Handing Him Over to the State

Sheng An remained expressionless, her voice utterly level.

"Nothing much. He just broke all the testing equipment during his examination and nearly injured a researcher."

Song Linwei sucked in a breath.

Li Xin squatted on the floor, looking deeply aggrieved.

"You can't blame me for that! That guy in the white coat told me to stick my hand in and mobilize the metal element. They kept telling me to do this, then that. I lost control for a second, the element went wild, and those machines broke..."

He made himself sound innocent, but under Sheng An's gaze, his voice grew quieter and guiltier.

Sheng An watched him calmly.

He instinctively averted his eyes.

Seeing this, how could Song Linwei not work out what had happened?

He knew Li Xin.

The boy hadn't rested since yesterday, and after being subjected to test after test, he must have long since lost patience.

With Sheng An absent, he had deliberately made trouble and refused to cooperate.

Ever since awakening his ability, the brat had been calling himself a "Child of Destiny" and a "hero." His arrogance knew no bounds.

He had destroyed equipment and even nearly hurt someone!

At that thought, Song Linwei shot Li Xin a fierce glare.

Sure enough, Song Linwei had guessed right.

Li Xin hadn't slept all night. Now he had been dumped in an interrogation room, and as he leaned against the wall, he grew increasingly irritable.

Combined with a little inexplicable guilt, that irritation made him throw caution to the wind. Stiffening his neck, he stubbornly said, "I already apologized! What more do you want? It's just a few broken machines. I'll pay you back if I have to."

His tone was thoroughly defiant.

Song Linwei's heart sank at those words.

Sheng An, however, laughed.

With a smile on her face and her eyes curved, she said slowly, "You want to pay us back? All right, then. Let's tally it up."

Hao Jingye swiftly scrolled through his tablet. A moment later, he pushed up his glasses-

"Li Xin, the machines you destroyed were the latest specialized laboratory instruments. They aren't sold commercially. We'll charge you only the cost price: ninety-seven million in total. How would you like to pay?"

Li Xin nearly leaped to his feet.

His voice rose in disbelief. "What the hell? Those things cost a hundred million?!"

"What did you think?" Sheng An looked at him. "You need to consider the consequences of your actions. If you deliberately destroy something, you have to pay for it. Of course, since you're a minor, I can only go to your guardians."

This time, Li Xin really did jump up.

His parents were businesspeople and fairly wealthy, but they didn't have a hundred million.

Besides, he had destroyed the equipment on impulse. How could he possibly ask his family to bankrupt themselves paying for it?

Li Xin refused, stamping his feet. "Why should I pay? I was cooperating with your research! You can't blame me for whatever losses that caused!"

Sheng An said, "If the losses had resulted from your cooperation, of course we wouldn't blame you. But you deliberately broke these machines and nearly injured someone. That makes this extremely serious."

"How was I supposed to know they'd break so easily? All I did was pull the metal out of them!"

"Oh, so you admit it was deliberate? Then we can ask the Song Family for the ninety-seven million."

"Sheng An! Y-you... You say it's over ninety million, and I'm just supposed to believe you? Who knows whether you're inflating the price? What gives you the right-"

"Don't worry. We'll provide an itemized quotation when we collect compensation."

Li Xin ground his teeth in fury. "The apocalypse is almost here! The whole world is going to be destroyed! Why the hell do I still have to pay?!"

"It isn't here yet, is it?" Sheng An replied serenely.

Li Xin: "..."

He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly. He wanted nothing more than to lunge at her and bite.

But whatever he said, Sheng An had an answer.

And since he really had destroyed the equipment on purpose, fury made his teeth itch, yet he couldn't keep a little fear from creeping in.

Sheng An repeated the same words. "Li Xin, you need to consider the consequences of your actions."

Li Xin's shoulders suddenly slumped.

He shrank back against the wall and lowered his head, his voice sullen. "You're not allowed to go to my parents. I'll pay it back myself."

"Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" Sheng An wore a faint, unreadable smile.

How could he pay it back?

He was a sixteen-year-old minor, and a quick count of his pocket money proved he was broke. The richest he ever got was around New Year, and even then, he spent it all before long.

Ninety-seven million?

He would struggle to scrape together even ninety-seven hundred!

After thinking for a long time, he suddenly said, "What if I write you an IOU?"

The apocalypse was almost here.

Even if he wrote an IOU, who would actually collect on it after the apocalypse?

By then, money wouldn't be worth anything!

Li Xin's eyes lit up. He thought this was an absolutely brilliant idea.

Sheng An smiled slightly. "Li Xin, do you think I'm stupid?"

