novelraw Chapter 156: Hypocrisy
Chapter 156: Hypocrisy
Wang Mingyuan was momentarily stunned and defended, "This... he's only eighteen after all, and he's always been a loner..."
"Exactly because of that, a dual-identity individual without any sense of belonging is like a ticking time bomb."
Ye Hongyu interrupted him: "Right now he can still control himself, but what about later? If he loses control one day, both of us would be accomplices, the greatest sinners of Daxia!"
Wang Mingyuan defended Su Zhan again: "Su Zhan's identity as an Aberrant has made him experience too many bad things. Doberman and Qin Bai are the best examples. The fact that he hasn't joined the Aberrant faction now is already very good. There's really no other way for someone like him—this is just the situation for Aberrants in Daxia, and no one can change it."
"This can be changed."
Ye Hongyu curled the corner of her mouth: "I want to create a sense of belonging for him, have him participate in investigations, earn merits and rewards, receive media praise. Make him accustomed to being restrained, accustomed to taking responsibility. A sense of honor and belonging are the best shackles."
Wang Mingyuan frowned: "But wouldn't this backfire? He might resent it..."
"That's why we need to proceed step by step, let him taste the benefits first, then slowly guide him."
Ye Hongyu slightly raised her head: "When he gets used to the feeling of being respected and needed, he will naturally develop a sense of belonging."
Wang Mingyuan still felt uneasy: "But his dual identity...""Precisely because he has a dual identity, he needs to establish a sense of belonging even more."
Ye Hongyu explained patiently: "A powerful individual who identifies with Daxia is much safer than a lone wolf who keeps to himself."
Seeing her so insistent, Wang Mingyuan couldn't say anything more: "I understand, you want to use honor and responsibility to restrain him."
After all, she was his teacher.
Although he felt that deliberately manipulating Su Zhan like this wasn't good.
But he couldn't stop Ye Hongyu...
He couldn't change the fact that others used feigned affection and false sincerity when dealing with Su Zhan.
He could only guarantee that he himself was genuine.
That was enough.
As for the rest, he couldn't change it either.
"Do you know why Su Zhan is so lax about this mission?"
Ye Hongyu continued: "Can't he complete the mission while absorbing the life essence of mist creatures? These are all excuses. The real reason is that he has no sense of belonging to Daxia. Otherwise, why would a normal person be so negligent about a mission that could save thousands of people?"
Hearing this, Wang Mingyuan cooperatively nodded.
Although he really didn't want to admit it, this was indeed the truth.
"I also want him to understand that his abilities can benefit more people."
Ye Hongyu said with a look of longing in her eyes: "A powerful individual willing to protect others is the most reliable."
...
Lei Chen spread a stack of documents on the armored vehicle's engine hood and pointed at the photo on top:
"Student Su Zhan, since you've officially joined the investigation team now, let's first review the case details. How much do you know about the Eastern Suburbs disappearance case?"
Su Zhan leaned against the vehicle door, casually flipping through the photos: "Only know it's a series of disappearance incidents, not clear on the specific details."
"The case started three months ago."
Lei Chen rubbed his temples: "Initially, a few night-shift workers disappeared. At the time, we thought it was an ordinary criminal case."
"Until last month, when seven people disappeared in a single day, did we realize the seriousness of the situation."
Su Zhan took another file he handed over: "Is there any pattern to the disappearances?"
"Ninety percent occurred at night."
Lei Chen opened a tactical tablet to display a map marked with red dots: "The victims all disappeared when they were out alone. The scenes were so clean it was as if... as if they had simply gotten lost on their own."
Su Zhan asked: "So you've been monitoring this area for a while?"
"Yes, but we didn't expect a mist incident to suddenly erupt."
Lei Chen rubbed his temples tiredly: "Thinking about it now, the other party might have detected our investigation and launched preemptively."
Su Zhan continued asking: "What about the young master Blondie?"
"He brought it upon himself..."
As soon as Lei Chen said this, he immediately realized and stopped.
"And the people protecting him disappeared along with him?"
Su Zhan asked again.
Although he knew the reason, he still had to ask.
What if there were unexpected gains?
"More than that."
Lei Chen explained: "During last night's mist incident, we lost a full twelve people! This is the heaviest loss for Yun City's Aberrant Purge Division in a month."
"Feeling a lot of pressure now?"
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow.
"More than just a lot."
Lei Chen sighed: "Councilman Lin has given a strict order—we must find his son within 72 hours. The higher-ups have dispatched three special action teams, even the military has been alerted."
Su Zhan nodded: "So where do we start now?"
"First, go to the wastewater treatment plant."
Lei Chen pointed in a direction: "That's where the last disappearance occurred before last night's mist incident."
"Okay."
Su Zhan nodded in acknowledgment.
Oh dear, thinking about overtime work already makes me uncomfortable.
Couldn't even slack off properly.
Now I can only work for free for those guaranteed two weeks of cultivation resources.
Sigh... Actually, since he decided to focus on cultivating his Aberrant form, he hasn't cared that much about it anymore.
But since it's available, might as well take it.
...
The armored vehicle stopped in front of an open sedimentation tank.
Lei Chen jumped out first, raising his hand to signal the team members to disperse and stay alert, then turned to Su Zhan: "We'll search separately. You come with me to the main control room."
Su Zhan nodded, his gaze sweeping around.
The factory area was eerily quiet, not even insect sounds could be heard.
The two climbed up the iron ladder to the second-floor control room.
Lei Chen kicked open the deformed iron door.
Inside the control room, all the instrument panels were shattered, and there were several deep claw marks on the operation console.
"Looks like they've been here."
Lei Chen crouched down, wiping his finger through a layer of sticky black substance on the ground: "No more than 12 hours ago."
Su Zhan stopped walking, frowning deeply: "Something's not right."
Lei Chen turned to look at him: "Found something?"
"If it were simple hunting, Aberrants could easily deal with their targets on the spot."
Su Zhan pointed to the clean ground around them: "But none of the disappearance scenes had bloodstains, meaning they're deliberately capturing people alive."
He hadn't realized this when others described the scenes before.
Now that he's here, he noticed this point.
Lei Chen's eyes narrowed: "You mean..."
"Why go through all the trouble to capture live humans?"
Su Zhan said gravely: "Do they need specific people? Do they need large numbers of living beings? Or do they need a large supply of reserve food?"
Lei Chen's expression changed abruptly: "Are you saying they're stockpiling... food?"
"Or experimental subjects."
Su Zhan looked around: "In any case, we need to find their hiding place."
Lei Chen immediately took out his walkie-talkie: "All teams, adjust search direction, focus on investigating the following areas..."
"There are too many surveillance cameras in the city, they wouldn't take the risk. We should check hidden corners without surveillance."
Su Zhan listed several locations: "Abandoned factories, underground pipe networks, suburban warehouses, mountain forests, caves—anything is possible. These are the best hiding spots."
"That makes sense, I'll check immediately."
Lei Chen quickly marked the map, then looked up at Su Zhan with an appreciative gaze: "Very clear thinking."
Su Zhan didn't feel particularly pleased.
He just found it somewhat strange.
Is the investigative approach of the Aberrant Purge Division really this poor now?
Even someone like him who has never handled a case could think of this.
Why couldn't people who deal with this kind of thing year-round come up with it?