Ark, Just Say Whether the Mission Was Completed

What kind of drama queen possessed you?

But Swire was in a good mood right now, and she happened to have some questions for Luo Chen. Giving him a ride home was no big deal.

"Enough, quit adding drama. Get in, I'll give you a ride."

As she spoke, Swire pulled out her car keys and pressed a button. The doors of the most expensive red sports car in the parking lot automatically opened.

"Chief, you're such a good person!" Luo Chen thanked her a couple of times before following Swire into the car.

The sports car drove out of the Lungmen Guard Department and headed toward the ring highway. As Swire drove, she asked:

"Today, Team Leader Motley brought people to complain to me. They said you haven't participated in the Villain Group's work at all, and they've done everything themselves. What do you have to say about that?"

Luo Chen lowered his head, clasping his hands to his chest like a country girl who'd never seen the world.

"Chief, can I tell you a story?"

"There was once a man born and raised in the Lower City. He was a very honest butcher, working every day to support his younger brother and sister's schooling and livelihood, while suffering constant bullying and extortion from local thugs."

"Such a life left him miserable and numb, but for his family, he could silently endure everything."

"Until one day, he lost it all."

"The Governor's Office forcibly demolished his shop. His younger brother was forced into usury debt, and his younger sister was abducted by a gang to some unknown place."

"And the Lungmen Guard Department did nothing about everything happening in the slums."

"So he began entertaining thoughts of fighting violence with violence. His desire for money and power made him bolder and bolder."

"He killed, set fires, raped, and committed every evil imaginable, all to use violence to mend those helpless, painful memories from the past."

"To earn more money, he formed a gang with several other desperadoes and planned to rob a bank. But those companions excluded and bullied him, driving him out of the group. What do you think he'd do next?"

At that, Luo Chen raised his head. A flicker of cruelty flashed through his eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.

If Swire had turned to look at him then, she would've seen an incomparably twisted and sinister face.

"What's wrong with you tonight? Why are you suddenly telling me some story?" Swire kept her eyes on the road, focusing entirely on driving.

"Chief, please answer my question. What do you think he'd do?"

"Based on your setup, that person should start taking revenge on society, right? Like killing all his former companions."

"Chief, you're so smart."

"Don't change the subject. What about the question I asked? What's going on with the Villain Group's work?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about. I'm just an honest Lower City citizen."

Swire was so annoyed by Luo Chen's glibness that she laughed.

"Heh... fine, you sure can talk. If you don't honestly explain yourself today, don't regret it later!"

The car slowly entered the neighborhood Luo Chen pointed out. The surrounding scenery looked increasingly hazy in the night.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Luo Chen stared straight ahead. His fingers casually brushed the high-powered stun baton hidden in his pocket, then moved to another pocket containing potent anesthetic used to sedate zoo animals.

He wasn't sure whether that combination would take down this soft Feline girl. To be safe, he'd silence her first.

The car finally stopped beneath Luo Chen's apartment building. Swire snorted coldly. "It's after work now. If you don't want to talk, forget it, but I have to remind you..."

Just as Swire pressed the automatic door button, Luo Chen suddenly struck. The stun baton in his hand instantly released a blinding flash of electricity.

Completely unprepared, Swire had Luo Chen's stun baton pressed against her lower back.

Awoooowaaaaaaaah--

Just as Swire was about to use Originium Arts to make the sports car sound its alarm, an indescribable sensation blocked her ability.

Her body began trembling violently, her muscles twitching uncontrollably under the current's stimulation. Her face instantly turned pale, the veins on her forehead bulging with the terror and agony inside her.

Her hair floated slightly under the electric current, as though blown by an invisible wind. Her lips trembled as she tried to cry out, but only weak moans escaped. Her eyes gradually lost focus, as if she were falling into endless darkness.

Then a dose of potent anesthetic was injected.

In the end, Swire's body went limp and slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious, terror and pain still lingering on her face.

It had to be said that Terrans really could take a beating, and this was only a relatively weak Feline.

Even Luo Chen's high-powered stun baton had started smelling scorched before it finally knocked her out.

If it were Chief Ch'en, would he have to throw her into an Originium power station to electrocute her unconscious?

He could try experimenting on physically strong criminals in the future.

Luo Chen's next movements were swift and decisive. He quickly hauled the unconscious Swire up and dragged her into his home.

The moment the door closed, the outside world seemed cut off, leaving only the subtle sounds of the two people breathing inside.

Luo Chen gently laid Swire on the bed. Looking at the dark circles beneath her eyes, he shook his head.

"Staying up late is bad for your health."

As the night deepened, the room became completely silent. Luo Chen took out the iron chains he'd prepared long ago and firmly bound Swire's limbs to the bed.

To prevent Swire from breaking free, Luo Chen also prepared more than a dozen heavy weights beneath the bed.

Of course, he had muscle relaxant anesthetic ready as well.

The sun slowly rose, and golden sunlight streamed through the window onto Swire's face.

She frowned slightly, her eyelashes fluttering gently as though the sudden light had awakened her.

She struggled to open her eyes, and the world before her gradually came into focus.

But the sensation of being restrained instantly brought back last night's terrifying experience. She twisted her body with all her strength, trying to break free from the iron chains binding her, but it was useless.

Her heartbeat instantly accelerated, and fear surged through her like a tide.

She tried hard to recall what had happened before, but her mind was a mess. She could only vaguely remember giving Luo Chen a ride home, and then there was nothing after that.

"You're awake, Chief Swire?"

