Chapter 10 – “Captain Su, should I take this as an interrogation?”

Su Fengzhou slept more soundly than ever before. 

The surrounding noises faded away, and the thick blood on his hands cooled until all warmth was gone.

He drifted deeper into sinking darkness as countless fragments spun through his mind like a flickering lantern display, then abruptly stopped. In his dazed vision, the pitch-black entrance of Chen Mountain Cave appeared before him, and shadows moved swiftly as if carrying out the familiar preparations before a mission.

While still in a trance, Su Fengzhou drifted into the bustling crowd. A teammate tapped him lightly on the shoulder and grinned, “Captain Su, they say this mission is going to be brutal. When we finish it, you should buy us drinks when we return!”

He heard himself reply, “Absolutely! Not just one round. I will cover drinks for three full days and nights!”

Everyone laughed together.

The military vehicles were fully prepared and waiting. It felt as if an unseen force was guiding Su Fengzhou, so he instinctively joined the group and climbed into one of them.

Throughout the journey, everyone chatted about what lay ahead, filling the air with warmth and excitement.

He glanced back repeatedly, hoping to make out their faces, but darkness seemed to veil his vision. He could only see their lips moving.

In the cheerful atmosphere, someone nudged him now and then, laughing and teasing, “Captain Su, why do you keep looking back at us brothers?”

Su Fengzhou parted his lips, wanting to tell them to head back and let him handle this mission alone, but no sound came out.

It felt like a scene unfolding exactly as written when the military vehicles came to a stop at the edge of a vast ravine.

The squad members double-checked their weapons and equipment. With steady concentration, they gripped the fixed ropes and lowered themselves into the ravine one after another.

Su Fengzhou reached out as if to pull them back, but in an instant, everything shifted. The laughter and teasing fell away, and massive tentacles writhed in from every direction.

The infection spread rapidly and threw the team into complete chaos. Comrades who had been at his side moments before became ravenous, flesh-eating monsters.

The heavy stench of blood assaulted every nerve in Su Fengzhou’s mind. He felt his blood begin to boil and burn. His vision took on a red tint as a flood of hallucinations raced through his thoughts.

Just before his mind slipped away, he lifted the submachine gun in his hands and, in that nightmarish scene, aimed it at his teammates.

Su Fengzhou recognized the voice as his own, wild with exhilaration. He whispered, “Let us be destroyed together…”

Madness overwhelmed reason and hurled him into a mess. Thick, dark green, and blood red fluids swirled in a brutal carnival where human and monster fused.

Everything that followed vanished into a dense, blood-red haze.

Su Fengzhou only realized when he next saw his teammates as rows of black and white portraits on the memorial wall.

Every member of the 003 Defense Force Squad had died except him.

The higher authorities moved quickly to tightly control any information about what caused their deaths.

Rumors kept spreading. People said their captain lost control in a fit of rage and slaughtered every teammate, even those who weren’t infected or changed into aliens.

He felt a sudden urge to fight back. Fear welled up inside him, and Su Fengzhou flailed his hands, desperate to grab something. But in the utter darkness, he found only emptiness.

Each time he reached out and touched nothing, his despair deepened. Just as he was about to give in and let himself fall, he felt something solid under his fingers, though it was blurred and hard to make out.

It felt cold to the touch, yet it somehow drew him in like a drowning man clutching at a final lifeline. Gradually, the scorching heat in his veins began to calm.

Inside his spiritual realm, Su Fengzhou sensed a guiding presence unlike anything he had ever experienced.

The Sentinel spiritual realm had long been in disarray, shattered by years of relentless nightmares.

Vast seas lay between the fragments of a landmass that had shattered again and again. Only scattered isles drifted alone on the water.

Within his nightmares, invisible threads had woven through Su Fengzhou’s spiritual realm, pulling at the world and triggering yet another collapse. Now those threads had quietly withdrawn. A calmness unlike anything he had known settled over him, and the violent upheaval froze in place.

The tremors of that collapse still whispered through the air. Occasionally, a loosened chunk of earth would break free and vanish beneath the waves.

The collapse of his spiritual realm had paused for a moment.

Then a loud ringtone cut through the silence and drilled into his mind.

His senses returned immediately. Su Fengzhou gasped as his chest heaved, and in that overstimulated moment, he bolted upright. Sweat coated his skin, and the cool air against him made him tremble all over.

In that instant, his foggy thoughts vanished completely.

Still gasping for breath, Su Fengzhou looked shaken and disoriented.

The other members of the Seventh Squad grew even more on edge, standing frozen with wide eyes as they feared their captain might lash out in his dazed state.

Su Fengzhou placed a hand on his forehead and rubbed his throbbing temples to ease the lingering ache. Only then did he realize where he was.

In the temporary office, a simple wooden bed was arranged for resting.

He’d never used it before, and only after he lay on it did he notice how rough and uncomfortable the badly made bed was.

