The Picked-Up Little Tentacle Begs Me to Take Responsibility 33p1

Chapter 33 Part 1

Overwhelmed by shock, Qi Yu’s mind raced.

Wife?

What did that mean?

Was Shi Xu’s partner calling him “wife”?

Qi Yu had several gay friends. The dominant partner calling the submissive one “wife” was normal, not something he found objectionable.

But with Shi Xu, it was… unexpected.

In his eyes, Shi Xu wasn’t the type to be submissive in a relationship.

Sensing the sudden silence, Shi Xu turned, meeting Qi Yu’s complex gaze.

“What?” Shi Xu asked. “Is there something on my face?”

“No…” Qi Yu hesitated, then decided to ask. He couldn’t contain his curiosity.

He glanced around, ensuring no one could overhear them, lowering his voice. “You’re… the bottom?”

“…”

Shi Xu hadn’t considered it. He had only recently accepted kissing the pollutant, further intimacy not yet crossing his mind.

Qi Yu’s question made him realize he had unconsciously accepted being called “wife,” and the thought of further intimacy with the pollutant wasn’t repulsive, but rather… somewhat appealing…

Despite the turmoil within him, his expression remained calm. “Does it matter?”

Qi Yu: “Of course it matters! I always thought you wouldn’t be in a relationship, and even if you were, you’d be the one calling your partner ‘wife’!”

Shi Xu: “That’s just your prejudiced assumption.”

“…” Qi Yu, “I’m really curious about your partner… What kind of person are they? To change you so much.”

“Just an ordinary person,” Shi Xu lowered his gaze, hiding his slight unease.

“…” Qi Yu, “You think I’d believe that?”

Shi Xu chuckled. “Are you sure you want to discuss such a private matter in this… setting?”

Qi Yu: “…”

The body had been removed, but the room was still covered in blood, even the tile grout stained red. It wasn’t the ideal place for such a conversation. Qi Yu chose to remain silent.

Higher-level pollutants were harder to detect. If it were an A-class pollutant, they were confident they could find it quickly. But this one, having just killed someone, was on the verge of evolving into S-class, making the situation more complicated.

An S-class pollutant could mask its presence more effectively, making it even harder to track.

Everyone worked tirelessly through the night, searching every corner of Jinzhu Bay.

Shi Xu, true to his word, didn’t interfere. He was no longer captain, not wanting to overstep Lin Quan’s authority. After the routine questioning, it was almost 4 am. He didn’t want to go home, knowing he would have to return to work soon, so he stayed, helping Qi Yu search for the pollutant.

Cheng Fan was still unconscious. Since it was his night shift, Shi Xu took over.

Qi Yu couldn’t resist teasing him. “You’re destined for overtime. Even a relaxing job can’t save you.”

Shi Xu chuckled self-deprecatingly. “If that’s the case, I shouldn’t be working here.”

“You don’t need to work. Are you that desperate for money?” Qi Yu voiced his confusion. “If you found the bureau tiring, shouldn’t you be enjoying your free time? Why find another job?”

Shi Xu: “I’ve never had another job. Someone recommended this to me. Good pay, easy work, fixed hours, no overtime.”

Qi Yu was speechless. “I really don’t understand you rich people. Always looking for trouble.”

“This isn’t trouble,” Shi Xu smiled. “I just want to experience a normal life.”

The phrase “normal life” silenced Qi Yu.

Shi Xu had never experienced their mundane, tiring lives. They didn’t want that kind of life, and they certainly didn’t want Shi Xu’s life.

For Shi Xu, simple was best.

Perhaps that was why he chose to marry an ordinary person.

At 6 am, with Cheng Fan still unconscious, Shi Xu returned to the security room, taking over his shift.

There was a cot for resting, but the smell of sweat and unwashed bedding was unbearable.

Even without severe OCD, Shi Xu couldn’t tolerate it.

He settled for dozing in the chair.

This wasn’t the first time. He had often gone days without proper sleep while dealing with difficult enemies.

The wooden chair was uncomfortable. He shifted several times before finally falling asleep.

He was soon awakened by noises from next door.

The sky had just begun to lighten when he fell asleep. Now, the sun was shining brightly, its rays streaming through the window, stinging his eyes. Before his eyes could adjust, he heard more noises.

Next to the security room was a storage room filled with cleaning supplies and several jars emitting a foul odor.

Xiao Liu had told him they were pickled vegetable jars, made by Cheng Fan. Despite the smell, the pickled vegetables were apparently delicious.

Shi Xu wasn’t interested, nor did he object to Cheng Fan’s hobby. The smell wasn’t noticeable with the door closed.

Now, the storage room door was open, several people inside, their voices loud and unrestrained, as if deliberately trying to wake him.

“Seriously, pickling vegetables here? Isn’t he afraid of complaints from the residents?”

“This place is practically abandoned. Most people have moved out. They’re lucky to even have a job here. Just ignore it.”

