Unaware that outside people were now sitting in rows, Su Cha lay inside the bio-pod with both hands folded over his abdomen, his posture exceptionally… peaceful.
The entire loading process was much slower than during simulated combat. When Su Cha could see this world clearly again, the first thing he saw was an old ceiling. The dry air entered his body, making his throat slightly parched.
Su Cha sat up, quickly got out of bed, and walked to the mirror. He found that he had shrunk a circle, returning to the appearance of thirteen or fourteen years old.
He quickly realized that most of his contact with the deputy chief had been at this age.
After going out for a walk, everything felt very real. Li Huai was busy in the management room. Seeing him, he looked up and said, “Pay more attention.”
Li Huai: “Although your awakening went relatively smoothly, you still need to watch for any abnormalities in your body.”
Su Cha quickly walked over and picked up the newspaper at the corner of the desk. “Instructor, let me borrow this.”
According to the past development, the newspaper would have made a big deal about something like “The Empire’s Twin Stars.” He read it twice; it was basically all military news and he did not find any news related to Shen Ningze.
His communicator also hadn’t received any text from Shen Ningze asking him to attend a birthday banquet.
The virtual world constructed by TCQ was built on real data, but many details between him and Shen Ningze were unknown to others, so it merely borrowed a general background.
Stopping what he was doing, Li Huai scrutinized him. “You’re a bit strange today.”
Su Cha responded naturally, “Just wanted to see if I made the front-page headlines.”
“It’s been a few days already. The major outlets won’t keep publishing it,” Li Huai could understand a child’s vanity. “But the online discussion index remains high.”
Su Cha glanced at the date on the newspaper. Today was a rest day.
He began to wonder how, under these circumstances, he would have any interaction with the deputy chief.
Otherwise, should he ask Li Huai to approve a leave slip and run to the Investigation Department to faint once?
The joking thought had just arisen when Li Huai received a phone call. His expression suddenly turned serious.
He stood up, his gaze falling on Su Cha, and frowned slightly. “I understand.”
Li Huai: “This morning someone carried out indiscriminate attacks in the city center and then disappeared.”
Su Cha had a hunch this matter would be connected to him.
“The attacker was the reporter who previously spread rumors about you. The police found a note at his home claiming he wanted to retaliate against society,” Li Huai said. “There are rumors trying to guide public opinion, bringing up the letter of understanding you once issued.”
The remnants of the living-organism organization and certain corporate forces were constantly buying internet trolls, attempting to accuse Su Cha of being kind without a bottom line.
Rong Shao said with a dark face, “A bunch of brainless idiots. If you hadn’t issued that letter of understanding, his punishment would have been lighter.”
To avoid criticism, the Investigation Department had later dug up some of the reporter’s previous illegal transactions and dealt with them severely. In the end, the reporter had to pay a large sum of money to obtain bail. Taking ten thousand steps back, even without this matter, a simple charge of spreading rumors wouldn’t have put him behind bars.
Li Huai nodded. “The Investigation Department is already suppressing public opinion.”
At this time, Ji Tianjin spoke: “Being able to disappear suddenly after attacking people is similar to how Fast infiltrated the Ten Schools League venue back then. They must have some method of reducing their own sense of presence.”
Li Huai pondered, “The Federation’s invisibility cloak can achieve this, but it’s strictly controlled. Ordinary people can’t get it.”
“Maybe it’s a reagent,” Ji Tianjin analyzed. “Genes are definitely within the research scope of the living-organism organization.”
It was so logical it couldn’t be more so. From every angle, it provided ample reason for him to turn dark.
Ji Tianjin saw him spacing out and said softly, “Trust me, things will be resolved.”
That day, Su Cha’s communicator kept receiving messages, mostly from Liu Xiqin and the others, telling him not to overthink. Since they understood each other somewhat, they didn’t call to disturb him at this juncture. In the evening, however, there were briefly a few unexpected visitors at the dormitory, it was Zhao Shi and the others whom Su Cha had once framed for compensation.
“Don’t worry. Once the case is closed, the storm will quickly subside,” Zhao Shi said. “Under a heavy reward there must be brave men. We’ve already issued a bounty through various channels to find the culprit.”
“A bounty?”
“The money we raised last time when crowdfunding to get you to withdraw from the competition. It wasn’t used on you back then. Didn’t expect it would come in handy now.”
“Actually, you don’t have to…”
Zhao Shi interrupted, “Pooling wisdom and efforts, since we’re classmates, it’s only right that everyone contributes.”
