The First Order

“No.” Luo Lan shook his head. “We’re only guessing what it might be. In the past, nanomachines could only perform extremely simple and basic operations as it was too difficult for the Li Consortium to implement complex programming into them. So we paid no further attention to this matter after that. But it seems like they might have had a breakthrough in the field.”

Initially, Ren Xiaosu thought it was some extraordinary result from the research of supernatural beings. In the end, it turned out to be something about some nano thingy. When he heard that, his first thought was to leave.

Such scientific research results might be useful to the large organizations, but it wasn’t worth a hoot to Ren Xiaosu. A hopeless student like him had not even fucking heard of nanomachines before, much less knew what they were.

In fact, Ren Xiaosu also had his own understanding of science. But whatever he did not hear of before would get treated as superstition.

Moreover, if people like Luo Lan were still just guessing and could not even be sure of what it was after so much guessing, all the more Ren Xiaosu would not waste his time on something so uncertain.

Luo Lan said, “How about this? You’ll help me to steal the research, and I’ll pay you for it.”

“Since y’all like guessing so much, why don’t you guess if I will help you?” Ren Xiaosu said with a chuckle.

“My guess is that you will!” Luo Lan said excitedly.

“Guess again!”

Luo Lan was silent, then said, “Look here, I was the one who told you the Experimentals were coming.”

“Thank you,” Ren Xiaosu said sincerely.

“Forget it.” Luo Lan waved his hand in frustration. “It’s fine if you don’t wanna help. I might as well tell you something else. There could be the existence of an intelligent being among the Experimentals, as we found out they’ve actually been performing experiments on themselves. Can you imagine how scary that is?”

Ren Xiaosu was a little taken aback. “What else are the Experimentals supposed to do if they don’t perform experiments?”

Now it was Luo Lan’s turn to be taken aback. “That’s quite logical.”

Ren Xiaosu ignored Luo Lan and planned to return to their rented courtyard house immediately. Currently, Yan Liuyuan, Wang Fugui, and the others were waiting there for him.

When he left, Ren Xiaosu even turned back to have a look. He realized Yang Xiaojin was still on top of that building. It was as though she were providing cover for someone.

Then he suddenly saw a familiar face appear in the distance. It turned out to be the Stronghold 109 overseer!

He saw Lu Yuan coming over. Anyone who attempted to stop him ended up with a mist of blood spraying out of their bodies. So… Lu Yuan was actually a member of the Saboteurs?!

For some reason, Ren Xiaosu felt that many of the questions that had puzzled him just got answered.

No wonder Yang Xiaojin and Luo Xinyu had gotten their stronghold resident statuses so easily. No wonder Yang Xiaojin could enroll in school so easily. No wonder that when Old Wang got arrested by the Public Order Division, Lu Yuan immediately called them to have him released. No wonder Yang Xiaojin had wanted to make things difficult for Luo Lan. It was because Luo Lan had slapped Lu Yuan, and Yang Xiaojin wanted to get back at him for her colleague.

When Lu Yuan saw Ren Xiaosu, he smiled and waved to him. Lu Yuan appeared much more cheerful than before. He looked to be much happier after shedding the false identity.

But what Ren Xiaosu could not figure out was that his school enrollment should also have been handled by Lu Yuan, while Yang Xiaojin had enrolled for school two days earlier than him, so wouldn’t that mean she already knew he would be attending school as well? And she even knew which school he would be going to?!

Ren Xiaosu had always been suspicious of Yang Xiaojin as she did not really have any reason for attending school. Why was she going to school? As it turned out, he was actually the target the entire time! Was it so she could observe him at a closer distance, or were there other reasons?

Ren Xiaosu suddenly wondered if these people were thinking of recruiting him into the Saboteurs as well. But Ren Xiaosu had no time to wonder about these things. He immediately turned and left.

The courtyard house Old Wang had rented was not far from the university. So Yan Liuyuan and the others had also heard the gunfire. When Ren Xiaosu pushed open the door and entered, everyone heaved sighs of relief.

The entire courtyard was filled with people. The students, Jiang Wu, and a whole lot of bicycles were all there.

Xiaoyu asked, “Xiaosu, what was with the gunfire? Are you alright?”

“I’m OK.” Ren Xiaosu said, “Everyone, get on your bikes. We’ve gotta leave right away!”

No matter what was about to happen in this stronghold, Ren Xiaosu’s top priority would to lead everyone to safety, not to try to get his hands on something!

With so many lives at stake, Ren Xiaosu could not be selfish.

When the group saw Ren Xiaosu rushing out the door, everyone wore their backpacks that were filled with their personal supplies.

After everyone got on their bicycles, Yan Liuyuan hesitated before asking, “Bro, why are you carrying your bike?”

Ren Xiaosu snapped, “‘m afraid that I’ll damage the bike. Enough nonsense, hurry to the stronghold’s gate!”

…

Li Shentan was walking the streets of the Western District. The people in the other districts were likely still unaware of what had happened here. The little girl whose name was Si Liren suddenly floated over from behind him. Neither of her feet were touching the ground.

“I was afraid the bell wasn’t loud enough, so I struck it a few more times,” the little girl said with a smile.

“Well done.” Li Shentan smiled dotingly and said, “That should be enough of a surprise for the Li Consortium’s people.”

“But why did we do that?” Si Liren asked curiously.

Li Shentan stood still and looked at both sides of the street. It all looked familiar yet strange to him. He said, “My mother married into the Li Consortium a long time ago to counteract my ill father’s bad luck. At the beginning, his sickness did improve. But it didn’t last long before he passed away a few years later.

“My mother brought me up in the Li Consortium. When she fell in love with a young teacher later on and wanted to marry him…” Li Shentan sighed. “Actually, all that is human nature. However, the Li Consortium believes that any woman who married into the Li Consortium belongs to the organization for life. If my mother married someone else, they would see it as disgracing the Li Consortium.”

Si Liren quietly listened. “What happened afterwards?”

“Afterwards?” Li Shentan thought for a moment before saying, “Afterwards, the Li Consortium dragged her out of the stronghold on this very street we’re treading on and buried her alive. I don’t even know where she was buried.”

All of a sudden, a Shadow Door appeared not far behind Li Shentan. Luo Xinyu asked from behind the Shadow Door, “Then what are the other residents in this stronghold guilty of?”

Li Shentan looked at the Shadow Door and said with a laugh, “Why are you hiding behind the door? Aren’t you gonna come out and say hi to your friend?”

Luo Xinyu snapped, “I know you can hypnotize people with just a look, so don’t try that with me. You still haven’t answered the question I posed to you.”

Li Shentan laughed and said, “On that day, I cowardly hid on the side of the street and watched as the vehicle escorting my mother passed by. On that day, the entire population of the Western District came to watch. There were people who made fun of her and jeered at her, but none stepped forward to plead for her life. Therefore, they’re all guilty.”

After that, Li Shentan went crazy and was sent to the psychiatric hospital.

While in the psychiatric hospital, he briefly lost his identity before becoming a legendary Demon Whisperer. It was as if he had become the representative of the Underworld on earth.

It was no wonder no one could find out the identity of Li Shentan. It seemed like the Li Consortium had also thought of him as a disgrace and decided to erase all traces of mother and son.