Chapter 187
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Chapter 187: The Lone Wanderer
Only at this moment did Luke begin to survey his surroundings.
A mere two glances were enough for him to recognize the source of the déjà vu in his mind.
The familiar basement, the familiar signs of destruction, and the familiar… white-haired man radiating an aura of dominance.
The man who called himself Paster, a member of the followers!
He leaned casually against the concrete pillar, just as he had during the incident months ago; the last time they had encountered him, the five of them had failed to capture him.
Luke’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately shifted into combat mode.
Despite his weakened state from exhaustion and lack of sustenance, he stood firmly by the door, instinctively using the nearby door and wall to create a makeshift shield, wary of a potential attack from his right flank.
"I mean you no harm."
Seeing Luke adopt a defensive stance, the white-haired man didn’t react with anger; instead, he let out a derisive chuckle, regarding his "opponent" with a look of contempt, as if he were observing an insignificant insect.
"Honestly, if I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have waited until now.
"You and your teammates wouldn’t even notice if I dragged you into a dream…"
As Luke listened to the man’s mocking and belittling words, he couldn’t help but feel that they held a certain truth.
He wanted to retort but found himself at a loss for words; he wanted to lash out but felt utterly powerless…
After a prolonged internal struggle, he ended up with nothing but a slight decline in his fighting spirit.
It was inevitable; Luke had lost all sense of time and no longer knew what day it was. His mind could still manage some long-term analytical tasks, but when it came to combat, which demanded quick reflexes and split-second decisions, he was completely out of his depth.
After a moment of thought, he finally lowered his only hand and politely dispelled the translucent barrier created by his abilities, signaling that he bore no ill will.
"That’s more like it."
The white-haired man spoke with the tone of a peace officer in a prison, his voice carrying a weight of meaning, as if he were instructing an unruly junior.
"You should be grateful to us, the followers. If it weren’t for us, you’d still be nothing more than a pawn in someone else’s game."
Luke remained silent.
"So, what do you think? For most people, encountering something like this would make them bow their heads and join our ranks."
"No."
Luke’s refusal was instinctive.
He had already given this matter considerable thought.
The man hadn’t killed him immediately, and aside from the faceless doctor in the white coat’s mention of using him as bait for fishing, Luke believed there was another reason: the man wanted to recruit him.
Of course, back then, he had still harbored some inflated sense of self-worth and hadn’t fully untangled the logical inconsistencies, but now he no longer saw himself as someone worth recruiting.
In terms of ability, his original power was no match for the enigmatic white-haired man before him, and even the silver-haired boy who had dragged him underground might surpass him.
From the perspective of his identity, the moment he was declared missing, his status as a "member of parliament’s special envoy" became utterly worthless, devoid of any utility.
Most importantly, he no longer wished to be a tool in someone else’s hands; that feeling was unbearable.
This sentiment had nothing to do with factions or their leaders; whether it was the Parliament or the followers, Luke had no desire to join either.
Realizing this, Luke understood why he resisted the man’s offer so strongly, despite the followers’ clear attempts to win him over.
Realizing all this, Luke’s inherent sense of propriety prompted him to add,
"Since the followers know so much about me, you should understand my reasons for choosing this path. I hope you won’t pressure me."
Leaning against the concrete pillar, Lin Qingliu nodded.
"I understand your thoughts. So, what are your plans moving forward?
"Of course, I’m just asking. I’m not interested in helping you or hindering you."
Luke thought for a moment and said,
"I haven’t decided yet, but since my father’s death is related to the Parliament, I will settle this score."
"Good, then there’s just one last thing."
"Please go ahead."
"I owe your father a favor. If you are willing to accept it, I can give you a chance to awaken a new ability. Of course, this won’t conflict with your current ability, unlike your right hand…"
"No need, sir."
Whether it was due to a psychological shadow or his strong will, Luke waved his left hand dismissively,
"I still want to keep one hand for myself.
"Besides, I have my father’s ability passed down to me. I don’t think I’m any worse off than others."
After saying this, he turned and walked forward. Although he couldn’t find the exit, his instincts told him that turning around or looking back would make him seem like he had given in.
The white-haired man shrugged indifferently at his words.
"Alright, if you ever need anything, I will offer you assistance."
With that, he threw something in Luke’s direction.
With much of his senses restored, Luke didn’t turn around; the soft purple light shield had already wrapped around the object and brought it to his hand.
He looked down and saw that it was the communicator that originally belonged to his father and had been given to a mysterious person as a token.
He instinctively opened it and found that besides the frequency paired with his own, there was now an additional frequency, clearly the "help" the man had mentioned.
Holding tightly to that reassuring token, Luke turned around and discovered that the white-haired man had vanished into the ruins of the underground laboratory.
With lips nearly pale, Luke raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing he had forgotten to ask how to leave this place, and let out a small sigh as he searched for an exit.
—
"Goodbye."
"See you."
"…"
Voices bid farewell outside a prison in the inner city, as the five members of the Nian team passed the review and were officially released from their cells.
Because of their special location, none of the prison guards who came to see them off dared to say something foolish like "come again."
Yet at this moment of parting, underneath each smiling face was a heart that had just wiped the sweat away.
They felt relieved that they had made the right choice.
Luckily, they didn’t make things difficult for these five gentlemen!
Otherwise, they could end up dead with just a flick of a finger.
"’Nian’ Captain, where are you guys heading?"
A familiar guard who had gotten along well with the team suddenly shouted at the diminishing figures.
"Today, we’re going home to visit family, and tomorrow we have a medal ceremony to attend. After that, it’s back to regular training."
Hearing the new friend’s question, the outgoing Vine turned and answered.
Then, the five continued forward and disappeared around the corner of the road.
