The Right Time, the Right Choice

Since all the Anti-Light Rebels had thrown down their weapons and surrendered, there was naturally no need to trouble Lan Yan to act.

"Team Four, stay on guard. Team Three, search the residences. Teams One and Two, inspect the suspects' dangerous items and seize them for return to the Statistics Department." Lan Yan adjusted his glasses and issued orders in an orderly manner.

The rain in the sky fell to the ground once more, and it seemed as though the whole world had begun turning again.

The Statistics Department agents from every team obeyed, taking out handcuffs to restrain the rebellious agents and rebels. Le Yu's Team One was responsible for subduing Lin Jinyao's unarmed students. Yet compared with those burly rebels, these students were no less fierce with their mouths:

"Qian Yuliu, Chen Fu, just you wait! You're helping a tyrant commit evil. Your end will be ten thousand times more miserable than ours!"

"Qian Yuliu, I'm ashamed to have ever studied alongside you!"

"Qian Yuliu..."

Le Yu turned a deaf ear. You're cursing Qian Yuliu—what does that have to do with me, Le Yu?

Besides, he had no mind to pay attention to their abuse. He was thinking about what to do next. There was no doubt that his undercover identity should still be safe, but now that Lin Jinyao and the others had all been captured, could his identity remain hidden?

Le Yu was not afraid of death. The ability "Rebirth Through Death" meant that every death would be a new beginning. As for torture, he was not afraid of that either; his "Low Health Constitution" allowed him to ignore pain.

Still, Le Yu wanted to complete the "Survive 15 Days" challenge. He had yet to figure out the various functions of his system panel, and he had no idea whether "Rebirth Through Death" had any flaws or side effects. He did not want to die repeatedly within a short time.

Moreover, if Le Yu developed a reckless disregard for life simply because he possessed "Rebirth Through Death," then he would certainly suffer many losses because of it in the future.

The desire to survive was a creature's fundamental instinct, and survival-oriented thinking was the foundation of human logic. If Le Yu completely gave up his longing for life, then in a sense, he would no longer count as human—altering the foundations of his logic would make his way of thinking incompatible with other people's personalities. In the future, Le Yu might even be unable to understand ordinary people's thoughts, like a summer insect that could not be told of ice.

Just as a Golden Core ancestor who had lived for centuries would certainly think very differently from an ordinary person with a lifespan of mere decades. But it did not matter if a Golden Core ancestor thought differently, because mortals had to accommodate him. Le Yu, however, was only an ordinary person inside. He did not possess the power to make those who followed him prosper and those who opposed him perish. Therefore, he had to adapt to this world first. Otherwise, even with "Rebirth Through Death," he would still be battered by the world.

When ordinary people played MOBA games, losing meant nothing more than dropping in rank; they could always start another match. Yet players still worked hard to learn the game's techniques because they did not want to be beaten down by the game. Le Yu now merely had the chance to start another match, but if he did not want to be battered by the world, he naturally had to first learn the right way to play in this world.

As he pondered, Le Yu came up with a plan. This world seemed to have transportation such as trains. Early tomorrow morning, he would buy a ticket and leave Star Engraving Prefecture, hide his identity somewhere else, survive for fifteen days, and decide what to do after completing the challenge...

However, plans could not keep up with changes. The world's beating came fiercely and swiftly.

As Team One agent Ai Lili moved to arrest Lin Jinyao, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back, restraining her. By holding her hand, he practically controlled the light pistol in it, its muzzle aimed at Ai Lili's chin. "Don't move."

Lan Yan frowned slightly. "Why go this far, Mr. Lin? You'll only make things uglier. And taking a hostage does not seem to fit the principles of your Anti-Light Rebels, does it?"

"When dealing with your Statistics Department, there's no need to talk about any code of honor!"

Lin Jinyao suddenly fired at Chen Fu. Chen Fu instinctively dodged, and the bullet brushed past his hair, cutting a bloody line across his ear.

"Teacher!" Chen Fu cried out.

But Lin Jinyao snapped, "Don't call me teacher! I don't have disciples like you, who cannot distinguish right from wrong!"

Lan Yan sighed. "You can't escape."

"Then you want her dead?" Lin Jinyao aimed the light pistol at Ai Lili's cheek. Terror welled in Ai Lili's eyes. "The human rights of Radiance citizens are the highest interest. Surely your Statistics Department will not violate that?"

Lan Yan hesitated. "This..."

"But Radiance also has a fine tradition of refusing to yield because of hostages!" Kui Zhao finished bandaging the wounds on both arms and stepped forward, shouting, "Statistics Department agents have long been prepared to sacrifice themselves for the nation! Old dog Lin, you're not leaving this courtyard today!"

"I, I..." Ai Lili bit down on her lower lip, her tear-filled eyes fixed on Lan Yan.

"But we will not abandon any agent either." Lan Yan shook his head. "Mr. Lin, what exactly do you want?"

