Chapter 87

Xu Yan hesitated for a moment but still told the truth: "Yes, that's right. Just now, Wen Xiuzhi called and said that there are more lunatics in Xiangcheng. He asked me to pack my things and get ready to go with him." As Xu Yan spoke, fear was evident in his eyes—those police officers with guns couldn't stop the lunatics' assault and were beaten to death, a scene Xu Yan had witnessed firsthand.

Now, he was about to take on the main role in stopping those lunatics. Thinking of Wen Xiuzhi's words, "We're counting on you," Xu Yan couldn't help but tremble with fear, his face showing his dread.

Driven by fear, Xu Yan couldn't help but ask, "Xuan Yun, can you go with me?"—because he had seen the terrifying nature of the monsters firsthand, and without Zhu Youxiang by his side, he felt utterly insecure. In Xu Yan's eyes, no matter how many military and police officers Wen Xiuzhi had, none of them could match Zhu Youxiang's single sword.

"Oh, Mr. Wen summoned you today? He's really in a hurry..." Zhu Youxiang pondered for a while, then nodded gently, "Since you have invited me, I will not refuse. I will accompany you on this trip. When do you plan to leave?"

Xu Yan was overjoyed. After all that had happened, he had developed a strong confidence in Zhu Youxiang's abilities. With her by his side, he was not afraid of facing just a lunatic; even if they had to confront those terrifying creatures from the demon world, he would be fearless. However, Zhu Youxiang was calm and resolute, and her actions were hard to predict. Xu Yan had little confidence in convincing her to join the investigation team. He never expected that she would agree so readily after just a little persuasion. Xu Yan was truly elated.

But amidst his joy, Xu Yan was also a bit puzzled: He was genuinely happy that Zhu Youxiang would go with him, but why did she want to go? This matter had nothing to do with her. Zhu Youxiang was usually indifferent and didn't like to meddle in other people's affairs, let alone have any contact with the government. Why was she so proactive this time?

Xu Yan couldn't figure it out, but he didn't dare to ask more. Zhu Youxiang's willingness to go was a great blessing, and he didn't want to risk upsetting her and changing her mind. If that happened, he would be the one to suffer.

Xu Yan quickly picked up the phone and called Wen Xiuzhi. The phone rang for a while before it was answered. The voice on the other end was chaotic, with a lot of noise, as if they were very busy. Wen Xiuzhi's tone was urgent: "Hello, Xu Yan? Are you packed? The car will be there in ten minutes. Are you ready?"

"Hello, Brother Wen, I have a request for this trip, or I won't go!"

"What? A request?"

Someone on the other end cursed, though it wasn't clear if it was Wen Xiuzhi. Then, Wen Xiuzhi seemed to have moved to a quieter place, and the noise on the phone decreased. His voice came again: "Hello, Xu Yan, what did you say? You have a request? Brother, this is a critical moment. Don't let me down. We can talk about it when we return. Making requests right before the mission is against the rules!" Wen Xiuzhi sounded furious, and it was clear he was annoyed.

"That's not possible. This request is non-negotiable," Xu Yan shouted, "On this trip, I need to bring one more person!"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and it seemed Wen Xiuzhi was surprised by Xu Yan's request. After a while, he asked, "Who is it? Why do you need to bring them?"

"Brother Wen, don't worry about it. I'll explain when we meet. It's just one more seat on the plane. It's not a big deal, right?"

Wen Xiuzhi paused again, clearly thinking. Then he cursed, "Brother, you really know how to give me a hard time! If this mission fails, I'll make sure you regret it! Alright, you and your person, hurry up and pack. Remember to bring the spirit medicine. The car is almost there!"

With that, he hung up. Xu Yan also hung up, feeling relieved. He made a "V" sign to Zhu Youxiang, "Alright, it's settled! Xuan Yun, let's go. You should change into something suitable for a long trip. We're going a long way, and we might even have to take a plane."

