MCL CH6

Chapter 6: He did indeed just throw himself into…

A black sedan pulled to a steady stop by the roadside. The door opened, and Yan Xingzhou, dressed in stark black, stepped out.

The mere sight of this figure gave Qi Xian a headache, but he had no choice but to go forward to greet him. “President Yan, what brings you here?”

Yan Xingzhou: “To facilitate a smooth operation, I’ve brought the Corporation’s security team to assist.”

As he spoke, dozens of well-trained ability users jumped out from the convoy of vehicles following behind, forming ranks in an instant.

Seeing the uniforms all bearing the Wanyuan Corporation logo, the others present couldn’t help but cast sidelong glances, feeling a pang of shame.

It had to be said, as expected of the Corporation’s security team, their swift and decisive manner was already comparable to the military.

Hearing that there was personnel support, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Qi Xian’s tense face. “Thank you very much, but there’s no need for you to personally make this trip.”

First providing intelligence, then dispatching personnel to assist—when he was assigned to this jurisdiction, everyone had expressed their condolences for him having to deal with Yan Xingzhou. After this incident, if anyone said another bad word about President Yan, he would be the first to get angry. With Wanyuan Corporation’s cooperative attitude, they were simply the best representative of an outstanding citizen!

However, Qi Xian soon noticed that the man before him was dressed noticeably different from usual.

Unlike his usual impeccable black suit, the sleek uniform outlined a streamlined figure. A departure from his usual methodical style, this figure, set against the twilight, subconsciously reminded him of the man’s other title besides “businessman”—the “Dictator.”

This attire was clearly for ease of movement.

A thought began to form in his mind. Qi Xian hesitated, opened his mouth, and finally asked tentatively, “Are you, by any chance, going in with us too?”

Yan Xingzhou unhurriedly fastened the cufflink on his sleeve, his gaze lifting. “Is there a problem?”

Answering a question with a question. A deathly silence suddenly fell over the surroundings.

The tone was obviously flat, without much extra emotion, yet it clearly made Qi Xian feel an absolute pressure from a superior.

Facing this “best representative of an outstanding citizen,” he actually broke out in a cold sweat in just a few short seconds.

A gust of wind blew past. Feeling the chill on his back, Qi Xian straightened up slightly, maintaining the smile on his face. “Of course there’s no problem. Before I was assigned to this jurisdiction, the headquarters had already given me clear instructions. Not just in N City, but in all jurisdictions within Z Province, Wanyuan Corporation has the highest executive authority.”

Yan Xingzhou nodded. “I’m glad the United Administration still remembers the agreement I have with them.”

Qi Xian still didn’t understand what kind of motivation could make Yan Xingzhou personally enter the quarantine zone, but judging by his attitude, this person clearly had no intention of explaining further.

Not far away, chaos erupted. He gripped the communicator in his hand and, tactfully, did not pursue the matter further, quickly throwing himself into his command duties.

Yan Xingzhou’s gaze fell on the receding figure. Only after the person had walked far away did he speak, in a declarative tone, “Only the one inside is left.”

During their conversation just now, the assistant Ju Ze had stood silently to the side, like a non-existent statue. Now, he pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and replied respectfully, “The rift area this time has been completely cleared. For now, no energy fluctuations captured at that time have been detected from the remains. If the energy source does exist, this C-class contaminant is indeed the only remaining possibility. But, President, this is already the 48th time. If it’s another misdetection…”

“It doesn’t matter,” Yan Xingzhou interrupted the subsequent hypothesis, his tone filled with sufficient patience. “I don’t mind waiting for the 49th time.”

Boom—!

A huge explosion, accompanied by a faint tremor in the ground. The building complex not far away was engulfed in a cloud of dust, clearly blasted open by an ability.

“Do you have the number for a funeral home? Contact them and book 100 beds.”

Before taking action, Yan Xingzhou left one last sentence.

The entrance was cleared, and the action team was finally able to enter the quarantine zone.

As if attracted by the sound, contaminants surged forward one after another as soon as they entered, but were all instantly killed on the spot.

