Chapter 13
“Captain Shi, handling official matters with personal bias is wrong. I’ll report your actions to the director.”
Shi Xu remained indifferent. “Do as you please.”
Lin Zhi chuckled. “Aren’t you afraid of being dismissed and investigated?”
Qi Yu’s mind was a mess. He understood their conversation, but couldn’t grasp the meaning.
The ropes, designed to restrain Variants, also worked on espers. Immobilized, Qi Yu shouted, “Wait, what are you talking about?! This has nothing to do with Shi Xu! Don’t twist the facts!”
Even if Shi Xu hadn’t killed the Variant with one blow, he wasn’t responsible for its revival!
Lin Zhi looked at Qi Yu’s outburst with a mixture of pity and amusement. “Vice-Captain Qi, Captain Shi has already confessed. Anything you say is useless.”
Confessed to what?
What confession?
What did Shi Xu do wrong?!
It was just a careless remark, a desire to fulfill a child’s wish. What was wrong with that?
Why couldn’t the true culprit be punished?
As Qi Yu struggled with these thoughts, Lin Zhi approached, untying the ropes, patting his shoulder gently. “Vice-Captain Qi, you’re free to go.”
Qi Yu ignored him, looking at Shi Xu. “What’s going on?”
Shi Xu sighed, offering his usual gentle smile. “Go back to the bureau. You’ll understand when the results are out.”
“No, I’m not leaving, you…” Qi Yu started to protest, but Shi Xu cut him off.
His smile vanished, his tone firm. “That’s an order.”
Qi Yu immediately fell silent.
During his rebellious teenage years, he made many mistakes, disappointing even his parents.
Only Shi Xu extended a helping hand, pulling him out of the mire.
Without Shi Xu, he wouldn’t have awakened his ability, wouldn’t have become vice-captain. He might have been just another casualty of the first rift.
So, since the age of 16, Qi Yu obeyed only Shi Xu.
To Shi Xu, they were friends who shared everything.
To Qi Yu, Shi Xu was also his superior, an incredibly important figure.
He couldn’t disobey Shi Xu’s orders, even knowing the danger Shi Xu faced. He left the interrogation room under Lin Zhi’s mocking gaze.
Stepping out of the Esper Monitoring Department, the cold wind cleared his head.
Qi Yu might seem naive, but he wasn’t stupid.
He realized he had fallen into Lin Zhi’s trap, but he didn’t know when Lin Zhi’s ability had taken hold.
He hadn’t been himself in the car. He would never have said those things, giving Lin Zhi more leverage against Shi Xu.
Lin Zhi had controlled him, forcing him to manipulate Shi Xu, and Shi Xu…
He was certain Shi Xu had figured it out, yet played along, taking the blame.
Qi Yu punched a lamppost in frustration, angry at himself for hindering Shi Xu, and at Lin Zhi’s despicable tactics.
He gritted his teeth, cursing Lin Zhi.
A question arose in his mind: He had never heard of telepathy having the ability to induce illusions.
Had Lin Zhi’s ability evolved?
If so, how?
The interrogation room fell silent after Qi Yu left.
Shi Xu looked up at Lin Zhi, meeting his gaze. Neither spoke, locked in a silent battle of wills.
Shi Xu knew abilities could evolve through training, but not all espers could achieve this.
Just like students in a school, there were prodigies, average students, and those who consistently failed. The same applied to espers.
Only seven years had passed since the awakening. Very few had evolved their abilities.
In City S, Shi Xu knew of only one: the director of the Esper Monitoring Department.
Lin Zhi’s evolution was unexpected.
After receiving his assistant’s notification, Shi Xu rushed to the Esper Monitoring Department, walking straight into Lin Zhi’s illusionary trap.
Knowing it was a trap, he still entered willingly.
Because Lin Zhi had placed him and Qi Yu on the same scale. If he chose self-preservation, Qi Yu would suffer.
Even though Lin Zhi’s accusations against Qi Yu could be cleared, Shi Xu didn’t want to risk it. He had witnessed Qi Yu’s vulnerability.
