Stay Away

On the other end of the line, the sound of wind rushed into the receiver.

Bai Wanyang lowered his voice and briefly explained what had happened to him.

“I just left my hiding place and was about to start working. Then, without any warning, I was thrown out of the city in the blink of an eye. I’m in the middle of a field at least several kilometers away.”

“I tried to go back, but as soon as I get within a certain distance of Amber City, my five senses start to disappear. It’s like I’m blind and deaf. I can’t get near it at all.”

“Brother, what on earth is going on?”

As Yue Shi listened, his gaze fell upon the stiffly standing Zhang Songyun.

The latter was peeking at him with suspicion and uncertainty because of this phone call.

Did Zhang Songyun have someone backing him?

It was a possibility.

However, Yue Shi suspected the director of the Amber City Investigation Bureau, Tang Zhuhe, even more.

That woman had always been mysterious and rarely acted directly, but no one dared to underestimate her.

If it was her, what was the motive?

The possibility of her protecting Zhang Songyun was slim.

Clearing out unstable factors?

Or had she sensed Yue Shi’s hand reaching into Amber City and done this as a warning to drive him out?

A flicker of thought passed through Yue Shi’s eyes.

Tang Zhuhe’s motives were always difficult to guess, but if it were her, things would be a bit more troublesome.

“I understand.”

“Don’t go back to Amber City for the time being,” Yue Shi said calmly.

“Then what should I do next?” Bai Wanyang’s voice sounded lost.

He had lived in Amber City since he was a child. Suddenly leaving his hometown left him bewildered.

The thoughts of revenge and completing the deal that had just been ignited were also knocked off the board by a single blow.

“Find another place to settle down, then continue. The target remains unchanged,” Yue Shi’s command was simple and clear.

Bai Wanyang was stunned for a moment before he understood.

Yue Shi wanted him to change stages and continue executing the mission to “frame the headquarters.”

If he couldn’t enter Amber City, he would cause trouble for the headquarters elsewhere.

“I understand,” he immediately replied.

Then he couldn’t help but ask, his tone cautious, “How is Zhang Songyun doing now?”

He hadn’t been able to end his enemy with his own hands. Although he knew that falling into Yue Shi’s hands would definitely not end well, his hatred and obsession still made him want a definitive answer.

Yue Shi’s gaze swept over Zhang Songyun’s deathly pale face again, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

“Rest assured.”

After saying those two words, Yue Shi ended the call.

The busy tone came from the receiver and then vanished.

Yue Shi casually stuffed the old phone back into his pocket and redirected his full attention to Zhang Songyun.

Zhang Songyun felt the hair on his body stand on end at that look.

There was no human emotion in Yue Shi’s eyes—only a pure scrutiny, as if he were looking at experimental material.

It was also mixed with a bit of interest, like he had discovered a fascinating toy.

Malice.

A condescending malice, without any disguise.

Zhang Songyun’s heart hammered wildly, and cold sweat soaked his back.

He opened his mouth, wanting to beg for mercy, to negotiate, to bring up any possible value he had.

But under Yue Shi’s gaze, all his words were stuck in his throat, turning into a silent tremor of fear.

...

Amber City Investigation Bureau, director’s office.

The heavy solid wood door blocked out the noise of the hallway.

The light inside was soft. Ling Xun stood before the desk, reporting in a steady voice.

“Zhang Songyun did not report for duty today and is unreachable. An explosion of unknown cause and signs of intrusion occurred at his apartment; neighbors reported suspected fighting and chasing.”

“The preliminary judgment is that it is related to Bai Wanyang. Bai Wanyang did not report to his clerical post after being discharged this morning and is currently also missing. The two were last sighted in the northern part of the city, after which they vanished.”

“Currently, Bai Wanyang is the prime suspect, but it is unclear how he obtained the strength to oppose Zhang Songyun.”

“Do we need to dispatch more personnel to expand the search area and conduct a deep investigation into them?”

Behind the desk, Tang Zhuhe listened quietly.

In a rare display of fatigue, she shook her head slightly and looked up at Ling Xun.

“There’s no need.”

Ling Xun was slightly taken aback.

Tang Zhuhe put down the pen in her hand and said indifferently, “They’re just two small characters. Whatever grudge they have, who suffered or who gained the upper hand, is of no importance.”

“There are more important things at hand. We shouldn’t waste manpower on these trivialities for now.”

Then she waved her hand casually. “Go. Handle the scene according to standard procedures, reassure the public, and file the case. There’s no need to look further into it.”

A flash of confusion crossed Ling Xun’s eyes, but he did not question the director’s decision.

He had followed Tang Zhuhe for many years and knew his superior’s style well.

She seemed indifferent to many things, and in truth, she really was indifferent. It was just that behind every seemingly casual decision of hers, there was often a longer-term plan.

“Understood, Director.”

Ling Xun responded respectfully, turned, and left the office.

The office door closed gently, and silence returned.

Tang Zhuhe picked up the pen on the desk and slowly twirled it between her fingers.

In fact, she was the one who had thrown Bai Wanyang out.

Bai Wanyang had become involved with Yue Shi, and Tang Zhuhe didn’t want to have even the slightest connection with Yue Shi.

Yue Shi thought Tang Zhuhe’s motives were mysterious and unpredictable.

But in Tang Zhuhe’s eyes, Yue Shi was equally unpredictable, inscrutable, and even in an indescribable state of chaos.

Tang Zhuhe was unwilling to let any uncontrollable variables appear in her territory.

Once such a variable appeared, if it couldn't be cleared or understood, throwing it out was the best choice.

She had more important things to do now and had no interest in dealing with strange, sinister humans.

Just then, the floor in the center of the office fluctuated slightly.

A stone emerged from the ground.

The stone had a human face on it, and it opened its mouth to greet Tang Zhuhe: “Teacher.”

Tang Zhuhe nodded. “Is everything finished over in Rust City?”

The stone man grinned. “The Rule Book Teacher gave me was very useful. By turning laws directly into rules, those who violate them are punished immediately. It’s much more efficient than humans managing the city.”

“Rust City is very well-regulated now; there won’t be any mistakes.”

Tang Zhuhe: “That’s good. It’s just a pity that the thing hasn’t been raised to full maturity yet. I had to harvest early, so the results are ultimately a bit lacking.”

“The Director has great potential, but his growth is too slow. Time is what I lack most right now; I can’t afford to wait slowly.”

The Director of Qingshan Sanatorium was a crop raised by Tang Zhuhe. He possessed the miraculous ability to establish rules within a certain range; how could she possibly let such an ability wander free?

The stone man asked, “Teacher, is the situation really that bad?”

Tang Zhuhe’s tone was heavy. “Worse than imagined. The apocalypse has arrived many years earlier than expected.”

“The original salvation plan has to be completely scrapped. We can only abandon this place and wander to preserve ourselves.”

The stone man was silent for a few seconds before asking, “Teacher, you still haven’t told Ling Xun about this?”

“That guy has followed you for many years. He’s very loyal.”

Tang Zhuhe shook her head. “He’s different from you all.”

“You should know that Xiao Ling isn’t a genius; Xiao Ling is a Ground Talent. Let him work a bit harder. Those who don’t work hard can't escape...”