"Director, absolutely not!" Yin Guyue, captain of Team Three, raised his light pistol and aimed it at Lin Jinyao and Ai Lili. "Deputy Director Kui is right. We cannot compromise with the Anti-Light Rebels. If the Prefect holds us accountable afterward, who will bear the responsibility?"

"I'll bear all responsibility!" Lan Yan took a step forward, his voice filled with unquestionable resolve. "Mr. Lin, state your conditions!"

"Director, no, don't..." Ai Lili's tears burst forth. Stammering through sobs, she said, "Don't worry about me. Do it!"

Before Lan Yan could answer, Ai Lili suddenly drove an elbow backward. But Lin Jinyao had anticipated it and twisted aside to evade the strike. Still, it gave Ai Lili room to exert force. The two grappled and struggled, throwing the situation into utter chaos.

Lin Jinyao suddenly dragged Ai Lili into the crowd, continuously pulling the trigger of the light pistol as he fired. The nearby agents wanted to help but had no choice but to evade. Yet Lin Jinyao had no intention of letting them off. "Today, I rid the world of traitors! My heart is bright, and the flame shall be passed on!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

One bullet grazed Le Yu's cheek. He instinctively raised his light pistol at Lin Jinyao, only to find that Lin Jinyao was looking at him as well.

The instant their gazes met, countless memories resurfaced in Le Yu's mind:

"Yuliu, I often recruit members for the organization at the academy. The Statistics Department will probably set its sights on me sooner or later."

"You know the Statistics Department's methods. No one can guarantee that they can keep their mouth shut under the Statistics Department's torture. Neither can I."

"Your identity is the highest secret. No record can prove who you are. Other than me and Star-Picker, no one can discover your secret."

"If, and I mean if... Haha, don't go, don't go. You're still as clever as ever. The moment you heard it, you knew what I wanted to say. But I still have to say it. If being imprisoned becomes an unavoidable outcome for me, then when that time comes..."

"Yuliu, this is the request of my life, and also my most selfish request. For my reputation, for my responsibility, and for your safety, you must make the right choice at the right time, then bear this guilt that can never be washed away."

What was the right time?

The situation was chaotic now. Lin Jinyao had taken a hostage and possessed a firearm. No matter what happened, it would be perfectly normal. This was the right time.

What was the right choice?

As Lin Jinyao grappled with Ai Lili, he happened to expose his back toward Le Yu.

Expressionless, Le Yu aimed the muzzle at Lin Jinyao's head.

Qian Yuliu's shooting skills were quite good. Though it was raining, they were less than ten meters apart. Most importantly, this was a stationary target.

Bang!

Le Yu pulled the trigger.

The bullet whistled through the air, blooming a spray of blood from Lin Jinyao's head.

The gratification in Lin Jinyao's pupils gradually turned into deathly stillness. His body fell like withered vines and an old tree, splashing water as it hit the ground.

This was the right choice.

If Lin Jinyao were captured and interrogated by the Statistics Department, he would either be tortured into confessing and become a traitor, or be tortured until he wished he were dead. Le Yu had fulfilled Lin Jinyao's wish, allowing him to die swiftly, die righteously, and die without regret.

That way, Lin Jinyao would not leak anything, and Qian Yuliu's identity would remain safe.

The only problem was...

"Qian Yuliu, you beast! You beast!" Lin Jinyao's students tried to rush over, only to be held back by other agents. Lin Xue stared at Lin Jinyao's corpse, frozen like a puppet.

The identity of Qian Yuliu would bear the sin of murdering his teacher.

Le Yu lowered his light pistol and suddenly felt that Qian Yuliu's soul had scattered at just the right time.

This way, Qian Yuliu would not have to dirty his own hands. Down in Nine Springs, perhaps he was welcoming Lin Jinyao's arrival.

Only Le Yu still had to continue experiencing deception and intrigue in this world, living in constant fear.

"Not bad shooting." Lan Yan suddenly appeared beside Le Yu and said regretfully, "It's a pity. I had hoped Mr. Lin could atone for his crimes through service. He should have known quite a few secrets of the Anti-Light Rebels."

Le Yu was silent for a moment. "This subordinate believes that when Anti-Light Rebels possess firearms, there is no other way but to kill them swiftly."

Lan Yan suddenly smiled. "It seems you weren't paying attention in class either."

Le Yu was slightly startled. "Hm?"

Lan Yan said nothing further, clapping his hands as he called out, "Prepare to withdraw!"

Le Yu still had some doubts. When he turned to look, he discovered an unnaturally gathered pool of water where Lin Jinyao had fallen. When Lan Yan left the courtyard, the pool seemed to break free of its restraints and rushed with a splash into the courtyard's drainage channel.

A faint chill rose in Le Yu's heart.

Even though the identity crisis had been resolved, surviving fifteen days under Lan Yan... would be far from easy.