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Chapter 56
“The Qing Dynasty has already fallen, Mr. Cameron,” Bai Sheng said politely.
The splendid ceremony has turned into a mess. Two groups of people from the Security Council and the International Supervision General Administration were armed and guarding all entrances and exits, allowing no one to leave. Special ability detectors and explosion-proof detectors were used to screen the crowd over and over again. There were noises and protests from the crowd everywhere.
Tires screeched as a black Mercedes halted at the entrance.
Bai Sheng pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. He was dressed in a black suit and leather shoes. If it weren’t for the chaotic and tense atmosphere, he would look like a movie star stepping onto the red carpet. Unfortunately, no one is paying attention to that right now. “Where’s Cameron?”
The guard choked, and before he could answer, Bai Sheng glanced at the venue and saw Cameron hurriedly passing by with his entourage. He strode up quickly and shouted, “Elton Cameron!”
Cameron turned around, facing Bai Sheng while launching into a tirade, “Why are you so slow? Where’s Shen Zhuo? Why aren’t you two together?!”
Bai Sheng had already been briefed over the phone by Cameron’s secretary about the situation, and he frowned, “We just…”
“Just what? Had a fight? Just because of your petty quarrels, we’re now in this irreparable mess?!” Cameron strode through the chaotic corridor, holding his head in his hands, lamenting, “My limited intelligence restrains my barren imagination. Why is it that even an ant can cause so much trouble after being in a relationship?”
“…” Bai Sheng asked, “Who are you exactly?”
Cameron exhaled and pushed open the door of the interrogation room. “There is no need to ask so many questions. Anyway, you’d never be anything to me in the future.” With that, he slammed the door shut without looking back.
Bai Sheng was about to follow when his steps halted suddenly, catching sight of another room down the adjacent corridor.
The room was strewn with broken glass, and several students sat around circular tables, tears streaming down their faces. In the center sat a blood-stained wheelchair, and beneath a white cloth, the faint outline of a small, stiff figure could be vaguely seen.
It was the bishop.
With the situation so chaotic, no one dared to move the victim’s body easily, so they had to leave him temporarily at the scene.
Bai Sheng gently pushed open the door, walking into the room amidst the bewildered gazes of the students. He kneeled halfway in front of the wheelchair, silently gazing at the familiar, aging, and wise face hidden beneath the blood-stained cloth.
“…Who were you?” came a hesitant voice from one of the young students behind him.
No one recognized Bai Sheng, as he rarely appeared at the round table, and he had been away for a long time.
Bai Sheng didn’t answer. His handsome face was calm yet filled with sorrow. After a moment, he lowered his gaze and, in accordance with the bishop’s faith, traced a cross over his chest.
“I promise you, I’ll do what I can,” he said softly. “The Alpha Wolf will always safeguard the same kind and peace.”
***
The interrogation room was heavily guarded by the Security Council. The several inspectors from the International Supervision General Administration who were originally stationed outside the scene of the incident had already been secretly arrested and were now kneeling on the ground with guns pointed at their heads.
Though these individuals weren’t of high rank, they were part of Nielsen’s inner circle. They had never been forcefully restrained and held on the ground before. As soon as Cameron entered, they erupted into a torrent of curses. “You son of a X!” “What right do you have to interfere with the International Supervision General Administration?!” “You will pay for this!”
…
“They stubbornly refuse to divulge Nielsen’s whereabouts,” a Security Council official reported with a worried tone. “Some say they don’t know what happened at the scene, while others claim the bishop wasn’t killed by Nielsen. It’s too chaotic; we can’t extract any valuable information.”
“Nielsen wouldn’t suddenly go insane and assassinate Professor Thorne, who’s about to receive the Peace Prize. There’s definitely deception at play here; most likely someone is manipulating the situation,” Cameron sneered coldly through his nostrils, “—but that’s not important. He knows we’ll use this opportunity to pin the murder on him. The only way he can manipulate us now is through Shen Zhuo.”
Nielsen was a politician, and the primary enemies of a politician were not the ones throwing mud at him but those who aimed to seize power by using that mud against him.
So, his first priority wasn’t to painstakingly search for the true culprit or seek vengeance for the bishop, but to strike first before Cameron took action. By grasping Shen Zhuo as the winning card, he essentially held the entire HRG in his hands. Regardless of whether they could find the true murderer of the bishop, the Security Council would be powerless against Nielsen.