“True. Anyone working here is a legend. Like Captain Shi. Only he’s not afraid of dying, able to handle those things. Truly worthy of being Captain Shi!”

“What do you mean ‘only’? I heard the salary here is double the bureau’s. If they’re hiring, I’d consider it. Money talks, haha.”

“Me too. Without Captain Shi, we don’t have training anymore. I actually miss working under him. If I worked here, would he still train me?”

“Train you what? How to patrol? How to be a good watchdog?”

“Hahaha…”

Shi Xu’s eyes remained closed, his hands massaging his temples. The lack of sleep, combined with the irritating voices, made his head ache.

He didn’t need to see their faces to know who they were: his former subordinates.

He had always known that not everyone genuinely admired him. His fame attracted not only admiration, but also jealousy and resentment.

These people, like Lin Quan before, were arrogant and rebellious, always finding excuses for their incompetence, even after being defeated by him.

They refused to acknowledge their own shortcomings, preferring to blame him, as if their combined negativity could somehow surpass him.

Shi Xu didn’t care about their petty resentment, not bothering to reprimand them.

Like he told Qi Yu, did an elephant care about the ants beneath its feet?

No, he wouldn’t even bother crushing them. It was a waste of effort.

Chen Han and his group finished their cursory inspection of the storage room, deliberately passing by the security room window.

They had already passed by once while he was asleep. Chen Han hadn’t intended to inspect the smelly storage room, but seeing Shi Xu asleep, he changed his mind, deliberately making noise.

Seeing Shi Xu awake, their goal achieved, they smirked.

If he were still captain, they wouldn’t dare. Even the mild-mannered Shi Xu had a temper. They couldn’t afford to offend him. He might not reprimand them openly, but he would make them suffer during training.

But things were different now. He was just an ordinary person. If he dared to retaliate, they would expose his “true nature.”

Shi Xu’s eyes remained half-closed, his hands still massaging his temples, ignoring their stares.

His apparent indifference fueled Chen Han’s arrogance. Shi Xu had always looked down on them, treating them like insignificant ants.

Now, he finally had the chance to look down on Shi Xu.

He stepped forward, intending to taunt Shi Xu, but he tripped over something, his knee hitting the ground hard, his smile still plastered on his face as he collided with the floor.

His companions gasped. “Chen Han?”

The impact was brutal, his face throbbing, his nose feeling broken. But that wasn’t the worst part.

His friend, seeing him fall, reached out to help him, but he tripped too, falling onto Chen Han’s back.

His friend was heavier than him. The impact forced Chen Han’s face into the ground, the sound of cracking bones echoing in his ears. His nose was definitely broken now.

One fall led to another. The others, although not trying to help him, also tripped, falling awkwardly. Their falls weren’t as bad as Chen Han’s, but the unseen force wasn’t done with them. They were lifted into the air, then dropped hard.

The attacks were too sudden, leaving them no time to use their abilities, all sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.

The commotion attracted nearby espers.

Lin Quan, who was nearby, rushed over, seeing five injured men on the ground, Chen Han, the most severely injured, unconscious.

“What happened?” Lin Quan looked at Shi Xu, who sat inside the security room, his expression indifferent.

Shi Xu smiled faintly, not bothering to get up. “I don’t know. They just started bowing to me.”

Everyone: “…”

Chen Han’s friend, Guo Shu, having had Chen Han as a cushion, was the least injured.

Hearing Shi Xu’s words, he pointed at him, his voice hoarse. “It was him!”

Lin Quan frowned.

He had arrived immediately after hearing the commotion. He saw Shi Xu sitting inside, not moving. Despite his sarcastic remark, this incident had nothing to do with him.

He knew these five often badmouthed Shi Xu, and lately, they had been targeting him as well. As long as they didn’t cause trouble for the bureau, he didn’t care.

But Shi Xu was gone. Were they still trying to blame him?

“Think before you speak,” Lin Quan said coldly. “Tell me again, what happened?”

Lin Quan had a naturally intimidating appearance, even more so when he was serious. Unlike Shi Xu, he didn’t smile at his enemies. Seeing his anger, Guo Shu quickly lowered his arm, stammering, “S-Something tripped us! I… I don’t know what it was…”

Then, a thought occurred to him. He shouted, “A pollutant! It must be a pollutant!!!”

Lin Quan’s expression didn’t soften. He instructed his subordinates to take the injured to the hospital. After they left, he walked to the security room window.

Shi Xu still sat calmly in his chair. As Lin Quan approached, he looked up, waiting for him to speak.

“What happened?” Lin Quan asked.

Shi Xu: “Just like he said.”

Lin Quan: “You don’t know what it was?”

Shi Xu countered, “Why would I know?”

You’re so capable, how could you not know?

Lin Quan almost said it, but his rationality stopped him. Meeting Shi Xu’s calm gaze, he coughed awkwardly. “I thought you would.”

Shi Xu smiled. “Sorry, I’m just an ordinary human without abilities. I wouldn’t know such things, would I, Captain Lin?”