Chapter 57
Yu Zhi almost couldn’t keep his expression under control; he had a string of curses right on the tip of his tongue.
He prided himself on being thick-skinned, but he never expected to meet someone even more shameless.
Fu Suxi could stoop this low?
What, are all novel protagonists like this nowadays?!
Yu Zhi slowly let out a breath, staring at Fu Suxi without blinking, suddenly wanting to rip off that sharply handsome façade and see if it was really Fu Suxi underneath.
After a moment’s thought, he couldn’t hold back and directly voiced his thoughts: “Can you have a little dignity?”
“This is in public!”
Fu Suxi’s movement paused. Noticing the researcher, Shang Yu, and Zuo Feiyang all looking at him, even though he hadn’t actually done anything, people would inevitably imagine things.
“…..”
Fu Suxi let out a short laugh, dragging out the tone. “Sure. We’ll talk about it tonight.”
Yu Zhi’s mouth twitched. “…”
“Cough, cough, cough—” Shang Yu was clearly startled and burst into a round of violent coughing.
Zuo Feiyang and the researcher both looked away, somewhat embarrassed. Only Lu Liming, who half-knew the truth, kept glancing at them with quiet astonishment. Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.
After a couple of seconds, Shang Yu sensed the tense atmosphere between Yu Zhi and Fu Suxi and quickly changed the subject. She asked the researcher, “Did the Research Department’s request for an S-level ability user blood study project get approved recently?”
The researcher regained his composure and shook his head. “No. Even though the Central Bureau mentioned there are now a few more S-level ability users, every request we’ve made has been rejected.”
Shang Yu noticed that Yu Zhi and Fu Suxi’s attention had shifted to her, and she discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, praying that these two masters wouldn’t say something else that would be awkward for them to hear.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to hear it—she really, really wanted to. She just feared Minister Yu’s unpredictable temperament and the potential trouble that might come later.
Zuo Feiyang continued the topic, “I remember that Dr. Qi drew several tubes of blood from Yu You for testing. Why not check if there’s any left?”
The researcher’s eyes lit up. “Good idea, I’ll go right now.”
“Wait.” Fu Suxi suddenly called out.
Yu Zhi looked over. Fu Suxi was also looking at him, his gaze cold. “Blood’s enough? You don’t need to cut off some flesh too?”
It sounded like he was addressing the researcher, but in truth it was a threat aimed at Yu Zhi.
Yu Zhi gritted his teeth inwardly. A man under the eaves must bow his head.
He no longer locked horns with Fu Suxi. After thinking for a bit, he generously said to the researcher, “Then just scr*pe off some dead skin.”
Everyone: “…”
The researcher also sensed the strange atmosphere between the two. He carefully glanced at Fu Suxi and then looked to Shang Yu for help.
Shang Yu smoothed things over: “You guys at the Research Department should discuss it first. We don’t understand research matters anyway, and it’s not like Yu You can run away.”
Fu Suxi shot her a glance and said casually, “While you’re at it, request a new testing device from the Central Bureau.”
The researcher nodded repeatedly. After printing out the test report, he quickly left to head to the Mental Power Research Room.
He rushed out and ran straight into a colleague emerging from inside. He grabbed the person’s arm, “Weren’t you analyzing some blood with Qi Zong a couple of days ago?”
The colleague nodded. “Yes, Old Qi said something was off with that ability user’s wound and asked me to help check.”
The researcher pressed on, “Is there still any of that blood left?”
The colleague was confused. “Maybe, I don’t remember. What’s going on?”
The researcher said excitedly, “He’s an S-level ability user! Whatever you do, don’t throw away the remaining blood!”
The colleague: “Holy shit?!”
The researcher couldn’t contain his excitement, clinging to his colleague’s arm and continuing, “You know he’s the new Operations Department Minister’s older brother, right? Have you heard about the relationship between the brothers? Just now, in the testing room…”
Meanwhile, testing finished, Fu Suxi took Yu Zhi and left the Operations Bureau in an armored vehicle. Lu Liming, being a healing ability user, was ordered to remain behind to help.
Yu Zhi didn’t show any dissatisfaction. First, he was actually curious to see what conditions in the safe zone were like. Second, he was genuinely worried that Fu Suxi might cut off some of his flesh and send it to the Research Department for study.
After all, compared to killing someone, what’s a little flesh-cutting?
Inside the armored vehicle, besides the driver, there was no one else. Fu Suxi said nothing, and Yu Zhi turned to look out the window. At times he pondered how to squeeze money out of Fu Suxi, at other times he admired the city’s scenery.
