Chapter 104: Codename Deep Sea

Click…

Cold metal cuffs snapped shut around her slender wrists.

“Take her away!”

Lin Yu was pushed into the police car, dark gun barrels trained on her the entire time.

She didn’t resist—just quietly looked out the window.

The lights of the city streaked past in retreat.

She simply closed her eyes and rested.

When she opened them again, she was facing a heavy iron door.

A standard interrogation room.

Airtight walls. A cold metal table and chairs. And an overhead fluorescent light, harsh and deathly pale.

She sat on the metal chair, her hands cuffed to the table edge, unable to move.

She didn’t know how long had passed before the door was shoved open with urgent force.

The person entered before the door was even halfway open, squeezing in sideways.

It was Zhang Zheng.

His eyes were sunken, bloodshot to a frightening degree.

To clean up the mess left behind after Luo Shaotian’s suspension, the veteran detective hadn’t slept for several nights in a row.

Yet right now, he looked almost… energized.

He slapped a folder onto the table, dragged a chair over, and dropped heavily into the seat opposite her.

He didn’t speak immediately. He lit a cigarette, took a long drag, then exhaled deeply.

Whooo—

The smoke blurred his weathered face and thickened the oppressive atmosphere.

Only after a long moment did he finally speak:

“Name.”

“Gender.”

“Age.”

When she said nothing, Zhang Zheng let out a cold snort.

“Little girl, don’t play this with me.”

“Don’t try that ‘silence is golden’ trick.”

“With me, what you don’t say tells me more than what you do.”

“At the scene, we found three corpses. Initial forensic examination says the cause of death was massive blunt-force trauma…”

His stare was sharp as scalpels, pinning her in place.

“Tell me—how does a ninety-pound girl kill three grown men armed with weapons?”

“Do you buy that?”

Lin Yu slowly lifted her head. Under the light, her heterochromatic eyes looked calm and empty.

“Whether you believe it or not… that’s your business.”

She replied weakly.

“The fact… is exactly that.”

“Some ‘fact’ that is!”

Her attitude—completely impervious—finally snapped his patience.

He slammed his palm on the table and leaned forward until he was almost in her face.

“Then how about you tell me what’s going on with that gun you had!?”

“And that half-human, half-machine monster—what was that?!”

He roared the questions.

He knew this wasn’t some simple turf war.

Over the past decade, he’d encountered dozens of cases ruled as ‘gas explosions’ or ‘accidents.’

This case smelled exactly like those.

Zhang Zheng was certain—he was only one step away from the truth behind this city.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lin Yu repeated, like a recorder stuck on one script.

She couldn’t say anything.

Not a word.

If she did, it wouldn’t just drag her in—

It would drag Luo Shaotian, her sister Lin Xue, all of them into the fire.

“You don’t know?!”

Zhang Zheng laughed in disbelief. His stare bored into her eyes.

“Little girl, I’ve been a cop for thirty years. I’ve interrogated more people than you’ve eaten bowls of rice!”

“Don’t think I can’t tell—you know exactly what’s going on!”

His fury pressed in on her like a tide.

“Tell me! Who the hell are you?! Who trained you?!”

“What are you monsters hiding in this city’s shadows?! What are you doing?!”

Riiiing—Riiiing—

A sharp ringtone slashed through the suffocating standoff.

Zhang Zheng looked at his phone’s display. His frown deepened.

He answered.

“What?! I’m in the middle of an interrogation! Even if the sky falls, you can wai—”

The roar suddenly stopped.

A trace of regret flickered across his face.

“…Yes.”

“I understand.”

“…Alright.”

He hung up.

Then he slumped back into his chair as though his strength had been drained out of him.

His lips curled into a wry, defeated smile.

“…Again. Just like always…”

Click.

The interrogation room door opened again.

This time, a man in gold-rimmed glasses walked in.

About thirty, with a refined air.

He headed straight to the corner, raised a hand, and shut off the surveillance camera.

The red indicator light died.

“You—”

Zhang Zheng tried to speak.

But the man in the tailored suit made a polite gesture, palm facing down.

Elegant, but leaving no room for argument.

“Officer Zhang, what comes next is beyond your clearance.”

“You—”

Zhang Zheng’s face darkened instantly.

It wasn’t the first time.

He knew it wasn’t a negotiation.

It was a notification.

And once again—

He had been so close.

