Apocalypse Forecast

Huai Shi opened his eyes and saw the snow-white ceiling, steel bars, the IV drip beside him, and the steel anklet on his foot.

It was obvious that he was lying in a prison.

To be precise, he was in a detention room of the Special Affairs Department. No one was pointing rifles or cannons at him, and they hadn't even restricted his Soul Ability.

No, the current Director Fu probably wished I would quietly escape prison, right?

Then he could shoot me with gusto for five full minutes…

He slowly moved his hands and feet, feeling his body's weakness and hunger.

"How long have I slept?"

"Two days," the Teenage Girl sitting in a wheelchair outside the cell, reading a book, replied without lifting her head.

"Oh."

Huai Shi nodded slowly, yawned, and propped himself up from the bed. Having finally woken up after a long sleep, he felt an indescribable fatigue and sleepiness. He was still groggy.

As he gradually came to his senses, he heard screams from the cell next door: "Let me out! Let me out! I am innocent, I don't know anything!"

He paused, looking curiously toward the wall. "Who's next door?"

"Qi Wen's son, Qi Yuan. A worthless guy who freaked out after learning of his father's death and confessed everything with just a little pressure," Ai Qing replied indifferently.

Even though Qi Yuan was close by, Ai Qing spoke without any consideration for his feelings. She looked deeply at Huai Shi and added, "Thanks to you, the purge of the Qi Family had some unpleasant hiccups, but on the whole, it went very smoothly."

"No need to thank me," Huai Shi smiled honestly. "I was just doing what I should."

"Did you catch which part of my sentence was thanking you?"

Ai Qing asked flatly, "If you really appreciated it, you wouldn't have simply put down the gun and then killed Qi Wen in some other way.

You attacked Special Affairs Department staff, plundered the arsenal, and launched attacks in public places, seriously jeopardizing public safety. After killing sixteen ordinary people and one Sublimator, you tortured a suspect—who hadn't even been convicted yet—and lynched him. Even if he was later proven guilty of the crimes, your actions were still a severe case of overstepping your authority and breaking regulations.

Any of those are enough for you to be locked in Sea Trench Prison for life.

And while you were doing all this, you were officially still an employee of the Astronomical Society. The Jinling Office is now in an uproar over your actions… Do you know how much trouble you've thrown my way?"

"Er…"

Huai Shi was speechless. After a long pause, he sighed and lowered his head. "Sorry."

"That must be the most sincere apology you've ever uttered."

Ai Qing offered a heartfelt 'compliment,' closed the book in her hands, and asked mockingly, "So tell me, after your vengeance at any cost, what did you gain?"

Huai Shi was silent for a long time, scratching his face awkwardly.

"I'd like to say revenge gains nothing, but… honestly, I'm truly happy." With that, he couldn't help but put his hands together in a plea again. "Sorry, I couldn't help but act like a freak."

He even felt he was a freak.

Don't most people feel empty inside after revenge? Why did I still feel quite happy? This wasn't quite right…

"You're not a freak. Shouldn't one naturally feel glad after revenge?" Ai Qing glanced at him. "If it were me, I might have laughed until tears streamed down my face. I might have been even more shameless than you."

Before Huai Shi could breathe a sigh of relief, she continued, "Still, a fully equipped mercenary squad and a Second Stage Sublimator... that's an astonishing combat record. No, I should say it's downright terrifying...

As your unfortunate superior at the moment, should I be pleasantly surprised by the skills you demonstrated?" She emphasized the title, "Mr. 'Huaihai Road Little Peppa'."

"…"

Huai Shi found himself at a loss for words, not sure if he should continue apologizing, and in the end, could only shrug.

"I know what you're trying to say, and you don't need to apologize for such trivial matters. After all, we've always kept secrets from each other, haven't we?"

Ai Qing paused, then suddenly said, "However, you should indeed feel regret over this."

"Hm?"

"Qi Wen was nothing more than a disposable glove, a dog that couldn't even decide who to bite."

Ai Qing took a deep breath and stated plainly, "The one who really pushed the Huai Family into the pit of fire should be the current Yin Family Head, my great-grandfather, Yin Xing.

In other words, I am also one of the enemies responsible for your family's ruin and death."

Huai Shi was stunned for a moment, looking at her somewhat astonished, then nodded slightly after a while.

He didn't seem angry, nor did he appear shocked. It was more like an epiphany.

"So that's how it is?"

He scratched his head, finally understanding some things. Then, his eyes widened in astonishment. "Wait, you mean your last name isn't actually 'Ai'?"

"…"

So that's what he was focused on?

"Don't you regret not killing me a bit?"