“Electric shocks, fire, truth serums, use every method available; the sooner, the better,” Cameron glanced at his wristwatch, his tone resolute, “We don’t have much time. Keep one of them alive as a witness.”
“Yes, sir!”
The interrogator forcefully locked an electric shock collar around one of the inspectors’ necks. The evolutionists struggled furiously and shouted recklessly, “Cameron! You bastard, just wait until the Director-General returns, you’ll have to shut up obediently then, your arrogance is only temporary—”
With a crackle, electricity surged, filling the room with the scent of burnt flesh, and the evolutionist convulsed and fell to the ground.
The other inspectors erupted into angry curses, while Cameron only furrowed his brow, pinching his chin.
“…You bastard,” the evolutionist lay paralyzed on the ground from the electric shock, intermittently sneering, “You lesser beings can only be arrogant for a moment…”
“Am I also only capable of being arrogant for a moment?” came a cold voice from the doorway.
Cameron turned around and saw Bai Sheng pushing the door open with one hand, while the other hand was casually tucked in his pocket. He stood tall, looking down at the evolutionist on the ground, and extended his slender fingers.
Crackle!
Explosions erupted one after another. The evolutionist’s body contorted, and his limbs exploded into bloody blossoms. Amidst the horrific screams, the entire person twisted into a grotesque mess of flesh and blood!
If there was anger and cursing moments ago, now all the evolutionists were screaming and howling in terror. The horrifying visual impact made even the interrogators pale, and several Security Council members stumbled backward, knocking over chairs.
Cameron glanced at the S-class with a slight surprise.
Bai Sheng stepped into the room, his shiny leather shoes unbothered by the blood pooling on the floor. Several evolutionists scrambled desperately backward, one of whom was caught under Bai Sheng’s foot with no effort. He then grabbed another by the hair and lifted him up.
“Where is Shen Zhuo?”
“I… I don’t know…”
Snap.
Bai Sheng snapped his fingers, and the man’s leg twisted six times on its own, the bone shattering into countless pieces and hundreds of broken bone spurs piercing through flesh, turning the entire leg into what seemed like hundreds of meat skewers in the blink of an eye!
It was a scene that defied visual limits, and the screams of everyone almost seemed to topple the ceiling.
“I don’t have much time.”
Bai Sheng casually adjusted his neck, the frivolous and playful mask he usually wore now completely gone, revealing a cold, ruthless, and merciless demeanor.
For the last time, he repeated, “Where is Shen Zhuo?”
Five minutes later.
The door of the interrogation room swung open, and Cameron stepped out briskly. “Yacht Fenrir, height 344 feet, displacement 3365 tons, target area near St. Cather’s Fort, commence full-scale search!”
***
In reality, this was almost the worst-case scenario.
Searching the ocean surface was extremely difficult, especially considering that Nielsen himself was a powerful S-class evolutionist. His yacht was equipped with layers of shielding and protection, making it a literal needle in a haystack for electromagnetic signal searches or energy detection devices.
As time ticked by, human technology reached its limits, with even evolutionists possessing search abilities being deployed one after another yet yielding nothing.
Bai Sheng stood by the window on the top floor of the venue hotel, his pupils reflecting the vast expanse of the blue sea.
Behind him, staff rushed back and forth, communications and faxes buzzing incessantly. Everyone was on edge, as if facing a great enemy. Yet, this small space seemed isolated from the world; the oxygen silently drained away, leaving a vast and quiet emptiness.
Bai Sheng’s shirt collar still bore traces of blood from the interrogation, his pale and stern face appearing lifeless, devoid of any vitality.
Despite the clear sea surface, it felt as though the sky had turned overcast, with rolling leaden clouds and an endless drizzle. The newly appointed Chief Supervisor stood in front of the International Supervision General Administration, his thin figure enveloped in a black coat and his cold, white, handsome face only partially visible beneath a black umbrella. It was as if the global controversies and incessant attacks couldn’t stir the slightest emotion in his ice-cold thin lips.
…Back then, I actually despised him, Bai Sheng suddenly recalled.
But he never dared to tell Shen Zhuo.