They had mainly come to reassure Su Cha, so he wouldn’t be anxious alone.
They didn’t stay long. After saying a few words, they left.
It rained heavily at midnight, rare weather for a good night’s sleep. Su Cha browsed online news in real time. Because of the Investigation Department’s suppression, the news hadn’t fermented for the moment, but there were still some rumors and gossip.
“No wonder the deputy chief developed mental problems.”
On one hand hoping he would turn dark, on the other still having to perform his duties and help suppress comments, if this went on long-term, it would be strange if he stayed normal.
The next day in class, he had thought he would hear a lot of idle talk. Unexpectedly, it was just like usual; no one cast him excessive attention. Su Cha held his books, glancing left and right from time to time, confirming that everything was the same as always.
“Watch where you’re walking.” Just as he leaned forward and was about to trip over the curb, Ji Tianjin grabbed the hood of his raincoat from behind in time.
Being lifted by the hood, Su Cha turned his head, somewhat like a sunny doll. Paired with the rainbow in the distant sky, it was quite fitting.
Ji Tianjin saw that he was absent-minded and said, “No need to be nervous.”
Su Cha pressed his lips together. “I’m not nervous.”
It would have been fine if today the campus had been filled with accusations against him, but everyone behaved as usual. Ji Tianjin and the other teammates didn’t say anything verbally, but privately they were surely each operating in their own ways.
If this continued, even if he inexplicably became a dark personality, it would lack persuasiveness.
What reason could there possibly be to turn bad, genetic mutation?
The two walked side by side toward the classroom when Su Cha’s steps suddenly halted.
Was the direction wrong?
Ji Tianjin and the other teammates almost unconditionally protected him; otherwise they wouldn’t have refrained from probing the reason when the missile had inexplicably exploded midair. Even Li Huai was like this. Su Cha seriously suspected that Shen Ningze had said something before his death, but Li Huai hadn’t adopted it. Later, when reporting the cause, he had only said that the spatial device suddenly malfunctioned, causing Shen Ningze’s sneak attack to fail.
However, the device hadn’t broken; it had been inherited by Ji Tianjin. That reason was obviously fabricated at a glance.
Thinking of this, Su Cha cleared his throat lightly. “If, I mean, if my way of handling things suddenly became ruthless and merciless…”
“Not merciless.” Ji Tianjin excused him. “You can see it as the sharp edge of kindness.”
“……”
Su Cha sighed inwardly. As expected.
In the deputy chief’s view, Ji Tianjin was probably already blind. Even in this false world, it was no exception. It was useless for him to painstakingly try to reverse the impressions of those around him.
The target should be the entire imperial capital, a broader audience.
For the next stretch of time, Su Cha kept waiting, waiting for a point where he could intersect with the deputy chief.
The opportunity came that very afternoon.
During the last class, Su Cha was called out. Several people were standing at the entrance of the teaching building. Besides Li Huai, there was also a figure he was extremely familiar with: the deputy chief of the Investigation Department.
The other party walked up to him and got straight to the point. “We’ve tracked the suspect’s whereabouts. You’ll participate in this arrest operation as well. Afterward, do a reporter interview, consider it giving an account.”
Li Huai let out a ‘heh.’ “Giving an account of what? Su Cha didn’t do anything wrong.”
The deputy chief said, “If he hadn’t been publishing things like ‘love your enemies’ every day, even if others wanted to splash this dirty water, they wouldn’t have been able to pour it over his head.”
Su Cha waved his hand. “Don’t argue. I’ll go.”
The deputy chief raised an eyebrow. “See? Even when I say this, he doesn’t get angry? Beyond saving.”
Su Cha: “……”
The one beyond saving is you. So hard to deal with.
After boarding the warship, the deputy chief kept it brief: “Afterward we will announce that you voluntarily requested to participate in the arrest operation, which will help shut up the long tongues.”
Su Cha: “That’s like mending the pen after the sheep are lost, indirectly admitting this matter is my responsibility.”
The deputy chief’s attitude was indifferent. “So what if it is?”
The Investigation Department only values efficiency. How to make the heat of the matter subside as quickly as possible, the feelings of the person involved are not within the scope of consideration.
The atmosphere on the warship became quiet.
Su Cha hadn’t slept all night and was now a bit drowsy, but at this moment the deputy chief looked out the window and spoke again: “There are some things I’ll only say once. In this world, the deceptiveness that weakness can bring is limited. Sooner or later it will backfire on you. Su Cha, you’re not a rabbit. Deep in your bones you should be ferocious, radical. I’ve judged countless people; I won’t be wrong.”
