Chapter 364: Defenses Unseen
by xennovel“Talk to the Research Institute…”
Lu Xin’s seemingly casual remark suddenly made the Ability Users from Central City pause.
Even Xia Chong frowned slightly.
Most Ability Users recruited by high-wall cities or major factions knew about the Research Institute. However, even those in Central City couldn’t easily access it.
Central City had its own special pollution cleanup organization. While subordinate to the Research Institute, it operated with a degree of independence, and interactions between the two were rare.
These Ability Users all belonged to Central City’s Special Cleaning Department.
Technically, they and Ability Users from other high-wall cities were connected to the Research Institute, but not directly.
That’s why Lu Xin’s simple, natural words caught the other Ability Users off guard.
Chen Jing was the quickest to recover. “I’ll ask about this for you,” she said. “We solved a major problem for Central City, so the Research Institute should respond somehow. But why do you suddenly want to meet someone from there?”
There was an unspoken question she didn’t voice.
Could he possibly have relatives in the Research Institute too?
However, she wouldn’t stop Lu Xin from wanting to meet people from the Institute.
Ever since Professor Bai deduced Lu Xin’s identity, Qinggang had established a principle: they would help hide his identity to avoid unnecessary trouble, but they wouldn’t act as his master or make decisions for him.
Between the Research Institute and Lu Xin, Qinggang would simply follow the rules, neither seeking gain nor shirking responsibility.
For instance, when they realized Lu Xin had unintentionally encountered dangerous situations on his way to Central City, Qinggang immediately sent a support team as a precaution. But if they sensed an inevitable conflict brewing between Lu Xin and Central City, or the Research Institute, the support team would withdraw immediately rather than taking sides.
Therefore, Chen Jing’s seemingly casual question carried significant weight.
Lu Xin, however, didn’t seem to catch the nuance. He just smiled and replied, “There are some things I want to ask.”
His vague answer left everyone unsure how to respond again. After a brief silence, Chen Jing turned her gaze to Xia Chong.
Xia Chong immediately responded, “I will inquire about the Research Institute’s stance through the Special Cleaning Department.”
“Is it that complicated?”
Lu Xin hadn’t expected that even Central City’s Ability Users needed to go through the ‘Special Cleaning Department’ just to ‘inquire’.
He thought if he’d known it was this much trouble, he might as well have just ridden his motorcycle over himself.
“Gududu…”
Just then, the whirring sound of several helicopters filled the distant sky as they approached.
“Let’s head back first!”
Xia Chong decided, turning to Chen Jing and Lu Xin. “I’ll ride with you.”
Gecko, standing nearby, suddenly beamed with happiness.
…
Gecko couldn’t ride the helicopter.
Chen Jing decided this because their motorcycles were hidden nearby, outside Water Buffalo City. Although two were just cobbled-together wrecks, Lu Xin’s was a custom job Qinggang’s Special Cleaning Department had put a lot of effort into. Gecko needed to borrow a vehicle from the Central City support team to lead them to the three bikes so they could all be transported back to the city.
Inside the helicopter cabin, Lu Xin, Chen Jing, and Xia Chong sat facing each other. Chen Jing sat opposite them, now wrapped in a thick blanket with heavy bandages around her abdomen. Xia Chong was in a similar state, covered in makeshift patches.
Xia Chong sat on the same bench as Lu Xin, while the seat next to Chen Jing opposite them remained empty, seemingly reserved for someone.
“Dr. Mo, the situation is resolved.”
“Yes… the abnormal signals you detected in Central City were likely related to this.”
Chen Jing had already contacted Dr. Mo Yi and the others in Central City as soon as she boarded the helicopter, explaining the details. “The resolution was largely thanks to the brave actions of our Mr. Lone Soldier from Qinggang… Yes, I’ve reached an understanding with Squad Leader Xia Chong from Central City. She doesn’t believe we violated any regulations and even expressed gratitude for our assistance.”
“What? They said you were helping us escape and detained you?”
“And they’re issuing a wanted poster for the Mr. Lone Soldier?”
…
Hearing this, Lu Xin’s head snapped up alertly.
“Nonsense! Why would we need to escape?”
Chen Jing’s expression turned grim. “Please note this!” she stated firmly.
“Our Qinggang Ability User violated no Central City regulations. Even our final intervention was at Squad Leader Xia Chong’s explicit request when she temporarily requisitioned us. Moreover, *we* were the ones who solved the problem… Dr. Mo, I expect you and Lawyer Xu to immediately lodge a strong protest with them. First, detaining you was improper. Second, the matter of reputation…”
Before she could finish, Xia Chong, clearly displeased, took the phone from her.
