Chapter 229: Ghost Domain and Unexpected Guests

Lu Xin stood silently watching as the dozen or so Special Task Force members from his convoy rushed towards the individuals he’d pointed out.

He leaned back against the seat slowly pulling out a lighter and lighting a cigarette taking a deep drag.

“Are you really going to arrest all of them?”

His voice was low uncertain as he questioned Chen Jing over the channel.

“If there’s anything unusual about them they must all be apprehended for necessary questioning isolation and assessment procedures.”

Chen Jing’s words were exceptionally firm: “They will only be released after we confirm they are one hundred percent safe.”

“But…”

Lu Xin slowly rubbed his face and gradually looked up.

He was now on the main road entering the most prosperous area of the main city’s core. Looking up he could already see the distinct prosperity and bustle of the main city’s core a stark contrast to the satellite cities. Crowds of people bustled along the streets a myriad of faces. Countless others worked and lived within the towering office buildings. This area boasted the most flourishing districts the highest-end hotels and the densest population.

But now Lu Xin could see within those countless crowds unknown numbers bore various mutations atop their heads or on their backs or perhaps they themselves had already become monsters.

These monsters hid within the crowds their sheer numbers making it seem as if they were the majority.

They eyed the surrounding people and the city with greedy peculiar gazes. It was as if because no one could detect their presence they grew increasingly brazen sizing up the walking prey around them with abnormal excitement.

Unaware of their existence people continued happily or busily with their own affairs walking their own paths.

Lu Xin was the only one who could see them making him feel like an anomaly in the bustling city.

He looked at this lively city center feeling as though he were gazing upon a ghost domain.

The endless monsters evoked a sense of oppression and agitation.

“If you really intend to arrest them…”

His voice finally sounded again after a moment: “I’m afraid you’ll need to send more people…”

…

As if catching something in Lu Xin’s words Chen Jing’s heart suddenly clenched.

…

…

Around the same time at Qinggang City’s East Gate on the steel drawbridge stretching towards the sea.

A massive modified cargo ship could be seen docked at the distant port. Soon after three cars drove from the port’s direction advancing steadily until they reached the platform before the drawbridge under the watchful eyes of two rows of armed soldiers.

“Welcome Elder Ye we’ve been expecting you for some time…”

Mr. Su and Professor Bai stepped forward smiling to greet and shake hands with the person emerging from the first car.

A total of seven people disembarked from the three cars.

Most wore crisp sea-blue uniforms but two were dressed in casual attire.

One was an elderly man in a suit exuding a refined air. He leaned on a cane while a girl in a sea-blue nurse’s uniform attended to him holding a metal IV stand from which a bag of medication dripped through a plastic tube into his arm.

The other was a taciturn individual.

He looked utterly ordinary as if a gust of wind could knock him over.

What drew attention was the red cloak he wore its hood obscuring his face.

Peeking from beneath the hood one could glimpse the lower half of a pale gaunt face.

Mr. Su shook hands with the elderly man on the IV drip smiling warmly. “We heard the Sea Country’s expert team was coming to share your latest research findings. Qinggang extends a warm welcome. We arranged for our expert team to attend the conference as soon as we received your telegraph.”

“We must thank Mr. Su for giving us this opportunity.”

The old man’s face covered in age spots broke into a gentle smile. He shook Mr. Su’s hand then turned to Professor Bai chuckling. “This must be the renowned Mr. Bai correct? I heard about your performance at the Alliance conference. Your report on the study of special mental types was extremely well-received. It’s even been compiled into a booklet and circulated within the Sea Country.”

“Haha let’s talk inside.”

Mr. Su played the part of a generous and enthusiastic host politely inviting the visiting team into the High-wall City.

The group chatted and laughed creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

However in a building not far from the eastern steel drawbridge Minister Shen clad in a military uniform watched the monitor feed coldly. His gaze swept past the elderly man on the drip settling on the man in the red cloak.

“Anything to report?”

He asked indifferently his voice cold.

Behind him a row of staff also in military uniforms faced computers covering an entire wall.

They analyzed data on the screens while simultaneously taking notes.

A staff member reported: “Accompanying Mr. Su and Professor Bai to welcome the Sea Country expert team are three Ability Users. The one most adept at sensing others’ psychic power and ability types is Watchdog but he hasn’t relayed any special information. This indicates he found nothing unusual about the seven individuals. Even if there are Ability Users among them they are within manageable limits.”