The truth and falsehood of the bloody rumors, the various scandals flying around, the widespread rumors of inhumane experiments… Almost everyone could conclude that Shen Zhuo was the murderer who had escaped punishment. It was perfectly normal to dislike or even hate him.
But people are strange like that.
The more you dislike someone, the more you encounter various true and false stories related to them through various media and channels. Their image becomes increasingly distorted, exaggerated, and twisted in your information cocoon until it consumes all your attention, evoking endless disgust and curiosity.
Years later, as the plane landed at Shenhai Airport, when the cabin door opened, Bai Sheng, standing above the crowd, finally saw the Chief Supervisor aiming his gun at him.
In that fleeting moment of locking eyes with those beautiful eyes, all the countless distorted, exaggerated, and twisted images from all those years suddenly collapsed. For the first time, Bai Sheng thought to himself—
So, you’re Shen Zhuo.
Beauty is truly the most powerful weapon in the world.
Bai Sheng closed his eyes, the distant roar of the sea tide echoing loudly. He strained to amplify his hearing, hoping to catch a faint cry for help amidst the overwhelming sound of the waves, but it was futile.
Because he knew that beneath that beautiful facade, the scarred soul would never cry for help.
Shen Zhuo always stood tall, just like when Bai Sheng first saw the figure holding the gun steadily amidst the crowd, so upright and uncompromising; even if consumed by flames of destruction, his soul, weathered by the harshness of life, never bowed down to this world.
“…Contact the local maritime safety bureau, send evolutionists on speedboats for on-site searches on the sea…”
“Fenrir has disguise abilities; from the outside, it could easily pass as any civilian vessel or even a dinghy…”
“Then go and search!” Cameron’s stern voice echoed through the corridor. “Intercept and search any personnel or vessels involved in the incident on the sea!”
The half-floor suddenly descended into chaos and clamor.
Cameron paced around briskly, loosening his tie casually. Catching sight of Bai Sheng still standing by the window on the top floor corridor, he frowned and asked casually, “Why are you still here?”
Bai Sheng glanced at him from the corner of his eye and replied nonchalantly, “If I’m not here, were you planning to knock me out and bring me back to the Security Council once you find Shen Zhuo?”
Cameron had no intention of the embarrassment of being exposed. He assessed the S-class evolutionist up and down with a critical gaze that was difficult to describe in words before suddenly saying:
“Do you know why Nielsen was so eager to find Shen Zhuo?”
Bai Sheng remained silent.
“That pheromone thing of you S-classes, like some animal,” Cameron wrinkled his nose in disgust as he spoke, then waved his hand casually, “It’s that thing that exerts biological dominance over sub-S-level individuals and induces ordinary humans into a state of submission through se-xual intercourse.”
“…”
“Nielsen needed to use HRG to pressure the Security Council, and the most effective way was to induce Shen Zhuo into submission quickly. That’s why he brought Shen Zhuo onto the yacht; who knows what could’ve happened there? Do you understand what I’m saying, S-class?”
Bai Sheng frowned, turned his head, and stared at Cameron for a moment before slowly saying, “I am a man with a normal mind.”
“?”
“What I mean by being a normal male is that when my partner encounters unforeseeable danger, I will do everything in my power to rescue them without diverting my attention to irrelevant matters.”
“…”
“The Qing Dynasty has already fallen1“大清已经亡了” (The Qing Dynasty has already fallen) is an internet buzzword originating from a dialogue in a Hong Kong TV drama where a character from the Qing Dynasty expresses disbelief upon learning of its downfall in modern times. This phrase is now used humorously to mock situations where someone is late to react or understand something that others already know or have experienced. It implies being out of touch with current events or developments., Mr. Cameron,” Bai Sheng said politely.
Behind them, people came and went, and the phone rang intermittently. Cameron stared at Bai Sheng without moving, then, after a moment, he uttered:
“Liking someone shouldn’t just be about their appearance, you know?”
Bai Sheng replied, “Appearance is only the least significant aspect of Supervisor Shen. Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot, you may not be aware that Shen Zhuo is a living person with a soul, thoughts, experiences, and behaviors—”
“And you should also take a look at your own face,” Cameron interjected, his disdain evident.
“………………”
Bai Sheng stared at him for a long time, unsure if the issue with this person was his mental state or his eyesight.
