Six people sat in the conference room.
When Lu Wenchuan pushed the door open and walked in, everyone turned to look.
The man seated to the left of the head of the table was around fifty, with neatly combed hair and a mild face. A cup of tea sat beside him. He looked less like someone who dealt with evil spirits and more like a university professor.
Shen Cheng.
One of the deputy directors of the Special Investigation Bureau.
He was also the source of the access authorization used in yesterday's testing room incident.
Lu Wenchuan did not sit down after entering.
He tossed a file onto the table and asked lazily, "Deputy Director Shen, care to explain?"
Shen Cheng glanced at the file, his expression unchanged.
"You mean the testing room incident?"
Lu Wenchuan smiled. "What else? Your hairstyle?"
Someone in the conference room frowned.
Shen Cheng remained composed. "I was also surprised by the problem in the testing room. The authorization did come from my account, but there was an anomalous login three days ago. I've already asked the Technical Team to investigate."
"What a coincidence." Lu Wenchuan pulled out a chair and sat down. "Every time something happens, there's an anomalous login."
Shen Cheng looked up. "Wenchuan, you need evidence before making accusations."
Lu Wenchuan leaned back in his chair and tapped the table with his fingers.
"We're looking into it."
Shen Cheng's tone was even. "Then wait until you have the results. Xu Zhihan is more important right now."
Lu Wenchuan's gaze shifted slightly.
Here it comes.
Shen Cheng looked at the others in the room and said slowly, "You all saw yesterday's test data. Xu Zhihan's mental fluctuations far exceeded the normal range. He could even turn the tables and suppress the Old Gods Society's intrusion source. We don't know his identity, his abilities, or his intentions. It's inappropriate for someone like him to remain with the Seventh Team."
Lu Wenchuan's smile faded a little. "What do you have in mind?"
"Observation in isolation at Headquarters," Shen Cheng said. "First, a seventy-two-hour closed evaluation. Once we confirm there's no risk of him losing control, we can consider the next step."
Lu Wenchuan raised his eyes. "In plain English."
Shen Cheng paused.
Lu Wenchuan finished for him. "Lock him up."
The conference room fell silent for a moment.
Someone spoke up. "Captain Lu, that's not a fair way to put it. Xu Zhihan is too dangerous. This is for everyone's safety."
Lu Wenchuan looked at that person. "Whose testing room did the Old Gods Society infiltrate yesterday?"
The person choked on his words.
Lu Wenchuan continued, "Xu Zhihan was the one who blew up the Old Gods Society's device. Instead of investigating the mole, your first thought is to lock him up?"
Shen Cheng's voice grew heavier. "The two matters don't conflict."
Lu Wenchuan sneered. "You've got it all arranged, haven't you?"
Shen Cheng looked at him. "Lu Wenchuan, you should know better than anyone that personal feelings must not cloud your judgment."
Personal feelings.
Those two words made the atmosphere in the conference room even more charged.
Lu Wenchuan still wore a faint smile, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
"You think I have personal feelings involved?"
Shen Cheng said calmly, "Your recent protection of Xu Zhihan has gone beyond your duties. The Xu Family incident, the public controversy, the banquet-you took his side every time. Headquarters now has reason to suspect that your judgment has been compromised."
Lu Wenchuan nodded. "You're welcome to suspect me."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice softening.
"But if you want to touch him, first give me a proper explanation for the testing room incident."
Shen Cheng's expression finally cooled.
"Lu Wenchuan, don't forget your position."
"I remember." Lu Wenchuan stood. "Captain of the Seventh Team, responsible for handling anomalous incidents. Right now, the biggest anomaly is that someone inside the Special Investigation Bureau connected an Old Gods Society device to the testing room."
He looked at Shen Cheng.
"Deputy Director Shen, you'd better not be that person."
No one in the conference room spoke.
Lu Wenchuan turned and walked away.
Shen Cheng spoke behind him. "Headquarters has already issued the order. Xu Zhihan must undergo observation in isolation."
Lu Wenchuan stopped at the door.
"Then go tell him yourself."
Shen Cheng frowned.
Lu Wenchuan looked back with a decidedly casual smile.
"A friendly warning: he has a bad temper."
With that, he pushed the door open and left.
Outside the medical room, two enforcement officers sent by Headquarters had already arrived.
They stood at the door, locked in a standoff with Song Zhixia.
Song Zhixia's expression was icy. "The patient just woke up. Who approved taking him away now?"
One of them produced a document. "Orders from Headquarters. Xu Zhihan is involved in a high-risk anomaly and needs to be transferred to the Isolation Zone."
Song Zhixia sneered. "Without the Medical Team's signature, no one is taking a patient out of here."
"Dr. Song, these are orders."
"Then tell the orders to walk in themselves."
Lu Wenchuan arrived just in time to hear that.
He chuckled. "You're pretty fired up today, Dr. Song."
Song Zhixia looked at him. "One minute later, and I'd have put both of them in hospital beds."
