novelraw Chapter 1204: Ordinary People
Chapter 1204: Ordinary People
Time passed bit by bit, and Zhao Le grew increasingly anxious.
He sat outside a room, quietly staring at his phone—no signal.
Mingming had been brought into this building not long ago, right in the middle of a bustling city. How could there be no signal?
Zhao Le couldn’t help but recall the events of the day, the people with extraordinary powers he had encountered, and his mind spiraled into confusion… he felt like an ordinary person being inexplicably drawn into unknown events.
He also thought back to the moment Dong Shaofeng had saved him, which still felt incredible.
Instinctively, he looked at the room before him—Dong Shaofeng was being taken inside for further treatment, and Zhao Le had no idea how he was doing.
“Oh, so you’re here. Come with me, young man~”
A spirited young man approached Zhao Le with a smile, calling out loudly… it was Bu Bugao.
…
“Temporarily no way to resolve it?”Inside the room, Dong Shaofeng had actually regained consciousness some time ago. Thick bandages wrapped his body, and his heels had been treated as well.
According to the man named Liu Minghao, once the heel injuries healed, his mobility would not be affected. But at the moment, Dong Shaofeng wasn’t overly concerned about his injuries; he was thinking about something else.
He didn’t know exactly what had happened after Xiang Qiang stabbed him in the chest, but he clearly remembered Xiang Qiang’s appearance in that final moment—clearly not human.
Wei Zidào cleared his throat. “Dong Shaofeng, we apologize regarding your injuries… given the conditions at our office, we are unable to completely remove the strange energy remaining in your body. For now, we can only suppress it… think of it as a kind of temporary seal.”
Dong Shaofeng was quick to accept this explanation—especially after seeing Xiang Qiang’s abnormal and terrifying state.
Of course, the later video Liu Minghao showed him of the battle against the mysterious 24 also confirmed it—but mainly, it was the severity of his own injuries.
His heel, abdomen, and even chest had been pierced by a dagger, yet within a few hours he could already get out of bed… though weak, normal medical treatment couldn’t have achieved this.
“Will this have any lasting effect on me?” Dong Shaofeng frowned.
Liu Minghao hesitated, then spoke honestly. “We cannot give a definite answer. The energy remaining in your body is unusual. Even though it’s temporarily sealed, we cannot predict its long-term effects, nor can we guarantee how long the seal will last… this method is only a temporary measure. My colleagues and I are not specialists in sealing or advanced healing techniques.”
“So there are people skilled in sealing or healing? Where are they?” Dong Shaofeng asked calmly, frowning. “You claim to exist to protect the public. You can’t just ignore a victim, can you?”
“Of course not,” Liu Minghao nodded. He was somewhat surprised by this young university student—not only was he highly receptive, but he remained unusually calm, without panic… or perhaps he felt panic but had strong self-control.
“Then bring them here,” Dong Shaofeng nodded, his expression relaxing slightly.
Wei Zidào hesitated. “Uh… that might not be possible right now. Our city branch is… special. We don’t usually dispatch personnel here.”
“Then what should I do?” Dong Shaofeng asked calmly.
Though still a student, he had grown up witnessing many cases in workplaces and officialdom where responsibility was shirked… especially when people refused to help.
Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào were not cold or dismissive, which made him feel the Management Bureau genuinely valued people.
“You can rest assured,” Liu Minghao said with a faint smile. “It may not be possible here, but we can take you to a location with better facilities for treatment. Our provincial office has superior conditions and should be able to restore you fully. How long it will take, we cannot guarantee—you may need to leave for a period of time, so it’s best to coordinate with your family.”
“No need,” Dong Shaofeng said calmly. “Let’s decide that I’ll go whenever you say.”
Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào exchanged a glance, surprised at how quickly he agreed. Liu Minghao nodded. “Very well. We’ll arrange to have you transported there.”
Bu Bugao happened to be present and could handle the task.
“Thank you,” Dong Shaofeng said, exhaling slowly. “When asked about this, I’ll say it was you who saved me.”
Liu Minghao glanced at him in surprise.
He wasn’t worried that Dong Shaofeng would make a scene; every mission was fully documented, especially if combat occurred—and Dong Shaofeng had arrived before anyone else.
In theory, there shouldn’t be a problem. But if Dong Shaofeng went to the provincial office and claimed that he was rescued casually without proper care, it could cause trouble.
Management Bureau investigators are meticulous. They generally aren’t tempted by money, but they value their reputation above all.
Early in the Bureau’s establishment, mismanagement and mixed affiliations sometimes caused poor treatment of citizens. Over time, operations became more regulated and people-oriented, with strict documentation—medications like “Duanpian” had strict usage standards, and overall the Bureau’s discipline improved significantly.
(Note: Duanpian sounds like something that erase a fragment of memory.)
After the Mount Tai incident, all personnel learned the core principle: avoid provoking conflict between the public, the Bureau, and transcendent individuals.
