Chapter 417: A Gamble in Extraordinary Times

Doll?

When Lu Xin delivered that seemingly obvious remark in a serious tone, the atmosphere around him shifted dramatically.

Everyone stared at Lu Xin with a hint of strangeness.

They were suddenly rendered speechless.

Or perhaps they were carefully trying to discern if he was joking.

The unsettling looks made Lu Xin uneasy; he subconsciously touched his face and noted that his expression hadn’t changed.

Only then did he relax and ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Captain, you just mentioned Qinggang’s Doll…”

Gecko spoke softly, “Because she insisted on coming out to find you, things in Qinggang have completely fallen apart.”

When we set off, Old Chen was bawling his eyes out—slapping his grandson (who had come to ask for pocket money) into the office for homework—while the big sisters from the Service Team insisted on forming a suicide squad to follow us out. It took a lot to finally talk them down…

In short, since Qinggang had no choice but to go down with her, we had no option but to roll with it and have her join our team to support you. Even so, those old professors kept insisting—again and again—that we must safely bring her back, with the esteemed Section Chief Chen vowing multiple times.

……

Lu Xin was a bit taken aback by Gecko’s seemingly simple explanation: “Then what?”

He continued, “If we can return Qinggang’s precious one unharmed, consider it a miracle…”

Gecko said with a strange look, “In the end, you not only really saw her as part of your team…”

but you also expect her to unleash her ultimate influence?

……

This is…

Such a complicated situation left Lu Xin momentarily speechless.

After all, isn’t Doll also a salaried worker?

He didn’t know how to respond and instinctively glanced at Chen Jing.

Then he noticed that Chen Jing had also furrowed her brow, clearly lost in a wave of doubts.

Judging by her expression, it seemed like this was the first time Chen Jing had agreed with Gecko’s point.

Glancing at the Drunkard, he saw the old man slowly opening his thermos, looking pensive.

Next to them, the bear child was absorbed in his game, though his ears perked up.

I didn’t overthink it.

Thinking his own suggestion might not be ideal, Lu Xin smiled and explained, “I just feel like we’re facing an exceptionally tricky problem. The other side has unleashed a mysterious pollution that has engulfed Happy Town. If we don’t divert them with an even stronger pollutant, we’ll have to infiltrate and investigate them bit by bit.”

“Those people are armed, and with their minds deranged, getting close to them is extremely dangerous…”

“Of course, and worst of all, it’d waste precious time.”

“Inside Happy Town, Technology Church has been preparing for so long. If we don’t move in soon, there could be…”

……

Lu Xin’s explanation was detailed and made sense.

Yet, the others couldn’t shake off an inexplicable, uneasy feeling.

Did he really consider Doll part of the team?

“That’s the theory…”

Seeing Lu Xin’s gaze on her, Chen Jing furrowed her brow and began slowly, “Theoretically, Doll could indeed solve our current problem and save us a lot of time. But the issue is—Doll is the most cherished person in Qinggang. Back in Qinggang, every move she made had to be signed off by Professor Chen, Professor Bai, and at least two other gentlemen.”

“Now, it’s been nearly three years since her last ability assessment; we have no idea where her limits lie…”

“If she ever unleashes her full potential, the consequences could be disastrous…”

……

Listening to Chen Jing, Lu Xin finally understood their concerns.

“I do support Little Soldier’s suggestion…”

At that moment, the Drunkard holding his thermos suddenly looked up and said seriously.

Chen Jing was taken aback and looked at him in astonishment.

Even Lu Xin and Gecko appeared slightly surprised, their expressions reflecting on her youthful, vibrant face.

The girl’s expression now held an unusual calm and competence. She slowly turned to Chen Jing and whispered, “Old Chen, I don’t have your baggage—I just want to get this sorted and go home for dinner. I’m thinking that since Technology Church has come here, they must have figured out—or at least believe they have—a good grasp of Qinggang.”

“They dare to deploy such widespread pollution, probably because they’re sure we lack a proper countermeasure, which would let them lead us by the nose and trap us step by step. That’s why I think right now…”

“Using Doll’s influence is actually a clever move.”

“The best way to counter widespread pollution is to overwhelm it with pollution—a strategy proven countless times.”

“Moreover, Doll’s influence can be somewhat self-regulated, ensuring that everyone eventually returns to normal.”

“…Of course, it might slightly impact couple’s relationships!”

……

“I admit Doll’s abilities are quite suitable, but everything concerning her must be considered carefully.”

