Lin Cheng’s fingers brushed the ear clip, and a handgun materialized in his hand. He took aim at Hyacinth’s head.
He had already risen from his chair. Xu Wanyue stared at him in a daze. Once he shed his earlier playful grin, an inexplicable air of cold austerity emanated from him. His dark eyes locked onto Hyacinth standing before him. His voice came slow and firm, carrying an irresistible authority. “Stop.”
Hyacinth looked up at him. Activating her ability naturally took some time, but seeing how tense Lin Cheng was, her smile turned even more teasing. By now, the two men in suits ahead of her had positioned themselves in front of her.
A chill edged Lin Cheng’s voice. “I’m telling her to stop because I don’t want her to blow herself up once she finishes activating it. Step aside. I don’t want to kill anyone.”
His words clearly baffled them. The two suited men showed no inclination to move, and they even seemed poised to advance and smash a fist into Lin Cheng’s skull.
But suddenly, a scream erupted from behind them.
It was particularly shrill and wretched. They whipped around. Hyacinth had just vomited a huge mouthful of blood onto the table. Blood seeped nonstop not only from her lips but also from the corners of her eyes, her ears, and her nostrils. She had slumped face-first onto the table, her body wracked with uncontrollable tremors and spasms, as though enduring excruciating agony.
Lin Cheng let out a soft sigh and lowered his handgun.
The two suited men appeared flustered. One started toward Lin Cheng, while the other grabbed a walkie-talkie and called for medical staff. Chaos briefly gripped the scene. Yet Hyacinth, still shaking and convulsing behind them, slowly pushed herself up from her chair. She staggered forward, step by lurching step, toward Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng watched her approach. Blood smeared her collar and neck, lending her a somewhat gruesome appearance. Her eyes bored into him with fierce intensity. “You…”
“Just get some sleep. You’ll be fine once you wake up.” Lin Cheng tilted his head up and spoke to her gently. She had reached him now, and her body abruptly went limp, collapsing into his arms. Lin Cheng caught her hastily but gently, then motioned for Xu Wanyue to fetch a towel.
Lin Cheng meticulously wiped the blood from the young girl’s cheeks and neck. Hyacinth seemed to have fallen suddenly asleep. Only after some time did he scoop her up and settle her back into the chair. He glanced at the two suited men and spoke evenly. “Where’s Hongshao? Get her over here.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a woman in a red dress appeared in the doorway.
She was tall and lithe, clad in a backless crimson gown that hugged her slender frame. When Lin Cheng’s gaze landed on her face, it froze for an inevitable instant.
“Charm?” Lin Cheng muttered under his breath. But the haze in his eyes cleared almost immediately. The red-dressed woman rushed to his side and pressed a dagger to his throat. “What did you do to my sister?”
“I didn’t do anything to her. She triggered a backlash from her own ability and passed out. Nothing serious—she’ll recover after some rest.” Lin Cheng looked up at the woman.
He suddenly understood why the Fruit Shop’s investigation into East City had turned up the intel that Hongshao was the city’s most beautiful woman.
It was her S-Rank Charm ability.
“Clear the room first. Let’s talk about… your sister’s condition.” Lin Cheng said softly to her.
Xu Wanyue stood outside the door, waiting quietly.
She couldn’t make out the voices from within. Fifteen minutes had ticked by, leaving her with nothing to do but wait. Over that time, her mind had cooled considerably, allowing her to finally replay the night’s events.
She felt vaguely like a disposable pawn—no one really seemed to care about her safety. The thought made her head spin. Had her undercover mission been exposed? Was that why Litchi had said what she did? Even without scraping together the cash, they could’ve just called in Grape. With that woman’s strength… she could crush most folks in East City without breaking a sweat.
Xu Wanyue didn’t know Grape’s full capabilities, but she vividly recalled the killing intent that had poured off her that day.
Yet Lin Cheng claimed Litchi had called him. Had he anticipated this, or was it sheer coincidence? What role did he really play at the Fruit Shop? What was his ability, exactly? She couldn’t detect a trace of energy from him. So why, amid tonight’s chaos—from the moment they walked in—had he stayed utterly calm and breezy?
So complicated. Lying in bed scrolling short videos was way easier.
As Xu Wanyue’s thoughts wandered, the door swung open. Lin Cheng emerged, his T-shirt slung over one shoulder. He glanced at her with an easy expression. “All sorted. Let’s head out.”
