Apocalyptic Forecast - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: A Bit of Time

“Green Day?” Chief Fu asked.

“Impossible.” Ai Qing shook her head. “Even if Green Day were aware that Huai Shi killed Red Glove, they wouldn’t have cared about such a little pawn. They’re lunatics who only have their eyes on the Astronomical Association when they get involved. They wouldn’t stoop so low.”

“The Saviour’s Association?”

“That’s even more unlikely.”

Ai Qing shook her head. “He’s just a victim. If it were revenge, he would’ve rushed to me. The files regarding Huai Shi are still confidential. At present, only you and I know that he’s an Ascender.”

“…”

For some time, because it was so puzzling, the both of them found it hard to continue pondering on the subject.

“That guy can really cause trouble.”

Chief Fu sighed unpleasantly. “We should just shut down for half a year.”

Ai Qing turned to look at him and said bluntly, “He’s currently an official employee of the Astronomical Society. If you insist on doing so, we may see Jinling later.”

Having said that, Ai Qing had stated openly that if Chief Fu was stubborn, everyone might end up meeting again in the court of law.

Chief Fu frowned. “You’d do anything to protect him?”

“He is my subordinate,” Ai Qing replied.

“No, he’s a 17-year-old middle school student. It will be his third year of high school tomorrow, and he will take the college entrance examination next year.”

Chief Fu raised his voice slightly, “If you don’t want him to be taken to the border one day, then you shouldn’t involve him in matters outside school.”

“…”

Ai Qing noticed a strange look in Chief Fu’s eyes. “Are you actually concerned about the growth of a teen?”

“I just hate it when children take up arms and die.” Chief Fu touched the scar on his neck and his expression turned more and more unpleasant.

“He will not become the kind of person you imagine.”

Chief Fu did not say anything else. Instead, he remained silent and recalled the young pupil shown in the video again.

As if suddenly irritated, Chief Fu clenched his fist when the disguise was blown away by the wind and snow.

His unpleasant and superficial smile dissipated as it was replaced by a cold and somber expression like that of rock and iron.

Destroying everything arrogantly…

Treating death as if it was insignificant like dust.

The kind of aura the person in the video was emitting was like that of an executioner’s, and Chief Fu felt uneasy instinctively. No, it should be said that he felt disgusted.

He hated people who had that look.

He hated children who had that look.

“Miss Ai, you’re trying to put a leash on a beast and make him learn the rules of a domesticated dog. Huai Shi is different from that kind of thing.”

Miss Ai frowned. “He’s just mingling around in a den of wild dogs. Even though he looks like a husky, he’ll be like a wolf returning to his ancestors.

“Once he has seen blood, I’ll no longer be able to tie him up with chains.”

Ai Qing calmly took a sip of some cheap tea in the office. She then put down the teacup nonchalantly.

“If you’re that afraid, you might as well kill him.”

“You think I haven’t thought about it?” Chief Fu asked, “I had the urge to when I first met him in the rain the night Red Glove died. I can’t accept the existence of a potential lunatic like him in my jurisdiction.

“However, what can I do? I’m forty-six years old this year and I’m also a person with a child. Do you want me to kill another child just because he might commit a crime in the future?

“Miss Ai, he is only 17 years old and the minor protection laws are all on his side. He still has the opportunity to choose his own future… A future that does not result in him hurting a lot of people.”

“That’s more like a domestic dog, yes?” Ai Qing asked indifferently.

“Pretending not to hear because your ears are stuffed? Covering your eyes as if nothing is going to happen, enduring pain until it becomes a habit, put a grin on your face and bear with it, pretend to be indifferent toward devastation, shake your tail and wait for a reward. Do you really think a life like that is a happy one?”

Chief Fu was irritated. “He has other choices!”

“He doesn’t.”

Ai Qing said, “His surname is Huai, I’m not surnamed Ai. Even if he struggles or not, he can’t change what happened in the past. It’s like how you and I can’t decide the future of a person.”

“This is something that’s destined,” said Ai Qing.

“How do you think he would think about you if he was aware of the truth back then?” Chief Fu asked coldly.

“Who cares? No matter what he chooses to do, I won’t be surprised.”

Ai Qing looked into Chief Fu’s eyes calmly and told him word for word, “But until then, I will not allow anyone to touch him.”

“So, what are you doing?” Chief Fu teased, “Atoning?”

Ai Qing was expressionless as she said, “I just hope someone will come to liquidate me.”

“…”

Chief Fu did not say anything else. However, he silently pointed in the direction of the interrogation room and asked Ai Qing to take her subordinates away.

.

At that time, Huai Shi was eating heartily in the interrogation room.

After having finished whichever employee’s supper, he wiped his mouth and shouted, “I’ll have another bowl!”

The secret service officers sitting there remained silent when they heard him and only watched as he put his arms around themselves. Their eyes had a trace of pity within them.

When Huai Shi turned around and saw Ai Qing behind him, he was startled.

“Uh…”

“Could you please stop making people think that I don’t pay you a salary?”

“… ah, sorry.”‘

“Sorry about what? For eating so much?” Ai Qing shook her head. “The Astronomy Association has medicine specifically used for the development of an Ascender. Do I need to buy it for you?”

“Ah…” Huai Shi did not know how to explain the matter about Crow and only scratched his head in response.

“I already bought it.”

“Is it that fellow Liu Dongli again?”