After hearing the Drunkard’s words, Chen Jing immediately retorted, “In our view, letting Doll take action is the best solution. But have you ever considered that Technology Church might release such widespread pollution precisely to lure her out?”

The Drunkard chuckled and said, “Before now, did you ever think Doll would come out?”

Chen Jing fell silent.

The Drunkard continued, “Before now, could you ever bear to let Doll go all out?”

Again, Chen Jing remained silent.

The Drunkard slowly took a sip of his drink and said with a smile, “We never would have imagined what Technology Church is capable of.”

“Besides…”

She slowly closed her thermos and turned to Lu Xin, “Even if Technology Church is prepared, don’t we still have Little Soldier around?”

“I believe he can protect Doll well.”

……

Chen Jing took a deep breath and fell silent.

She waved her hand, signaling that she needed some space to think.

Slowly, she turned and walked to the edge of the mountaintop, looking up at the view below.

Down below, gunfire occasionally echoed as armed vehicles filled with people raced across the wasteland in a chaotic display of violence.

Chen Jing lowered her head slowly, leaving only a lean silhouette in view.

“This…”

Lu Xin hadn’t expected that such a suggestion would put Chen Jing in such a difficult position.

He realized she was deeply contemplating every angle and decided not to disturb her, silently wondering if there might be another solution besides having Doll take action.

“I’ve made my decision.”

Before Lu Xin could even respond, Chen Jing suddenly turned and declared firmly.

Lu Xin was stunned; a glance at his electronic watch revealed barely twenty seconds had passed.

“In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are necessary.”

After deciding, Chen Jing’s expression instantly lightened, yet her tone remained resolute as she said, “I’ve given it thorough thought—from the urgency of our mission to testing Doll’s abilities and even considering the safety of those armed forces at the settlements. This is a bet well worth taking…”

She paused, then rephrased, “A decision to take a chance!”

……

“Pfft…”

Gecko, who was sipping from his cup, nearly choked as he exclaimed, “Section Chief, after all that thinking, you just decided to take a gamble?”

Chen Jing shot him a cold look and replied, “I’ve reached this decision through thorough scientific deliberation.”

Gecko shrank his head and whispered, “Do we still need to report this to the superiors?”

“No need.”

Chen Jing said, “Time is of the essence.”

She added, “Although this is quite risky, I believe our chances of winning are still high.”

Gecko couldn’t help but mutter, “It seems more like a gamble to me.”

This time, Chen Jing, the Drunkard, Lu Xin, and even the bear child shot him a glare.

“I never expected our leader to hesitate, but once a decision is made, she has even more guts than I do…”

Lu Xin remarked in admiration.

Even he hadn’t expected that a direct decision could be made without reporting to headquarters.

Admittedly, the leader’s decision made sense; if we had sought headquarters’ approval, it likely would have been rejected.

After all, this is Qinggang’s Doll.

But anyway, as long as it’s agreed upon.

He smiled and cast a glance at Doll in the distance, asking, “So, shall we discuss the specifics of the job?”

Chen Jing looked at him intently and nodded, “Alright.”

……

Ten minutes later, Lu Xin and Doll climbed into the modified car formerly belonging to Technology Church.

He drove while Doll took the passenger seat.

They left the mountain area, driving along a cracked, dilapidated road straight toward Happy Town.

At that moment, Doll was unaware of what was happening; she merely noticed that everyone else had disappeared, leaving only Lu Xin by her side. Upon reflection, it seemed this was the first time they’d been alone since she met him.

Slowly, she turned to Lu Xin, suddenly removed her mask, and laughed.

“At the first chance, I must take off my mask…”

Lu Xin thought to himself, “Seems like the Service Team was right—she really doesn’t like wearing a mask…”

Then, watching as the armed tents at the settlements drew nearer, he let out a soft sigh.

He said to Doll:

“You probably always hold yourself back out of fear of accidentally hurting someone, don’t you?”

“This time, it’s fine; you can remove not only your mask but anything else you don’t like.”

……

Doll was momentarily stunned by Lu Xin’s words.

Then, with disbelief, she turned to Lu Xin, her eyes widening.

“Yes.”

Watching her silly expression, Lu Xin found it amusing. He nodded to reaffirm his earlier words and said, “Since we’re on a mission, doing serious work, you don’t have to worry about hurting anyone.”

“Of course, and don’t worry about others harming you either.”

He looked into Doll’s eyes and said earnestly, “I’ll protect you here.”