He also carried a chip case, which he handed over. “Go cash this in. Compensation for the fright tonight.”
Xu Wanyue took it in a fog and descended with Lin Cheng to the exchange counter. The case held a million in chips. She mumbled a card number in a daze; tomorrow, the bank transfer notice would hit. They reached the ground-floor lobby. Rain still poured outside, and Lin Cheng’s motorcycle sat in the open parking lot.
“All… done?” Xu Wanyue asked quietly.
“Pretty much. Leave the rest to Litchi tomorrow.” Lin Cheng’s face betrayed a trace of weary fatigue. He approached the lobby doors, pushed them open, and stood under the eaves, gazing at the howling wind and rain.
Xu Wanyue lingered at his side, at a loss for words.
After a long moment, she stole a glance at his profile and murmured softly, “Sorry.”
“Hm?” Lin Cheng blinked. “Apologize to me for what?”
“I… didn’t handle the organization’s mission well.”
Lin Cheng snorted a laugh. “Who goes around counting the money for the very person who sold them out?”
Xu Wanyue lifted her head blankly. Lin Cheng gazed at her with gentle warmth. “You handled this mission perfectly. Win or lose the money, they weren’t letting you walk away easy in the end. The cash was just an excuse. In Litchi’s plan, she was counting on you to win big so they’d hold you back and give her a legit reason to hit East City. Streets have their rules, after all.”
“Litchi’s sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, really. She still nurses a tiny grudge from you winning her money last time. That bit about being broke? Just to spook you. Truth is, right after your first call, she rang me. Even if I hadn’t answered, she’d already looped in Grape to come get you. When I did pick up, I texted her to stand down and rest—I’d take care of it.”
Everything clicked for Xu Wanyue then. She eyed Lin Cheng cautiously. He looked so approachable and kind right now, so she ventured softly, “I want to know… how you figured out my ability has this weird side effect?”
A flush crept across her cheeks as she spoke.
She meant, of course, the Blessing of the Luck Goddess he’d mentioned earlier.
“I used to be pretty damn powerful,” Lin Cheng said without evasion. “But I burned it all doing certain things—the kind of power that doesn’t come back. So I lost my ability. Still, I can see the root of others’ powers. Hyacinth trying to rewind mine? That would’ve taken massive energy she couldn’t handle. Backlash city.”
“What… did you do before?” Xu Wanyue pressed, following his lead.
“Why bother with that?” Lin Cheng gave a helpless smile. “I’m just a regular guy now anyway.”
Xu Wanyue paused, then blurted, “You’re… weird.”
“Weird?”
“Yeah.” She nodded faintly.
“Weird how?”
“Litchi mentioned you. Even powerless, you’re tight with her and Grape. You could crash in the city center, snag a huge place, live it up lavishly… but you seem to want ordinary life more.”
“Because things are different now.”
“Different how?”
“Ability users’ world and the regular world’s night-and-day. Lose your powers, and you can’t wade back into their storms. Right now? Under this roof—that’s ordinary world. Out there’s ability users’ turf. Pick one, and the other’s gone. Before eighteen, you were regular folk. Join the Alliance, and old friends, family? They fade.”
Lin Cheng had a point.
“Kinda… yeah.”
“Power leads to madness. Realize you could level a city or play god with lives, and ordinary folks don’t fit anymore. Arrogance, greed—they creep in. You stop seeing people as people: ants, toys. The world’s rot seeps into you, and poof—no going back.”
“So, what’s your angle with the Alliance?” Lin Cheng asked her abruptly.
Xu Wanyue hesitated, then whispered, “The pay’s great.”
“Huh? Benefits that good now?”
“For non-combat types like me—special talent—fifty grand a month. Contribution bonuses, weekends, full insurance and fund.”
“Nice gig.” Lin Cheng nodded. “As our Alliance partner’s outfit, we’re obliged to help with your wishes. Anything the organization can do for you?”
Something flashed in Xu Wanyue’s mind, but she shook her head. “This million today… it’s more than enough already.”
“Always putting others first? You’ll get burned.” Lin Cheng chuckled wryly. “Gotta head home.”
“Rain’s brutal. Let me drive you.”
“Works for me.” Lin Cheng nodded, and they headed to the underground garage together.