Hearing someone call her name, Swire's heart jolted. She quickly turned her head and saw a woman who looked exactly like her standing in the corner of the room, silently watching her.

The other woman wore her clothes and carried her bag. Aside from having smooth, long hair instead of her hairstyle, she looked almost exactly the same as Swire.

Only then did Swire notice that she was wearing nothing but underwear.

But she had no time to think about shame.

The shock in her heart was beyond words.

This woman's face, figure, and bearing were all identical to hers, as though she were Swire's own reflection.

"Who are you? Where's Luo Chen?"

The woman laughed at Swire's words, a hint of cunning in her smile.

"Luo Chen was killed by me long ago. I'm just an obscure butcher, but from today onward, I am Beatrix Schwire!"

The other party's words filled Swire with intense unease.

Could this person possess Originium Arts that allowed them to disguise themselves as someone else?

In other words, was last night's Luo Chen fake?

Swire recalled every detail of meeting Luo Chen last night, and a chill rose in her heart. No wonder Luo Chen had seemed so strange at the time.

No matter what she asked, the other party couldn't answer. He'd even begged her to drive him home. So that wasn't the real Luo Chen.

Every detail and every conversation from yesterday was now full of suspicious points when she thought back on them, yet she hadn't noticed any of it at the time.

How had she failed to see through it?

Maybe Luo Chen hadn't participated in this mission because he'd already been murdered. His corpse might even be rotting by now.

Swire knew now wasn't the time to consider where Luo Chen's body was, because her own life was in danger.

Swire warily stared at the woman before her. That identical appearance filled her with intense panic. She tried to remain calm, but her voice still trembled slightly.

"Y-you... who exactly are you? What do you want?"

Luo Chen chuckled softly, seemingly in no hurry to answer Swire's question. He slowly walked over to her and lightly poked Swire's cheek with a finger.

Unwilling to give in, Swire gritted her teeth and looked around. She discovered that the room's windows were frosted glass. Sunlight could shine through, but she couldn't make out the layout outside.

"Chief, don't waste your strength. Thanks to your Lungmen Guard Department doing nothing about the Lower City, even if you scream for Daddy here, no one will come save you. No one in the Lower City would dare meddle in other people's business."

"Also, I answered all the calls that came in for you just now. So, aren't I thoughtful?"

"You answered my calls? They didn't notice anything wrong?"

"Our voices are identical. How could they notice?"

At that, sweat slid down Swire's forehead. She felt her heart racing and her breathing growing hurried.

She suddenly realized that this perverted butcher who could take on other people's appearances could kill her, put on someone else's face, and swagger right out of Lungmen.

With the Lungmen Guard Department's current methods, it was impossible for them to catch an expert with such Originium Arts in a short time.

But Swire also understood that if she wanted to survive, she had to find a way to negotiate with the person before her.

Suddenly, inspiration struck her, and she thought of a feasible approach.

"I still need to command the Lungmen Guard Department's exercise. Many people will contact me, including high-ranking Guard Department officials. If they discover something's wrong, you're dead."

"If you need money, there are two hundred million Lungmen Dollars in my bank account. Take however much you need."

"And I can pretend nothing happened today."

Luo Chen's face once again revealed the smile of someone toying with prey.

"I told you, from now on, I am Beatrix Schwire. Your money will naturally all be mine. If work comes up, they'll contact me, not you."

"Pretending to be a superintendent who acts arrogant on the outside but is gentle inside? I'm definitely better at it than you. Everything you have will be mine from now on."

"And you'll stay here as my toy for my amusement. I just love watching important people like you fall hard from up high and become XXXX that can only whimper."

Swire took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in her heart as she said disbelievingly, "Even if your acting is good, you're destined to be exposed."

Luo Chen answered Swire with action.

He tossed back his hair, confidence in the smile at his lips. "Hmph—like they could possibly see through this young lady's disguise?"

The confident, radiant smile Luo Chen instantly displayed left Swire staring in a daze.

This superintendent really is beautiful.

No, no. This wasn't the time to admire her own looks.

She had to find a breakthrough and make the other party let her go.

Swire was still considering what to negotiate with, but Luo Chen had already lost interest.

He'd already given Swire five minutes for emergency negotiations.

And she had clearly failed to seize the opportunity.

"Little friend, watch TV properly here. I'll come back tonight and love you properly." As Luo Chen spoke, he turned on the television and switched it to the channel broadcasting the Lungmen Guard Department exercise.

After turning on the TV, Luo Chen took a mouth gag and an IV drip from the bedside table.

Luo Chen stuffed the gag into Swire's mouth, filled the IV drip with water, and inserted the drip outlet into Swire's mouth.

As he pushed the drip tube into Swire's mouth, Luo Chen even flicked her ear with a finger. Swire looked utterly disgusted, but she didn't dare move at all.

Luo Chen slung Swire's shoulder bag over one shoulder and walked out.

After closing the door, Luo Chen leaned against it and pulled an exercise performance evaluation form from the bag.

Luo Chen had printed the evaluation form himself. Its first item was the assessment of overall commander Swire.

Luo Chen directly wrote "Unqualified" in the corresponding field and added the following explanation:

"Senior Superintendent Swire holds an important position, yet lacks sufficient vigilance. As someone who isn't a combat officer, she neither routinely wears an insulated vest nor has a tracker implanted in her body."

"She drove into the Lower City without applying for security protection, displaying an inexplicable confidence in her own safety."

"She stays up late working overtime, resulting in insufficient judgment. Her intelligence clearly declines late at night. It is recommended that she learn from the Public Security Management Brigade: get off work on time, and devote more energy during working hours."