Arrest

"Aah!"

Song Linlin screamed and lunged toward the window.

Everyone in the Song Family went pale.

"Li Xin, get back here!" Song Linwei shouted, his face drained of color.

But it was no use.

Li Xin had already jumped out the window.

"Aah!"

Mother Song was so terrified that her vision went black, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

Song Linwei had also rushed to the window and looked down.

Song Linwei understood Li Xin's ability. After jumping out the window, he could use the metal security bars on each floor to slide smoothly to the ground.

As long as there was metal, he could use it, and he had nothing to fear.

Of course, even if he fell straight down from the seventeenth floor, his blade- and bulletproof "diamond body" would keep the fall from killing him.

It only looked terrifying.

But the problem was-

It was broad daylight!

The fucking apocalypse hadn't even arrived yet!!

Song Linwei was on the verge of a breakdown.

Below, the golden figure twisted this way and that like a gecko, making his way down the outer wall and growing smaller and smaller...

Song Linlin clutched his sleeve, her arms trembling uncontrollably. "What do we do? Linwei, what do we do?!"

Song Linwei took a deep breath, his face pale. "Go after him."

Jumping down like that in broad daylight was bound to attract plenty of attention.

And Li Xin had said he wanted to save the world?

Who knew what else he might do!

Song Linwei broke into a run toward the door.

"Li Xin lives on the seventeenth floor of Building Nine. Since yesterday, the family has stayed home, only going out to buy supplies in batches," Hao Jingye said as they walked.

Sheng An walked beside him, carrying a case.

The Song Family already knew the apocalypse was coming, but ordinary people had no way to face it.

Stocking up on food and supplies was the simplest, most instinctive response.

They had no storage space ability, so they hadn't bought much.

As though something had occurred to her, Sheng An quickened her pace.

"Let's hurry. Song Linwei learned about the apocalypse the night before last and told the Song Family yesterday so they could discuss it. Li Xin has been cooped up for a whole day now. He could cause a scene at any moment."

At first glance, the Song Family seemed perfectly harmonious.

His grandparents were highly educated intellectuals, both still teaching at a university.

His parents were formidable businesspeople who commanded the business world.

Even his uncle was an accomplished researcher, constantly busy with work...

It was easy for a family like that to overlook a child.

After confirming yesterday that Li Xin was a Metal-Type Ability User, Sheng An had gone through his background report again in detail. Nothing else had stood out, but his grades... were a complete disaster.

With such outstanding relatives, the pressure on him was easy to imagine.

And pressure often bred rebellion.

They had to catch him before he caused a major scene.

Hao Jingye's expression turned serious at her words, and he immediately picked up his pace.

But the next moment-

"Aah!" someone cried out.

At the same time, there was a loud bang.

A glittering golden "object" landed in front of Sheng An, barely five paces away.

Sheng An stopped.

The glittering golden "object" landed on one knee, bracing one hand against the ground.

The pose was full of ceremony, the scene picture-perfect.

"Heh. Who can stop me?"

The boy spoke amid the startled cries, his tone arrogant and brimming with confidence and excitement, his blood burning with fervor.

He raised his head and found himself face-to-face with Sheng An, five paces away.

Sheng An watched him without moving.

Li Xin grinned and slowly rose under her gaze.

At that moment, he felt as though he were growing infinitely taller, becoming brave and powerful, more dazzling than any superhero in a blockbuster.

Had this woman fallen for him?

But there were no screams as he had imagined, no shock, and certainly no questions.

The "young lady" standing opposite him raised a hand to her forehead. She seemed speechless, perhaps even plagued by a headache, and the look she gave him was extraordinarily complicated.

That reaction...

Li Xin froze, bewildered. "You're not scared?"

Sheng An took a deep breath, looked at him, and said slowly, "Li Xin, what are you doing up this early instead of sleeping?"

She was a little late.

The brat had gotten up far earlier than usual today.

Fortunately, she was still in time.

Li Xin: "?"

That was a pretty strange question.

The latter half alone sounded downright crazy, but-

Li Xin: "You know me?!"

He looked down at himself. His whole body glittered gold, completely encased. Even his uncle hadn't recognized him at first glance. How had this woman recognized him?

And how did she know him in the first place?

Also-

Li Xin: "Who are you?"

Sheng An smiled faintly. "Your future boss."

Even through the glittering golden mask, Li Xin's utter confusion was obvious.

A boy his age who had gained powerful "superpowers" was bound to think he ranked just below heaven and earth. Then some woman suddenly showed up and declared herself his boss.

Li Xin still wanted to ask the same question:

"Who are you?"

The first time had been out of confusion. This time, it was a challenge, laced with displeasure.

She's nuts!

Then he stopped paying attention to Sheng An and stepped forward to leave.

Sheng An blocked his way.

The sixteen-year-old boy wasn't short. He was a little taller than Sheng An, and his glittering golden body and helmet made him look even bigger.

Yet as she stood before him, she wasn't intimidated in the slightest. Instead, she radiated an imposing presence that inspired awe.

She took her ID badge out of her pocket, held it up, and said calmly, "Sheng An, team leader at the Doomsday Special Affairs Office."

Li Xin paused briefly, then understanding dawned on him.

So she works for the government!

"So what? Don't get in my way. Move it," Li Xin barked, utterly unconcerned.

Don't get in my way...

The corner of Hao Jingye's mouth twitched.

Sheng An showed little reaction. She continued looking at him calmly. "Li Xin, come with us."

She took a sheet of paper from Hao Jingye and held it up for Li Xin to see. "This is your arrest warrant."

Li Xin: "???"

He laughed in anger, his tone arrogant. "You want to arrest me? Dream on. You don't have what it takes!"

With that, he pushed off the ground, leaped upward, and clung to the building's outer wall.

Someone cried out in the distance.

Li Xin looked down at Sheng An. His mask concealed his expression, but the arrogance in his voice was unmistakable-

"Hahaha! Come on, then! Catch me!"

Sheng An remained where she was, watching him without moving.

Just as Li Xin thought she was helpless, armed tactical officers surrounded the area, encircling all of Building Nine and the adjacent Building Ten.

One dark gun barrel after another pointed at him.

Li Xin's heart jolted.

But then he grew smug again. "You think guns can threaten me? Hahaha! I'm not scared!"

With that, he wasted no more time. Gripping the building's metal security bars, he climbed upward like a gecko.

He wasn't afraid at all!

He was even taunting Sheng An and the others!

Below, someone fired in his direction.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The gunshots were suppressed, but the bullets rang out as they struck metal.

They didn't affect him in the slightest.

Above them, Li Xin kept climbing, laughing as he went:

"Hahaha! I'm Iron Man with an indestructible diamond body! Your weapons are useless against me. You puny humans, stop holding me up. I've got a world to save-"

The bullets really were useless against him!

Hao Jingye's expression grew serious.

No wonder the brat was so arrogant. He really did have some impressive abilities.

Sheng An, however, remained calm throughout, not remotely surprised that the bullets were ineffective.

She narrowed her eyes at Li Xin, then slowly raised her hands, put on protective goggles, and took something out of the case she was carrying.

By then, Li Xin had climbed to the tenth floor.

He was gloating over the power of his superpower and the government's inability to stop him with its weapons.