"This footage was extracted from Nuokang's memory chip. This incident took place five days ago. At the time, Nuokang and the others weren't far from Dawn City. Even on foot, Mu Xiu should have reached Dawn City by now."
Smith switched the projection back to Mu Xiu's photo page.
"Did the entry checkpoints capture any photos of Mu Xiu?"
Selina immediately asked.
"You know those cameras are handled by the City Defense Army. I've already sent an alert to City Hall. They'll pull the footage from the entry checkpoint surveillance cameras, but don't get your hopes up too high. Mu Xiu has previously disguised himself as someone else and slipped into the city. He's a Favored One of God of Chaos, so we can't let our guard down," Smith said with a nod.
"I've already notified the corporations. They'll open up some of their surveillance feeds for the technical division to analyze and see if they can find Mu Xiu's trail."
At the mention of the corporations, Selina's expression visibly darkened. However, she did not dwell on the matter and instead asked, "So, what do you need us to do?"
"There are always places in this city with 'no' surveillance," Smith said, tapping the table as photographs appeared one after another in the projection.
"Casinos, red-light districts, and some Underground Boxing Match venues. Judging from previous cases, Mu Xiu has gone on killing sprees in places like these. The Criminal Investigation Division has deployed people in most of them, but there's still one most important location where we're short-handed."
The projection on the wall abruptly changed into a magnificent, glittering entrance. Above the doors hung a dazzling sign: "Crown Casino."
"Crown Casino is the largest casino in Dawn City. The technical department analyzed Mu Xiu's past movements and believes this is the place he's most likely to go this time. The Criminal Investigation Division's people are still too weak against Mu Xiu, so I'd like to assign this mission to you. What do you think?"
Smith looked at Selina.
"Fine." Selina stood up. "So our mission is to stand guard at Crown Casino's entrance? For how long?"
"Usually, he commits a crime within seven days of entering a city. After killing people as sacrifices to the God of Chaos, he receives the God of Chaos's blessing and instantly escapes into the wilderness. So we have to catch him before he acts, or kill him."
Smith answered.
"Alright, I understand." Selina waved at the bewildered He Ao. "Ander, let's go."
"Mu Xiu is a Talent Sequence 51: Thug, a D-rank powerhouse. Do you think Selina can stop him? Her prosthetic body's strength is only barely close to D-rank, isn't it?"
After Selina and He Ao left, the projection on the wall changed to Weina, who was smoking a cigarette. He leaned against a tightly shut door with a revolver in hand, seemingly in the middle of some operation.
Just as Smith was about to answer, Weina suddenly slammed into the door behind him.
"Open up! Federal Bureau of Investigation!"
With a bang, the door was smashed open.
The people inside seemed to realize something was wrong and were about to draw their guns when Weina raised his revolver and fired six shots in rapid succession. Then came the sound of bodies hitting the floor.
"Boss?" A voice came from off-camera. "You killed them just like that?"
"Fuck," Weina said, frowning. "What do you mean, 'just like that'? Didn't you see them resisting fiercely? Didn't you see them drawing their guns? If they drew their guns, I could've been shot dead."
"These cross-city gangsters have done every evil imaginable and kill without batting an eye. If you don't kill them, are you supposed to wait for them to spend a few years eating and drinking well in prison before coming out to hurt people again?"
"Come on, I'll teach you how to write the report." As he spoke, he walked out of frame. "During this operation, the gang members fought back fiercely and refused to surrender despite our investigators' patient persuasion. Left with no choice, we were forced to retaliate, killing six on the spot. No survivors."
As he spoke, he continued cursing. "Those bastard councilmen, what kind of shitty laws did they make? There isn't even a death penalty..."
As Weina's cursing gradually faded away, Smith cut off the communication. Leaning back in his chair, he stared at the clean white wall and fell into thought.
Why had Mu Xiu suddenly come to Dawn City...
In the elevator, Selina did not press the button for the ground floor. Instead, she selected Basement Level Five.
"Selina, what is the Desire Witch?"
Standing behind Selina, He Ao asked curiously. He had only understood bits and pieces of what Selina and Smith had discussed earlier, and he had not dared to interrupt.
"An Evil God. The God of Chaos is one too, and so is the God of Knowledge. They're all Evil Gods."
Selina answered casually. "Most of them are corrupted and insane. They tempt ordinary people into becoming their Claws and Teeth."
"Evil Gods... then are there True Gods?"
He Ao pressed on. He had wanted to ask that question for a long time.
Selina gave He Ao a surprised look. Evil existed relative to good; it was a subjective term. If there were Evil Gods, then there should logically be corresponding True Gods, but few people noticed that.
What He Ao really meant was, since there were Evil Gods capable of communicating with people, were there also True Gods capable of communicating with people?
Just then, the elevator arrived. Selina stepped out. Basement Level Five was a massive underground parking garage. "No. Or perhaps they exist on a level we can't reach."
She lightly raised her hand. A faint sound rang out in the darkness, followed by the roar of an engine. A fiery red convertible sports car, as though it rode on flames, pulled up in front of them.
"Let's go?" Selina opened the door and sat in the driver's seat. "Want to go for a drive with me?"
And so, this scene appeared in Dawn City: a cold, glamorous blonde woman driving a roaring sports car through the city streets with a tall Youth in a Combat Suit beside her.
He Ao only felt the world spin before the car finally stopped.
"We're here."
Selina got out of the car and stretched comfortably.
"Won't you get caught speeding like that?"
He Ao felt as though even the ground was swaying.
"It's fine. I only drove on the highway and stayed right at the speed limit. I wasn't speeding."
After that lap, Selina looked radiant and happily stretched again.
With her Full Body Prosthetic, she could hold up a car and run without a scratch even if it flipped over, so she was not the least bit afraid of speeding.
He Ao staggered out of the car, feeling as though he were stepping on cotton even with his feet on solid ground.
Seeing He Ao's state, Selina smiled slyly. Everyone had their little sadistic pleasures.
She pointed at a Hot Dog Shop by the street. "Come on. You haven't eaten anything since you got out of the hospital. I'll treat you to a hot dog."
He Ao was still unsteady on his feet, so she simply grabbed his hand and pulled him wobblingly into the line.
It took He Ao quite a while to recover.
Ander's body still isn't up to it. He gets carsick from this much.
He shook his head, calming himself down. He took several deep breaths and settled his mind.
It was on his fifth deep breath that he sensed something unusual within his body.
A faint trace of energy had appeared in his chest once more.
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