Su Cha fell silent.
“Do you know what’s most terrifying now?” The deputy chief sneered. “You’ve even fooled yourself, believing you’re meant to be this weak.”
What proper person would condense such a pure and flawless spiritual body?
Su Cha: “……”
The deputy chief said a few more harsh words, telling him to recognize his current situation.
As the warship was about to reach a barren planet, the deputy chief received a message and said coldly, “The media came quite fast.”
The barren planet where the suspect was located had already been surrounded layer upon layer, just waiting for the search to begin.
This incident had caused quite a stir, and the media had been continuously tracking and reporting it. Upon seeing Su Cha, they immediately surrounded him.
“Many people comment that ‘kindness used in the wrong place can kill people.’ What do you think about that?”
“May I ask if you regret issuing the letter of understanding?”
One question after another. Su Cha stood with his head lowered inside the encirclement. Just when the media thought he wouldn’t speak, Su Cha suddenly said, “On the way here, an elder said a lot to me.”
His gaze swept toward the deputy chief not far away. The latter had originally been watching coldly from the sidelines, with no intention of helping to block the reporters, and had even prepared a stretcher to send the fainting Su Cha back onto the warship at any time.
But Su Cha did not faint. He faced the reporters’ cameras directly. “I finally understand now. Everyone, I will personally capture the suspect.”
After speaking, his spiritual body appeared in midair.
It was not the familiar lotus magnolia, but another kind of flower. The fragrance was likewise light and elegant, yet every petal was a mysterious black. The overly heavy color was like the feathers of a crow, which should have made people feel ominous, but the moment it bloomed in full glory, it appeared incomparably noble.
Looking at the blooming flower, even the quick-witted reporters were stunned for a moment. Only afterward did they press their cameras, their mouths hanging open in shock: Su Cha’s spiritual body was clearly a magnolia, how could it transform like this in the blink of an eye?
Someone had already identified the species: “It’s a black mantuoluo!”
Execution grounds had once been the most common place for this flower to grow. The flower language of mantuoluo is revenge, representing unpredictable death.
In truth, as long as Su Cha was willing, he could use demonic power to temporarily transform his spiritual body into all kinds of flowers. But the imaginations of the people present ran wild. In fact, they were very clear that this matter had nothing to do with Su Cha. The earlier interview had merely been to better satisfy the public’s appetite for spectacle.
As someone who had just successfully condensed a spiritual body and become a red-hot figure, any event connected to Su Cha would see its heat skyrocket.
But no one had expected that in the end, it would cause such an irreversible change to this child’s spirit.
The thoughts of those present suddenly shifted.
A person who could calmly play the Little Mermaid, turning into foam without resentment or regret, because of a determination for revenge, his personality had drastically changed. What kind of resolve was it that could even cause his spiritual body to change along with it!
Wait, Su Cha had just said that an elder had said a lot to him, and so he understood. The reporters followed Su Cha’s line of sight, and their gazes all fell on the deputy chief.
Deputy chief: “……”
A reporter took a deep breath. Pure conversation would not produce this effect. The Investigation Department’s methods were well known; there must have been other things that happened in between.
Su Cha’s demonic power could not last long. While everyone’s attention was elsewhere, he withdrew his spiritual body.
Perfect.
If full marks were ten points, he believed he deserved a full five-star review.
Not only had he turned dark under the gaze of the public, but in everyone’s eyes this “darkness” had been personally dyed onto him by the deputy chief. The other party’s subconscious psychological demand had been satisfied twice over.
When Su Cha proudly raised his chin, everyone on Fukui Island watching this scene fell silent.
Xie Rongjue narrowed his eyes. “A spiritual body’s state can be changed at will?”
Ji Tianjin: “He is Su Cha, ever-changing.”
“……”
A member of the Investigation Department said in a low voice, “Will the deputy chief die?”
In the virtual world he had actually taken on such a massive black pot. If it continued to develop, his mental state would probably become even worse.
The staff were also hesitating about whether to end this TCQ treatment, but the patient’s demand had indeed been satisfied during the process. It couldn’t be said to be a treatment failure.
Unable to make a decision, he turned his gaze to Xie Rongjue, waiting for him to give the order.
Xie Rongjue was still looking at the big screen. At last he said, “Can this instrument still fit another person? I’m willing to pay to participate.”
“……”
