Chapter 526: Unexpected Precautions

“Ah…”

Han Bing, deep in thought with a serious expression, suddenly snapped out of it at Lu Xin’s question and covered her eyes.

In the brief gap, her face even turned a slight shade of red.

She had meticulously planned every step of the investigation to minimize danger and exposure, factoring in Group Leader’s comment about the impressive might of Tianhe Security—until Lu Xin’s remark made her reconsider…

…She was actually telling Mr. Lone Soldier it was too dangerous?

Seeing Han Bing’s flushed face, Lu Xin couldn’t help but feel a surge of amusement.

Who is the Captain, anyway?

How embarrassing it must be for a leader of her stature to be unable to handle things!

Han Bing rubbed her small face before quickly regaining her composure and smiling at Lu Xin, “My brain’s just a bit slow today.”

Then she asked, “So, who do you plan on going with, Mr. Lone Soldier?”

“I’ll go alone,” he replied.

Lu Xin shook his head with a smile. “That place is too dangerous. I’m worried something might happen if you all go there.”

Han Bing was momentarily at a loss for words, sensing something was off yet not entirely sure what.

Considering the danger to team members, is it really reasonable for the Captain to go solo?

As she slowly accepted this logic, Lu Xin’s expression turned serious.

Looking at Han Bing, he said, “Before I go over there, there’s one more thing we need to consider.”

Han Bing paused and looked up at him.

“Your safety.”

Lu Xin continued, “Even though we’ve confirmed the pollution in Heichao City—maybe not your ordinary field pollution—it’s undeniably a large-scale anomaly. Since we’re all in this area, we must always be alert to the threat of contamination, especially you. After all, you’re not an Ability User and your resistance is lower. I have to ensure you stay safe.”

Han Bing’s eyes twitched with a strange mix of emotion.

She didn’t irresponsibly say, “I’m fine” or, “Don’t worry about me.” Instead, after a moment of serious thought, she replied, “Before you return, Mr. Lone Soldier, I won’t leave this hotel or come into contact with any strange things. Besides, I’ll remain vigilant at all times to avoid unknowingly falling into contaminated environments…”

Lu Xin considered this for a moment, then nodded with a smile, “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

He added a final reminder, “If you ever run into trouble, don’t panic—immediately call out for help.”

Looking steadily at Han Bing, he said, “You mentioned that if you encountered pollution, you could hold out for ten seconds, right?”

“That means as long as I’m in this city, I can return in time to save you.”

“…”

Under Lu Xin’s steady gaze, Han Bing instinctively nodded without much thought.

Even Gecko, Red Serpent, and Group Leader—who had been listening in bewilderment—failed to notice anything amiss.

It wasn’t until Lu Xin descended the stairs that a slightly belated Gecko suddenly reacted and exclaimed in surprise.

“Holy crap…”

He swiftly turned around, widening his eyes as he looked at Han Bing and whispered in a low tone, “Just now, the Captain said that as long as she’s in this city, if you call out for help, he can reach you in ten seconds—assuming he wasn’t just boasting…”

“What level of ability would that even require?”

“…”

That one question left both Red Serpent and Han Bing startled, as a piece of sausage suddenly fell onto the floor of the room.

“I don’t know…”

Han Bing’s expression shifted to one of surprise, mixed with a touch of warmth and awe.

After a moment, she shook her head blankly and said, “Our research on abilities in Qinggang is among the deepest in the major High-wall Cities.”

“But Mr. Lone Soldier’s ability seems to have already surpassed the scope of Qinggang’s studies…”

“…”

After coming downstairs, Group Leader had already arranged a car for Lu Xin.

At that moment, Group Leader had proactively taken on the roles of aiding and guarding the Investigation Team’s logistics. Most importantly, he didn’t ask any questions—partly due to the deep father-daughter sentiment mixed with guilt and the need for atonement he felt toward Red Serpent, and even Lu Xin’s boyfriend had taken a liking. Every car arranged was one that garnered attention on the street.

“This car isn’t good. Get a more low-key one…”

Considering he was on an investigation, not out to show off, Lu Xin made his request.

Soon, Group Leader’s men scattered about and quickly brought him a battered van.

Lu Xin immediately laughed, “This one’s great. Where did you find it?”

One of the henchmen patted the steering wheel proudly and said, “Just stole it from the roadside. If you don’t like it, I can find another.”