The simple main mission 3 had lasted nine days, and the city had regained some semblance of life. Many shops along the streets had their shutters raised, and you could occasionally see small groups of people traveling together. Although it wasn’t as bustling as before, at least there were signs of human activity.
Only when a familiar massive wall appeared in his field of vision did Yu Zhi recall that this road led outside the wall.
After some hesitation, he couldn’t help asking Fu Suxi, “Where are we going?”
Fu Suxi, resting with his eyes closed, replied without emotion, “The wall gate.”
Yu Zhi pressed further, “What for?”
Fu Suxi shot back, “Don’t you have a prophecy ability?”
Yu Zhi answered calmly, “My ability is passive and beyond my control.”
After that, he didn’t ask any more questions and looked back out the window.
He didn’t realize that the moment he turned away, Fu Suxi opened his eyes, his dark pupils fixed straight on Yu Zhi’s back.
Sunlight fell on Yu Zhi’s fine, dark hair, forming a hazy halo. His already fair skin looked almost translucent. Suddenly, as if he spotted something, the slender figure leaned back slightly in fear.
Fu Suxi glanced outside. There was a not-too-big spider dangling by a thread, swaying in the wind.
As soon as it smacked onto the glass, it seemed frightened, dropping down in a panic and leaving only a thin strand of silk drifting in midair.
Fu Suxi’s gaze lingered, narrowing thoughtfully.
Back in H City, the cockroach-type pollutions chasing after “Yu You” would, at certain moments, become terrified of him and rush blindly to their deaths. Additionally, Zuo Feiyang’s report mentioned Yu You leading away pollution sources twice at Taijiang High School.
Pollution sources, mental power, abilities… this person had too many mysteries. If he wasn’t from the Bureau, he could be a potential trouble.
Fu Suxi had no patience for slow unraveling, nor the time.
The most perfect solution would be to kill him.
Fu Suxi rubbed his fingertip. Murderous intent surged up in his heart, only to be cleansed immediately by that invisible force.
—
Soon, the armored vehicle approached the first wall.
From a distance, Yu Zhi saw quite a few people setting up street stalls by the roadside. As they got closer, he noticed the wary, awestruck expressions on their faces. Some timid vendors even packed up and ran away, as if they were seeing ferocious beasts.
Yu Zhi blinked. Looks like the Operations Bureau didn’t have a very good reputation around here. Everyone acted as if they’d seen a flood or a savage beast.
The armored vehicle slowed down and passed unimpeded through the first wall. It finally stopped at the gate of the second wall.
After getting off, Yu Zhi noticed that security here was much stricter than before.
Two squads of heavily armed soldiers stood guard on either side of the city gate, each soldier wearing thick protective gear and holding a weapon. Behind them were two rows of heavy weaponry, all glaring coldly at anyone entering from outside.
Leading them was a uniformed officer with four or five people behind him. All looked fatigued and fearful, as if one misstep would get them shot.
About a dozen meters outside the wall gate were two small rooms built on flat ground, one for ordinary people and one for ability users, both used for parasite detection. Looking out, one could see a line of private cars coming from the road’s end, advancing in an orderly fashion. Nobody was overtaking; it looked like a proper convoy.
Yu Zhi withdrew his gaze and followed Fu Suxi to one of the detection rooms. Suddenly, Fu Suxi spoke out of nowhere: “Give me your phone.”
Yu Zhi gave him a strange look. “I don’t have your phone.”
Fu Suxi: “…Your phone, give it to me.”
Why did he want his phone? Yu Zhi maintained a straight face. “I lost my phone.”
Fu Suxi shot him a look and said nothing more, turning to enter the detection room.
Yu Zhi looked up. The detection room was basically a blood sampling station, heavily guarded by soldiers.
Two armed soldiers stood watch outside, and inside the nurse’s station were another two soldiers.
He watched as Fu Suxi casually pulled out a chair and sat down, lighting a cigarette and smoking as if no one else were around. Yu Zhi paused in his steps and decided not to go in any further.
Fu Suxi looked quite at ease; it didn’t seem like he was here because of the pollution sources.
After a moment of thought, Yu Zhi tentatively took a few steps to the side. Seeing that Fu Suxi didn’t even blink, he pushed his luck and moved even further away.
Once he was at a distance where the guarding soldiers couldn’t overhear him, he responded to a few barrage comments:
“Why are we here? My good-for-nothing younger brother wants a breath of that murky air outside the wall.”