Zhu Youxiang readily complied and quickly changed into a set of travel clothes. Xu Yan looked her over: a pink casual jacket, straight-legged casual pants, and pointed-toe leather shoes. She looked like a typical young and beautiful girl, except for the black cicada-wing sword on her back. Zhu Youxiang's natural beauty was striking, even without makeup.

Under Xu Yan's intense gaze, Zhu Youxiang's face turned slightly red, but she didn't show any signs of discomfort. She bowed slightly, "I chose my own clothes—do you see anything wrong with them?"

"Um, no, they're fine. When they ask questions, just smile. I'll handle all the answers."

Zhu Youxiang nodded obediently, "Yes, I'll leave everything to you."

Seeing Zhu Youxiang's gentle demeanor, Xu Yan's heart fluttered, and he recalled the early days when he first met her.

Back then, Zhu Youxiang was polite and approachable, appearing so helpless and vulnerable! It was because of her pitiful state that Xu Yan took her in. But as they got to know each other, Xu Yan discovered that beneath her polite manners and weak appearance, she was actually a ruthless and decisive person, cold and merciless.

Putting aside his thoughts, Xu Yan led Zhu Youxiang out of the door and hurried to the west gate of the school. They walked quickly to the west gate, and just as they arrived, Xu Yan's phone rang. He quickly answered, "Hello!"

A polite male voice came from the other end, "Hello, is this Captain Xu? We are from the investigation team. Our car is already at the west gate of Shudu University. Have you arrived?"

Being called "Captain Xu," Xu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then he quickly replied, "Oh, yes, I'm here. Where is your car?"

"We are in a white police car, parked in front of the ice cream shop. The license plate is xxxxx. Captain Xu, can you see our car?"

Xu Yan turned around and quickly spotted a white SUV police car parked in front of the ice cream shop. He gestured to Zhu Youxiang, and they walked quickly towards the car. Xu Yan knocked on the car window, and it rolled down. Inside, two unfamiliar police officers looked at him with furrowed brows, their faces showing impatience.

Seeing a male and female student approach, the middle-aged police officer in the driver's seat spoke first, impatiently, "Students, what do you want? If you need to report something, please call 110 and wait for the local police to handle it. We are on duty and can't deal with it right now."

Xu Yan smiled, showing his phone to them, "Are you from the investigation team? I'm Xu Yan."

Instantly, the two police officers were shocked. They looked at Xu Yan, then at Zhu Youxiang behind him, their mouths wide open in surprise. They were local Jincheng National Security police officers temporarily assigned to assist the investigation team. They had been ordered to pick up Captain Xu Yan from the intelligence department at Shudu University. In their imagination, an intelligence department captain should be a steady and experienced officer, not a young, inexperienced boy and a vibrant, beautiful girl.

Is this guy even twenty years old? How is he a captain?

After a moment, the middle-aged police officer driver hesitantly took Xu Yan's phone and glanced at it. It was indeed his own phone number.

With no doubt left, he quickly got out of the car, shook hands with Xu Yan, and apologized, "Sorry, sorry, Captain Xu. We didn't expect you to be so young. I'm Wu Dong from the Jincheng Public Security Bureau, here to take you to the airport."

He opened the back door for Xu Yan, "Captain Xu, please get in. We're leaving now."

Xu Yan nodded and gestured for Zhu Youxiang to get in first, "Xuan Yun, you go in first."

Seeing the beautiful and youthful Zhu Youxiang, the middle-aged police officer was stunned by her beauty but still said, "Captain Xu, our orders are to take you to the airport, but this beautiful lady... wasn't mentioned in the orders."

"Oh, it's fine. We've already asked the leaders of the investigation team, and she's going with me."

"Oh, I see."

The two police officers were ordered to take Xu Yan to the airport, and they didn't really care who else was in the car. In the intelligence department, everyone knew the rule: don't ask what you shouldn't. Knowing too much wasn't a good thing. Their job was to pick up Xu Yan, and it didn't matter who else he brought. As an intelligence officer, Xu Yan would explain himself to the leaders.

