The Capital

"Morning!"

Wang Hai nodded and asked:

What's wrong with you?

"No, I'm practicing a technique that's a bit mentally taxing!" Shen Heng explained.

Wang Hai nodded slightly upon hearing this, but did not ask any further questions.

Shen Heng took a bite of the steamed bun, then, as if remembering something, said:

"By the way, Captain, I need to ask for a couple of days off."

"What's wrong?"

My sister is going to college, and I have to take her with me!

Which two days?

"Number 23, Number 24."

Where are you going?

"Capital."

"Then let's stay for two more days!" Wang Hai picked up his soy milk and took a sip.

"Hmm?" Shen Heng looked at Wang Hai with some confusion.

"Headquarters sent a notice a couple of days ago, requiring the municipal-level Supervision Bureau to send someone to the Capital headquarters for a meeting on the 25th," Wang Hai said.

Did they say what they were going to do?

"I don't know the specifics, but if we send someone over specifically, they'll likely have a lot to say in one presentation!"

"Then, is it appropriate for me to go?"

"The captain is usually the highest-ranking officer in the local Supervision Bureau, so unless there are special circumstances, the captain won't be allowed to leave the area casually. In other words, if they are to be sent, they are usually ordinary members," Wang Hai explained.

Shen Heng nodded in understanding.

"Okay, I understand!"

Linhai International Airport, August 23.

Shen Heng glanced at the increasingly shorter boarding queue in front of him, then turned to look at the person beside him.

Where is your friend?

"I asked, and she was just checking in her luggage. She should be on her way right now!"

Shen Shuning gently tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear; the two-month vacation had caused her dark hair to grow even longer.

Shen Heng nodded slightly, and the two waited in the same spot for a while longer.

Just minutes before boarding closed, a shout finally rang out.

"Shuning!"

Shen Heng turned his head slightly, looking in the direction the sound came from, and saw a girl with a high ponytail running towards him.

She walked all the way to Shen Shuning's side and said with some grievance:

"Shuning, you have no idea, I just went the wrong way, and then it felt increasingly wrong. I had to ask someone for help!"

"It's alright, I'm glad you're here!"

Shen Shuning shook her head, glancing at Xiao Bai'er.

"Are you sure your family is okay with you going alone?"

"Isn't it because of you!" Xiao Bai'er chuckled. "By the way, where are your family?"

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Shen Shuning's side, her gaze naturally falling on Shen Heng.

"Hello, Shen Heng!" Shen Heng simply nodded in greeting.

"Ah, uh... hello!" Xiao Bai'er responded somewhat awkwardly, but she even forgot to say her own name, clearly not used to this way of greeting.

Noticing this, Shen Shuning turned her head slightly and looked at Shen Heng, introducing him as follows:

"Her name is Xiao Bai'er!"

Shen Heng nodded slightly to indicate that he understood. He glanced at the time and said:

Let's board the plane first!

"Okay, sure!" the two replied.

The three of them walked quickly toward the boarding gate.

The staff member smiled as they accepted the boarding passes, examined them carefully, and politely said:

"Welcome aboard. Please take your seat according to the seat number on your boarding pass."

Shen Heng nodded his thanks and led the two into the boarding gate.

The passageway was brightly lit, and the walls were decorated with posters featuring the unique Linhai scenery.

Shen Heng glanced at them but didn't pay much attention. However, after hearing the two behind him slow down their pace, he couldn't help but slow down as well.

After boarding the plane, Shen Heng found his seat according to the instructions.

The three seats were together; Xiao Bai'er sat by the window, Shen Shuning sat in the middle, and Shen Heng sat by the aisle.

Shen Heng glanced at Xiao Bai'er, who was a little excited about her first airplane ride, and Shen Shuning, who remained calm. He then closed his eyes slightly and focused on maintaining the flow of his internal Origin Power.

After a long while, a somewhat excited voice reached his ears again.

"Hey, Shuning, look! Look!"

Shen Heng slowly opened his eyes and looked at the two people beside him.

Xiao Bai'er was looking out the window with excitement, and Shen Shuning, influenced by her, also turned her head slightly and looked out the window.

Outside the window, the once rolling mountains have disappeared, replaced by a plain stretching all the way to the horizon.

"Really, look, Shuning, the North is really different from our South! They don't have that many mountains!" Xiao Bai'er shouted excitedly.

"Yes, that's right!" Shen Shuning nodded slightly and said softly.

"Shuning, tell me, which plain is this?" Xiao Bai'er asked, his gaze still fixed on the view outside the window.

"It should be North China..."

Shen Heng listened quietly to the conversation between the two girls beside him, his gaze passing over them and looking out the window.

Compared to the mountainous and hilly terrain of the south, this boundless plain is indeed more likely to evoke a sense of awe.

Looking out at the plains, Shen Heng felt inexplicably weary.

This weariness arises from within and is difficult to suppress.

His mind gradually went blank, and he stared blankly at the plain outside the window.

The sounds of the plane cutting through the air, the roar of the engines, and the whispers of the others still lingered in my ears, but they had inexplicably softened.

He leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window until a slender hand beckoned to him, bringing him back to his senses.

Shen Heng took a light breath, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze locked onto Shen Shuning's cool and aloof face.

"What's wrong?" Shen Shuning asked, her brows slightly furrowed.

At first, she didn't notice, but after Bai'er reminded her, she realized that Shen Heng had suddenly sat stiffly to the side.

"It's nothing, I was just spacing out for a bit!" Shen Heng slowly shook his head.

Shen Shuning's gaze lingered on Shen Heng for two seconds, and after seeing that he was indeed alright, she slowly looked away.

Shen Heng leaned back in his chair, reflecting on his state of mind just now.

He didn't know what had just happened, but he inexplicably felt more comfortable.

Have I been too tired lately?

After a long while, Shen Heng slowly shook his head, closed his eyes slightly, and the Origin Power began to flow within his body again.

4:42 PM.

Shen Heng stood in front of a bed, his gaze sweeping over the area around it.

Blanket, mug, notebook, trash can...

"Yes, the main daily necessities are all taken care of. Shen Shuning can buy whatever she needs herself..." Shen Heng nodded slightly, then turned to look at Shen Shuning and said:

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now!"

"Okay!" Shen Shuning nodded.

"Then be careful while you're out there alone. You can call me if anything happens!" Shen Heng instructed.

Shen Shuning opened her mouth, but finally nodded.

"Okay, I understand!"

Shen Heng nodded slightly, then turned and walked outside.

He also needed to register with the headquarters of the Supervision Bureau; otherwise, he would have to find a place to stay after the staff there went off duty.

Not long after Shen Heng left, Xiao Bai'er ran to the dormitory door and peered out.

Seeing that Shen Heng had indeed left, she quickly returned to Shen Shuning's side and asked the question that had been on her mind all along.

"Shuning, is that really your brother Shen Heng?"

"Okay!" Shen Shuning nodded gently and placed the clothes from her suitcase one by one into the clean wardrobe.

"But it doesn't look like what you said before. Isn't this very reliable?" Xiao Bai'er asked, somewhat puzzled.

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuning paused in her actions, and after a long while said:

"He has indeed changed a lot in the past six months..."