"Young master, everything has been taken care of."
Having dealt with all the hackers, Su Lin led her team back to Gu Yi's residence. "The intruders have all been subdued. Their equipment and Brain-Computer Chips have been brought back as well."
"Well done."
Xu Shi gave a slight nod. "Did you find anything?"
"I took a quick look on the way back. I can confirm they were with Spark."
Su Lin replied, "The rest will require further decryption."
Considering that Xu Shi might not know, she added, "Spark is a newly formed gang in Sin City. It's roughly on the same scale as the Long Saber Party and Disgu..."
"All right, got it."
Though he already knew all this inside out, Xu Shi still nodded along. "Keep an eye on these matters. Report to me immediately if anything comes up."
"Yes."
Su Lin responded, then turned to Gu Yi beside her. "What about her? How should we handle her?"
To be honest, Miss Black Rabbit seemed to be in rather bad shape right now.
She was slumped in the chair like a puddle of mud, gasping for air. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes... held no defiance. They had rolled back as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
That Red Ant was still hanging around her neck, its countdown theatrically frozen at 00:01.
Who knew whether it was someone's twisted sense of humor... but that brush with death had been far too much excitement for Gu Yi.
"Her..."
Xu Shi considered it briefly. "Take her back to the company and have her work off her debt."
"...Hey!"
Gu Yi abruptly sat upright upon hearing that. "Didn't you say that if I helped you finish all this, you wouldn't pursue anything else?!"
"That was true. I did think that just now."
Xu Shi bent down and put on an apologetic expression. "But after doing the math, your actions caused Serpent Coil nearly ten million Credit Points in losses... That's too large a sum for me to decide on my own, or the board will give me trouble.
Try to understand. If someone broke into your home and stole things, you wouldn't let them off so easily either, would you?"
Understand my ass!
How could Gu Yi possibly stay calm? How could it be that much?!
She knew the limits in this line of work. Every time she extorted ransom, she never dared ask for more than five figures!
This was outright extortion!
What a bastard! She knew he'd been plotting something!
But Xu Shi's next words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing all her fury.
"You've been exposed now. Why not think about how many people outside want you dead?
"The Inspection Bureau, the companies you've crossed... Oh, and now Spark too. After all, those people's deaths have something to do with you.
"So, are you coming with us, or will you be sold to District Six as a sex slave? Your choice."
...And whose fault do you think it was that my identity got exposed?!
Gu Yi gritted her teeth in rage, but with her weakness in his hands, she had no right to refuse.
Just as Xu Shi had said, even the slightest word from Serpent Coil would spell disaster for her.
Thinking about it, from the moment they kicked down her door, all she could do was let them lead her around by the nose...
"That's more like it."
Seeing her agree as though resigned to her fate, Xu Shi patted her cheek approvingly. "I'm probably the only kindhearted person willing to give you a chance to turn over a new leaf... Miss Gu, you'd better cherish this opportunity."
"...Get lost!"
Resigned or not, after he yanked her around again and again, Gu Yi finally couldn't hold back. Baring her teeth, she lunged at him. "You [civilized language]! I'll [civilized language]..."
Such resistance was naturally futile. The next second, the combat team members behind her ruthlessly pinned her to the floor.
"Take her away already."
Xu Shi dug at his ear with his little finger. "Oh, right. Don't forget to gag her."
Miss Black Rabbit was hauled away in a snakeskin sack.
The combat team departed first, but Xu Shi and Su Lin were in no hurry to return.
"...Young master, you never intended to let her go from the beginning, did you?"
Beside the armored car, Su Lin suddenly asked.
"Of course not."
Xu Shi did not deny it.
That was the heroine, after all—and not some ornamental type, either... In truth, none of the heroines in the original novel were useless. They were all the sort who possessed both looks and ability.
So what else was he supposed to do?
Was he supposed to let them all become the protagonist's support?
He could only put in a little extra effort and turn them into his own dogs.jpg
Su Lin did not question his decision.
She had seen Gu Yi's abilities for herself. If it were her, she would also try every possible way to recruit Gu Yi.
Her methods simply would not have been as vile as Xu Shi's.
Still, she could not help being curious. "Speaking of which, young master, how did you know Miss Gu was hiding here?"
The Inspection Bureau had hunted this fugitive for four years without finding a trace. No matter how she thought about it, he should not have been able to find her so easily.
"...Handle her employment yourself."
There was no way Xu Shi could answer that question, so he raised his head toward the bronze sky overhead and silently changed the subject. "Remember to get her a new outfit. What she's wearing damages the conglomerate's image too much... Also, I suspect she's an Ascendant. Don't forget to test her."
It was not really a suspicion. He was certain of it.
There was no sun, moon, or clouds in Night Sin City. The sky was perpetually shrouded by a haze known as Rust Fog.
The origin of this pollution-like phenomenon remained unclear, but under its influence, many people had acquired extraordinary special abilities.
The major characters in the original novel were almost no exception. They were all Ascendants with supernatural powers.
"...Yes, please rest assured."
Su Lin paused. Since Xu Shi did not want to explain, she tactfully did not press further.
But she was certain that the young master was not nearly as... incompetent as he had appeared before.
After all, what he had done today had greatly overturned her impression of him.
"Then, what next?"
The question slipped from her lips. "It's only just past six. Shall I take you to a nightclub?"
"Forget it."
Leaning against the car door, Xu Shi gave a lazy yawn. "I'm exhausted. Let's go home and sleep."
"All right."
Miss Su Lin was clearly pleased with that answer and, for once, revealed a smile.
"Oh, young master..."
"Yeah?"
"Happy birthday."
"...Thank you."
Xu Shi returned her smile, leaned closer, and wiped the bloodstain from her face. Then he teasingly whispered, "Your stockings are torn. Don't forget to change them."
"Huh?"
Su Lin froze and looked down. A blush instantly climbed onto her cheeks.
...I take that back!
That nasty streak of his had not changed at all!
At the same time.
Sin City District Seven, Night Charm Bar.
"Old Shen, Operation Serpent Lure succeeded. I've already sent you the list."
A hooded man sat in a corner of the bar, lowering his voice as he reported.
"Excellent!"
A hearty laugh came through the earpiece. "What about Mr. Zhou's team?"
"The Serpent Coil people found them too quickly. They couldn't escape."
"Is that so..."
The earpiece fell silent. When Old Shen spoke again, his joy had turned to regret. "Their blood will not be shed in vain. One day, the conglomerates will pay for their atrocities."
The hooded man sighed along with him. "Then what now..."
"The operation continues as planned. Deploy personnel according to the list. Also, have Chen Fang make contact with Miss Xia.
"I contacted her before. She will certainly be able to help us.
"Oh, and to be safe, have her verify the authenticity of the list again."
"Understood."
The hooded man cut off the transmission, tipped back his head and drained the beer on the table, then rose and left the bar.
Before you continue