Chapter 123: Three Plans |
When Mirror returned after receiving his instructions, The Head known as Ghost Spirit had already left, leaving only Shi Rang standing there.
He stood frozen, looking completely dazed. Whether he had been frightened out of his wits or something else had happened was unclear, but at least he was still breathing.
Seeing this, the heavy stone in Mirror's heart finally dropped.
The Heads were all terrifying figures. Mirror never expected to be sought out by one to act as their personal transport. Aside from his sheer trepidation, he had also been deeply worried about Shi Rang's safety.
After all, Shi Rang was simply too suspicious.
He had killed Director Bjorn and withheld intelligence to seize the initiative. The moment he arrived at the Stronghold, the Pan-Continent Alliance attacked right on his heels. Furthermore, his attitude toward the Ascension Society was aloof and noncommittal. It was highly likely he would be branded a spy or a potential traitor.
"Shall I take you back to the city?"
"Wait, let me catch my breath..."
Shi Rang was utterly exhausted. Surviving a life-or-death ordeal thoroughly drained a person's energy. Moreover, the mere presence of The Head had emitted energy fluctuations that continuously stung his mind.
So, he had now secured a backer, a protective umbrella...
The other party not only promised that he could operate independently, but also granted him the authority to command a Cadre and all their subordinate resources at any time.
'Why does this feel like I am being kept?' he thought.
With a single word from Ghost Spirit, Shi Rang suddenly realized that not only had he escaped a perilous situation, but he had also received a massive promotion.
Shi Rang had never experienced such good fortune before. In a daze, he tried to organize his thoughts, reminding himself that all of this stemmed from a lie and was inherently unstable.
'When did Ghost Spirit first notice me?'
'Was it from the very beginning, when I exposed my healing ability? Did the late Leader Qin transmit my information, sparking their interest?'
'It's highly likely.'
Fortunately, he had not fled or actively sought asylum with the Pan-Continent Alliance, otherwise he most likely would have died halfway there.
Since the play was still ongoing and his new backer would not crush him anytime soon, it was only logical for him to act a bit more arrogantly now that he had found a "senior clan member."
Having cleared his mind, Shi Rang flashed a grateful smirk at Mirror, who had warned him earlier, as an idea took shape.
"From now on, you'll exclusively handle my teleportation. You can drop all other tasks. If anyone has an issue with that, tell them to take it up with The Head. For now... let's head back to the Villa to find Shi Shixin."
Hearing the term "The Head," Mirror displayed obvious fear. He continuously scrutinized Shi Rang's demeanor, and recalling The Head's actions at the Villa, a guess gradually formed in his mind.
'Shi Rang must have become a trusted confidant of The Head.'
'Does that mean I've also received a promotion by association?'
Mirror suppressed the thrill rising in his chest.
He had been part of the Ascension Society for many years, yet he never imagined that overnight he would go from being a Deacon's driver to working directly for The Head's right-hand man.
"Should we return to the Reception Room exactly as we came?"
"That's right. I need to walk out the front door. Plus, that man owes me quite a bit. It's time to collect the debt."
Mirror raised his Camera and aimed it at the window of the Reception Room, zooming in and adjusting the focus until it was clear enough to activate his ability. He pressed the shutter, producing an Instant Photo.
Their sudden return gave Shi Shixin a start. He pulled the phone away from his ear, nervously scanning the two of them. Upon realizing that The Head had not followed, a fleeting look of resentment and fear flashed through his eyes as he stared at Shi Rang, though he quickly masked it.
The Field Agents' corpses were gone. Judging by the drag marks on the carpet, they had been moved elsewhere.
Shi Rang was no longer going to waste time arguing with a dog. People like Shi Shixin, who constantly played both sides, usually met miserable ends. Once he made his choice out of greed, his fate had already been sealed.
Shi Rang focused most of his attention on Mirror.
Mirror stepped back slightly behind him, waiting on the sidelines like a loyal lackey.
It seemed Mirror had deduced quite a lot from the private conversation between The Head and Shi Rang, as his tone had grown remarkably respectful.
In response, Shi Rang firmly secured his metaphorical Mask as "The Head's confidant." Adopting a ruthless tone that perfectly aligned with his original plan, he issued an order to Shi Shixin.
"Prepare some cash, a house in the suburbs, and a car. Get it done as quickly as possible. I need a place to settle down."
When Shi Shixin handed him the bank cards with trembling hands, when the vehicle was ready, and when Mirror proactively stepped forward to open the car door for him, an indescribable sensation stirred in Shi Rang's heart. It left him intoxicated, as if he had downed a strong drink, accompanied by a strange, euphoric dizziness.
Sitting in the backseat, he abstractedly saw a vision of his childhood self, standing in front of his Grandfather and Grandmother's house, watching a luxury car drive away. Only this time, he was the one sitting inside the car.
This was the first time he had tasted true power in reality.
However, lies and power were merely tools. His ultimate goal had never changed: he simply wanted to return to the ordinary days he had spent with Ying Shang. Yet, fate was pushing him down a divergent path, drawing him further and further away.
If the end of the world truly descended, there would be no chance of returning to a normal life. If he did not possess sufficient strength, he could not guarantee his escape from this dangerous world of Anomalies. Even if he found her, it would only drag Ying Shang into a life-or-death struggle alongside him.
