A Conversation

"I more or less understand," Sun Hang replied.

"Right, about the Tianfu City Management Committee... if they come looking for you, just tell them you're not feeling well and can't see anyone. They shouldn't dare to force their way into a Hunter's residence. If those people get really desperate, then hide in the Research Institute. With the teachers there, they absolutely won't touch you," Yang Qi emphasized again.

"The South City situation, do you really not need my help? I feel like the Blood Moon doesn't affect me much. If it comes to it, let Wang Xiyi stay at the Institute, and I'll come over."

Sun Hang actually had a good impression of Yang Qi, as the person directly in charge. He could feel that she genuinely cared about him, rather than seeing him as just a "tool" to fight anomalies.

The Management Committee might not resort to force against Anomaly Hunters, but they would undoubtedly pressure Yang Qi again and again. Sun Hang knew very well that the reason he could wander around so leisurely right now was entirely because Yang Qi had shouldered all the pressure for him.

He didn't actually want to search for those missing people; he simply couldn't stand seeing incompetent individuals using their authority to pressure a woman.

The root of this matter was that flower-laying ceremony, which was more of a show than of actual significance. Now, after the unexpected incident, more lives were going to be sacrificed to clean up this mess.

They weren't considering the destruction and impact anomalies might cause, but rather how to handle this situation to minimize its impact on their careers.

"No, the risk is too great," Yang Qi flatly refused. "You just Devoured 'Tai Sui,' and you're still in the 'digestion period'... if you were affected by the Blood Moon at this time, the consequences are hard to predict..."

"Digestion period? There's such a thing?"

"You've Devoured the Meme of 'Tai Sui,' but until you've completely integrated these memes with yourself, they could backlash at any moment. In other words, Tai Sui will 'resurrect' within you," Yang Qi said in the message. "Alright, don't bring this up again. When the Blood Moon disappears, I'll naturally notify you to return to the mission. What you need to do now is be on standby."

The taxi stopped at the north gate of the Tianfu City Anomaly Research Institute. Before even getting out, Sun Hang saw a group of people unloading a container holding the Aberrant Long Blade from an all-terrain transport vehicle. The one-eyed female researcher was also nearby, clutching her tablet computer tightly.

I should have just hitched a ride, Sun Hang muttered softly. He paid the fare and jumped out of the taxi.

However, before Sun Hang could reach the parking lot, two professional bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses stopped him.

"Mr. Sun Hang, someone would like to have a word with you," one of the bodyguards said politely.

"Have a word with me? Who?" Sun Hang glanced at the two men. "Unless it's a pretty girl, I'll have to decline."

"It's Committee Member Lu Hongming of the Tianfu City Management Committee." The other bodyguard held his palm upwards, gesturing for Sun Hang to "please" come.

A very low-key black sedan was parked not far away. The rear door was half-open, and someone could be vaguely seen sitting in the back seat.

"If I recall correctly, the Tianfu City Management Committee doesn't have the authority to issue orders to Anomaly Hunters, do they?" Sun Hang narrowed his eyes.

"We're not trying to issue any orders. Committee Member Lu just wants to chat with you, just a chat."

The bodyguards' attitude was respectful. Following the principle of not hitting a smiling face, Sun Hang couldn't really lash out and could only say coldly, "Sorry, I'm in a hurry. Could you please let me pass? As for chatting, can't we chat anytime?"

"We've already informed the Research Institute," the bodyguard said.

"So, this is the old man in the wheelchair's idea?" Sun Hang asked.

"The Director of the Institute has given us ten minutes," the bodyguard gestured for him to "please" again.

"Fine, ten minutes it is." Sun Hang quickly walked towards the black sedan, and the two bodyguards immediately opened the half-ajar door for him.

Only then did Sun Hang realize that the person sitting in the back seat was a fully armed soldier, while the "main person" who wanted to talk to him was sitting in the front passenger seat.

"Mr. Sun Hang, hello. This is our first meeting. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Lu Hongming, a member of the Tianfu City Management Committee." The middle-aged man in a gray suit with thinning hair turned his head from the front passenger seat and said to Sun Hang in a cordial tone.

"You're afraid of me?" Sun Hang pointed at the fully armed soldier beside him and asked with a smile.

"It's just a necessary safety precaution, please don't mind it," Lu Hongming said with a straight face. "This time I invited you here..."

"It's about the South City Cemetery, isn't it?" Sun Hang interrupted him, getting straight to the point.

"That's right. Since you understand my intentions, you must also know the seriousness of this matter, right?" Lu Hongming asked back.

"Seriousness? Honestly, I'm not very clear... Will Tianfu City descend into chaos if those people are gone?"

"The city's order can be maintained for the time being, but as time goes on, the situation will only get worse... If only one or two people had gone missing, we could still remedy it. But losing so many key personnel all at once has put our management structure under extreme strain, and it could collapse at any moment."

"Don't you have any contingency plans? If all else fails, can't the Federation send some people to stabilize the situation? People aren't made of clay, are they?" Sun Hang feigned confusion.

"You haven't been involved in city management, so it's normal that you don't understand the intricacies... A vast city like Tianfu is like a precision machine, and everyone is an indispensable Gear in this machine. If, one day, a large portion of the Gears in this machine suddenly disappear, what do you think will happen?"

"Can't you just replace them with new Gears?"

"Many work handovers cannot be completed with just a single order. And the longer the delay, the more work piles up, and the more difficult the handover becomes... We are already beyond the point of no return."

"Oh, so you intend for me to return to the anomaly zone?"

"Compared to the 'Night Fiend,' your importance is even greater—after all, it's you who resonates with 'anomalies'."

"However, the order I received was to stand by."

"No, I need to correct that. It's 'standby at your own discretion,' not 'standby in place.' You have complete autonomy to decide whether or not to investigate the South City Public Cemetery area."

"What if I refuse?"