"And do you now regret not uprooting me completely?"

Huai Shi calmly countered, "Even though I don't quite understand what happened, you're not really the same as your great-grandfather, right?

Besides, I just finished off one BOSS, and you're telling me there's a New Game Plus; I'm not really feeling it yet. Shall we dig into it later?"

"…"

Ai Qing did not answer, nor did she attempt to explain anything further, but after a long silence, she sighed softly.

"There's no point talking about anything now, Huai Shi," she said, shaking her head slowly. "The Astronomical Society provided conveniences that could have made you stronger, strong enough to settle all of this... Now it seems that I might have made the wrong decision from the very beginning. I thought I could control your fate, but in reality, I can't even control my own.

It's time to put an end to such ridiculous delusions."

She changed the subject back to Huai Shi's situation, speaking like a lawyer. "Although you had the righteous cause of avenging your blood relations, your previous actions are still criminal.

Fortunately, the Jinling Branch hasn't yet determined the nature of this matter, and the Social Security Office hasn't pursued it strictly. Perhaps they'll only begin the actual proceedings after this business with The Purified People is over?

In the meantime, I will try to help you obtain a reduced sentence.

If the situation gets really bad, you can transfer to the Social Security Office. Given your talent and potential, I presume they'll overlook the mistakes you've made."

As if in a hurry to leave, she said everything that needed to be said in one breath. "As for Director Fu, although he's furious, he's really just shouting empty threats.

There are quite a few people in the Special Affairs Department who sympathize with you. Most of the time, they'll turn a blind eye, allowing you some freedom during this period. Hopefully, you can rest and recuperate here peacefully."

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked. "If it's not too much, I can bring it for you."

"Hmm…"

Huai Shi pondered for a long time, then asked embarrassedly, "Can I have a zither? I'm afraid I'll get rusty if I don't practice for too long."

"Just that?"

"Just that."

So, Ai Qing nodded.

It was time for her to leave.

But just before she turned her wheelchair, she suddenly said, "I still have one question."

"Ask away."

"Why did you choose to stay with the Astronomical Society?" she asked, gazing earnestly into Huai Shi's eyes. "You should know that even without me, you wouldn't be in much trouble, right? So why bother with all the hassles of the Astronomical Society?"

"I don't know."

Huai Shi answered frankly, but Ai Qing clearly didn't accept this. She continued to look at him calmly until, after scratching his head and thinking hard for a long time, he finally reached a conclusion.

"If I must give a reason, then it would probably be you."

"Me?" Ai Qing was almost amused by this answer. "Risking life and limb for a crippled girl? Is there something wrong with your taste? Or perhaps you have... rather unique preferences?"

"No, no, no…"

Huai Shi waved his hands hurriedly. "I just... admire you very much."

He looked at the teenage girl outside the bars and said earnestly, "Because you seem very courageous."

In the silence, Ai Qing did not speak, as if stunned. She just gazed at him with a complex expression.

After a long while, she shook her head slowly.

"No, Huai Shi," she said as she turned to leave. "I've never had such a luxury."

.

.

When Ai Qing left the detention area, she saw Director Fu smoking at the door.

It seemed his journey to quit smoking was not going well, always fraught with setbacks.

"Is that little bastard still alive?" he asked.

Ai Qing pointed behind her. "He's locked in here. You can go see him whenever you want."

"Forget it, lest I accidentally shoot him dead."

Having spent the last two days writing dozens of reports, Director Fu, his eyes red from lack of sleep, said, "The higher-ups are now saying to just keep him under supervision for the time being. They'll probably start prosecution after this matter is settled, right? What's the Astronomical Society's stance?"

"In Xinhai, I represent the Astronomical Society."

Ai Qing answered bluntly, "He's my employee. What do you think of that as a stance?"

Director Fu looked at her, astonished. "Have you gone mad? Are you really willing to take the fall with him?"

"Why not?" Ai Qing retorted. "Aren't I just a madwoman in your eyes anyway?"

"…"

Director Fu stared at her for a long time, stamped out the cigarette butt, and after sighing, he turned and left.

Only Ai Qing sat quietly in her wheelchair, staring at the sunlight reflected on the ground in the distance.

For some reason, she began to recall the past.

The happy childhood, the sudden disaster, the gloomy hospital ward, losing her legs, and the boy who stayed by her side, playing games with her.

It was all too long ago.

The memories were gradually blurring, no longer clear.

She could no longer distinguish which memories were real and which were lies she had fabricated to escape reality... Maybe, from the very beginning, she and he were never from the same world?

She pushed her wheelchair and departed.

Then, peering out from the bushes, Raven poked out his head.