Chapter 575: Shadows of the Abyss

Through Gecko, a word was passed on to Group Leader’s subordinates, instructing them to stay behind while Lu Xin and the others returned to the hotel.

Xia Chong was pressed for time and couldn’t afford any delays, while Lu Xin, Han Bing, and the others discussed their options. They finally decided that Lu Xin would accompany Xia Chong on this sniper mission, while Han Bing and Gecko stayed in Heichao City to keep watch.

After all, the special pollution incident in Heichao City needed to be verified first before giving it the green light.

Han Bing was mainly concerned with Lu Xin’s careful handling of these matters.

Originally, she had thought that accompanying Lu Xin and handling his dealings would be the best way to ensure his safety.

However, not only was she needed for coordination here in Heichao City, but the nature of Xia Chong’s mission—which might involve venturing deep into the Abyss—was beyond what an ordinary person could handle. In other words, she simply couldn’t follow Lu Xin.

As for Gecko, Han Bing felt that him trailing Lu Xin was even less dependable…

Both the Captain and Vice-Captain were truly worrisome…

Red Serpent was no better.

Don’t be fooled by her impressive performance on this mission; Han Bing knew that Red Serpent was first spotted by the City Defense Department and then covertly recruited because she once impersonated a Minister’s wife in Main City—lavishly squandering embezzled funds to the point of forcing a confession, only for it to be later discovered that she didn’t even have a husband…

What a headache.

In the end, Han Bing agreed with Lu Xin’s proposal and chose to tackle the mission alone…

After all, the plan was only set to last a day or two.

As for Lu Xin, his only concern was Han Bing’s safety; Heichao City was not Qinggang—anything could happen.

But on second thought, knowing that his Father was watching over the city put his mind at ease.

“Before I return, don’t wander off. As long as you stay in this city, you’ll be fine.”

When Lu Xin casually relayed these words to Han Bing, he was met with a group of people whose enigmatic gazes made him seem inscrutable.

“If that’s the case, let’s get moving!”

Seeing that the decision had been made, Xia Chong moved to the door and extended her soft, slightly chubby hand toward Lu Xin.

Amid Gecko’s admiring glance, Lu Xin stepped forward and grasped her hand.

“I’ve taken care of the people.”

Just before opening the door, Xia Chong paused and looked back at Han Bing with earnest determination.

Then she opened the door, and an instant burst of chilling, oppressive air surged out. Pulling Lu Xin inside, the door closed, and the cold sensation along with the clamor vanished as though they had never been.

Turning around, Gecko noticed Han Bing’s face turning pale. Startled, he asked, “Are you cold?”

Han Bing shook her head curtly and replied, “It’s the anger.”

Grinding her teeth in displeasure, she muttered, “Short as you are, you’re still so arrogant…”

“Isn’t it just money? My family doesn’t even have any, right?”

“…”

Intimidated by the palpable killing intent, Gecko quietly backed away, saying, “I’ll go check if Red Serpent has returned…”

Not only was he fearful, but even the nearby curtains inexplicably trembled.

……

……

Ruined buildings, a dilapidated city, and a crimson Red Moon.

Swirling winds carried countless sparks, along with barren, withered, and sharply outstretched hands across the ground like weeds.

The frigid air seemed determined to seep into every pore.

Murmurs echoed everywhere, threatening to inundate the mind and wrench the soul into the body.

Lu Xin, holding Xia Chong’s hand, walked through this abyssal world, his familiar gaze scanning the surroundings with a hint of curiosity:

“Why are the structures in the Abyss so dilapidated?”

“…”

Xia Chong glanced back at Lu Xin, clearly puzzled.

Although she had led other Ability Users into the Abyss before, it seemed that everyone who entered became as nervous as someone with a fear of heights on a plane—no matter how many times they’d done it, they still tensed up, clenching their mouths and even their eyes, tugging themselves along, desperate to leave. It was the first time she’d seen someone both curious enough to observe and bold enough to ask.

“Perhaps it’s because everything in the Abyss exists only in our memories.”

Xia Chong responded, “And in our memories, everything is inherently worn and dilapidated.”

“I see…”

Lu Xin answered while thoughtfully surveying the area.

“Heichao City’s Abyss is indeed peculiar…”

As Xia Chong led him on, she whispered, “It’s strange—those ever-present, sneaky creatures of the Abyss seem to be gone, and the feeling of being watched has disappeared, as if…”

After a moment’s thought, she murmured, “The entire Abyss of Heichao City has been cleared out…”

While speaking, she turned to look at Lu Xin.

Clearly surprised, Lu Xin replied, “Really?”

