Chapter 748: After the Crisis, a Midnight Meal

Under the veil of night, vague shadows of pedestrians appeared on the streets of Qinggang Satellite City No. 2.

With the crisis averted, those who had taken refuge in underground shelters began emerging cautiously—carrying children, supporting their partners—as they made their way home under the dim streetlights. Some stayed until the next morning out of caution, while others, pressed by urgent domestic matters, headed home before dawn.

Often, life outweighs disaster.

What needs to be done the next day is far more important than what just occurred.

“So, shall we eat here?”

Lu Xin, Number Eight, and the Old Security Guard weaved their way through the silent crowd returning home.

Nobody could be left behind at the Orphanage, so Teacher Xiao Lu stayed behind. This was a meeting reserved for the three men.

In the chill of the night, they pulled their jackets tighter; none of them spoke a word.

It was deep in the night, just after the crisis, making it hard to find a place to eat.

Fortunately, as soon as they arrived, they saw the restaurant owner coming back from the shelter, opening the door. Without waiting for their inquiry, he immediately recognized their intent and warmly invited them inside.

“Looking for a meal, huh?”

“Come on in…”

“What’s with the lateness?”

The owner, exuding generosity, declared, “When a guest comes to dine, it means they’re hungry. And if you’re hungry, you can’t just skip cooking!”

What a warm and friendly owner…

Lu Xin thought to himself.

He realized that his lingering idealized notion of the city was what had sparked such unusual warmth.

He even considered discreetly neutralizing the owner’s ‘idealized’ energy to prevent any mishaps during such abnormal hospitality—until he saw the owner move a small stool, sit by the counter, and start picking through small pieces of deep-fried meat.

Piece by piece, he tossed them into a trash bin.

“What’s this…”

Lu Xin asked, curiosity piqued.

“Ah, you don’t know, do you…”

The owner said with a contrite expression, “I used to mix spoiled meat with fresh meat when frying. I’d add extra salt and cumin—no one would notice, and at worst, they’d just end up with stomach trouble, not even near fatal.”

“But just now, it hit me—life is about treating others with empathy. You can’t run a business like that…”

“So I sorted out the spoiled meat first and only cooked the good stuff for you…”

“…”

Lu Xin was momentarily stunned, silently abandoning his plan to neutralize that ‘idealized’ energy.

He decided to wait until after the meal.

……

……

“It’s fine, just take a look at the menu and order whatever you fancy…”

Watching the owner head to the kitchen, Lu Xin eagerly slid the menu over to Number Eight and the Old Security Guard.

He was feeling especially generous.

After all, successfully completing a cleanup mission meant a hefty sum would soon flow in.

Especially this time, he had resolved a world-class pollution issue…

“How much money is that worth?”

In the past, he would have already asked Qinggang about the payout for such a task.

But this time, he decided to hold off for a while.

He understood that Qinggang themselves had no firm concept of what to pay for such massive pollution. Asking too soon might lead to an arbitrary figure, so it was better to give everyone some time to think it over.

“Place your order…”

Seeing Lu Xin looking so relaxed and enthusiastic, both Number Eight and the Old Security Guard began to feel uneasy.

They couldn’t figure out why Lu Xin had suddenly decided to treat them to a late-night meal.

Before the atmosphere grew awkward, the Old Security Guard, trying to appear calm, cleared his throat and took the menu.

“Old vinegar peanuts, sliced salted duck eggs, and… get a good bottle of White Wine.”

“…”

After finishing, he slid the menu over to Number Eight and looked at Lu Xin with a resigned expression—as if ready to face fate.

“And make sure the White Wine is a good one…”

Lu Xin smirked slightly but said nothing, asking Number Eight, “What do you want?”

Number Eight lazily scanned the menu, his mood still downcast, and shook his head, saying, “There’s nothing I want.”

Frowning, Lu Xin pressed, “Then what do you want to eat?”

The restaurant’s dishes were already expensive, and the owner had even taken the spoiled meat out, hadn’t he?

Still appearing listless, Number Eight replied, “Last time, that stinky tofu stewed with noodles was pretty good. More flesh buds would have made it even better.”

“?”

Lu Xin was taken aback for a moment.

He remembered the first time he treated Number Eight; the latter had devoured the meal with gusto, a look of genuine satisfaction on his face.

At the time, Lu Xin thought he must have been ravenous or purposely acting natural in front of him.

Never did he expect that Number Eight truly enjoyed that dish.

After a brief pause, Lu Xin nodded and said, “Don’t worry—I’ve got a few bags of stinky tofu from Heichao City’s specialties.”

“I initially planned to share them with friends, but since I couldn’t finish them all, I figured I’d just bring them for you.”