Li Xin: "..."

The light went out of his eyes, and he wilted completely.

Then Sheng An suddenly said, "Three months."

"What?" Li Xin looked blank.

Sheng An walked slowly over to him, then crouched until their eyes were level. Her voice was calm.

"Work for the state for three months. After those three months, the ninety-seven million will be wiped clean. How does that sound?"

Her voice was calm, but her eyes were full of enticement.

Work for three months?

Li Xin was still a little bewildered, staring blankly as he struggled to process it.

Sheng An's voice was soft. "That works out to thirty million a month, with food, lodging, and clothing included. Even Iron Man wouldn't get that kind of pay and benefits. You still think it isn't good enough?"

Li Xin came to his senses, suspicion in his eyes. "Really just three months? You won't force me to join you?"

Sheng An smiled warmly and nodded in confirmation.

Behind her, Hao Jingye instinctively took a step back. He couldn't shake the feeling that Sheng An was digging an enormous trap...

Li Xin's eyes shifted, and he added, "Then I also want-"

Sheng An stood, her expression cold. "Song Linwei, let's discuss the compensation instead."

"Wait!" Li Xin grabbed the hem of her clothes and pouted. "Seriously, don't be so cold and heartless. I agree! I agree, all right?"

There was simply no negotiating with this woman!

It was only three months, wasn't it?

Li Xin thought he had it all figured out. The state had already caught him, and his parents were in Sheng An's hands too. He couldn't escape.

Working for just three months didn't seem too bad, no matter how he looked at it.

He had thought Sheng An would insist that he join the Doomsday Special Affairs Office...

Just three months. That was fine. Perfectly fine.

Li Xin stressed, "You'll keep your word?"

Sheng An nodded. "I always keep my word. I'm worried you won't, though, so let's sign a contract."

Li Xin hurriedly nodded.

Sheng An looked at him.

Li Xin asked, "What? Is there something else?"

Sheng An glanced coldly at the hand gripping her clothes, then smiled faintly. "Shouldn't you let go, then?"

Li Xin awkwardly withdrew his hand.

Having witnessed the whole exchange, Song Linwei rubbed his head helplessly.

This foolish boy...

Did he really think it would be a simple three months?

There were eighteen days left until the apocalypse. Those eighteen days before it, along with the first two months after it arrived, would be the most dangerous and most crucial period of all.

Sheng An had secured precisely that window.

And the foolish boy was actually congratulating himself, delighted that he only had to work for three months?

Besides-

Song Linwei stole a glance at Sheng An.

She hardly seemed like someone who would let him go after three months.

Song Linwei could see through it.

But he said nothing.

After everything they had learned yesterday, their family had already decided to hand Li Xin over to the state.

They couldn't control him and had no idea what he might do.

With the apocalypse coming, they were better off putting him under the state's supervision.

Since he was special, the state wouldn't let him die.

Besides, Sheng An had even let him, Li Xin's uncle, personally witness the process of "tricking" the boy. She had already been quite frank about her intentions.

-Song Linwei saw it all clearly.

Hao Jingye drafted the contract, with Sheng An sitting beside him and Li Xin across from them.

Hao Jingye read, "Li Xin damaged laboratory equipment worth ninety-seven million and shall work off his debt for a period of three months. After three months, the debt shall be cleared in full. Should he fail to fulfill this obligation-"

He looked at the two of them.

Clearly, he didn't know what to write next.

Li Xin lifted his chin and snorted. "It's only three months! If I can't do it, I'll pay the money back!"

Sheng An cast him a sidelong glance, the corners of her mouth lifting. "Who knows what the world will be like in three months? How hard would it be for you to get your hands on today's money? If you fail, you won't need to repay it."

After digging such a trap, how could she possibly give him a chance to back out as soon as the apocalypse arrived?

The boy was a minor, terribly immature, and prone to changing his mind.

"Then what happens?" Li Xin asked, puzzled.

He genuinely couldn't imagine how they could word this contract to keep him in line.

Once the apocalypse truly arrived and the world descended into chaos, he would be a "superhero" with terrifying power. If he simply took his family and left, what could they do about it?

At that thought, Li Xin chuckled inwardly.

When the time came, he would definitely teach this woman a lesson and make her kneel and beg for mercy!

Amusement filled Sheng An's eyes as she slowly spoke-

"Write this: if Li Xin fails to fulfill his obligation, he is unworthy of being a hero. He is a coward who breaks his word, trash who fails to honor his promises, a monster Ultraman beats up, an enemy of Iron Man, and... a defeated foe of the Doomsday Special Affairs Office."