Chapter 827: Homecoming

After three days of intermittent flights, Lu Xin returned to Qinggang.

Qinggang had received a radio update from the helicopter confirming Lu Xin was still onboard; however, no one was sent to greet him because he had informed them via the walkie-talkie that he was exhausted and just wanted to go home and unwind.

Thus, Qinggang quietly activated its defense system, permitting the helicopter to land directly on the roof of the Security Hall in Second City.

Lu Xin pulled his coat tighter as he descended from the rooftop. Nodding to a female officer on duty in the lobby, he left the Security Hall.

Braving the chilly autumn wind, he quickly melted into the bustling crowd outside.

Inside the crowded subway car, Lu Xin found himself wedged among a throng of workers heading home.

Some passengers read newspapers while others dozed off, leaning against the car walls under dim lighting.

A few even hid their wandering glances—with magazines—to avoid showing interest in the legs of scantily dressed girls.

Others clutched their old, peeling phones, loudly discussing multi-million-dollar deals over the line.

……

Upon boarding, there were no available seats, but after two stops, one opened up.

Before he could sit, an elderly man carrying groceries dashed forward and snatched it away.

The man even shot Lu Xin a glare.

Unable to compete, Lu Xin resigned himself and continued gripping the handrail amid the crowd.

“Ding! The Moon Terrace has arrived.”

Weary, Lu Xin glanced around before, blending with the crowd, he exited the car.

With his hands tucked into his pockets, he wandered among people from all directions and paused for a moment.

Then he set off toward home.

At that moment, several figures who hadn’t bothered to hide were already waiting at the station, watching him from afar.

Due to his status, Lu Xin held enough power to fly directly from outside the city into Qinggang Satellite City No. 2 without undergoing the strict psychological screening required of other ability users.

However, the Special Cleaning Department was bound to send someone to check on him.

And for Lu Xin, the Special Cleaning Department undoubtedly had every right to do so.

Thus, they silently carried out their duty—either escort him home or see him off.

The Special Cleaning Department was deeply concerned, secretly wishing to accompany him home.

Yet, due to confidentiality agreements and respect for Lu Xin, though uneasy, they had no choice but to end their task there.

Qinggang Cleanup Department has an unwritten rule: ‘Without an invitation from a single soldier, you may not proactively enter the old building.’

Especially in the renovated old building that seemed to vanish at will.

……

……

As Lu Xin stepped into the dark, foreboding corridor of the old building, a subtle sense of resistance welled up within him.

Outside, he had been impatiently yearning to return—even wishing he could hurry home.

This urgency pressured the pilot dispatched by the Moon Eclipse Research Institute and the escorting helicopter crew so much that they compressed what should have been a four-day journey with seven supply stops into just three days with only four stops.

Yet, now that he was here, standing before the old building, Lu Xin hesitated to go inside.

But home was home, and he had to return.

With that thought, Lu Xin slowly stepped into the old building.

It hadn’t been long since they had last been together—only three days since their last battle side-by-side.

However, the old building dragged to the wasteland felt somehow different from Qinggang’s old building.

The moment he entered, he sensed a subtle surge of mental power.

In the corridor, the dense concentration of psychic energy made the air feel heavier than outside.

Every door stood slightly ajar, as if unseen eyes were watching him from within.

Ignoring it all, Lu Xin ascended the staircase, step by step.

As he climbed, the curious, even longing gazes from within the rooms grew in number.

“Clang…”

When he reached the second floor, a door suddenly burst open.

In the dark corridor, a pale face flashed by in an instant.

A chilling aura seized Lu Xin’s arm.

He stood silently and, looking down, was startled to see his own arm transformed into a blood-red tentacle.

It writhed softly in the darkness, both eerie and surprisingly deft.

He sighed softly and continued forward.

“Clang…”

“Whoosh…”

“……”

Suddenly, a cacophony of random noises erupted as the doors began to shake violently.

Countless shadows flickered before Lu Xin, swiftly latching onto him.

With each shadow that attached, a new change manifested on his body.

At times, an extra eye would suddenly appear on his face, its eyeball rolling as it scanned the surroundings.

Other times, another face sprouted from his back, seemingly struggling to tear at the fabric of his clothes in a grotesque bid to admire the world.

There was even a swelling on his left shoulder where it looked as though another head was about to emerge.

“These pimples are way too big…”

Lu Xin patted his left shoulder to stifle the changes and softly said, “You all, go back!”

“I know you once belonged to me.”