She might not mind, but he could never let that happen.
He needed strength. He needed more anomalous abilities.
This would require taking a massive detour. He would be forced to navigate Walking on a Knife's Edge under the watchful eyes of three major factions, but he had no choice but to take this Fork in the Road.
"Are you familiar with the Ascension Society's operations in the Second District?" Shi Rang asked Mirror.
"I used to be solely responsible for transporting members between various districts..."
"That's fine, you can start learning now. Where are the Mini-Humans currently located?"
"At the suburban Stronghold. It's about an hour and a half drive from here."
"Drop me off at the suburban house first, then go pick them up and rendezvous with me. After that, spend some time familiarizing yourself with the Society's internal affairs. If anyone asks, tell them I ordered you to do it. From now on, you're my full-time driver. I'll let you know whenever I need a teleport."
"Understood, sir."
Shi Rang pulled off his Headphones and let out a silent sigh in the backseat.
The driver's seat had already become an invisible barrier between them.
They could no longer chat casually like friends as they once had.
Shi Rang's proposal to hunt alone was not because he truly intended to face Anomalies all by himself. In reality, he had numerous plans in mind, but they required him to avoid surveillance and operate independently to execute them.
His greatest trump card remained the authority held by the Dump Truck account.
Even if his high-clearance identity in the Management Bureau Main Station could not be directly translated into real-world power, the Bureau's Anomaly Archive was an absolute treasure trove in itself.
The types of Anomalies documented within covered everything imaginable. Whatever one desired, there was bound to be an Anomaly capable of achieving it.
Most importantly, many Anomalies simply could not be locked away in containment rooms.
Plan One stemmed directly from this fact: the Emergency Armory.
Take CVA-C-3937, the Eye of the Sky, for example. It was a satellite of unknown origin operating autonomously in low Earth orbit. By simply sending a set of coordinates through a Management Authority device synced to its signal, it would instantly launch an attack. This strike would severely disrupt the minds of all living creatures within a several-kilometer radius of the coordinates while physically distorting matter.
There were many other Anomalies just like it.
The Management Authority could not imprison them; they merely blocked external channels from utilizing or triggering their Anomalous Properties. However, there were exceptions to everything.
Now that he knew the trigger methods, Shi Rang himself could become that "exception." This led to Plan Two: Impersonation.
This would take some time and a stroke of luck—he intended to impersonate a Council Member.
The Council Member behind the sock puppet Assistant Harvey had misjudged Shi Rang, mistaking him for a colleague. Based on the information "Harvey" had leaked, that particular Speaker had a rebellious temperament, was likely inept at using the Management Authority's systems, and almost never attended the Council Members' Online Meetings.
Since the other party disliked logging on, it gave Shi Rang massive room to maneuver.
Once he uncovered their identification number, he could exploit the loophole and replace this Council Member, using their identity to operate whenever necessary. He would no longer have to fear being exposed as S13, a fake designation that did not even exist in the system.
As for Plan Three, that required The Sheriff...
The sound of the front door opening drifted from the Entryway, echoing through the Villa four times before slowly fading away.
Shi Rang stopped writing, flipped the paper over to conceal it, and stood up to welcome the Mini-Humans. As a result, he opened a door and accidentally stumbled right into the Cloakroom. He still was not accustomed to the layout of this Villa Shi Shixin had given him... no, this was his own house now. It was not his dream home; it was simply a place to sleep.
The night was already deep. Mirror stood waiting in the Entryway, holding the familiar little pink suitcase.
Shi Rang offered a word of thanks and settled Mirror into a room on the ground floor. He then carried the Mini-Humans up to the second floor, found an empty room, and let them out.
"Is this entire room ours?"
"You're truly an incredible person... Such a huge house!"
"You must be Rang? I'm the representative of the new group. It's an honor to meet you. Could we have a chat?"
Shi Rang stared tiredly at them swarming inside the suitcase.
He lacked the energy to explain just how much the Mini-Humans had missed out on, nor did he have the strength to spin appropriate lies or coordinate with the newcomers. He called out to The Sheriff alone, bringing this sole representative into the Bedroom and shutting the door to isolate the muffled sounds of laughter outside.
"You don't look so good, Shi Rang," The Sheriff said, bracing himself near Shi Rang's ear canal. "Get some rest first. I'll handle the relocation work."
Despite saying this, The Sheriff's voice sounded rather hoarse, as if he were deeply exhausted as well.
"I have a matter I need to discuss with you."
"Speak."
With the bedroom door closed, the tense, cold expression on Shi Rang's face finally melted away. He slumped into a wide, soft armchair. Flashes of everything he had experienced today ran through his mind, while the document detailing his plans lay face down on the desk in front of him.
Under the witness of the heavy atmosphere and the dark night, Shi Rang bared his heart.
"Everyone I know is either in another faction, cannot serve as an ally, or is a potential enemy. I have no one else I can trust. You've helped me before and have always stood by my side. So, are you willing to trust me, Sheriff?"
"You're in trouble," The Sheriff deduced. "I've always hoped to repay your trust. You gave us hope and the freedom to escape captivity. Whatever it is I can do, just say the word."
Shi Rang raised both hands, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose to gather himself, and finally spoke.
"I'm going to perform a Tampering on your Anomalous Effect."