Previously, Liu Minghao would have had more methods to handle situations. Now, at a critical time, he needed to be more cautious.
“We are just doing our duty,” Liu Minghao said with a faint smile, gentle and calm.
Dong Shaofeng suddenly asked, “Xiang Qiang is dead… how will you handle this?”
Liu Minghao replied casually, “We have our methods. Don’t worry. We’ll ensure your life returns to normal without any impact from this incident.”
“And Zhao Le?” Dong Shaofeng lifted his head. “The one you brought along?”
“Him…”
…
“What… what is this?”
Seeing the small capsule and a glass of water Bu Bugao set before him, Zhao Le flinched.
“Duanpian. That’s the name of the drug,” Bu Bugao said, casually sitting down with his legs crossed. “If you take it, you’ll forget the events of the last few hours. Under normal circumstances, you won’t remember them afterward.”
Zhao Le hesitated, asking carefully, “Does this drug… have any other risks?”
“Relax,” Bu Bugao said calmly. “It has undergone over ten thousand field tests. As long as a person doesn’t take more than ten at once, it’s safe.”
Zhao Le asked curiously, “What if I take more than ten?”
Bu Bugao shrugged. “You’d better not know. Besides, an ordinary person can hardly get even ten, at most one or two. If you actually managed to accumulate ten, I’d have to admire your disaster-prone luck—you’d have to run into us more than ten times.”
Zhao Le forced a smile. “Once I take it, can I leave?”
Bu Bugao nodded. “Of course. You’ve already given your statement; we won’t trouble you again.”
—At most, someone might discreetly observe to see if the Duanpian took effect…
“All right then.” Zhao Le nodded.
Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào walked in with Dong Shaofeng. Bu Bugao, no longer able to sit so casually, immediately stood up.
“Step outside for a moment,” Liu Minghao said to Bu Bugao, then looked at Dong Shaofeng and calmly said, “I’ll give you half an hour.”
…
They sat across from each other, separated by a table.
Neither Dong Shaofeng nor Zhao Le spoke at first. Time passed slowly—Zhao Le thought about the “half an hour” Liu Minghao had mentioned.
Suddenly, Dong Shaofeng took out his phone. In front of Zhao Le, he removed the SIM card and placed the phone on the table, sliding it toward him.
The phone slid into Zhao Le’s hands.
He frowned. “What’s this supposed to mean?”
Dong Shaofeng said calmly, “Nothing. Just got bored, that’s all… Don’t tell me you thought I’d be so obsessed with you I’d keep at it? If I had that kind of time, I’d rather go find a few girls.”
Zhao Le sneered… but handing over the phone was probably the best thing that happened to him all day.
Dong Shaofeng continued, “I threw away Ming Zhen’s phone, Xiang Qiang’s dead—no one will trouble you anymore. Go back to your ordinary life.”
“Thanks,” Zhao Le replied flatly… then frowned.
He remembered something—since he had to take the Duanpian, Dong Shaofeng might have to take it too. If he forgot what had happened, then later…
“Don’t worry, I won’t take this drug in the short term,” Dong Shaofeng said, seemingly reading Zhao Le’s thoughts. “They said it only erases memory for a few hours. Even if I take it later, I won’t forget today.”
Zhao Le’s expression relaxed slightly.
He couldn’t forget what Dong Shaofeng had done to him before, just because he saved him in the end—at most it balanced things out. Deep down, he didn’t want any further involvement with Dong Shaofeng.
Thinking this, Zhao Le didn’t wait for the half-hour to pass. He reached for the Duanpian and the glass of water.
“You really intend to take it?” Dong Shaofeng suddenly asked.
Zhao Le paused, instinctively looking up. Dong Shaofeng’s eyes were sharp and fixed on him. “What do you mean? If I don’t take it, how do I leave?”
Dong Shaofeng said, “If you take it, you’ll completely forget what happened. You won’t remember encountering anything extraordinary, or seeing the world differently. You likely won’t have another chance like this. Are you… willing to live an ordinary life forever?”
“So what?” Zhao Le said with a laugh. “No matter how extraordinary things are, I’m just an ordinary person. Faced with such so-called power, I have no means to resist. Even if I remembered, what good would it do?”
Dong Shaofeng said calmly, “There’s another way to handle it. You saw it—people like Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào travel frequently. There are many like them; it’s a massive organization.”
Zhao Le frowned.
Dong Shaofeng continued, “Obviously, these people are capable. They can’t do everything themselves, so there must be an even larger team supporting their work.”
“What do you mean?” Zhao Le felt a spark of understanding.
Dong Shaofeng smiled. “Ordinary people who encounter ‘incidents’ can also get a chance to join this organization. Not everyone qualifies. First, you must be young. Then you must pass their tests. If all criteria are met, you might join—though usually only as an external member… Even as an external member, your life changes completely. A bigger world awaits you.”
