Chapter 178
by Need_More_SleepChapter 178: Poor Hayato
At Sunshine City, Police Station.
A three-meter-tall bald giant with a luchador-style mustache stood in the station, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. At first glance, no one would mistake him for someone filing a report—he looked more like he was here to start trouble.
Even Enoch kept his distance, afraid the man might accidentally crush him underfoot.
His sheer muscle mass was more intimidating than any cold weapon—if this were Baki, he’d be at least at the level of someone who could stomp Oliva Biscuit.
Ma Wentian. Codename: Humpback Whale.
He had an older brother, Ma Wutian—a 175 cm, 70 kg lawyer. Everyone who knew the two brothers agreed their names should’ve been swapped.
This was one reason some superhumans couldn’t hide their identities. His imposing appearance made daily life inconvenient—he was still single, for one, and couldn’t use normal transportation.
He had run all the way from Fanzui City to Sunshine City—and wasn’t much slower than a car.
“Sir, I’ve made myself very clear. You have no authority to interfere with Sunshine City’s official duties,” a short-haired policewoman said impatiently, tilting her head back to glare at him and emphasizing the word very. “If there’s nothing else, please leave. The governor’s security detail isn’t our department’s responsibility. I’ll pass along your warning.”
“Where are they now?” Ma Wentian crossed his arms, looking down at her.
“No comment. I doubt the governor would invite someone like you as part of his welcoming party?” She gave him a once-over.
Even his clothes were custom-made—he couldn’t fit into the largest standard sizes.
“Your ability isn’t suited for bodyguard work anyway. Or are you sure you wouldn’t accidentally crush someone to death?”
Her tone was harsh, but it wasn’t unwarranted. An out-of-town cop showing up unannounced, demanding to be part of the governor’s security detail while acting like “you guys can’t handle it”—who wouldn’t be annoyed?
But voicing it so bluntly just made things awkward.
Luckily, a middle-aged female captain stepped in to mediate. “Xiao Zhuang, we need to recheck some evidence from the last case. Go take a look.”
Xiao Zhuang rolled her eyes and walked off.
Once she was gone, the captain turned to Ma Wentian. “I understand your concerns. Shapeshifting abilities are tricky to deal with. But you don’t need to worry—the governor’s personal bodyguards include an LV4 with precognitive instincts. Even if a stray cat tried to scratch him, they’d sense it in advance.” She paused. “Also, you and Multitool used to be close friends, right?”
She suspected Ma Wentian might be trying to give Wei Shi special treatment.
The governor’s security team had four LV4s in total—three were his personal guards, and one was sent by Sunshine City. Not for lack of importance—a city like Sunshine only had two LV4s to begin with. It wasn’t like Fanzui City, where LV4s grew on trees.
“And the others?” Ma Wentian asked.
“What?” The captain blinked.
“What are the other three’s abilities?”
“You’re not planning to tip off Multitool, are you?” She remained skeptical.
Ma Wentian’s jaw jutted forward—a clear sign he was getting angry.
“Viral-type, qigong-type, and temperature-control,” the captain answered anyway.
It wasn’t exactly classified intel—anyone could look it up.
The temperature manipulator was Sunshine City’s contribution. The other three had perfect synergy—one to prevent sneak attacks, one for underhanded tactics plus healing and detox, and one for frontline combat who could also create protective barriers.
Humpback Whale counted on his fingers. “Only one qigong user? That might not be enough…”
“Are you even listening to yourself?”
—
Saco Town, Outskirts of Sunshine City
“Ugh, can’t help it—I’m just too handsome. People recognize me at a glance.” The wanted fugitive Hayato shook his head narcissistically, abandoning the car in a random corner and pulling out his phone to check.
He’d already networked with some freelance mercenaries beforehand. A quick inquiry confirmed they’d already linked up with Wei Shi and the others—meaning they were at least in this town together.
Probably gonna go down here? Next, he checked the governor’s route on the map, looking for uninhabited areas far from civilians. The Boss used to be a cop—he still hates dragging bystanders into things.
Now comes the transportation issue. Time to steal a random car—who’s the lucky winner?