“Why not run away? For money.”
“Can you beat your brother? I’d lose for sure.”
Not long after, the convoy pulled over by the roadside. A group of people got out of their cars, approaching the testing room one after another.
At the very front was a couple in their thirties. The curly-haired woman glanced at the soldiers, then rested her gaze on Yu Zhi, who seemed more approachable.
“Hey, young man,” she asked, “we just came from Province Yi. What’s going on here?”
Yu Zhi caught sight of a shifty-eyed man in a dress shirt hiding behind her and replied, “You go inside for a blood test. If you’re not contaminated, you can enter.”
Upon hearing this, the man in the shirt’s expression changed slightly. “What about those who are contaminated?”
Yu Zhi fixed his eyes on him and countered, “Are you contaminated?”
The man’s face darkened even more and he couldn’t help cursing, “You’re the one who’s contaminated! I’m just asking, can’t I even ask a question?”
His loud voice drew the attention of the others in the convoy, who gathered around.
Perhaps because he noticed a crowd forming, an ability user in the Special Operations Bureau’s uniform came out of the testing room. He said coldly, “What’s all the noise about?” and then added, “Ordinary people, line up here for blood tests. Ability users, go next door.”
Seeing this, the curly-haired woman asked hurriedly, “Hey, can we drive our own car inside?”
The ability user answered, “After registration, yes.”
Some others in the convoy crowded forward, chattering, “Can we bring all our belongings in?” “Once we’re inside, can we leave again? We’re just passing through to get to Province Y.” “What’s the blood test checking for?”
All talking at once, their questions made the ability user’s head ache. He frowned, “Just line up for the test first. We’ll talk about everything else afterward. One by one, form a line. Don’t crowd together. If someone’s contaminated…”
Hearing that word again, everyone’s faces changed, and they all backed away from each other, keeping their distance.
Yu Zhi noticed a few who backed up really far, occasionally sneaking looks at him, their faces tinged with fear.
Before he could figure out why, he caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.
Fu Suxi was leaning slantwise against the door, cigarette between his lips. Even through the smoke, Yu Zhi could tell he was staring at him. Who knew how long he’d been watching.
The next second, Fu Suxi raised his right hand, holding a gun. The black barrel aimed at the shirted man behind the curly-haired woman.
“Bang—”
A gunshot rang out. Yu Zhi felt a warm, bloody scent splash onto his right cheek.
The man in the shirt collapsed to the ground with a thud, eyes wide open, red and white matter gushing from the center of his brow.
For a second, the air was deathly still, and then a wave of screams erupted.
Yu Zhi watched as Fu Suxi turned his gun toward the others. On instinct, Yu Zhi tried using that special ability of his—his “verbal” ability—on Fu Suxi.
“Bang—”
“Bang—”
“Bang—”
The verbal ability didn’t nullify Fu Suxi’s intent to kill. Yu Zhi’s heart sank.
Fu Suxi fired several more shots, each one a perfect headshot, each victim killed instantly. Blood spread in patches across the ground, staining the dirt a dark red.
Only after emptying a magazine did Fu Suxi return the gun to the ability user beside him. His face, chiseled and razor-sharp, was partly obscured by the pale smoke, making it impossible to discern his expression.
“These people were contaminated. Clean up the bodies,” he said. “From today on, anyone parasitically contaminated is to be executed on the spot.”
The ability user was silent for a moment, then moved to deal with the corpses.
The bodies were soon engulfed in flames, crackling and popping as they burned.
Kill without a word, then burn the bodies on the spot.
The curly-haired woman had collapsed to the ground. She stared fixedly at Fu Suxi with bloodshot eyes, forcing out a hoarse, shrill question: “We haven’t even been tested yet. On what grounds do you say my husband was contaminated?!”
Her voice, harsh and piercing, was like a sharp blade slicing through the silence.
Yu Zhi pressed his lips together, his face turning a shade paler.
It seemed Fu Suxi noticed the subtle change in Yu Zhi’s complexion. With the cigarette still clenched between his teeth, he strode over to Yu Zhi’s side. His long fingers slowly wiped away the blood splattered on Yu Zhi’s face. The action was extremely slow, carrying a hint of ambiguity.
“Baby, tell her,” Fu Suxi said lightly. “Tell her on what grounds.”
Yu Zhi slapped away his hand, expressionless, and said, “You made it up out of thin air.”
Fu Suxi: “…”