“That’s incredibly odd…”

“…”

Xia Chong simply fixed her gaze on Lu Xin.

It was as if she were trying to decipher his expression, but in the end she said nothing and just quickened her pace.

Surprisingly, entering the Abyss with Lu Xin was the most effortless experience she’d ever had; even the layered black hands on the ground seemed to be asleep—clenched like withered grass—offering no resistance as she passed by.

From entering the Abyss to reaching her destination, not a single wound marred her legs.

“Crack.”

She wandered through the Abyss until she reached an old, abandoned building and opened a half-ruined door.

The moment the door swung open, she briskly stepped out, pulling Lu Xin along.

In an instant, the scene changed; they found themselves in a spacious room with thick blankets spread across the floor.

The room was decorated in an ancient European style with a raw, untamed vibe. Shotguns and deer heads hung on the walls, and on a black sofa by the wall, several people sat. As soon as Xia Chong emerged from behind the door, they all stood and turned to look at them.

“I’ve already brought the people.”

Panting slightly, Xia Chong announced, “Mr. Lone Soldier from Qinggang has agreed to help us.”

“That’s great.”

One of the two smiled and stepped forward, shaking Lu Xin’s hand and saying, “Long time no see, Mr. Lone Soldier.”

“Hello, hello…”

Lu Xin also greeted him warmly while appraising him.

The man appeared to be in his early thirties, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit and glasses, exuding refined elegance. His smile was genuine, and his long, strong fingers struck a chord of familiarity, though Lu Xin couldn’t quite recall where they had met before.

While shaking Lu Xin’s hand, the man laughed and remarked, “Do you remember the Mr. Lone Soldier we met before?”

“This is…”

Only then did Lu Xin remember that this man had been one of the team captains during the investigation of the Black Table project.

He recalled that when they first met, the man had been dressed in a white coat, accompanied by two mental patients; his abilities had been quite impressive.

But what was his codename again?

Turning to the other individual, Lu Xin noticed a woman clad in a fiery red down jacket, high-heeled shoes studded with rivets, and hair as unruly as a bird’s nest. Her expression was haughty, as if she were sizing up a wild animal…

Soon, Lu Xin realized that he recognized her too.

He remembered that her weapon was a whip reminiscent of a circus performer’s prop—but what was her codename again?

“You should remember, right?”

With a flat tone, Xia Chong introduced, “They all collaborated with me in Water Buffalo City on the Black Table matter. Though all three of us were recruited by the Research Institute for our performance, as the team leader on this mission I rank a bit higher than them…”

“Ahem, let me formally introduce: this is Scalpel, and this is the Beast Tamer.”

“…”

Lu Xin let out a sigh of relief—he had almost forgotten their codenames.

Greeting someone whose name he couldn’t recall was unbearably awkward…

“Hello, hello…”

After warmly greeting the two and correctly recalling their names, everyone quickly fell into an easy camaraderie.

Scalpel shook Lu Xin’s hand enthusiastically and said, “When we met last time, I sensed a strong kinship with Mr. Lone Soldier. Now that I know what you’ve been doing in Heichao City, I’m even more convinced we’re on the same side… You must be one of us.”

The Beast Tamer giggled and eyed Lu Xin, saying, “Brother, you clearly aren’t normal.”

“?”

Lu Xin’s first reaction was to wonder whether they were praising him or insulting him.

Seeing the admiring smiles on their faces, he relaxed a little, thinking it must be a compliment.

“Alright, now isn’t the time for bonding.”

With a steely expression, Xia Chong reminded, “How’s the preparation coming along?”

“Should be about ready, I guess.”

In an uncertain tone, Scalpel opened a door to reveal another room.

Separated by just a door, while the previous room was decorated in a classic, rugged European style, the adjacent room was outfitted with an entire wall of complex instruments and an LCD display. Several soldiers in black tactical gear and helmets were intently monitoring an electronic map marked with dashed lines and flickering red circles.

“Have we tracked the trail of that Mental Monster?”

Entering the room, Xia Chong asked the two team members from the Negative Zero Unit at the computer.

The two did not offer a response; one silently looked up and glanced at Lu Xin.

“This is Mr. Lone Soldier; he’s a helper I brought along.”

Xia Chong quickly added, “He was originally invited by the Research Institute to join the High-Level Talent Club as an Ability User. He has a cooperative relationship with the Institute, so he isn’t considered an outsider. Now that we’ve agreed on terms, there’s no need to hide any information from him.”

The two members of the Negative Zero Unit then replied in a monotone, “We’ve tracked the Mental Monster with the codename ‘Hell’s Messenger.’”

“But our time is running out.”

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