These were all newly mutated low-level contaminants, no match for a well-trained team of ability users. But what was most vexing at this moment was not how tricky the battle was, but the fact that since entering the quarantine zone, they had yet to see a single survivor.

The scene was somewhat overly tragic.

From the first floor upwards, the search and rescue process proceeded in an orderly manner.

A sharp ice blade once again pierced through a contaminant’s chest. Qi Xian looked at the growing pile of corpses on the ground, his brow tightly furrowed.

In this somewhat unsettling scene, he subconsciously glanced back at the figure at the very back of the team.

Yan Xingzhou hadn’t made a move the entire way. Contaminants of this level were easily handled by the ability user security team around him. So much so that not even a speck of dirt had stained his shoes.

In contrast to the tense atmosphere around them, this unhurried attitude was undoubtedly extremely out of place, making it even harder to understand what this person was here for. It couldn’t possibly be a half-day tour of low-level contaminants.

This doubt clearly existed in others as well. At this moment, someone finally couldn’t help but ask, “Captain, is it really appropriate for us to let President Yan come to a place like this? Why didn’t you try to stop him?”

Qi Xian withdrew his gaze and gritted his teeth helplessly. “I would have to be able to stop him first.”

The action team member was speechless. “Even if you can’t stop him, you have to try. After all, with President Yan’s status, if anything happens…”

“Don’t worry. Even if your whole family dies here, nothing will happen to him.” The further they went, the thicker the blood on the ground became, making it almost impossible to find a place to step. A bloody frost faintly condensed on the ground Qi Xian trod on, a result of his displeasure. He glanced at the team member’s young face. “You’re new to the team, aren’t you?”

The young team member replied, “Reporting to the captain, I was just assigned here two months ago after completing the United Administration’s civil service exam!”

Qi Xian asked, “What’s your number?”

“W0001345.”

“W-prefix code, metal-type ability,” Qi Xian continued. “Then do you know Yan Xingzhou’s prefix code?”

Before he could reply, he stated softly, “DX.”

“DX… a dual code?”

After blurting it out subconsciously, the team member realized a more important piece of information, his face filled with nothing but shock. “Wait, ‘X’?! Could it be that—”

Qi Xian was not surprised by this reaction.

Since the global implementation of ability user management regulations, all ability users were assigned an independent number after awakening.

Like an independent ID card for ability users, each code corresponded to a type of special ability, and the numbers behind it represented the registration sequence after awakening.

Currently, among all ability users, the vast majority of codes had only one letter. Only a very small number of dual-ability awakeners could have two code letters. Such dual-ability awakeners were rare worldwide, not to mention having a letter with a special meaning—”X.”

X.

Undefined, meaning exclusive.

Every X-coded ability user possessed a unique special ability. There were fewer than 10 of them worldwide, and they were considered national treasures anywhere.

“Currently, our Hua Country has only two ability users with the ‘X’ code.”

It wasn’t a secret anyway, so Qi Xian didn’t mind educating his junior. “One of them is in the Central Research Institute. Because he only awakened a single special ability and it’s not combat-oriented, the United Administration has specially arranged for the top ability team to protect him. The other one is the former head of the Ninth Administration of the United Twelve Administrations, our country’s only remaining dual-ability X-ability user.”

At this point, he paused slightly before continuing his introduction. “Speaking of which, you guys are very lucky. You’ve already met this person.”

The young team member was stunned. “An X-code we’ve met? Captain, you mean…”

Qi Xian: “According to his current identity, everyone should respectfully address him as ‘President Yan’.”

“No way!”

The team member subconsciously sucked in a cold breath and secretly glanced at the back. It was a long while before he spoke again, stammering, “But Captain, that’s not right either. Since I started preparing for the United Administration exam, I’ve done some research. I heard that the previous Chief Executive was also a dual-ability X… mmph.”

The rest of his words were cut short by the sudden drop in the surrounding temperature.

Qi Xian was covered in frost, but his heart was beating much faster.

