Chapter 276
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Chapter 276: A Regular Routine
“Alright, Zhuang Mian’s response is that if everything proceeds according to plan, the operation will commence in three days. I’m uncertain if you’ll have sufficient time on your end?”
“Rest assured. I suggest you act swiftly, or if your schedule is tight, I can prioritize the delivery.”
Lin Qingliu’s tone was relaxed, betraying no hint of dissatisfaction.
El glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall and assured Lin Qingliu with confidence, “I will complete the task you’ve assigned before 6 PM on November 5th.”
With the agreement settled, El seemed to recall something, his expression turning subtly complex.
“Doctor, while searching the sewers, I stumbled upon something unusual. The owner there… might be someone we’re quite familiar with.”
Someone we’re familiar with?
Lin Qingliu swiftly combed through his memories, searching for anyone both he and El might know who resided in the sewers.
Noticing El’s eyes repeatedly darting to the right, Lin Qingliu instantly grasped the situation.
“You found Luke?”
“Yes.”
“How is he faring now?”
“Well, at least from his appearance, he’s lost a significant amount of weight… He’s carved out a narrow living space in the sewers, with some worn-out daily necessities scattered about. It seems he hasn’t given up yet…”
“That’s a positive sign. There will always be individuals like him.”
Lin Qingliu spoke with genuine sincerity; he had indeed pondered whether releasing Luke was the correct decision. After all, he had been indebted to Luke’s father, and looking after Luke was, in a way, part of his duty.
However, at that time, Luke was already in a state of deep distrust, harboring hostility toward everything around him.
Keeping such a person close would undoubtedly invite trouble, so letting him go wasn’t an unreasonable choice.
Hearing that Luke hadn’t abandoned his initial resolve and was still striving to uncover the truth, Lin Qingliu couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect for him—
The boy might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was undeniably tenacious.
“Luke’s area falls within Zhuang Mian’s comprehensive search radius. If we leave him be, he might get caught. Given the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ methods, he might never see daylight again. Should we…?”
“We can drop him a subtle hint; whether he relocates or not will be his decision.”
“What if he doesn’t trust us?”
“Isn’t that to be expected?”
Lin Qingliu’s face contorted slightly. Who would trust someone who readily leaves a hand open? It’s not as if there’s some ailment involved.
“That’s why I suggested giving a hint, not engaging in a detailed face-to-face discussion.”
Lin Qingliu rose from his seat and retrieved a slightly yellowed piece of paper from a crevice in the bookshelf, handing it to El.
“Sometimes, objects are more reliable than people.”
El accepted the paper and noticed the title written in the universal language of Hope City:
【Adoption Relationship Certificate】
Below was a series of verbose text, including but not limited to the responsibilities and obligations of both parties, the fact that the adoption relationship constitutes a parent-child bond, the fingerprint information of both parties, as well as the backgrounds of the adopter and adoptee, and so forth.
“Ah, he isn’t his biological son!”
El’s expression was one of clear astonishment. He had never imagined that the chubby boy, so consumed with uncovering the truth behind his father’s death, and his father, who seemed to exist only as a shadowy figure in the background, were not truly father and son.
“Didn’t see that coming, did you? I was just as shocked when I first saw it.”
Lin Qingliu settled back into his chair, reminiscing about the moment he first laid eyes on the document.
This had happened just a few days after Luke had escaped from the underground research institute and become an unregistered resident.
At the time, Lin Qingliu had seized the opportunity to secretly infiltrate Luke’s home, taking advantage of the fact that Luke’s disappearance had not yet been officially recognized.
After all, Luke had lost his identity and couldn’t return, and Lin Qingliu was eager to gather more clues.
Following a series of intricate yet efficient investigations, he had managed to locate Luke’s home address among a pile of dusty files and decided to infiltrate.
Most of what he found was meaningless, but this Adoption Relationship Certificate could earn him trust once more.
He wondered if Luke himself was aware of his true identity and origins…
Lin Qingliu pondered silently.
—
Hope City, outer city, northwest city wall.
“Why is that cat back again, begging for food?”
The observing soldier asked with a hint of exasperation.
“It didn’t catch any prey. What else can we do? Load up the food and water, and get ready to launch!”
The other two soldiers on duty had grown accustomed to the routine.
This task had been ongoing for several days, and the initial excitement had long since faded.
The extraordinary beasts across from them lived with remarkable regularity, a routine so orderly it could rival that of humans.
They rose early, retired early, and worked diligently from sunrise to sunset.
For the extraordinary beasts, “work” simply meant foraging for food.
Every morning, they would leave one behind to guard their home while the others ventured into the distant dense forest.
The vast expanse, where most humans ventured but never returned, seemed to pose no threat to them. The three wolves were particularly formidable, their white fur often streaked with blood.
The prey they caught would be hauled back on the broad, flat backs of the extraordinary beasts.
According to the records kept by Hope City, these extraordinary beasts always retained some traits of their wild ancestors.
Yet, there was no strict division between carnivores and herbivores; all extraordinary beasts appeared to be omnivores, indifferent to the nature of their food. They would even sample each other if the need arose.
Of course, hunting was a risky endeavor, and returning empty-handed was not uncommon.
Whenever this happened, the cat—the only one capable of communicating with humans—would approach the red line, begging for food. By now, it had come several times, and the soldiers on the city wall were growing weary of the spectacle.
Every evening, the extraordinary beasts would gather in a circle to rest within the camp area marked by animal bones.
This predictable routine saved time for the soldiers tasked with recording their activities, allowing them to ponder more pressing matters.
After some internal discussions, they decided to report their recent findings and observations the following day.
More importantly, it was clear that this situation couldn’t continue indefinitely; they needed to find a way to establish closer communication with the extraordinary beasts below the wall.
“You’re right, but are you willing to go?”
After sharing his thoughts with his friend, the soldier responsible for loading the “ammo” into the launcher teased the soldier who was recording the information.
“Not really, I don’t understand what the extraordinary beasts are saying…”
“That’s no excuse, after all…”
The soldier gestured toward a distant banner bearing the word “Thank You,”
“The extraordinary beasts understand human speech.”