“I told you, this has nothing to do with me,” Zhao Le shook his head. “I’m just a normal person, too afraid to make mistakes. As I said, after what you did, I even thought of killing you all—but I didn’t… I won’t ruin myself.”
Dong Shaofeng silently watched him.
Zhao Le took a deep breath, then laughed bitterly. “Like you said, I’m like an egg—fragile. You’re like jade—dirty it a little, and it’s fine. The world is unfair, but so what? What I have, you may not. I can be happy with an ordinary meal, but you could have a feast and still lose your appetite… I want ordinary happiness, not a life constantly in fear, worrying my family… Do you know who is most common in the world?”
Dong Shaofeng asked instinctively, “Ordinary people?”
Zhao Le shook his head and said seriously, “Commoners.”
…
Dong Shaofeng paused, opening his mouth.
Without hesitation, Zhao Le popped the capsule into his mouth and swallowed it with water.
Dong Shaofeng finally exhaled, choosing not to comment further.
“Thank you… for saving me.”
This was the last thing Zhao Le said before losing consciousness.
Dong Shaofeng shook his head, looking at Zhao Le sleeping on the table, and finally gave a bitter smile. “Still didn’t remember… should’ve skipped the diet.”
Not long after, Liu Minghao walked in. Dong Shaofeng steadied himself on the table. “Please take care of him.”
Liu Minghao said nothing… treating it as a small reward for the clever kid.
…
A cold wind blew, and Zhao Le shivered. He looked around and realized he was sitting in a park, feeling confused.
But he quickly recalled what had happened.
Dong Shaofeng had summoned him, given him a harsh scolding, and returned everything he had used to threaten him.
Looking at the phone that had its SIM card removed, Zhao Le still found it hard to believe—but the sharp pain in his shoulder reminded him it was real.
Still… just one hard scolding solved everything, Zhao Le thought it was okay. Dong Shaofeng’s sudden actions left him somewhat puzzled.
He had many questions but no answers.
Zhao Le shook his head, checked the time—it was nearly 8 p.m.—and hurriedly stood up, leaving the park.
By the river, he hesitated, then, seeing no one around, threw the silver handgun from his backpack into the water before quickly leaving.
As Zhao Le departed, two dark figures appeared from the side… one of them unusually large.
It was Bu Bugao and Wang Hu.
The Management Bureau wouldn’t let Zhao Le leave so easily. After all, they didn’t know if the mysterious youth 24 from that afternoon might suddenly return and do something to harm him, so there would be a period of protection—the task naturally fell to Bu Bugao and Wang Hu.
Bu Bugao didn’t mind doing extra work to show his capability—Wang Hu, on the other hand, basically just followed Bu Bugao, kicking a little, walking a little.
“She seems to have thrown something,” Wang Hu said, watching the flowing river.
Bu Bugao yawned and casually said, “Probably just trash… really irresponsible.”
Suddenly, Wang Hu jumped into the water, but soon emerged, completely dry, holding a nearly rotten shoe in his hand.
He shook his head and casually threw it back into the river.
Bu Bugao immediately pulled Wang Hu away—they still had to ensure Zhao Le’s temporary safety.
…
When they arrived at the rehabilitation center, Zhao Le noticed his sister in the waiting area. After a full day of recovery training, Zhang Xiaoqin seemed utterly exhausted and had fallen asleep leaning against a chair.
Zhao Le sat down, which woke her.
“Little brother, you’re here! I kept calling and couldn’t get through—I was so worried!”
“My phone ran out of battery,” Zhao Le said with a smile. “I rushed over, but it’s Friday and traffic was terrible.”
“Already this late?” Seeing Zhao Le was fine, Zhang Xiaoqin relaxed and didn’t press further.
“Come on, let’s eat! I want to celebrate with you!” Zhao Le smiled, then pulled out a gift he had prepared early. “Sister, happy birthday!”
“Thank you!”
That was enough to make her happy—Zhang Xiaoqin showed a contented smile.
…
Later, Wei Zidào came to the room temporarily assigned to Dong Shaofeng.
The reason Zhao Le was allowed to leave was that, in the whole incident, he was only a half participant—Dong Shaofeng still carried the residual power of the mysterious youth 24.
If that youth really wanted to cause trouble, it would be Dong Shaofeng he targeted. So, in Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào’s view, the person who needed protection most was Dong Shaofeng.
“It can’t compare to home, but it’s not bad. You’ll just have to stay here these few days—it’s safer,” Wei Zidào said with a slight smile. “If you’re missing anything, you can let me know.”
Dong Shaofeng nodded… there wasn’t even a window in the room.
He looked at the clock on the wall and suddenly asked, “Do you have candles?”
“Candles?” Wei Zidào was momentarily taken aback.
Dong Shaofeng said expressionlessly, “Birthday candles.”
(End of Chapter)