Always one step away.

Yet that step was impossibly far.

He shook his head in defeat and closed the heavy door behind him.

The man then walked up to Lin Yu and handed her a black phone.

She blinked, confused, and took it.

The screen was already lit, displaying “In Call.”

So… she was supposed to answer?

After a brief hesitation, she raised it to her ear.

“…Hello?”

On the other end—silence.

A few seconds later, a warm male voice finally spoke.

“Hello, comrade.”

“Uh… hello.”

She responded awkwardly.

“May I ask which… leader you are?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter right now.”

The voice remained gentle, almost like a patient elder.

“What matters is that my subordinates have caused you some unnecessary trouble.”

Subordinates?

Lin Yu’s mind sped up.

“A while back, after the V-District incident, my men had an… unpleasant encounter with you. You remember, don’t you?”

Lin Yu’s pupils shrank.

This guy…

He was from Section Zero.

And judging by his tone—someone very high up.

“Uh… you’re from Section Zero?”

She asked cautiously.

“You could say that.”

He chuckled.

“Section Zero is only the designation for the operational unit.”

“As for me—let’s say I offer… guidance to that unit.”

Offer guidance?

What kind of position was that?

Wait.

He said “guidance.”

Was this the kind of “guidance” one had to follow?

Her posture immediately stiffened.

“Oh—uh—Leader Sir, do you… need something from me?”

“Of course. Something good.”

The voice lightened happily.

“First, congratulations. After prolonged observation—and your ‘performance’ at the construction site last night—I have determined that your mental state can, for now, be classified as… ‘safe.’”

“Safe?”

Lin Yu was dumbfounded.

“Didn’t… I kill people?”

“Haha. Different standards.”

His smile came through the speaker.

“You must understand—in our line of work, safety is not judged by law or morality.”

“From our perspective, despite possessing the power to destroy everything, you chose restraint. You showed control.”

“That human restraint speaks louder than any cold data.”

“So…”

The man behind her stepped forward with a strange electronic key.

Click.

The metal collar that had haunted her for more than a month unlocked and slid from her neck.

…Free?

The instant that suffocating weight disappeared, a wave of relief almost made her collapse.

Just like that…?

They removed it… just because of a phone call?

How much power did this man have!?

“Consider that a gesture of sincerity.”

The voice spoke again.

“Now, shall we discuss business?”

“Uh… what business?”

She rubbed the faint mark around her neck, heart pounding.

“Please speak, sir…”

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

She’d learned that on her first day of office work.

A man who could overturn procedures and silence entire departments just to free her—

Definitely had a purpose.

“Hehe.”

The man seemed satisfied with her cautious attitude.

“You’re a smart girl. So I’ll be direct.”

“You may have realized—last time, I was the one who stopped the evaluation team’s S-class execution order against you.”

“And now, I’ve pushed against their objections again to lift your collar early.”

“At my position, those people technically have no authority over me anymore.”

“But I can’t always ignore procedure.”

“After all—I’m just a normal man. I make mistakes.”

“When a normal man makes a mistake, he suffers.”

“When I make a mistake, normal people suffer.”

“So—now you owe me two favors. Understand?”

Lin Yu swallowed hard.

“U-understood…”

“So… what do you need me to do?”

“For now? Nothing.”

His tone softened.

“Live well. Fight well. Grow stronger. I won’t rush you to repay the favors.”

“But remember—when Xinhai City needs your strength, I… or rather, this city… will come to claim what you owe.”

“And when that time comes—I hope you won’t refuse.”

“…”

She hesitated only a moment.

“…I promise.”

“A wise choice.”

His voice was full of satisfaction.

“Then at the very least—you should know the name of the man you owe.”

Lin Yu gathered her courage.

“Then… may I ask… who are you?”

A silence.

Then—

“My codename is Deep Sea.”

“Deep Sea…”

She carved the name into her memory.

“Good. Our deal is complete.”

Deep Sea’s voice regained its relaxed tone.

“And let me give you a kind reminder.”

“That police officer friend of yours—Luo Tian… is causing you considerable trouble, isn’t he?”

“—!”

He even knew that!?

“Y-you…”

“Don’t be nervous. I told you—I’m helping you.”

Deep Sea remained gentle.

“The corruption inside him originates from a failed Huaxia Heavy Industries psionic experiment. Very troublesome. Your sister’s inhibitor formula is clever, but ultimately only a band-aid.”

