"Idiots, hand over the wallet if you know what's good for you."
"I’m talking to you, didn't you hear me?"
The goat-man was shoved back and forth by the crowd until he was finally kicked violently to the ground.
Xu Xiaoyou glanced at the tram schedule, estimating that they were almost at the station.
"That’s enough."
Just as the weight of indignation and humiliation was about to crush the goat-man’s shoulders, the girl's shout rang out.
"Bullying the weak and fearing the strong—think you’re all big shots? Get lost, you’re an eyesore. A bunch of useless trash, worthless small fry."
As if finding a savior, the goat-man looked at the blonde girl stepping out from the crowd through tears and snot. In his eyes, the girl was like an angel sent from the heavens to relieve suffering, practically glowing with light.
None of the passengers dared to provoke the girl, except for one tiger-faced passenger who growled at Xu Xiaoyou. However, upon seeing the handgun inadvertently revealed at her waist:
"Meow."
Now the passengers were completely cowed, hurriedly parting to make a path.
Xu Xiaoyou helped the goat-man up and dusted off his clothes, speaking with gravity:
"In this city, if you keep this kind of personality, you’ll be bullied everywhere you go. You have to change, do you hear me?"
"I know..." The goat-man’s eyes welled with tears as he nodded repeatedly to thank the girl.
"Back straight! Your voice is so weak—haven’t you eaten?" Xu Xiaoyou barked.
"I know!" the goat-man stood at attention, responding loudly.
The girl finally nodded with satisfaction, leaving him with nothing but a righteous, awe-inspiring view of her back!
When the tram arrived at the station and the goat-man stepped off, his heart was still warmed by the encounter—until he suddenly remembered something and froze.
"Eh? Where's my wallet?"
Crowds flowed endlessly beneath the massive station hall, the space illuminated by bright fixtures on the vaulted ceiling. Shops and restaurants lined both sides of the lounge area, filled with a dazzling array of goods. Tourists strolled leisurely while office workers rushed past.
Xu Xiaoyou leaned against a giant billboard, stopping as the screen flickered and upbeat music surrounded her ears.
She rifled through the goat-man’s wallet, turning it over and shaking it. After finding only a few scattered coins falling out, she tossed the wallet into a nearby trash can with a look of pure disgust.
"Tch, a grown man and he doesn’t have a cent on him?"
Xu Xiaoyou walked forward with her head down in frustration. Because she wasn't looking where she was going, she crashed straight into someone's chest and fell to the ground.
"Huh?"
Xu Xiaoyou rubbed her aching nose, her brow furrowing deeply. As she looked up, a striking figure in white came into view.
The girl before her wore a white-based uniform with lace-patterned white gloves. A high black ponytail sat above a fair, slender neck, accentuating her height of about one hundred and seventy centimeters. The girl possessed an elegant and outstanding temperament, her bright, ruby-red eyes currently filled with a hint of confusion.
When Xu Xiaoyou saw the mechanical power hammer strapped to the girl's back—standing a head taller than her—a surge of wariness instantly rose in her eyes.
To carry such a weapon so brazenly on the street, the other party could only be a fixer.
"Sorry, I didn't see you just now. Are you okay?"
The girl blinked, a look of concern appearing on her face as she reached out to Xu Xiaoyou on the ground.
Xu Xiaoyou felt a sudden shock as she took the hand to stand up.
Looking down the arm, she saw a unique three-winged insignia on the girl's shoulder.
This was the 'Wing' emblem of the Fixer Association!
They were the ones within the association who specialized in investigating cases related to fixers—a group that struck terror into the hearts of countless fixers.
The association granted every Wing member supreme authority. During an investigation, they not only held the privilege of summary execution but even the public security agencies within the host city's Corrupt Hive City had to cooperate unconditionally. This ranged from not restricting their freedom to disclosing case progress details and even case files...
These wing investigators were among the very few who, in any hive city, could operate outside the rules of the subordinate factions.
The glory of the Supreme Act had led too many ignorant intellectuals to propose reducing the power of investigators. Every year, there were conflicts caused by investigators' violent enforcement, and behind every incident, the voices of those shouting for human rights could be heard.
They believed that, strictly speaking, the existing ruling powers of those hive cities did not directly belong to the Fixer Association. This behavior of setting rules with a heavier iron fist to oppress and constrain small and medium-sized factions was shameful and extremely inhumane.