Even though Qi Yu seemed stronger now, Shi Xu knew he still had weaknesses.
His assumption proved correct. Qi Yu was easily provoked. Once his emotions spiraled out of control, his mental defenses crumbled, allowing Lin Zhi to take over.
This was why Shi Xu disliked psychic espers. They were unpredictable.
Even if he protected himself, he couldn’t protect those around him.
“You’re very capable,” Shi Xu admitted.
Lin Zhi wasn’t pleased by his adversary’s praise, but thrilled by Shi Xu’s insight.
He enjoyed a worthy opponent, the thrill of their battle of wits.
Shi Xu smiled. “When did your ability evolve? Illusions? That’s a tricky one.”
“Even if it’s tricky, Captain Shi still saw through it.” Lin Zhi smiled, his tone envious. “I envy Vice-Captain Qi for having such a loyal friend.”
He truly envied them.
Shi Xu wouldn’t let Qi Yu suffer, even if it was a false accusation that could be cleared.
He would have willingly taken Qi Yu’s place.
He longed for such a friendship.
Yet, it was Qi Yu who possessed it.
A dark cloud settled over Lin Zhi’s heart. Beneath his calm exterior, a sharp edge lurked. After bringing Qi Yu into the interrogation room, he disabled the surveillance, freely revealing his malicious intent.
If Shi Xu hadn’t taken the blame, he would have manipulated Qi Yu into confessing.
He preferred that outcome, eliminating an obstacle, removing Qi Yu from Shi Xu’s side.
But he hadn’t done it.
He didn’t want to anger Shi Xu in that way. He had prepared a perfect stage for Shi Xu.
Sensing Lin Zhi’s barely contained emotions, Shi Xu’s eyes turned cold. “Don’t touch Qi Yu.”
The calm shattered.
Lin Zhi patted his chest, feigning fear. “Captain Shi, you’re so scary. Are you sure you want to attack me? That would add another charge against you.”
Shi Xu’s clenched fists relaxed, his gentle smile returning. “Of course not.”
Lin Zhi, holding the ropes that bound Qi Yu, walked towards Shi Xu. “I know your abilities, Captain. Even three of me couldn’t defeat you…”
Shi Xu’s expression tightened, remaining silent.
Lin Zhi paused, savoring Shi Xu’s expression. “This interrogation room is under my illusion. There’s no surveillance, no recording. There’s no proof I used my ability to control Vice-Captain Qi and force you to confess.”
“This is the disadvantage of not having an ability. Ordinary humans are accustomed to being helpless against espers. Even the strongest have their weaknesses, Captain Shi. Am I right?”
Shi Xu lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks.
Lin Zhi smiled faintly. “Captain Shi, you’re a smart man. If you cooperate, confess to Director Shen, I’ll release Vice-Captain Qi from my control. You wouldn’t want him to get hurt, would you?”
Three hours after Zheng Xin’s death was discovered, shocking news overshadowed the incident.
The captain of the Anomaly Management Bureau admitted to a critical error during the operation. Director Shen immediately dismissed Shi Xu, assigning the investigation to Vice-Captain Tan Xiao.
Former Captain Shi Xu was temporarily detained, pending the investigation’s results.
Out of respect for his past contributions, Shi Xu wasn’t imprisoned in the Anomaly Management Bureau’s jail. Director Shen initially intended to confine him to his office, but upon hearing the news, Shi Xu’s father, Shi Yan, arrived, taking him home.
Shi Xu wasn’t electronically tagged, nor was he placed under surveillance. They seemed confident he wouldn’t escape.
Upon arriving home, Shi Yan ordered him to kneel in the ancestral hall for 12 hours. Shi Xu obeyed.
12 hours later, his knees numb, but otherwise unharmed, he was summoned to his father’s study.
Shi Yan sat behind his desk, his face grim, every wrinkle etched with fury. He was truly enraged.
Shi Xu entered, facing his father’s wrath.
“You have disappointed me.”