“But I don’t want to cross that boundary again. This is enough…”

“……”

A brief silence ensued before a chilling gust swept through the dark corridor.

“Clap clap clap…”

A series of heavy door closures echoed as every room burst open simultaneously, then slammed shut just as forcefully.

Even the bizarre changes on Lu Xin’s body vanished.

He leaned against a wall to rest before continuing his climb to the fourth floor.

Arriving at Apartment 401, Lu Xin stood in the shadows, fumbled for his keys, and opened the door.

Inside, the room was eerily quiet—no sound at all.

He switched on the light, which cast a dim glow that filled the room. Yet on the worn sofa, the tightly closed kitchen door, and the table by the window with half-drawn curtains where the phone was set, everything was empty.

There were no little girls watching TV on the sofa, no women making phone calls by the wall, and no shadow in the kitchen.

Lu Xin quietly entered and set his bag on the sofa; only the creaking of the old floor accompanied his steps.

He slowly sat on the sofa, his back not quite resting against it.

Suddenly, a sense of familiarity washed over him.

After resolving the incident in Happy Town, the house had once been left empty.

But that time had been nothing more than a family prank.

Now, with his father out retrieving what was rightfully his and his sister still missing, the house was truly his alone.

This home was now genuinely empty.

……

……

Perhaps because of past experience, Lu Xin realized he wasn’t overwhelmed by emotion this time.

Previously, coming home to an empty house had filled him with panic and fear.

But this time, having expected and accepted this result, he felt far calmer.

After all, what’s wrong with emptiness?

An empty house remains empty, regardless of one’s discontent.

Who hasn’t, at some point, returned to an empty home and eventually accepted the reality?

Lu Xin did not display any intense emotion; he simply tucked away his deep loneliness, sitting silently on the sofa—too tired even to light a cigarette—until the remaining daylight faded and the streetlights began to flicker on. Then he shifted slightly and sighed.

He realized that even when alone, hunger eventually struck.

……

……

After lingering for a while, Lu Xin finally rose and retrieved a packet of instant noodles from the fridge.

He then headed to the kitchen, washed a pot, lit the gas stove, and leaned against the wall as he waited for the water to boil.

A bowl of noodles cooked in clear water, paired with half a bag of pickled mustard from the fridge’s corner, made up his meal.

Silently watching the boiling pot, Lu Xin added an egg just as the noodles were nearly done.

Carrying the bowl, he returned to the dining table where the house remained exceptionally quiet.

He grabbed a pair of chopsticks, poured a cup of water beside the bowl, and gently sat down.

Steam billowed from the bowl as Lu Xin twirled a clump of noodles with his chopsticks.

After a moment’s hesitation, he set most of it aside and slowly picked up just a few strands to eat.

The noodles, boiled in clear water, were bland—even with a sliver of pickled mustard—so Lu Xin ate slowly.

Absentmindedly, his gaze fell upon an empty chair beside the table, and suddenly his vision blurred.

A powerful surge of loneliness overwhelmed him, and tears began to fall without warning.

This home was unbearably empty.

Even if his sister and father returned, it would never feel complete…

……

……

“Woof…”

Just as the overwhelming loneliness hit, a timid bark sounded from beneath the table.

Lu Xin paused, quickly wiped his tears, and leaned down to peer under the table.

There, a skinless dog was curled up, cautiously peeking out to meet his gaze.

He couldn’t believe it had dared to come out.

Stunned, Lu Xin looked around and saw that the room now seemed filled with curious objects.

A mass of blood threads, supporting a mask, floated gently in the room.

A photographer-like hourglass slowly moved to stand before the television, projecting images.

A few feeble specks of mental energy hid in a corner of the wall, trembling as they surveyed their new home.

……

……

Lu Xin’s inner loneliness seemed to have been dispelled.

He forced a small smile, picked up a piece of egg white with his chopsticks, and tossed it to the skinless dog.

Though a void still lingered inside him, the lively atmosphere of his home made up for it—what more could he ask for?

Taking a deep breath, he picked up his chopsticks again, ready to enjoy his dinner.

But just then, a knocking sound began at the window.

Startled, he moved to the window and pulled back the curtains. Outside, he saw a pretty face smiling sweetly at him. Floating gracefully in mid-air, the girl waved at him.

“Kid…”

Lu Xin was surprised, then realized that the kid was a real person—not a mental entity.

Hurriedly, he opened the window and saw the girl retrieve a packaged box from behind her as she smiled at him.

She had brought dinner.