Chapter 118

118/Seventh-rate

Lu Yan's phone had a global positioning system. Aside from failing whenever a pollutant was nearby, it was quite reliable in other aspects.

He hung up and floated in the water for another two minutes before a vast shadow blotted out the sky above.

Squinting, Lu Yan remarked to the system, "His wings look longer."

Last time, the dragon's wingspan had been maybe three or four meters. Now it was easily over five.

[Indeed. Heavier too,] the system noted with sincere concern. [An inevitable consequence of evolution. Puppy Dragon's weight has ballooned to over seven hundred pounds. If you ever take an elevator with him in public, be careful.]

The dark silhouette closed the distance in a heartbeat, landing before him. According to the usual script, the next step would be for the dragon to snatch the princess.

Lu Yan looked up into Tang Xun'an's golden eyes. They were like living sunlight.

Growing up with his own face in the mirror every morning had left Lu Yan largely indifferent to other people's looks. Even so, he had to admit Tang Xun'an's features were perfectly arranged—a kind of sharp, lethal beauty, like a honed blade.

Yet whenever that blade was turned toward him, its edge was always sheathed, as if afraid of cutting him.

[According to some relationship blogs, eye contact lasting over five seconds can lead to love at first sight. You've just passed ten. I consider this a dangerous development… Fine, I admit it. I'm a little jealous. I've already gotten rid of the baby. I wish you both happiness.]

"What baby?" Lu Yan asked.

[You, my dumb son.]

"……"

He'd admit Tang Xun'an's face had momentarily captivated him. But the system had a true gift for killing the mood, and Lu Yan's clarity returned.

Tang Xun'an sank halfway into the water, his wings dripping. "Can I hold you?"

Lu Yan thought for a moment. "Go ahead."

His memories weren't crystal clear, but he recalled being carried before—by Bai Qiushi, by Michael.

He'd assumed Tang Xun'an meant carrying him through the air. Instead, the man opened his arms and pulled Lu Yan into a crushing embrace.

Oh. That kind of holding.

Tang Xun'an inhaled deeply, scenting no blood on Lu Yan. Only then did the knot in his chest loosen slightly.

"Mission complete?" he asked.

"The Holy One is dead."

"Satellite feeds from a few days ago picked up a brief, intense pollution spike in Changjia, followed by a sustained drop in overall concentration. The various departments have been discussing it ever since."

The topic of discussion: Had that unknown expert who took the Divine Kingdom mission actually pulled it off?

It seemed impossible, yet it was the only explanation.

Lu Yan could already imagine the uproar at headquarters once he submitted Ning Huai's mission report.

To outsiders, he'd single-handedly completed the impossible.

"I want to go to the nearest Pollution Disease Control Center," Lu Yan said after a moment.

"And then?"

"Go home and rest for a couple of days."

That was likely why headquarters tirelessly gifted properties to Awakened.

No matter how powerful a person became, everyone needed a home.

A home meant connections. Things worth protecting. A tether to human society.

Tang Xun'an asked nothing else.

Truthfully, just seeing Lu Yan whole and unharmed was enough.

He gave his wings a slight shake, shedding water from his scales and feathers, then tucked Lu Yan's head into the crook of his arm. "We'll head to the Center first. The wind will be strong."

They shot into the sky, rushing wind roaring past Lu Yan's ears.

He looked down. An endless expanse of ocean stretched in every direction. Occasionally, a dolphin broke the surface. With Changjia's complete fall, the waters around the island nation were pristine.

Flying was exhilarating. It felt like skydiving.

Lu Yan's heartbeat quickened a notch.

The system erupted in fury. [That dog! There's a ship just a few kilometers away, but he has to fly you back! What kind of person is he?! Can't headquarters send someone to rein him in?!]

The nearest Control Center headquarters was on an island.

The water here was clear, coral reefs visible beneath the surface. Several tall buildings stood at the island's heart.

"With marine Pollution Diseases becoming more severe, headquarters has established several outposts over the ocean," Tang Xun'an explained. "Mainly for monitoring marine pollutants and relaying intel back to land."

Coastal areas faced regular raids from marine pollutants hunting ashore. These creatures had evolved longer and were far harder to deal with.

Marine Pollution Disease control had become a global priority.

The island had no civilian residents, only relevant personnel. A base occupied its center.

