Chapter 200
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Chapter 200: Puppet Show
What is happening…?
In this brief moment, the two Dummies who had not gone to Lin Qingliu’s mental health clinic were plunged into deep confusion.
Why were those three individuals, who should also be Dummies, displaying such expressions?
Vine quickly recalled the events of the previous day.
He had stood at the entrance of the alley, staring intently at the being that had broken free from the control of the highest will for some time. Then, due to time constraints, he had to hurry to Councilman Bordeaux’s home, leaving the follow-up to Nian.
But what was this? Where was the cat? Who was this man?
He had no time to think further as he sensed a dangerous omen.
The two Dummies exchanged glances, instinctively seeing fear in each other’s eyes.
They could not stay here any longer; they had to leave, even if it meant venturing into the areas under surveillance!
Both turned simultaneously, their legs already moving as if they were about to flee.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard of a phrase.”
Sitting on the sofa, Lin Qingliu took a sip from his water cup, completely ignoring the two who were preparing to escape in panic:
“Since you’ve come this far.”
Vine felt a wave of weakness in the hand gripping the doorknob; it seemed the door had merged with the wall, immovable.
The three second-generation paper figures giving Lin Qingliu a massage stopped their movements, bringing out a dozen thick books from behind the sofa.
And Lin Qingliu’s biological field no longer concealed itself; the fierce, dazzling invisible light once again shattered the two Dummies’ will to resist from another sensory dimension.
—
Two hours later, a staff member adjusted the wrinkles on his clothes and formally knocked on the door of the Sixth Superhero Team.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
“Come in.”
The man pushed the door open and saw the five members of the Sixth Superhero Team, or the first exploration team, gathered around the coffee table, enjoying drinks and laughing together.
“Gentlemen, the preparations for the medal ceremony in the conference room have been completed. Please get ready to head over there.”
He worried that his words might upset the group in front of him, so he added,
“You are the stars of today; everyone is waiting for you.”
Sitting at the center of the sofa, Nian nodded and said very formally,
“You may leave; we will arrive in the conference room within half an hour.”
Hearing this promise, the staff member felt relieved and turned to leave the lounge.
He closed the door behind him, causing the five people inside to become stiff once again.
They slowly set down their cups and then stood up in perfect sync, heading to the changing room to put on the team uniforms required by the procedure.
In the innermost corner of the lounge, where there was a bed, Lin Qingliu lay still as if trapped in a deep sleep.
Fortunately, the person responsible for delivering the message had enough sense. Otherwise, he might have had to take a sip of water, which would have caused permanent harm to the Dummies he created.
One hour later, in the conference room of the headquarters of the superpowered individuals.
The conference room, which could hold hundreds of people, was nearly full.
Such a large-scale meeting had become rare in Hope City, especially under the enormous pressure of survival, where most matters were communicated through broadcasts or written documents.
For instance, during Wang Xiao’s medal ceremony for receiving the Hope Medal, the majority of the attendees were merely soldiers from his city defense army.
This did not include those who happened to be on patrol or guarding the city.
Thus, this meeting was indeed of considerable scale, even featuring the attendance of three senators, which had never happened before.
After all, the success or failure of the Exploration Plan would directly affect the planning of Hope City for the next twenty to thirty years, making it impossible for those in charge to overlook it.
Sitting in the center of the front row were the three senators, cloaked in thick hoods, surrounded by two rings of fully armed guards.
No one knew their true identities or names, but Lin Qingliu, peering at them with five pairs of eyes, recognized who they were.
After tapping into Vine’s memories from the night before, he learned that Councilman Bordeaux would attend today’s ceremony.
As a senator aligned with the inheritance faction, Councilman Bordeaux invited two others from the same faction, Zhong Ding and Nia, to join today’s event.
As for the old-timers, their physical condition seemed to prevent them from leaving their sticky thrones, so they naturally would not be present.
Lin Qingliu also saw a few familiar faces below; not only were there superpowered individuals like the Shadow Master, who had appeared at his doorstep the night before, but he also spotted Fresnel and his team.
Wang Xiao and his group sat to the central left, appearing very enthusiastic about what was about to begin, with each of them eager to be the star of today’s ceremony.
Thinking of this, Lin Qingliu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
How easy is it to be the main character?
On the surface, the five members of the Nian team seemed to be thriving, but in reality, they had already gone missing.
More dangerous threats would surely arise during the upcoming explorations.
He only hoped that Wang Xiao and his team would not follow in the footsteps of those who had vanished…
The ceremony soon began, proceeding according to the prepared script.
The Nian team was awarded the special Hope Medal, and their names would be recorded in Hope City’s history.
During the speaking phase, the five Dummies controlled by Lin Qingliu truly let loose. Whether it was the taciturn Nian or the seemingly honest Flowing Sand, both radiated bright smiles, declaring their intent to give everything for Hope City.
Their speeches seemed to inject new energy into the entire conference room, with the three senators leading the applause, bringing the gathering to a new climax.
After the ceremony, the five touched the badges that glimmered on their chests as they exited in an orderly manner.
Everything seemed to return to calm; those who needed training trained, and those who needed to work worked.
The Nian team returned to their lounge, changed into their regular training clothes, and began group strength training.
Theoretically, Vine’s temporary transfer had ended. Councilman Bordeaux had specifically sent an aide to take him away, but Vine politely declined.
He resolutely followed his four teammates to the training grounds, seeming to have found the place where he truly belonged.
Councilman Bordeaux’s aide was unable to do anything about it and could only take his leave, planning to visit again tomorrow to convey the senator’s message once more.
Mr. Vine must have just been a bit impulsive; surely a second visit might yield different results…
