Chapter 363: Family Reunion and Lingering Questions

This was the first time Lu Xin had fallen asleep due to such immense mental power exhaustion.

But he slept soundly this time.

In his dream, it seemed like a sunny day again. He, his family, Sister, Little Nineteen, and all the other kids—older and younger—were playing happily at the orphanage, frowning over homework, or getting into scuffles in small groups. The Old Director stood on the second floor yelling anxiously while waving a broom, “Stop it! Keep fighting and none of you get dumplings tonight!”

If only he could just remember this sunny courtyard.

…

When Lu Xin opened his eyes, he saw Mom leaning over him.

Her face, close to his, wore a gentle smile as if trying to see what he’d dreamt.

“Ah…”

Lu Xin scrambled to his feet. “You’re back?”

His arms felt empty, and with a start, he realized Little Nineteen, whom he’d been holding, was gone.

Mom chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. I sent that child off to get treatment.”

“Where did she go?”

Lu Xin immediately grew wary, asking instinctively.

“To the only place in the world that can heal her. It’s better than keeping her with you…”

Mom smiled. “Or did you think it was better to take her home and keep her like a decoration?”

“Ah…”

Lu Xin quickly shook his head. “No, no.”

Several thoughts flashed through his mind.

He trusted Mom. Without her, this family would have fallen apart long ago. Considering everything they’d been through, Mom had sacrificed the most and earned his trust. Though she had many secrets, she never lied to him. If she said someone could heal Little Nineteen, then it must be true.

Composing himself, he looked at Mom. “Where have you been all this time?”

“Just visiting old friends, playing a few rounds of mahjong. Won a little something too.”

Mom replied with a smile, glancing around. “Looks like you’ve done well while I was away. I already asked Dad and Sister; they both praised you. You really took care of our family in my absence.”

“Uh…”

Lu Xin scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.

Why was Mom praising him so quickly?

Only then did he have a chance to look around. The nearby bar counter was spotless; the glass shards and blood had vanished completely. Only the burnt-out candle, the hole in the table, and a nearby tabletop resembling an operating table hinted that something had indeed happened here.

Sister was happily dangling from the ceiling nearby, clutching the Screaming Chicken and singing in a babbling voice:

“Little dolly, welcome back, laughing ha-ha at uncle…”

“Uncle, uncle, don’t you cry, too many wounds and the pain will die…”

“…”

“Little dolly, messy face, clumsy hands all over the place…”

“Uncle, uncle, I messed up, put your eyes and nose switched up…”

“…”

Lu Xin frowned. Sister singing off-key was perfectly normal.

But had she deliberately cleaned everything up so thoroughly because the previous scene was too messy?

Talk about trying to cover things up.

“Time to go back…”

Mom glanced at Sister with a smile that was a mix of exasperation and affection.

Then she smiled and reminded Lu Xin, “Otherwise, your colleagues will start to worry.”

…

“We can’t wait any longer. We need to go in and see.”

Meanwhile, less than three hundred meters from the building, the Ability Users of the Central City and Qinggang joint team were growing restless. The man in the refined suit frowned. “We’ve been waiting here for three hours. It’s already dawn, and there’s no trace of mental radiation around. We should go check what happened, no matter what.”

Hearing him, quite a few people nodded in agreement.

Only Gecko sat nearby, chin in hand, resolute and unmoved.

“What do you think?”

The refined man couldn’t help but look at Gecko and ask.

“You guys go if you want. I’m waiting right here. The Captain will definitely come out.”

Gecko replied with seasoned confidence.

The man in the refined suit hesitated for a moment.

“Captain…”

Xia Chong, whose wounds were now bandaged, remained silent for a while before finally asking Chen Jing, “I’ve been curious since yesterday. He keeps calling him Captain… What kind of team do he and that… that Ability User called Mr. Lone Soldier belong to?”

Chen Jing looked thoughtful, apparently considering how to explain.

Hearing this, Gecko beamed and said to Xia Chong, “Team synergy brings out the greatest advantage, so we in Qinggang always group Ability Users with complementary traits into teams… just like you do in Central City… Our special operations team has three members. One is the respectable and terrifying Captain you saw.”

“The other member is… an A+ rank Ability User named Doll…”

“Doll?”

Xia Chong looked up sharply. Beside her, the Goth-style lady, the Doctor, and the refined man also showed subtle changes in expression.

It seemed they also knew of Doll’s existence.

“Yep, just the three of us.”

Gecko added with a modest smile, “My performance is just average. I’m only the vice-captain.”