Little did they know that the Supreme Act they fought so hard for was merely a set of rules established by another power—one even larger and more influential than the Fixer Association.
Most hive city rulers weren't stupid enough to be beyond hope; they tacitly allowed and followed the rules set by the association. After all, they didn't want to see tens of thousands of fixers showing up at their doorstep to crusade against them.
Of course, there had been voices of opposition in history, which was why those voices had become history.
Within the investigators, the number of wings corresponded to their grade.
Three wings meant the other party was a grade 3 fixer.
Xu Xiaoyou didn't know exactly how strong a grade 3 fixer was.
But she was almost certain that even without those clothes, the woman could walk anywhere in this city unopposed.
Why would an investigator appear here?
Xu Xiaoyou recalled the events of yesterday, and her heart immediately grew guarded.
Less than twenty-four hours had passed since she killed those three grade 1 fixers. For an investigator to show up so quickly—she had never heard of the Wings being that efficient.
Could it be a coincidence?
"Are you... alright?" The concern on the girl's face deepened, a gentle light gathering in her bright eyes as she patted the dust off Xu Xiaoyou's clothes.
For a moment, Xu Xiaoyou felt like the girl wasn't a cold-blooded investigator, but rather a kind, considerate big sister from next door.
Just then, at the station behind them, two bums began brawling for some reason, creating a noisy, chaotic scene.
"Sorry, I need to head over there," the girl said apologetically.
Xu Xiaoyou nodded. Just as she turned around and quickened her pace, feeling somewhat unsettled, the girl's voice suddenly called out from behind her.
"Wait."
In that moment, Xu Xiaoyou felt her heart skip a beat.
"What is it?"
Seeing the girl suddenly walking quickly toward her, she forced herself to stay calm and did not act rashly.
"Your ID card fell."
The girl jogged up to her, smiling as she handed the ID card back.
"Your name is... Xu Nian, right?"
When Xu Xiaoyou took the ID card and tried to pull it back, she found she couldn't move it.
Looking up, she met the girl's hollow, dead eyes.
In the other's gaze, she saw a bone-chilling coldness.
"Sorry, sorry! I shouldn't have looked at your personal information." In the blink of an eye, the girl’s expression shifted again as she giggled. "That’s quite offensive, isn't it? I'm just so airheaded."
After saying this, the girl turned and ran toward the chaos behind them without looking back. Recalling the girl's previous gaze, Xu Xiaoyou couldn't help but shudder. She didn't linger, quickening her pace to leave the area.
...
"Hit him! Hit the bastard! Aim for his jaw!"
"Do you even know how to fight? Your punches are so weak—are you a little lamb?"
"Too weak! Your fists are way too weak!"
The two bums were brawling while the onlookers waved their fists and shouted encouragement, as if they were the ones fighting. Whenever one side was knocked down, they would shake their heads and sigh.
To call it a fight was generous; it was more like children clawing at each other—gouging eyes, pulling hair, kicking groins, using every dirty trick possible. Neither bum would give in, clawing from standing to the ground, from the stairs to the floor, rolling and embracing, biting each other like two ugly, filthy insects twisted together.
Passing pedestrians hurried to avoid them, and those who had been watching for entertainment began to lose interest.
Just as the crowd was about to disperse, the throng was suddenly pushed aside. A white figure squeezed in. Those who had been shoved aside didn't even have time to express their displeasure before being intimidated by the mechanical power hammer on the girl's back.
"An investigator...?" Someone in the crowd turned pale.
"Disperse, disperse! Move it!"
"Go, go, don't ask questions. Get away from here as fast as possible. Don't get involved with that kind of lunatic—none of the Wing investigators are sane..."
Seeing that the two bums were still entangled even after the crowd had vanished, the girl’s face clouded as she tugged at her white gloves.
BOOM—
A massive explosion of sound rang out. People in the station looked toward the source in terror.
Dust swirled around the girl, her face shadowed by dark lines, making it hard to see her expression. She slowly lowered her hand. On a large section of the cracked wall, one bum’s head was buried deep inside, his body hanging limply outside...
"Ah!" The remaining bum was scared out of his mind, struggling to crawl backward. His clouded pupils reflected the figure of the girl stepping toward him.
In those pale, hollow eyes, there was only a cold silence.
"Those who disturb public order... are unforgivable."
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