“Boss, you’re finally awake! You’ve been asleep for a whole day and night!”

Still a bit dazed, Su Fengzhou frowned and looked up at Shen Wenyan. “A day and a night?”

Shen Wenyan nodded. “Yeah! I haven’t seen you sleep that deeply for so long. Is this what happens when you stay up too many nights in a row? Falling asleep right during the on-site cleanup of an incident. Only you could do that.”

“But at least you finally got some real sleep. Now we don’t have to worry about you collapsing from exhaustion. It was a bit rough on Researcher Ying, though. I’m not going to lie. Boss, you owe him for this one.”

Hearing the phrase ‘instantly fell asleep,’ Su Fengzhou wondered if he was still dreaming since Shen Wenyan’s words sounded absurd.

Only after Shen Wenyan finished did he frown in confusion and ask, “Ying Xize?”

“Yeah, I had no idea you slept that badly,” Shen Wenyan said, raising his eyebrows with a teasing glint. “You stayed in his arms and would not budge, no matter how hard we pulled. We tried to pry you loose, but you held onto Researcher Ying’s hand. I have to say you know what you are doing.”

Su Fengzhou: “……”

Shen Wenyan continued, “With that kind of strength, who could have freed you? After all the tugging, his wrist had a bright red mark. It was a good thing that Researcher Ying was so calm. Even after such a scare, he helped us carry you without a word.”

“……” Su Fengzhou paused to find his words. “The incident… is everything handled?”

Shen Wenyen replied, “The on-site cleanup is done. There were only a few casualties, and the Logistics Department took care of the rest.”

Su Fengzhou thought for a moment, then asked, “What about Ying Xize? Where is he now?”

Shen Wenyen seemed to have been waiting for that exact question. He smirked and winked. “Don’t worry, he’s resting in the next room. Want to see him now? Should I bring you over?”

Su Fengzhou seriously felt like digging this guy’s eyeballs out. “…Get lost.”

Shen Wenyen gave him a quick once-over. “But honestly, aren’t you going to change first? You might scare him like this.”

Su Fengzhou rose without a word and walked away, his expression unreadable.

Just a few steps from the door, he paused, then turned into the storage room to fetch fresh clothes.

He was still wearing the same outfit from the incident site, its fabric stiff with dried blood, and the stains glaringly unpleasant.

Given how chaotic the scene had been, a researcher like Ying Xize probably wouldn’t have been truly scared. Still, Su Fengzhou felt he needed to freshen up before going out again, so he didn’t look too rough.

Shen Wenyan’s words kept echoing in his mind.

Su Fengzhou knew there was no way he could have ‘instantly fallen asleep’ in that violent, overstimulated state. It was absurd. Yet each time he tried to remember what actually happened, there was simply nothing.

He could barely recall anything beyond the surge of frenzy and the fleeting sight of Ying Xize rushing toward him.

Ying Xize gripped that small, toy-like knife, and Su Fengzhou was certain he saw his face reflected in those pale eyes, distorted by the splatter of blood.

After that, his memory went completely blank.

Su Fengzhou had wondered if Ying Xize, as a Guide, might have taken over his spiritual realm. Seeing how frail and sickly he looked made that idea hard to believe.

After all, entering someone else’s spiritual realm was a feat only a top-level Guide like Rong Yun from the Seventh Squad could barely pull off, let alone fully conquer it.

And as for what Shen Wenyan said about him clutching Ying Xize and refusing to let go…

Su Fengzhou couldn’t help but recall that moment in the nightmare. He had reached out in a daze and clung to what felt like his last lifeline.

So the thing he grabbed back then was it Ying Xize?

A strange feeling rose inside him and he muttered “Sh*t” under his breath as he suddenly quickened his pace.

However, when he finally got to the door of the rest area, his steps slowed down instinctively again.

During that pause, Su Fengzhou heard faint voices coming from inside, slipping through the crack beneath the door.

Someone was in there.

Ying Xize’s voice came first. “Are all the procedures taken care of?”

A man in the room replied, “Yes, everything is ready. As soon as someone posts bail, we can leave.”

Ying Xize said, “Looks like I’ll be troubling my mentor this time.”

The man in the room said, “You do not need to look at it that way. Old Ji was already planning to come to Ning City to see you; this is simply a convenient excuse.” He quickly changed the subject. “By the way, did you not enjoy the food today? Or are you feeling unwell? Why did you eat so little?”

Ying Xize sounded somewhat irritated. “Assistant Xiang, I have told you several times you do not need to stress over every little detail like this.”

The surname ‘Xiang’… Xiao Xiang?

His brows knitted together, and without hesitation, Su Fengzhou opened the door and walked in. 

The people inside turned to look at him.

He first focused on Ying Xize’s face, quietly checking his condition. Then he shifted his gaze to the well-dressed man beside him, the one wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and said in a relaxed tone, “Researcher Ying, are you ready to leave? It seems my luck is good. I woke up just in time.”