“…”

The expressions on the faces of the Central City Ability Users were complicated; some looked scrutinizing, others thoughtful.

The mental patient wearing half a doll mask exclaimed in surprise, “So formidable.”

Gecko’s smile became even more restrained. He turned and extended his hand to Xia Chong. “Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I’m Gecko, vice-captain of the Mr. Lone Soldier team.”

Xia Chong glanced at him and slowly extended her hand.

“Bro…”

A large, enthusiastic hand suddenly grabbed Gecko’s. The mental patient wearing half a fat doll mask, revealing a face full of beard, rushed to Gecko’s side. “Bro, I failed to recognize Mount Tai! Meeting someone like you today is truly a blessing. My poor teammate… Sigh. Bro, when we get back to Central City, I have to treat you to a meal…”

“Bro, do you have a girlfriend?”

“Bro, if you don’t have a girlfriend, have you considered…”

“…”

Gecko looked completely bewildered, desperately trying to pull his hand back as if it were on fire, but he couldn’t break free.

He stared at the enthusiastic, bearded face with utter horror.

“What are you guys doing here?”

Fortunately, a voice called out from nearby just then.

Lu Xin, carrying his backpack, climbed over some rubble and looked at them curiously.

*Swish!* Everyone stood up at once.

Their bodies tensed instinctively. Some even placed their hands near the gun holsters on their thighs, only to realize their reaction was inappropriate and awkwardly withdraw their hands. Like the others, they cautiously looked towards Lu Xin…

Lu Xin felt uncomfortable under their stares and subconsciously wiped his face. “Is there blood?”

Several people shook their heads stiffly.

They couldn’t help but wonder what he had done to make his first reaction worrying about blood on his face.

“Mr. Lone Soldier, it’s great that you’re okay.”

Chen Jing was the first to step forward, her gaze directed behind Lu Xin. “…How did it go?”

Lu Xin thought for a moment before answering, “It’s fine now. I met the person I came to visit and had a pleasant chat with him. I also dealt with the monster created in his lab. But after taking care of the monster, I was exhausted, so I rested against a pillar for a while. When I woke up, he was gone… Really, truly gone…”

Everyone watched him in silence.

“You don’t need to explain specifically. We trust you.”

Chen Jing gave Lu Xin a deep look, then nodded to Xia Chong. “The crisis is averted.”

Xia Chong also glanced at Lu Xin expressionlessly, then adjusted her headset. “The support team can enter now.”

“Ah, this…”

Lu Xin gave Xia Chong a strange look.

I slept for three hours, and you’re only sending in the support team now?

What kind of efficiency does Central City have?

…

“This Black Table forbidden experiment posed a significant threat to Central City, exceeding our expectations. There’s still much to deal with… but regardless, it was thanks to Qinggang’s help that we resolved this smoothly. Thank you…”

Xia Chong stepped forward solemnly and extended her hand to Lu Xin.

Lu Xin paused for a second, then quickly shook her hand. “No problem, no problem. It was the right thing to do.”

Xia Chong’s small hand felt cold, perhaps due to her injuries and blood loss.

Gecko, still enthusiastically held by the bearded man, stared wide-eyed.

“Thank you, little brother…”

The Goth-style lady fastened her whip to her waist and also extended her hand to Lu Xin with a smile.

Lu Xin hurriedly accepted and shook her hand too. “You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”

“Thank you.”

The Doctor came forward, shook Lu Xin’s hand, and said with a meaningful expression, “My name is Scalpel. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to conduct research together in the future.”

“Okay, okay.”

Lu Xin agreed readily before realizing, “Research what?”

Following that, the other Ability Users from Central City also came over one by one to shake Lu Xin’s hand, including the refined man…

…He wrapped his hand in a handkerchief before shaking.

What’s he showing off for?

Lu Xin disliked him the most.

However, the most enthusiastic one was the bearded man wearing the broken fat doll mask, who grabbed Lu Xin’s hand with both of his.

“Bro, hello, hello! Do you have a partner?”

“…”

After shaking hands and getting acquainted with each of the surviving Central City Ability Users, Lu Xin saw large military vehicles approaching in the distance, heading towards the devastated center of Water Buffalo City. Rows of people in black protective suits jumped down from the vehicles.

“We can prepare to withdraw from Water Buffalo City now. Is there anything else you need to do?”

Chen Jing stood beside Lu Xin and asked, seemingly casually.

“Yes.”

Lu Xin considered for a moment, then smiled. “I want to talk to the Research Institute…”