He glanced over with his peripheral vision and was relieved to see no emotional fluctuation on Yan Xingzhou’s face. He lowered his voice and gritted his teeth, “Remember, if you don’t want to die young, never mention that person’s name in front of President Yan! That great lord already died heroically three years ago, which is why I said, there are on-ly two left now.”

When he said the word “now,” Qi Xian deliberately emphasized it.

The team members beside him exchanged a look of lingering fear.

Can’t be mentioned in front of Yan Xingzhou.

There had been rumors before, saying that after that great lord died, the Ninth Administration had been fully armed and stormed the headquarters building, nearly taking out the entire United Administration. Now it seemed it might actually be true?!

“Alright, if you want to gossip, there will be plenty of time after the operation is over. For now, let’s solve the trouble at hand first.”

Qi Xian was indeed not in the mood for much small talk right now. After all, since entering the quarantine zone, they had yet to find any signs of survivors. And the higher they went in the building, the more contaminants they encountered, which undoubtedly made the hope of survival even slimmer.

“Reporting to Captain, Area A on the first floor has been searched. No signs of survivors.”

“Reporting to Captain, Area D has been searched. No signs of survivors.”

“Reporting to Captain, the second floor…”

One message after another came in. With each one, Qi Xian’s face grew darker.

Along the way, he had naturally seen what the contaminants looked like. From the blood-soaked white research coats, it wasn’t hard to imagine that just a few days ago, these things were ordinary staff members in the quarantine zone.

Has the entire quarantine zone really been wiped out?

Qi Xian’s back, as if coated in frost, fell into Yan Xingzhou’s eyes.

He had also heard the news from the communicator, and of course, he had also heard the hushed gossip within the action team just now.

And at this moment, he was still calmly playing with the thing in his hand.

A black cube made of some unknown metal. A glass-like area contained a colorless liquid, with a very small crystal core floating quietly inside.

Since entering the quarantine zone, Yan Xingzhou’s attention would often inadvertently fall on this crystal core fragment.

Suddenly, a red light flashed on the otherwise silent, pale white crystal core.

Although it was fleeting, Yan Xingzhou’s usually composed steps paused subtly.

From afar, he heard another message come from Qi Xian’s communicator.

“Reporting to Captain, Area C on the fourth floor…”

Qi Xian had gradually gotten used to receiving bad news. He subconsciously hadn’t paid attention, but then he heard the person on the other end of the communicator continue, “All the contaminants are gathering in one direction. A survivor is suspected to have been found!”

Sur-vi-vor!

Those words fell into his mind with the weight of a thousand pounds.

Before the voice had finished, Qi Xian had already taken a step forward at the first opportunity. But even so, the moment he turned, someone had already brushed past him and strode up the stairs.

This figure falling into his eyes made Qi Xian pause for a moment. A few seconds later, he finally reacted. “President Yan, wait for me!”

At the same time.

A sealed isolation room.

The door, being constantly slammed from the outside by something, made a series of terrifying noises. However, the voice in his mind sounded very gratified.

[It wasn’t easy, but you’ve finally managed to lock yourself up.]

[You’ve lost so much blood. You won’t die from blood loss before anyone comes, will you?]

Lin Xi was slumped against the corner on the floor. Just from his appearance, his condition was indeed very bad.

But when he answered, his tone was calm. “I won’t. I’ve said I still have many things to do. At least before that, I won’t die a second time. And the crystal cores are indeed very effective. Several wounds have already started to heal. I should have gotten more.”

[Hah, I told you so! Crystal cores are not only my source of power, but yours too! If you could devour the crystal core of that C-class contaminant’s main body, it would be much more nutritious than these defective products.]

It was clear that the King of Contaminants was not satisfied with Lin Xi’s practice of only picking up some low-level crystal core fragments: [You know, I used to not even bother looking at this kind of low-level stuff. The texture is too poor, completely unworthy of my status.]

“Got it. I’ll get you something better next time,” Lin Xi perfunctorily interrupted the endless complaints, smoothly changing the subject. “Let’s put aside your food preferences for now. Compared to that, did you hear the explosion just now? It looks like the action team should have come in. It’s really touching. The weak and helpless survivor has finally waited for rescue.”

