novelraw Chapter 258: Even a small fly is still meat
Chapter 258: Even a small fly is still meat
Upon hearing this, Lin Wei revealed a delighted smile. "Thank you, sir! I will definitely perform well!"
She had heard plenty of empty promises from superiors before. No matter how sweet the words sounded, whether they could ultimately be fulfilled depended on actual actions. For now, it was best to be cautiously optimistic and remain vigilant.
Lin Wei didn't want to continue this sensitive topic and instead said, "Sir, it's rare to get a chance to enter a Mist Event. I should seize the time to hunt. Even a fly is still meat, right~"
After saying that, she gave Su Zhan a radiant smile and began searching for new targets.
Su Zhan followed her at a distance, neither too close nor too far. He did not interfere with Lin Wei's hunting, merely observing coldly from the sidelines. It was both a form of surveillance and an invisible deterrent.
Lin Wei was also well aware of this and dared not make any suspicious moves, only working even harder to perform.
Thus, the two of them, one in the open and one in the shadows, carried out the final cleanup work on the campus that was gradually settling into calm.
Until the grayish-white mist dome in the sky began to slowly recede.
Moonlight spilled over this campus that had endured devastation.
The Mist Event had ended.Before the mist completely dissipated, Su Zhan silently left the campus. He avoided main roads, sticking to alleys and blind spots of surveillance cameras, moving agilely through the night of Lincheng.
Finally, he arrived at a small hillside near the school. The view here was open, allowing a clear overlook of the entire campus. Su Zhan found a dense thicket to hide in, his gaze coldly fixed on the scene below.
The perimeter of the campus had long been tightly surrounded by vehicles and personnel from the Aberrant Purge Division. Searchlights illuminated the area near the school entrance as brightly as day. Uniformed Purge Division members, with serious expressions, were setting up cordon lines and establishing a temporary command post.
Soon, surviving students and teachers, guided by confirmed-safe Purge Division members, began to walk out of that hellish campus, still shaken and terrified. Most of them bore injuries, their faces etched with fear. Cries and sobs rose and fell continuously.
Su Zhan quickly spotted Lin Wei in the crowd. At this moment, she had transformed back into the image of that pure and captivating campus goddess. Her uniform was deliberately smudged with dust and bloodstains, her hair slightly disheveled. That pretty face was streaked with tear tracks, her large eyes swollen and red from crying, filled with utter helplessness. She tightly gripped the arm of a female Purge Division member, her body trembling slightly.
A female Purge Division member who appeared relatively gentle was softly comforting her. "It's alright now, classmate, it's alright. You're safe..."
Lin Wei suddenly threw herself into the arms of that Purge Division big sister, burying her face in the other's chest. Her shoulders shook violently as she let out suppressed sobs. Anyone who saw that appearance would feel pity for her.
On the hillside, Su Zhan watched this scene and thought to himself, "Great acting."
Outside the campus perimeter, apart from the official personnel, a large number of journalists and onlookers who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news had also gathered. Outside the cordon line, a sea of people bustled, discussing animatedly.
"My heavens... what on earth happened inside that school?"
"So many people died! It's too tragic!"
"Such a sin! Those damned Aberrants!"
"My child goes to school there! The phone won't connect, I'm worried sick!"
"Why did the Purge Division take so long to arrive? If they came earlier, could fewer people have died?"
"What do you know! All electronic devices fail inside a Mist Event, signals can't get out! It's impressive they got here this fast!"
"Sigh, was it those scumbags from the Transcendence Society again? When will we finally wipe them all out!"
Camera flashes kept flickering. Journalists captured the scenes. More people wore heavy expressions, heartbroken over this senseless disaster.
Su Zhan's gaze returned to Lin Wei, who was crying in the arms of the Purge Division member. Confirming that she was temporarily safe and not under significant suspicion, he vanished into the night on the hillside, just as he had arrived.
...
At the Lincheng Aberrant Purge Division, after undergoing a series of statements and comforting procedures, Lin Wei was allowed to go home. She declined the Purge Division's offer to escort her, saying she wanted some time alone to calm down.
Lin Wei walked alone in the old residential area, her steps weary and unsteady, but her eyes remained alert. Using a key, she opened the slightly worn security door, slipped inside, and swiftly locked it behind her. Leaning back against the door panel, she finally let out a real sigh of relief.
Before that sigh could fully escape...
A hoarse voice sounded right against the back of her head.
"Performance... not bad."
Every hair on Lin Wei's body stood on end. She whirled around.
Su Zhan was standing in her entryway, having appeared at some unknown time. He still wore that black cat mask, his long hair tied back.
Lin Wei's last shred of wishful thinking, perhaps hoping to escape from this person, completely shattered.
This guy... was like a bone-deep ulcer.
Lin Wei forced out a smile uglier than crying and stepped aside to clear the path. "S-sir... Please come in."
Su Zhan stepped unceremoniously into this small home, his gaze sweeping over the interior.
This female Aberrant with such superb acting skills outside actually lived in an environment that was completely princess-style, all pink and soft. The walls were a gentle light pink. The sofa was piled high with various plush toys. The curtains were white and pink double-layered with lace trim. Even the coffee table was covered with a tablecloth featuring cartoon patterns. The bookshelf held not only textbooks but also many romance novels and delicate little trinkets. The air carried a faint scent of aromatic incense.
The entire room was decorated with an explosion of girlishness, forming a stark contrast with Lin Wei's true nature.
Su Zhan's gaze lingered on those plush toys for a moment before returning to Lin Wei, his eyes inscrutable.
Lin Wei felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze and subconsciously pressed her legs together, explaining, "An old hobby... haven't had time to change it..."
This clumsy excuse wasn't even believable to her.
Su Zhan commented flatly, "Having some hobbies... is normal."
Lin Wei was truly embarrassed at this moment. These pink, soft decorations were indeed her aesthetic. It's just... why did she feel a sense of shame?
Su Zhan began getting to the point. "What about your family?"
Lin Wei seemed long accustomed to this question and answered straightforwardly, "I don't have any. I'm an orphan."
"Then how does a twelfth-grade student... have an income?" Su Zhan continued asking.
"The Daxia government's poverty subsidy, plus some odd jobs on the side." Lin Wei pointed at the apartment. "This is also rented. It's cheap."
Su Zhan nodded. "Not a bad rental. Old neighborhood... no surveillance cameras. Convenient for your hunting."
He actually felt a slight pang of emotion inside. An orphan receiving state subsidies was secretly engaged in murderous activities. The ways of the world were truly ironic. But he quickly dismissed this useless sentiment and asked directly, "When... will you take me for plastic surgery? To get a new identity?"
"Sir, I've just experienced a Mist Event. I'm definitely going to be on the Aberrant Purge Division's watchlist for a while. It's too conspicuous to move around now." Lin Wei showed a troubled expression. "We need to lay low for a few days. I hope you can understand. At least another month."