“As for the flesh buds, you’ll have to buy some meat on your own to go with them.”

“…”

Number Eight simply nodded, his interest visibly low.

Lu Xin added two more meat dishes for himself.

Then, at a small, grease-stained table, the three men quietly awaited the owner bringing out their food.

The first items served were the Old Security Guard’s White Wine and salted duck eggs—a fine wine, notably labeled.

Glancing at Number Eight and Lu Xin without a word, he handed each of them a wine glass and poured a glass for himself.

The three of them lifted their glasses quietly, with no intention of toasting.

They simply sipped the piquant wine, each lost in their own thoughts.

As the host, Lu Xin’s mind was particularly heavy.

His family had already gone home, leaving him to face these two alone with his raw thoughts.

With no one else to negotiate with, he chose his words with utmost care as he quietly gathered his thoughts.

After a long moment of silence, Number Eight broke the quiet, “Is it really over?”

“Yes,” Lu Xin replied.

Lu Xin set his glass down and looked steadily at Number Eight, saying, “The Sword Bearer is dead.”

It was evident that Number Eight’s hand trembled for a split second.

The Old Security Guard’s face also registered a hint of disbelief before he quickly lowered his gaze.

Lu Xin continued, “Furthermore, there’s trouble with the Sword Bearer. That Midnight Tribunal you once followed is also questionable. At the end, the Sword Bearer nearly lost control, and within the Midnight Tribunal… there were only dead bodies!”

In this greasy, smoke-filled eatery, the mood suddenly turned cold and heavy.

Lu Xin made an effort to explain clearly, “You can think of it this way: the true Sword Bearer no longer has a core.”

“His spirit has been extinguished—what remains is merely a walking corpse.”

“Number Eight, you and the others were merely following orders from that walking corpse, mechanically going through the motions.”

“I believe your trials have grown increasingly extreme in a short span, a change linked to the Sword Bearer’s state.”

“…”

At that moment, Number Eight gripped his wine glass tightly; his face turned even paler as cold sweat dripped down.

Worried he might not believe him, Lu Xin lowered his voice, “His Mind Palace is out there in the wasteland—you can go see for yourself.”

“Just remember to get permission from the Qinggang Cleanup Department first; it’s the rule.”

“…”

“No…”

Number Eight suddenly shook his head, an expression of inner turmoil crossing his face, “Honestly, I should have seen this coming…”

“When I first got Teacher Xiao Lu’s confession, I didn’t think much of it. I believed I could persuade the Midnight Tribunal to change their trial. But after countless unanswered prayers, I finally realized…”

“…”

At that point, he trailed off.

It was clear he had connected his past experiences with the current outcome and finally understood something.

Perhaps he had long suspected something was wrong but couldn’t prove it.

“Number Eight, if you’re willing, you could work with the Qinggang Cleanup Department to investigate. The happenings at the Midnight Tribunal are bizarre, and I want to know exactly what occurred. With your cooperation, we might uncover their secrets sooner…”

Seeing Number Eight accept this reality, Lu Xin patiently and gently tried to persuade him.

The world-class pollution at the Midnight Tribunal had been resolved.

Yet, instead of the relief usually felt after such a cleanup, he now found more inexplicable issues emerging, leaving him deeply worried.

That worry is also why he came to see Number Eight immediately.

Without uncovering the secrets behind the Midnight Tribunal, he could not truly find peace.

Moreover, this unease wasn’t for himself—it was for the sake of his family.

“So you want to work with them to uncover the secrets of the Midnight Tribunal?”

Number Eight’s face flickered with surprise, indifference, and then anxiety. After hearing Lu Xin’s words, he silently took a sip of his wine, then suddenly looked up, his gaze trembling slightly, “Is this why you brought me here—to tell me all this?”

“…”

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed straight ahead and the damp hair on his forehead fell over his eyes.

“No…”

Facing Number Eight’s look, Lu Xin paused, understanding his feelings.

Shaking his head slightly, he looked directly at Number Eight and said, “I called you here because there are some things I need to make clear.”

Speaking slowly, his tone grew very firm, almost like a warning:

“From now on, do not go looking for Teacher Xiao Lu or anyone else, and don’t try to bring any other pollution energies into Qinggang.”

“…”

“…”

Number Eight could see the strength behind Lu Xin’s gaze. His pupils constricted as he listened coldly.

“Number Eight, or should I say Xu Jing,” Lu Xin said calmly, locking eyes with him, “It’s perfectly fine that you can’t let go of the Orphanage’s matters.”

“But there is one thing you got wrong…”

After a brief pause, he emphasized gravely, “From the very beginning, you should have come straight to me with your questions!”