Half was the Control Center and living quarters; the other half, a shipyard and repair dock staffed by researchers from the Fifth Institute, tasked with fixing damaged vessels.

Tang Xun'an set Lu Yan down gently.

The system fumed again. [Calculating lizard! He did that on purpose. He could've put you down on the deserted shore, but no, he had to land right at the Center's entrance. Now the whole island knows!]

Lu Yan thought the system was overreacting.

It was three in the morning. While the Center operated around the clock, few staff were on duty at this hour.

The front desk attendant perked up at the sight of strangers. "Good evening, gentlemen. This is the Tongtai Island Pollution Disease Control Center."

Tang Xun'an produced his employee ID from his jacket. "Two rooms. Adjoining."

The Center served multiple functions, providing Awakened with free room and board.

The system snorted. [He's so practiced at this. Must've checked in with plenty of people over the decades.]

The attendant jolted fully awake upon seeing the "S-Class" designation on the ID.

Only one person in the entire Special Operations Department held that rank.

His expression shifted to one of deep respect as he handed over the key cards with reverence. "Please contact the front desk for any needs. My employee number is GX*****."

Despite being a remote island that might see only a handful of Awakened guests a year, the accommodations were surprisingly good.

A bedroom, living area, private bathroom, even a small kitchen stocked with sealed disposable utensils.

Being an island, the window opened to a view of white sand and azure sea.

[Before Pollution Diseases spread widely, these islands saw plenty of tourists,] the system said. [But ocean travel grew too dangerous. The districts banned recreational voyages one after another, and the tourist islands were abandoned. This base was converted from a resort. The facilities are naturally decent.]

Lu Yan took a shower, changed into pajamas, and used the front desk computer to log into his forum account.

For real-name missions, submission happened at the Control Center. For anonymous missions, you needed to log in and submit supporting materials yourself. Verification would follow, with corresponding rewards issued.

Lu Yan retrieved the handwritten documents from Ning Huai and the others from his waterproof bag, scanned and uploaded them to the backend, and wrote a brief mission summary.

Unlike the Special Operations employee app, the Awakened Forum's anonymity settings were strict. When anonymity was selected, even forum administrators had no authority to view the submitter's identity.

Lu Yan thought for a moment and selected second-level anonymity. His identity would be concealed from the public but disclosed to headquarters high-level officials.

After all, headquarters needed to send someone to disperse Changjia's sea fog. Otherwise, Ning Huai and the others would remain trapped on the island.

The new generation of followers could continue their ideological rehabilitation on Changjia, but Ning Huai's group of Awakened had already wasted too much youth in the Divine Kingdom. It was time for them to return home in glory.

He was halfway through his report when a knock came at the door.

A glance at the time: eight in the morning. An hour or two later than he'd expected.

Tang Xun'an really knew how to wait.

"It's open," Lu Yan called.

Unexpectedly, the person who entered wasn't Tang Xun'an, but the attendant from earlier.

He wore a gentle smile. After entering, he turned and locked the door behind him.

[No hostile intent toward you,] the system murmured. [But he's not staff.]

The person by the door spoke, his voice both strange and familiar. "Doctor Lu."

[Shen Qingyang. In a mimicry state.]

Lu Yan closed the laptop, his expression guarded. "What are you doing here?"

No matter how human he appeared, the Shen Qingyang before him was ultimately a pollutant.

"I've been waiting nearby for you," Shen Qingyang replied. He took two steps forward, then slowly halted. "It seems you don't want me too close."

A flicker of hurt crossed his face, but a smile quickly returned. "Doctor. I didn't kill anyone… The previous attendant was on the night shift. He left after shift change. I mimicked his form and came back, saying I'd forgotten something."

Lu Yan studied him carefully. "You look fully recovered."

"I am," Shen Qingyang answered. "As long as the tentacle connected to my brain lives, I can keep living."

For any pollutant, the location of their fatal weakness was absolute privacy.

Yet Shen Qingyang stated it without reservation, as if discussing the weather.

"How did you know I'd come here?" Lu Yan asked.

"That's one of the things I wanted to tell you."

Shen Qingyang gently opened his left hand. On his palm, a brown-black eyeball emerged, bloodshot and filled with terror.