He turned around only to find Mi Xiaoliu already sitting in the basket of a shared bike, one foot propped against a nearby tree for balance, staring at him intently.
“Such a good little sister you are. Can’t bear to see big brother die in an assassination attempt, so you wanna exhaust him to death first?” Ignoring Mi Xiaoliu’s silent protest, Hayato turned to steal a Maserati.
Go big or go home.
Mi Xiaoliu tugged his sleeve. “Carsick.”
“Shut up, you pretty little thing.”
Like frail little me could pedal a bike with dead weight that far?
“Mm.” Mi Xiaolio obediently tucked her hands into her sleeves and fell silent.
Hayato pulled out the universal car remote provided by the organization and clicked it at the vehicle.
The doors didn’t unlock.
He glanced down—out of batteries?
What kind of joke is this? It was like how nobody ever noticed when the AC remote died.
Did I overuse it? Impossible. He stole cars at most sixty times a month, and he never even bothered locking them back up afterward.
Hayato smacked the remote, trying the old percussive maintenance trick, only for it to grow increasingly hot in his hand.
He hastily tossed it away.
The remote exploded midair, molten plastic splattering onto him. At the same time, his body temperature began plummeting, limbs locking up.
Mi Xiaoliu, however, remained completely unaffected.
Hayato stumbled away from the spot, but the temperature didn’t normalize.
The whole ordeal lasted barely two seconds—his body was nearly paralyzed.
He immediately activated his ability, grabbing Xiaoliu and dragging his stiffened form into an alley, limping through the narrow passage to another block.
To onlookers, it would’ve looked like teleportation.
His body temperature kept dropping. He could feel his vitality draining, bodily functions shutting down—numbness spreading, heart constricting, stomach twisting in agony…
All in less than thirty seconds.
With ice-cold hands, he seized Mi Xiaoliu’s wrists, forcing her hands into fists. His voice came out a ragged whisper.
“Grass…”
Mi Xiaoliu produced an antidote herb.
Hayato stopped time, snatched it, and swallowed it—both to hide the fact that Black-Clothed One was Mi Xiaoliu and to disguise the sudden appearance of the miracle herb in her hand.
The discomfort vanished instantly. Apparently, unnatural temperature drops were classified as “ailments” by the game’s system.
Not daring to check who’d targeted him, the frail young man snatched a brick from the roadside, smashed open a shared bike lock, stuffed Mi Xiaoliu into the basket, and pedaled away at full speed using his ability.
After he fled, a red-haired beauty called police headquarters.
Because of the “Lasvedo” keyword, higher-ups had instructed her to prioritize rescuing Mi Xiaoliu from her kidnapper.
Not like I was doing much anyway—my ability just gets in the virus-user’s way.
If only my power activated instantly—wouldn’t have let them escape. Annoying.
Tracking them down had been easy, though. With cameras everywhere, they were bound to slip up eventually.
Mi Xiaoliu’s passive demeanor and Hayato’s unsettling grin made them look like a creepy kidnapper and his terrified victim.
“Hey, your wanted fugitive just blinked out of my detection range. What gives? The bulletin said he’s non-powered. And his vitals didn’t match Black Element symptoms—newly awakened ability?”
The redhead puffed her cheeks. “Also, how did he shrug off my power? At full force, it kills in forty seconds max. He winced in pain and then acted like nothing happened!”
“He got away? Fanzui City’s files definitely list him as a normal person—got arrested for brutally murdering three school bullies who tormented him… Whatever. Just fall back for now—let local PD handle it. Governor’s security takes priority.”
“Oh, and that ‘Mi Xiaoliu’—pretty sure it’s a girl. Body temp readings don’t match male baselines.”
—
Meanwhile, after biking a safe distance with Mi Xiaoliu in tow, Hayato finally exhaled in relief.
Thank god for Doraemon Mi Xiaoliu or I would’ve died for no reason otherwise.
He’d barely celebrated for two seconds when his body suddenly grew heavy again.
[Translator’s Note: See the index page for this Novel if you want to see the Amazon Link for the eBooks.]
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