“To climb out of the abyss, one rope isn’t enough. The person must want to climb.”

“If you want to help your friend… you’ll need to work even harder.”

“That’s all. I’ll end the call here.”

“Remember our agreement, comrade. I look forward to your future.”

Beeep—Beeep—

The call ended.

……

When Lin Yu stepped outside, dawn was just breaking.

November’s early-morning wind cut her cheeks like sharp blades.

She tightened her coat and stood blankly on the empty street.

The collar was gone.

But a heavier shackle now lay across her heart.

By the time she reached Luo Tian’s apartment building, the sun still hadn’t risen.

She looked up at his dark window and exhaled in relief.

Good. Still asleep.

She unlocked the door.

Warm air washed over her.

She tiptoed in. The entrance light flicked on gently, sweeping away the hallway’s cold gloom.

The living room was quiet except for the ticking clock on the wall.

Her gaze immediately fell on the corner.

Those shopping bags from the construction site—and the half-man-tall, dopey bear plushie—were neatly stacked against the wall.

Even the clothes inside the bags had been folded.

Xiaoxue must’ve only brought Luo Shaotian back here.

So…

Was it Section Zero who organized all this?

Such… attentive service.

She chuckled helplessly, set down her keys, and slipped into the pink guest slippers.

Deep Sea’s words, and the absence of the collar’s weight, finally let her heart rest a little.

But she didn’t dare to fully relax.

She tread quietly toward the bedroom at the end of the hall.

It wasn’t locked.

She gently turned the handle and peeked inside.

With the faint light from the living room, she saw the figure lying in the bed.

Luo Shaotian was still asleep, breathing slow and steady.

With all defenses down, his handsome face looked peaceful—almost… fragile.

Lin Yu leaned against the doorframe, watching him for a moment.

Until—

A faint stench drifted into her nose.

Only then did she notice the shredded shirt on him—torn to rags in last night’s fight, soaked with dried blood and grime.

She frowned.

This guy…

Is no one gonna deal with him?

Sleeping like this, he’d definitely get sick.

But… if someone had to take care of it…

Did she really have to change his clothes?

The thought alone made her hesitate.

But—

I’m a guy!
He’s a guy!
Two dudes! Clothes! Not a big deal!!

She pumped herself up internally.

In the end, her sense of responsibility as a friend outweighed her embarrassment.

She grabbed clean pajamas from the wardrobe, fetched warm water and a towel, and got to work.

She forced herself to stay focused.

But…

Why did her heart pound whenever she caught his scent… or grazed those hard muscles?

“Damn it—this stupid magical-girl body and its stupid reactions!”

After finishing the whole ordeal in a fluster, she took a cold shower to calm down.

Ice water washed away the fatigue—and the chaos in her head.

When she stepped out wrapped in a towel, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

After a pause—

She raised her hand and activated that familiar, hated skill.

“Transformation☆Time!”

Soft psionic light shimmered.

Her eye color returned to normal brown.
Her long gray hair darkened into black.
Her outfit reverted to the school-uniform disguise she’d worn upon first arriving.

“Lulu is back…”

She muttered wryly.

By the time everything was done, dawn had broken.

Yawning, she headed to the living room.

The apartment was a little messy, and those shopping bags still sat untouched.

On impulse, she grabbed a cloth and cleaner and began tidying up.

By the time the floors gleamed, the plant was watered, and the air carried a fresh scent—

She finally straightened up and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Looking at the clean, orderly “home,” some of her exhaustion finally eased.

The sun was rising.

She walked to the window, watching the street fill with life, when her stomach suddenly growled.

She decided to go down and buy breakfast.

A few minutes later, she returned with two hot bags of soy milk and fried dough sticks, humming a tuneless melody.

After a night of blood and chaos, the warmth and smell of fresh breakfast made her mouth water.

However—

When she unlocked the apartment door, she froze.

Inside, Luo Shaotian was standing in the living room.

He looked freshly awake, still in the pajamas she’d put on him. His hair was messy, his expression dazed and groggy.

Their eyes met.

Lin Yu almost slipped into telling him everything—to explain she hadn’t run.

But then she remembered—

Right now, she wasn’t Gray Crystal.

She was Lulu.

Her lips trembled for a moment, then she forced out a timid smile.

“Ah… Uncle, you’re awake!”