The eye let out a hoarse, low roar. "I've told you everything I know! Why won't you let me go?"

Lu Yan sensed a familiar aura from that eye.

His lips pressed into a thin line, his expression cooling.

Shen Qingyang smiled. "This is my teacher. His pollution value isn't low, but his combat strength is too weak. I thought about it for a long time and finally found a convenient way to carry him with me. As long as he's on me, Teacher doesn't have to worry about getting hurt."

"Doctor," his voice dropped, a siren's lure, "just pierce this eyeball, and Teacher can disappear forever. The foresight talent is quite good, but it's not as important as your happiness."

Shen Qingyang's features began to shift, like modeling clay, finally settling into his original appearance.

He looked into Lu Yan's eyes, a smile in his gaze but no joy in it. "How about we make a deal? I'll cut Teacher off and give him to you. All I want is for you to hold me, Doctor."

"System," Lu Yan murmured.

[Shen Qingyang. Codename: Black Sheath. Pollution Value: 10,400.]

[Talents: Life Drain, Foresight, Mimicry.]

[Due to an unexpected incident, the Prophet Werewolf self-destructed, discovering the traitor had been right beside him all along. Pity he realized it too late.]

[As you can see, pollutant Lu Cheng has been devoured by pollutant Shen Qingyang. Shen Qingyang thus obtained the Foresight talent. Forgive my bluntness, but this talent is far more effective in his hands than it ever was in Lu Cheng's.]

A pool of dark, massive shadow stretched at Shen Qingyang's feet.

The morning sun cast his silhouette—a writhing mass of tentacles.

Despite the brilliant dawn outside, the room's atmosphere turned cold and damp.

A faint mist of condensation formed on Lu Yan's hands.

Without a visible change in expression, he drew the dagger from his waist, gripping it tightly.

Shen Qingyang stepped toward him. "Doctor. I saw. You came with Tang Xian'an. He was carrying you. Why him?"

—Why him, and not me?

That was the real question.

Shen Qingyang closed the distance, step by step, his tone growing agitated. "I would die for you. Would he? He isn't worthy of you!"

Having worked in the hospital for years, Lu Yan knew how to calm distraught family members. "Calm down. I returned with him because there was no other transportation on the sea. We have no relationship beyond being colleagues."

Shen Qingyang just stared at him, an inexplicable hurt in his expression. "You're lying."

"But it's okay," a smile returned to his face. "At least you're willing to lie to me. Before, you had a chance to kill Teacher, but you let him go. That was because of me too, right? That makes me happy, Doctor."

"I know being seen with me would cause you trouble."

A black tentacle slithered out from beneath Shen Qingyang's clothes, its tip clutching a letter.

It placed the envelope on the edge of Lu Yan's desk.

"This is the other thing I wanted to tell you." Shen Qingyang's smile turned sickly. "I'll prove that I'm the only one truly suited for you."

After saying this, Shen Qingyang didn't wait for a reply. He took a few steps back, shifting back into the form of the staff member.

Lu Yan let out a slow, controlled breath.

He turned, his gaze falling on the envelope.

Walking over, he opened it. Inside were just two lines of printed text.

[49°51′S, 128°34′W]

[I'll be waiting for you in the Abyss.]

*

Shen Qingyang pushed the door open and retreated from Lu Yan's room.

He had taken only a few steps when he ran into Tang Xian'an returning from outside.

Tang Xian'an had previously taken 82 years of accumulated leave all at once—close to 900 days. The headquarters staff had nearly fainted at the request.

After some intense negotiation, Tang Xian'an still got his 900 days, but with a condition: every few days, he had to spend thirty minutes in a brief meeting, listening to headquarters report on the progress of Pollution Disease control work.

On one hand, it was to prick his conscience and get him back to work sooner.

On the other, it was to ensure he didn't go completely off-grid, making him unreachable in a crisis.

The two men passed each other.

Tang Xian'an sniffed the air, then suddenly spoke. "Wait."

Shen Qingyang turned, a respectful smile on his face. "Is there something you require, Mr. Tyrant?"

Tang Xian'an frowned, his eyes locking onto Shen Qingyang's face, his pupils contracting to pinpoints.

Anyone familiar with him would recognize it—he had entered combat readiness.

Tang Xian'an extended his hand, his voice cool. "Let me see your work credentials."