Ying Xize replied calmly, “I thought Captain Su would sleep a little longer.”

It would have been fine not to mention it, but as soon as he did, Su Fengzhou remembered Shen Wenyan’s words. Instinctively, he glanced at Ying Xize’s wrist and saw the clear red mark.

He paused and, without realizing it, his voice softened. “I… suddenly fell asleep like that. Did I frighten you?”

Ying Xize admitted, “I was a bit surprised. It’s a good thing the alien had already lost its strength. Otherwise, I honestly don’t know what to do.”

Su Fengzhou met his gaze. “Asking a researcher like you to face aliens on the frontlines is too much.”

Ying Xize replied sincerely, “Fortunately, we had some good luck.”

“But I don’t think something like this can be explained by merely good luck,” Su Fengzhou said as he unconsciously stepped forward, only to have Xiang Jiayan block his way in the very next moment, quick as lightning.

That kind of immediate reaction was too sharp for a research assistant. Su Fengzhou narrowed his eyes a little. “Step aside.”

Xiang Jiayan kept his tone polite. “Sorry, but Researcher Ying hasn’t completely recovered yet. I need to—”

Before he finished speaking, Su Fengzhou gave a cold laugh and cut him off. “We’re both from teams that handle ‘incidents.’ Do you seriously think I’d do anything to your Researcher Ying?”

Xiang Jiayan remembered clearly how Ying Xize’s wrist had turned red from being held tightly. The gentle look in his eyes became sharp as he stood firm without backing down. “That, I wouldn’t know.”

As the tension reached its breaking point, the person on the bed finally said slowly, “It’s alright, Assistant Xiang. Captain Su only wants to ask me about the situation.”

Xiang Jiayan gave Su Fengzhou a glance, but due to his unquestioning obedience to Ying Xize, he reluctantly stepped aside.

Ying Xize thought for a moment, as if he were trying hard to answer the earlier question. “I was really scared at the time, and I’ve forgotten many of the details. If Captain Su wants to know exactly what happened, all I can say from my panicked feelings is… we were pretty lucky.”

After saying that, he looked up calmly. A faint, emotionless smile on his face. “Also, no matter how you see it, I did get you safely to the Seventh Squad. Even if you don’t plan to thank me, you shouldn’t be this aggressive in return, right?”

Su Fengzhou: “…Thank you.”

After a short pause, he added, “Sorry.”

Ying Xize: “You’re welcome.”

Even though nothing was said plainly, they both knew exactly what that apology meant.

The air between them grew a bit tense for a moment, but Su Fengzhou quickly went on, “Then let me ask one last question. Researcher Ying, can you now tell me what exactly you were doing on the rooftop that day?”

Su Fengzhou stood by the bedside with his hands in his pockets, looking down at Ying Xize, who was leaning against the bed. His posture clearly showed he was carefully watching with authority.

Ying Xize looked back at him calmly, a hint of confusion in his eyes, like he didn’t understand why Su Fengzhou kept asking that question. “First, I had no idea there’d be an alien there. Second, I was only trying to find someone from the Investigation Department who’s stationed around the Delong Business District to ask about something. But that place is huge, and I’ve never been good with directions. I didn’t even realize I got lost and ended up there by mistake.”

Su Fengzhou’s eyes narrowed a bit. “So you’re telling me that you, a top researcher, actually can’t find your way around, and because you got lost wandering, you accidentally went to the mall’s top floor, where you happened to bump into an alien there?”

Ying Xize gave a nod. “Everyone at the Research Department knows I’m bad with directions. You can ask Assistant Xiang.”

Xiang Jiayan added, “I can confirm that.”

Su Fengzhou’s mouth twitched a little. “…Do I look like someone who’s that easy to fool?”

Ying Xize answered with a helpless look, “If Captain Su doesn’t believe me, then there’s nothing I can do.”

There was indeed nothing he could do. Or rather, Ying Xize was simply too worn out to find any other excuses to handle this difficult Seventh Squad captain. He understood clearly that, from another point of view, Su Fengzhou couldn’t do anything to him either.

Although Su Fengzhou might have had some odd suspicions deep down, those personal feelings weren’t enough to justify doing anything against him.

After all, he wasn’t a criminal in the first place.

Ying Xize didn’t expect Su Fengzhou to say anything conciliatory. He quietly intertwined his long, slender fingers and met his gaze without any emotion. “So, Captain Su, should I take this as an interrogation?”

Their eyes locked, the silence stretching between them.

Neither of them spoke for a long time.

“Of course not.” In the end, Su Fengzhou was the first to look away. “Thank you for your cooperation. As a trusted affiliate of the Investigation Department, you may leave once the necessary procedures are completed.”

Ying Xize gave a faint smile and calmly replied with two words, “You’re welcome.”