to Dong Luorong, as if the other woman had suddenly be a little girl. Its all right Ive evolved. From now on, I can protect you.
The word evolved seemed to pull Dong Luorong back a little from the brink.
She looked into Xie Fengs eyes and said, Youre a posthuman now
And I dont feel the urge to destroy the world, Xie Feng forced a smile, hoping it might coax one from Dong Luorong as well. I dont think I could even if I wanted to. Im not capable of it right now.
So, what can you do? Dong Luorong asked in a small voice.
Xie Feng nced around, then stood and grabbed the phone from the other bedside table. Her vision had sharpened to an incredible rity, and her body felt light and powerful, as if it were made of pure energy. With the ease of cracking open a peanut sh.e.l.l, she crushed the phone in her hands, the pieces scattering across the bed.
Dong Luorong stared in stunned silence, her wide eyes reminiscent of a kitten seeing a television screen for the first time.
And what else? she asked eagerly, sitting up in excitement. The brightness in her gaze looked almost like a final spark of life. But the movement pulled at her wounds, and a pained groan escaped her lips. After catching her breath, she asked, I heard posthumans are terrifying. Do you have any other abilities?