“Mr. Cameron,” a secretary hurried over, holding a fax and a satellite phone that still retained warmth, and said hastily, “We’ve already negotiated with the maritime safety bureau. The first batch of five speedboats has set out to search the area involved. The second batch will depart in another hour…”
“An hour? What have they been eating? Don’t they have speedboats? Are they waiting for the speedboats in the warehouse to give birth to mini speedboats before they can set out?” Cameron snatched the satellite phone from the secretary’s hand and quickly dialed a number, connecting to the local maritime safety bureau. He launched into a barrage of commands: “Hello, Morrison’s office? This is Cameron. Listen to me: If you don’t cooperate and deploy all personnel and vessels within ten minutes, I’ll hand over photos of you squandering public funds at nightclubs and vacationing nude on beaches to the media, so that even the rats in your political enemy’s office can enjoy the sight of your two wrinkled XX…”
Bai Sheng withdrew his gaze and suddenly caught sight of the lawn garden behind the hotel venue, his gaze freezing for a moment.
All the VIP guests attending the ceremony had been temporarily escorted out of the venue, leaving various celebrities and members of the media crowded onto the lawn, causing chaotic scenes.
In a corner of the crowd stood an elderly lady with silver hair, looking to be at least eighty or ninety years old, yet agile in movement and sharp in spirit. She wore a light yellow floral silk dress with a bright yellow cardigan, carrying an emerald-green embroidered purse in her hand, her face adorned with lipstick and a smile, as she engaged in lively conversation with a gentleman in his sixties whom she had just met.
“Oh, young man, spare me your sweet words, although your eyes are as captivating as mountain springs. What, you also like vodka and train travel? Wonderful, we can take a train together to Siberia to hunt bears next time…”
“She’s here too?” Bai Sheng almost doubted his eyes.
Cameron had just finished his phone call and turned around: “?”.
Without hesitation, Bai Sheng turned and rushed down the stairs like an arrow. Before Cameron could ask, he made a quick decision and followed him into the elevator, pressing the button for the lobby floor. When they exited the elevator, Bai Sheng had already dashed out of the hotel’s back door, cutting through the crowded garden lawn.
“Mrs. Harpa!”
The old lady continued to smile, turning her head with the support of her cane. A faint S mark was visible on the wrinkled back of her hand.
Lady Harpa, Iceland’s only S-class, had declined a seat among the top ten supervisors due to her age of ninety, detesting social events and never attending any ceremonies.
S-class ability: Foresight.
Predicts specific future scenarios for a certain period and allows the practitioner to alter a series of minor factors, triggering the butterfly effect to achieve the desired outcome, with the cost depending on the difficulty of the event.
The cooling period of the ability ranges from three weeks to six months.
Bai Sheng grabbed the old lady’s hand. “Mrs. Harpa, we met five years ago in Iceland. Do you remember me?”
“…”
Lady Harpa stared at Bai Sheng for a moment from above her round glasses.
“I remember,” she said slowly. “You wanted me to use Foresight to help you see your future wife, on the condition that you first use causality to help me eliminate rats in the manor. After a flash of white light, my entire manor disappeared into thin air, not a blade of grass left behind…”
“That was the first time I used Causality, and it was only after trying that I realized it could spiral out of control,” Bai Sheng said, pressing his temple in distress. “Mrs. Harpa, we all desperately need your help now. Can you please use Foresight again to predict the location where a yacht will appear?”
At that moment, Cameron rushed over with his men, looking at the elegant old lady with uncertainty.
Lady Harpa remained silent for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the members of the Security Council.
“Child, I cannot help with this matter,” she refused without hesitation. “Fate once warned me never to involve myself in any human—”
“I request it as a member of the same kind,” Bai Sheng interrupted her, staring firmly into the old lady’s clear gray eyes, his tone gentle but assertive.
“I am willing to pay any price as an equal.”
There are certain favors between S-class individuals that must be exchanged.
You can choose not to exchange them, but the favor of causality must be exchanged.
Even Lady Harpa had no choice but to comply, sighing heavily as she adjusted her small round glasses.
“In one hour, the Fenrir yacht will pass fifteen nautical miles near St. Carter’s Fort. Nielsen has disguised his yacht as a blue fishing boat.”
She paused, speaking slowly. “Supervisor Shen’s condition is good, but you’d better hurry, because in an hour, he won’t be as good as he is now.”
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