“Furthermore according to feedback from the detection instruments deployed near the East Gate’s steel drawbridge we can confirm that among the seven visitors only one is an Ability User—the one in the red cloak. His psychic power is estimated to be between six hundred and one thousand.”

“The materials faxed over before the Sea Country docked state his name is Shen Ming an researcher from the Sea Country.”

“Current data is insufficient to analyze which ability system he belongs to.”

…

“Whether we can identify their ability system isn’t important.”

Minister Shen stated impassively “What I need to ensure is whether they are genuinely here for academic exchange and if they harbor any ulterior motives can we stop them at any moment and guarantee none escape.”

“Yes sir!”

The staff member responded loudly reporting other developments with high efficiency:

“Simultaneous reconnaissance of the sea area within thirty miles around Qinggang shows no anomalies.”

“Additionally seven members of the Special Cleaning Department’s Special Action Team four members of the City Defense Department’s Special Action Team ten A-rank Special Task Forces and three hundred City Patrol Army soldiers in advanced protective suits have completed deployment around the Donghai Grand Hotel and are on standby.”

Only after hearing this did Minister Shen fall silent.

The Sea Country was established by a group of people who fled onto cargo ships and boats during the Red Moon catastrophe when madmen roamed the world devouring others. They hadn’t joined the Northern Alliance but as the situation stabilized trade between them and the Alliance’s major high-wall cities increased. Facilitating such academic exchanges seemed both inevitable and necessary.

But in a world post-Red Moon no one dared to let their guard down.

Mr. Su’s responsibility was to entertain the guests with a wine glass in hand.

Therefore his own duty was to keep a firm grip on the gun aimed at these people ready to fire at any moment.

…

…

“Qinggang’s advanced talent training conference is scheduled to begin promptly at three p.m.”

“According to the previous arrangement you will all be able to attend tomorrow.”

Mr. Su was smiling as he invited the Sea Country expert team into the Donghai Grand Hotel’s meeting room.

The Donghai Grand Hotel occupied a unique location within Qinggang situated on the eastern side of the main city where population and buildings were sparse. It was surrounded by vast plazas and defensive structures. The nearest office building was over a thousand meters away.

The closest mall and residential area were three kilometers distant.

The surrounding architecture itself primarily used high-grade building materials and tempered glass capable of withstanding high-intensity impacts and mental radiation. Furthermore as if to ensure the conference proceeded smoothly armed soldiers had already established a strict cordon around the area.

“Advanced talent training conference?”

The elderly man hooked up to the IV drip though seemingly weak was in good spirits.

He chuckled “Isn’t that just your Qinggang’s Ability User training convention?”

“This Alliance exchange meeting disclosed a lot of information. It’s clear all parties are now prioritizing the research and strengthening of Ability Users. With an expert like Professor Bai presiding Qinggang certainly won’t lag behind in this area.”

…

Mr. Su smiled saying “I wouldn’t know about that. In Qinggang this area of work is handled by professionals.”

He looked towards Professor Bai as he spoke.

Professor Bai merely smiled and nodded adding “We have some plans but there are still many concerns before we can truly begin implementation.”

“Haha let’s not mince words.”

The elderly man on the drip chuckled heartily. “Actually everyone knows the emergence of Ability Users has become an issue none of us can ignore. Whether they are truly apostles of God or a group of bizarre madmen is debatable for now. The only certainty is that we major high-wall cities must cast aside our prejudices unite as one and confront this drastic change together.”

“My purpose in coming here this time is precisely to promote exchange and cooperation between the Sea Country and Qinggang City.”

“And then using Qinggang City as a springboard achieve cooperation with the entire Alliance.”

…

Mr. Su and Professor Bai exchanged glances both somewhat surprised. The old man’s words seemed unexpectedly amicable.

“Ring ring ring…”

But just as they were about to discuss further a red landline phone in the meeting room suddenly rang.

The clear ringing sounded somewhat jarring amidst the serious atmosphere.

Mr. Su simply smiled gesturing for his secretary beside him to answer the phone while he continued contemplating what to say.

But before he could steer the conversation back to its previous course the secretary abruptly turned around:

“Mr. Su.”

He looked somewhat hesitant: “You might need to take this call.”

“Apologies.”

Mr. Su smiled at the elderly man excused himself picked up the phone listened quietly for a moment then gently put it down.

His expression remained unchanged as he simply told the secretary “Go see Minister Shen.”