“This is Xia Chong, Captain of the Special Operations Team stationed in Satellite City Seven, Special Cleaning Department,” she said coldly.
“Whoever is listening right now, release them immediately, apologize, and escort them back to their hotel…”
“I’ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!”
…
Having said her piece, she hung up and looked up at Chen Jing. “Was all that really necessary?”
Chen Jing was momentarily stunned, glancing at Lu Xin.
Lu Xin’s mouth was slightly agape, seemingly awestruck by Xia Chong’s commanding presence.
As expected of leader-level figures.
…
“Regarding your request to meet someone from the Research Institute, I have already relayed it through the Special Cleaning Department.”
Xia Chong looked earnestly at Lu Xin, her expression still blank, though several band-aids now adorned her face. “However, based on the Institute’s usual rigor and caution, I hope you can consolidate your reasons for wanting to meet them, the topics you wish to inquire about, and even the specific questions you plan to ask. Inform the Institute beforehand and wait for their decision…”
Lu Xin found this somewhat difficult, as he only had the desire to meet them, without having thought through the ‘why’.
But on this matter, Chen Jing didn’t speak up for him.
In fact, her concern regarding this was no less than Xia Chong’s.
“Alright then, I’ll think about it…”
Lu Xin found it hard to refuse Xia Chong’s direct gaze and slowly nodded.
Just as Xia Chong was about to nod in return, the electronic display screen on her watch lit up. An email had arrived.
She casually opened it and froze.
Chen Jing looked over, concerned. “Did the Research Institute refuse?”
Xia Chong silently glanced at Lu Xin. “No,” she said. “The Research Institute agreed.”
After a pause, she looked at Lu Xin with obvious hesitation. “They said they also wanted to meet you. We are to head over immediately.”
“Swish!”
Chen Jing whipped her head around, clearly astonished and finding it hard to believe.
Lu Xin, however, wasn’t particularly flustered. He silently wondered, *I have questions for them, but why do they want to see me?*
…
*Dadada.*
The helicopter banked in the sky, splitting off from the others and heading directly towards Central City’s Second Main City.
Both Chen Jing and Xia Chong were puzzled but didn’t ask questions.
Truthfully, both women were injured, and not lightly. They had only received basic treatment and should have gone to a hospital to rest. However, they both considered this matter important. Furthermore, one had relayed the meeting request for Lu Xin, and the other was his direct superior in Qinggang. So, neither mentioned resting and accompanied him directly.
…
Helicopters were naturally much faster than trucks. Within an hour or two, Lu Xin could see vast stretches of city and buildings below. These were Central City’s satellite cities – ten orderly satellite cities encircling the two innermost cities. One was the Main City, the location of the Central City Administration Main Hall and also the core city of the Alliance.
The other city was slightly smaller but possessed a cleaner, more organized feel.
The most striking feature in this smaller city was a towering building, easily a hundred stories high, standing tall under the sun.
Its clean glass surfaces reflected the sunlight, giving the entire structure a metallic sheen.
The helicopter didn’t enter the Second Main City directly but landed outside in Satellite City Nine, the closest one. Several black Jeeps were already waiting. Lu Xin, Gecko, and the others boarded the second vehicle. Lu Xin watched as his motorcycle was loaded onto another Jeep before relaxing as they continued forward.
A straight asphalt road, flanked by vibrant flowers, led directly to the Second Main City.
Lu Xin noticed that the Second Main City, home to the world’s most important research institution—the Moon Eclipse Research Institute—surprisingly lacked a steel drawbridge, or even similar gates and inspection points. Several wide roads simply led straight into the city.
“How can this be?”
Lu Xin was astonished. Was the Second Main City essentially undefended?
The legendary headquarters of the Research Institute was a city anyone could just walk into?
As this bewildered thought crossed his mind, his expression suddenly changed slightly, and he stuck his head out of the car window.
“Watch out!”
The driver immediately cautioned.
“Oh!”
Lu Xin pulled his head back in, but his eyes remained fixed on the view outside the window.
Chen Jing glanced at him. “What are you looking at?”
After a moment, Lu Xin slowly let out a breath. “I finally understand why the Research Institute doesn’t need defenses…”
…
Outside the Second Main City’s main entrance were large expanses of lawn and plazas.
Nothing could be seen.
Lu Xin wasn’t surprised that Gecko couldn’t see anything, because this defensive force was likely visible only to him. With the Jeep window open, he could clearly see a monster roaming the vast lawns outside the Second Main City.
A Mental Monster.