Without further ado, the police officers started the car, turned on the siren, and sped down the riverside road. The car quickly left the city and headed towards the airport.

During the ride, no one spoke. Xu Yan was experiencing this police escort for the first time and felt a bit guilty, afraid that talking too much would reveal his lack of experience as a captain. The two police officers remained expressionless, and Zhu Youxiang, with her composed demeanor, could remain silent indefinitely.

Finally, as the car approached the airport, Xu Yan couldn't hold back and asked, "Officer Wu, which department of the Public Security Bureau are you from?"

The young police officer in the passenger seat turned around and politely replied, "Captain, we are from the Municipal National Security Brigade. We've been assigned to the special task force for two weeks."

"Oh... were you assigned after that case?"

Xu Yan didn't specify which case, but everyone knew he meant the lunatic killings at the Wanhe Mall, the 12.26 case. The young police officer nodded, "Actually, it wasn't... After that case, it was originally handled by the Municipal Criminal Investigation Bureau. Then, the National Security Department took over, and it became a joint task force between the National Security and the Municipal National Security. We joined the task force then. A few days later, your central investigation team arrived, and we were all assigned to the central team, under their command. Captain Xu, are we rushing to the airport because something happened again?"

Xu Yan casually replied, "Yes, there's another lunatic case in Xiangcheng. We're going to handle it."

The two police officers' faces darkened. The young police officer couldn't help but ask, "Captain, we've been part of the task force for a while, but we know nothing. We're just going in circles. I want to ask, are these lunatic killings happening all over the country? Has the state found the cause? Is this a natural phenomenon? If not, who is behind it, secretly causing this harm to us?"

Xu Yan glanced at him coolly, and before he could speak, Officer Wu, the driver, spoke up, "Xiao Qi, don't ask. Have you forgotten the rules? Don't ask about things you shouldn't. The case is under the control of the central investigation team. They will inform you when it's necessary. Asking now won't help—sorry, Captain Xu, Xiao Qi's girlfriend is also in the police force, working at the Xinjiang Branch. She was bravely killed in the 12.26 case while protecting civilians. So Xiao Qi is more concerned about this case, but he has no other intentions."

Understanding the reason, Xu Yan sighed and looked sympathetically at the young police officer. His eyes were red, and he looked resentful but didn't say anything more.

The police car arrived at the airport without any obstacles, taking about half an hour. The car stopped at the entrance of the airport terminal, and Officer Wu said, "Captain Xu, our orders are to take you to the third entrance of Terminal 1. We're here now."

Xu Yan nodded, realizing it was time to get out. He reached out to shake hands with the two police officers, "Thank you, both of you. I appreciate it. See you later."

The two police officers quickly shook hands with Xu Yan, "Captain Xu, see you later!"

Xu Yan and Zhu Youxiang got out of the car, and the two police officers also got out, standing at attention and saluting Xu Yan. Xu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then realized he should return the salute as a military officer. But since he was in civilian clothes, he hesitated. By the time he decided, the two police officers had already lowered their hands and gotten back into the car.

Officer Xiao Qi rolled down the window, made a gesture of encouragement, and shouted, "Captain Xu, good luck! You must eliminate those beasts!"

Xu Yan smiled bitterly, waved to the police car, and watched it drive away. Passengers entering and leaving the airport looked at him and Zhu Youxiang with curious eyes—seeing a young couple being picked up by a police car and saluted by police officers, they must be some kind of privileged children.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xu Yan felt uncomfortable. He looked around but didn't see Wen Xiuzhi or anyone else. Just as he was about to call Wen Xiuzhi to ask where they were, his phone rang—it was Wen Xiuzhi.

Wen Xiuzhi's tone was urgent, "Xu Yan, are you at the airport? Oh, you are? Good, good. We're almost there, waiting for you at Gate 6."

Xu Yan hung up, amused: Wen Xiuzhi had been urging him to hurry, but it turned out they were even later than he was.