Ai Qing raised her eyebrows, and she looked unhappy. “It’s better if you don’t go to that detective so much, that guy is not a carefree person.”

“Okay.”

Federation of Huai Shi, always ready to follow good advice.

After the few monitors went out, Ai Qing asked, “What’s going on today?”

“Sorry, I caused trouble again.”

“Don’t always apologize for the mistakes of others-”

The young woman furrowed her eyebrows unhappily and sighed. “To be honest, I don’t care what you turn that group of social trash into. As an employee of the Astronomical Association, when you are attacked, the standard response procedure includes even the option to kill, understand?

“Don’t underestimate the privileges of being an employee of the Astronomical Association. Even if you pull out a gun and kill them all, there is no problem in regard to such a response. At most, what happened will be recorded only internally.

“I’m curious—what was the reason you did such a thing?”

“Huh?” Huai Shi was puzzled.

“Normally, you’d run away, right?”

“Desperately begging for mercy, running away if you can’t beat them… It’s not your style to be hard-faced,” she said.

“…”

Huai Shi was shocked as she said, “Could it be that the image you have of me in your mind is one that is timid?”

“What do you think?”

“…Okay, I think I’m right.” Huai Shi sighed and scratched his head, not knowing what to say. “If you’re going to say it, shouldn’t you be angry? Then, if you paid at least a bit of attention, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

“Is this related to Lao Yang’s funeral?”

“…”

Huai Shi froze for a long time before he smiled and said awkwardly, “How’s that possible?”

Ai Qing did not say anything and just looked at him as if she was waiting for him to continue. After a while, Huai Shi was eventually defeated as he admitted, “Okay… Probably a bit.”

He looked down at the scars and bandages on his body and sighed helplessly.

“I was afraid.

“Being surrounded by a group of people wielding knives in an alley, even if they said less threateningly that they wanted my life, how could I not have been afraid.

“I always thought that I’d be able to hold my head up high to the point that I was not afraid of death. However, when I saw my friend lying in the incineration chamber, I realized that I was nothing but afraid of death.”

Huai Shi sighed. “I’ve been able to stay happy for the past few years by making happy sand sculptures. However, I’m now no longer able to continue making them, and what else can I do?

“I’m not living my life well.

“Even when I’m bored and want to go out shopping, there are people out there who want to kill me… Even though I’m a pain in the neck, isn’t that too much? ”

“Yes.”

Ai Qing nodded, she seemed to agree with him. However, she did not know which point of his she actually agreed with.

Was it him being a pain or was it him exaggerating?

Huai Shi smiled bitterly as he reached for the table and supported himself. The bandages on his body began to ooze out blood again. This time, his wounds were really bad.

He discovered another bad habit that he had developed after reading the records.

It was convenient to court disaster casually in the records. However, if one did so in reality, they would end up paying a heavy price.

One against seven sounded majestic, but seven against one, it was unlikely that the one would come out uninjured.

“Do you want me to give you a hand?”

Ai Qing asked out of the blue as if she was trying to imply something. Huai Shi smiled and shook his head. “No, I’d do it myself.”

“One has to live through the days themselves, right?”

Huai Shi eventually propped his body up and leaned against the wall.

Putting on the coat that was hanging in the corner, the suit that was untainted for years by even a speck of dust was now covered in bloodstains. Yet, it now looked as if it had returned to how it was in the past, gentle and unharmed.

“Should I get the driver to take you home?”

“I’ll just call a cab.” Huai Shi shook his phone and raised his eyebrows happily. “I nabbed a taxi ticket on the road today, and it’ll expire if I don’t use it.”

Ai Qing fell silent as she looked at him leaning against the wall, he was staggering a little.

“If one does not yearn for everyday life, there is no reason for one to be an Ascender…” She suddenly asked, “Huai Shi, do you regret your choice?”

“No.” Huai Shi grinned. “I just haven’t adapted to it for now.”

Having said that, he beat his chest and gestured an all ‘okay’ sign.

“It’s a small problem, just give me some time.”

The teen smiled, nodded, said goodbye, and then pushed open the door. As if talking to himself, he whispered softly, “Give me a little more time …”

Ai Qing watched as he went downstairs. She no longer tried to comfort or persuade him even though she had decided that she was too stupid to face everything by herself.

It was not a big deal for her to continue digging deeper and stepping in when necessary. Not to mention, it might end up allowing her to buy the Astronomical Association a few more years of life. His self-esteem and Ai Qing’s dedication could be satisfied at the same time.

Double the satisfaction, double the happiness.

It was the best of both worlds.

It was only when she looked at a page of [The Collection of All Sins] and the marked-up reward in silence, did her eyes become somber.

Two hundred thousand dollars?

To a member of the Astronomical Association, it was too cheap, right?

It was rare that she decided to fulfill her responsibilities as a supervisor. She closed the page, swiped with her finger, and then tapped on the uppermost complex sign that was composed of triangles and perfect circles——Metatron Cube.

The sales platforms from the border that had been established by the three major neutral giants appeared: Tomorrow News, Stone Cauldron Society, and Workshop Alliance. They corresponded to the core content of the three Ascenders; information intelligence, border technology, and weaponry.

Very quickly, the page then changed to a page on Cavendish Lab, an alchemy workshop that featured high-end technology and border technology.

Recalling Huai Shi’s bounty in the account that had not been activated, her mood became unusually happy.

Three million dollars.

Was it enough to buy something luxurious?