Both officers looked unhappy.
Lu Wenchuan walked up to them and glanced down at the document.
"Orders from Headquarters?"
"Yes."
"Who signed them?"
"Deputy Director Shen."
Lu Wenchuan nodded, took out his phone, and snapped a picture.
The officer frowned. "Captain Lu, what's the meaning of this?"
"Preserving evidence." Lu Wenchuan put his phone away. "When it's time to settle accounts, don't say I accused anyone unfairly."
Both men's expressions changed.
The ward door suddenly opened from inside.
Xu Zhihan stood in the doorway, still very pale, with his jacket draped over his shoulders and little color in his lips.
He glanced over the group gathered outside.
"What's all the noise this time?"
Song Zhixia turned. "Why are you out of bed?"
Xu Zhihan said, "You woke me up."
Lu Wenchuan looked at him. "Didn't I tell you to rest?"
Xu Zhihan ignored him and looked at the two officers.
"You want to take me away?"
One of them instinctively straightened his back. "Mr. Xu, Headquarters would like you to cooperate with the investigation."
Xu Zhihan's tone was flat. "And if I don't?"
The officer faltered.
The other man said gravely, "Then we'll have no choice but to use force."
Xu Zhihan looked at him.
That look made the man's back tense.
Xu Zhihan was visibly ill, his face pale and his frame slight. Yet those eyes made it difficult to regard him as an ordinary patient.
Lu Wenchuan was about to speak, but Xu Zhihan moved first.
He merely raised a hand.
The Restraint Devices at both officers' waists sprang open at the same time. The metal rings dropped to the floor with two sharp clinks.
The corridor instantly fell silent.
Xu Zhihan looked at them, his voice calm.
"You like locking people up too?"
Both officers' expressions changed.
Lu Wenchuan glanced down at the Restraint Devices on the floor and smiled.
"Young Master Xu, that lock-picking skill of yours really comes in handy."
Xu Zhihan looked at him. "Shut up."
Lu Wenchuan immediately nodded.
Song Zhixia also turned to the two officers, her expression colder still. "Who gave you the authority to bring Restraint Devices into the medical area?"
The officers were left utterly speechless.
Xu Zhihan had no interest in wasting any more time.
He looked at Lu Wenchuan. "I don't want to stay here."
Lu Wenchuan asked, "Where do you want to go?"
Xu Zhihan said, "Any cases?"
Lu Wenchuan froze for a moment.
Xu Zhihan's face was pale, but his tone was steady. "They want to lock me up. The best way to stop them is to prove I'm useful."
Lu Wenchuan looked at him, his gaze gradually growing serious.
He had not recovered physically, yet he already saw the situation clearly.
Headquarters wanted to lock him up because he was dangerous.
Then he would show them that danger could be controlled, that it could save people and solve cases.
Song Zhixia frowned. "You can't go on a mission right now."
Xu Zhihan looked at her. "That's not up to you."
Song Zhixia laughed in exasperation. "You really hold a grudge."
Xu Zhihan did not deny it.
Lu Wenchuan looked down at his phone.
Just then, a new mission notification came in.
[Night Bus Urban Legend. Seven people missing in three days. Location: Old South City Route.]
After reading it, Lu Wenchuan looked up at Xu Zhihan.
"Yes."
Xu Zhihan asked, "Is it troublesome?"
Lu Wenchuan smiled.
"Very."
Xu Zhihan lowered his eyes, picked up the still-wrapped candy on the bedside table, and slipped it into his pocket.
"Let's go."
Song Zhixia's face darkened. "Do you really think you're not afraid of dying?"
Xu Zhihan paused.
"Not particularly."
Song Zhixia was thoroughly infuriated.
Standing beside them, Lu Wenchuan suddenly spoke. "I'll take him. I'll assess him within half an hour. If he's not up to it, I'll bring him back."
Song Zhixia stared at him. "You'd better keep your word."
Lu Wenchuan smiled. "I'll try."
Song Zhixia said, "Lu Wenchuan."
"I will," Lu Wenchuan immediately corrected himself.
Xu Zhihan glanced at him.
Lu Wenchuan said quietly, "Let's go, key witness."
Xu Zhihan frowned. "Sounds awful."
Lu Wenchuan smiled. "Then I'll call you something else."
"Don't."
"All right."
The two headed toward the elevator.
Behind them, the two Headquarters officers remained where they were, looking grim.
As Xu Zhihan passed them, he gave them a cool glance.
"Next time you bring locks, pick sturdier ones."
The officers were speechless.
Lu Wenchuan almost laughed out loud.
Once the elevator doors closed, he finally couldn't hold back.
"Young Master Xu, you really do have a temper."
Xu Zhihan leaned against the elevator wall, looking awful, but his reply came fast.
"Did you only just figure that out?"
Lu Wenchuan's smile faded a little as he pressed the button for the underground parking garage.
"No, I'm realizing it more and more."