[……Can you have some shame?]

You’re as weak and helpless as a piece of der. If they could see a recording of your entire death-courting process, who wouldn’t say you totally deserved it after watching the VCR?

Lin Xi did not intend to respond to the strong contempt contained in this silence.

Leaning against the door, he caught a faint sound of footsteps amidst the roars. “Not bad, they’re quite fast.”

Lin Xi glanced down at himself, thought for a moment, then grabbed the already tattered collar of his clothes and gave it another hard tear.

Viscous blood flowed down his clean neck. His clothes, soaked with either blood or sweat, clung tightly to his body, outlining the lines of his strong abdomen.

“Should be tragic enough,” Lin Xi confirmed for the last time. Feeling it wasn’t enough, he tore the pants on his legs up a little more.

[Enough, enough.]

The voice in his mind paused. Faced with Lin Xi’s extremely skilled technique, it couldn’t help but be curious: [How many times have you done this kind of thing, playing the victim?]

“First time,” Lin Xi replied in a calm, emotionless voice. “After all, this is the first time I’ve had such a low-level, boring need to play the victim.”

[Oh, then you’re quite a natural at it.]

As they spoke, a series of tragic roars suddenly came from outside.

On Lin Xi’s way to this isolation room, those contaminants, as if they had taken stimulants, had followed him all the way. Now, they were piled up layer by layer on the already deformed door panel, like a game of Jenga, trying to break in. It wasn’t hard to imagine that there was still a survivor inside.

Now that the support team had found their way here, with their swift and decisive methods, the environment that had been like hell a moment ago finally returned to peace.

Almost time.

Lin Xi lowered his eyes and estimated the approximate time. After one last confirmation that his appearance was correct, the moment the action team broke down the door, he was the first to open the already completely deformed room door.

Caught off guard, he collided head-on with the person outside. He fell straight into the other’s arms.

Lin Xi didn’t look up. Under his severe injuries, this collision made him stumble unsteadily. In his haste, he tightly grabbed the other’s sleeve.

His clothes were already completely soaked. The torn collar just happened to reveal those shocking injuries. In his weakness, his lowered eyelashes trembled like the wings of a dying butterfly. His red hair covered half his face, and the arc of his jaw, under his pale complexion, exuded an even stronger sense of brokenness, like a vibrant rose that had suddenly crashed into view, on the verge of shattering at any moment.

That person obviously wanted to avoid him subconsciously. Lin Xi controlled the curve of his lips. Not only did he not let go, but the moment his legs gave way and he fell forward, the distance that had been created when he stepped back was closed again, and they were pressed tightly together.

As if grasping the last straw, Lin Xi’s fingers also tightened.

The suddenly unfolding drama caught them completely off guard, making the action team and the Corporation’s security team behind them all freeze on the spot: “…………”

The scene, which had been chaotic a moment ago, instantly fell into a dead silence.

Lin Xi could feel the embrace in front of him subtly pause. He lowered his eyes, his breath like a thread. “Captain Qi… I almost thought… I wouldn’t be able to wait for you to come.”

A subtle silence fell over the surroundings for a moment.

A moment later, he heard a voice from above his head, “I, on the other hand, think you seem to have quite a bit of stamina left.”

It was as if a clap of thunder had fallen from the sky.

“…”

Lin Xi’s hand, weakly resting on the other’s sleeve, tightened slightly.

Wait, it’s not Qi Xian.

And this voice seems a bit too familiar.

But, this person shouldn’t be here at all.

He remained motionless for a long time. Just as Lin Xi was hesitating whether to look up to confirm, someone finally stepped forward as if facing death, breaking the solidified silence around them. “President Yan… how about, we take care of him first?”

The one who spoke was precisely Qi Xian, so the one he had just thrown himself into was indeed—

Yan Xingzhou.

Lin Xi slowly closed his eyes.

Alright, the suspended heart is finally dead.