“…”

Lu Xin was at a loss for words, feeling both a surge of guilt and admiration.

Although he didn’t really endorse such behavior, he decided to prioritize the investigation and simply shook his head as he got into the car.

“I heard you’re the little sweetheart of our Miss; how can you be driving? Let me take you there,”

one eager henchman offered cheerfully.

“Thank you.”

But after Lu Xin saw his deeply shadowed eyes, he shook his head and said, “No need—fatigued driving isn’t safe.”

……

……

After getting into the car, Lu Xin managed to start it using some stripped electrical wires. Once he confirmed the location of Tianhe Security, he drove the battered van toward the south of Black Marsh Satellite City Three. Initially, he was a bit worried about not finding the place, but when he reached the towering building of Tianhe Security, he felt relief wash over him.

The sight before him even managed to surprise him a little.

It was immense…

Lu Xin circled around the security company in his van for a solid twenty minutes.

This wasn’t just any security company—it was a miniature military base.

Massive, imposing walls stretched out into the dark unknown, encircling building after building.

Among the structures, several tall, stiff buildings stood out defiantly in the midst of the flashy yet stifling Satellite City, towering as if an emperor surveying his humble subjects.

No wonder even a notorious underworld magnate like Group Leader spoke of Tianhe Security with such caution.

In Heichao City, this company is likely one of the top power players. They probably built it in Satellite City Three because the land is cheap and far from the Main City’s Administration Hall.

“Tsk, tsk…”

Lu Xin parked the van over a hundred meters away in the shadows of Tianhe Security, grabbed a black bag, and got out.

He walked on foot to a towering wall about four or five meters high and took a deep breath.

Strictly speaking, he was trespassing on someone else’s territory, wasn’t he?

He had never ventured onto someone else’s turf before, especially not back in Qinggang where he always followed the law.

But now, in Heichao City, his mission to resolve the special pollution incident made it somewhat justifiable.

Still, he decided to proceed with caution.

For one, he didn’t want to violate anyone’s laws by being seen.

And secondly, Han Bing had previously mentioned that until the investigation was clear, she shouldn’t expose her whereabouts to avoid unnecessary trouble.

……

After calming his nerves, Lu Xin quietly began to scale the wall, inching his way upward. At the top, he found an interlaced maze of barbed wire. He grasped it, feeling a numbing tingle and even faint sparks in his hands.

Ignoring the sensation, he smoothly jumped upward and clambered over the wall, muttering, “They even rigged it with high-voltage wires…”

For such a huge security company, do they not care about the electric bill?

Is this really to stop thieves?

What kind of thief would dare to steal from a security company?

Once over the wall, he found himself in an enormous, seemingly endless expanse. Near the wall, lush greenery and trees were planted, while farther away were training grounds enclosed by barbed wire and various buildings of differing heights.

The whole area looked anything but like a company—it was clean, spacious, and brightly lit, almost like a park.

“So this is what a career in security looks like… promising indeed,”

Lu Xin mused to himself.

He had a say in this matter, after all, he had once worked as a security guard.

Taking another deep breath and just about to find a route through, he suddenly heard low growls—”wooooo”—from a distance.

He looked up sharply to see several dark figures dashing under the lights like lightning.

They turned out to be a few vicious dogs, each nearly half a meter long, with sleek black fur and slender bodies. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dark and their guttural growls erupted as they charged forward. Even from afar, their sharp, ghastly white teeth were bared.

Barely upright, Lu Xin quickly crouched down and waited silently as the dogs barreled toward him.

In the blink of an eye, the dogs leaped over flowering bushes and reached him.

Lu Xin waited calmly, frowning.

Then, as the lead dog neared him, it locked eyes with Lu Xin. Its body shuddered violently and it braced on all four legs, halting roughly two meters away on the grass; two more, charging too quickly, were suddenly blocked, leaving three of them in an awkward pile.

Three dogs, six eyes, all curiously watching him.

Half hidden in the shadows, Lu Xin slowly poked his head out and smiled at them.

Swish!

All three dogs trembled simultaneously, collapsing to the ground while wagging their tails frantically and emitting pitiful whines.

“Such good dogs…”

Lu Xin gave the amiable canines a friendly glance, reassured they posed no threat.

He walked past them, even patting their heads.

Only once he was far away did the three dogs shakily stand up again, leaving a small puddle of urine on the ground.