Xu Yan didn't wait long before a long line of about a dozen police cars appeared on the airport ramp, quickly stopping in front of Gate 6. The doors opened, and a group of fully armed soldiers got out. Xu Yan saw Wen Xiuzhi first, dressed in a military uniform with a gun on his hip, sitting in the lead car.

Wen Xiuzhi jumped out of the car and quickly spotted Xu Yan, walking over to him, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and speaking urgently, "Xu Yan, what a coincidence. We just discussed it last night, and now Xiangcheng has a problem. It caught us off guard! By the way, did you remember to bring the medicine?"

Xu Yan nodded, patted his pocket to indicate he had it, and Wen Xiuzhi breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good! I was afraid you might forget."

Only then did Wen Xiuzhi notice Zhu Youxiang, who had been standing behind Xu Yan without speaking. His eyes widened in surprise, clearly captivated by her beauty.

Wen Xiuzhi turned to Xu Yan, disbelieving, "Xu Yan, you said you wanted to bring someone to Xiangcheng. Is it this beautiful lady?"

"Yes," Xu Yan replied straightforwardly, "This is my friend, surnamed Zhu. On this trip to Xiangyang, she will be very helpful in completing our mission."

Wen Xiuzhi looked at Zhu Youxiang again—her beauty, even to someone like Wen Xiuzhi, who was used to seeing beautiful women, was still breathtaking. Her beauty wasn't just in her appearance; she had a noble and extraordinary aura that, combined with her slightly delicate appearance, was the type that most men found irresistible.

However, Wen Xiuzhi found it hard to believe that such a delicate and beautiful girl could be of any help on this mission. He thought Xu Yan was probably taking advantage of a public trip to bring his girlfriend along for fun—sigh, young people these days really lack a sense of propriety! Bringing a girlfriend on such an important mission and taking advantage of public resources, what was the point? Mixing personal and professional matters was a big no-no in intelligence work.

With this thought, Wen Xiuzhi's expression turned sour. But considering that Xu Yan was a new recruit, not properly trained in discipline, and essentially a civilian, and that he needed Xu Yan to complete the mission, he didn't want to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend. Sigh, it's not worth arguing over a plane ticket, right?

Wen Xiuzhi nodded at Xu Yan and greeted Zhu Youxiang, "Miss Zhu, hello! I'm Wen Xiuzhi."

He extended his hand to shake Zhu Youxiang's, but she calmly looked at him without extending her hand, only nodding slightly and saying, "Hello, Mr. Wen."

Wen Xiuzhi's hand hung in the air for a moment before he awkwardly pulled it back, his face turning red. He chuckled dryly, trying to break the awkwardness, "Brother Yan, your friend has quite a personality!"

"Hehe, she's just a young girl, don't take it to heart, Leader."

"Hehe, it's fine," Wen Xiuzhi said, his face showing a hint of displeasure, clearly still annoyed by the scene, but he couldn't show his dissatisfaction due to his position—arguing with a teenage girl would be too embarrassing.

Seeing Zhu Youxiang's indifferent attitude, Wen Xiuzhi didn't want to make things worse. He hurriedly said, "Well, Miss Zhu, I'll leave her in your care, Brother Yan. Follow our team to the boarding area."

The soldiers got out of the cars and quickly formed a line. Airport officials also came out to greet Wen Xiuzhi and his team. After a brief conversation, Wen Xiuzhi led the group of soldiers inside, with Xu Yan and Zhu Youxiang following, enduring the curious gazes of the onlookers.

Fortunately, they weren't the only ones in civilian clothes—Xu Yan noticed that there were several other civilians in the group, both men and women, dressed in casual clothes, carrying various bags and instrument cases, following the soldiers. Xu Yan guessed these were members of the scientific research team in the investigation group.

The group, consisting of armed soldiers, police, and civilians, numbering about seventy or eighty, drew the attention of the passengers as they walked through. They bypassed the security checkpoint and were led directly to the VIP lounge by airport officials. The VIP lounge was sparsely populated, with only a few people. (To be continued)