Chapter 243: Resumption of Work

It was raining.

On New Year’s Eve in Xinhai City, instead of the expected auspicious snowfall, a bone-chilling cold rain fell.

The rain came down hard. Dense droplets slammed against the wide windshield of the Rolls-Royce, only to be swept aside by the wipers in a mechanical, monotonous rhythm, smearing the bizarre neon lights outside into a blurred haze.

“Mission complete.”

With one hand calmly on the steering wheel, Luo Shaotian kept his eyes on the rain-slicked road ahead.

“The backend analysis just came in. That church was indeed problematic. That nun named Sharon showed clear signs of contamination. The others couldn’t tell, but anyway, the company will send specialists to handle the purification afterward.”

He freed his right hand and handed the tactical tablet from the center console toward the passenger seat.

“I’ve already written the mission report for you. Since you were the one in charge this time, just sign it and upload it.”

The tablet hovered in midair for a few seconds—unaccepted.

Lin Yu sat sideways, staring at the fleeting nightscape outside, completely ignoring it.

“A-Yu?”

“…Oh.”

Only after Luo Shaotian called out did Lin Yu jolt slightly.

He slowly turned his head, took the tablet, didn’t even glance at what was written, and scribbled a messy signature in the designated field before handing it back.

Luo Shaotian fell silent for a moment, frowning slightly.

“We’re about to meet your parents for New Year’s dinner. Cheer up a bit—don’t look so gloomy. Recon missions are like this, stealth comes first. You actually did really well this time. If you hadn’t drawn their attention in the front hall, I wouldn’t have been able to hack into their internal surveillance system so smoothly…”

Lin Yu turned his head, dazed for a moment.

“Huh? What did you say? Oh, right…”

Luo Shaotian frowned.

“You’re not… upset because you think you didn’t contribute to the mission, are you?”

“…No.”

Lin Yu snapped back to himself and forced a dry smile.

“I’m doing great. Getting paid without lifting a finger—I actually like being carried. Feels like when I play Overwatch, picking Torbjörn, hammering the turret, and still winning team fights while getting Play of the Game.”

He licked his dry lips, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

A bit awkward. Not sure what to say.

The car stereo played trending Douyin music automatically, its pounding rhythm oddly noisy in the otherwise quiet Rolls-Royce.

Luo Shaotian didn’t continue. Lin Yu lost all interest in talking. The two sat in silence, accompanied only by the rhythmic swish of the wipers.

“…Sorry.”

Luo Shaotian suddenly said.

Lin Yu ruffled his hair irritably and let out a long sigh.

“Alright, alright. Shaotian, I’m really not blaming you for this. I swear—seriously.”

“But you look really down…”

Luo Shaotian tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, as if recalling something.

“Ever since we left the church—actually… since after the communion—you’ve seemed off. Like you lost something. Is something wrong?”

At the word “communion,” Lin Yu’s shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly.

“…Stomachache.”

“…Stomachache?”

Luo Shaotian paused, then glanced at the navigation.

“Oh, maybe you’re not used to drinking. There’s a mall nearby—there should be public restrooms—”

“It’s fine, no need.”

Lin Yu cut him off immediately, his tone a bit hurried, as if afraid he’d actually stop the car.

“Just go straight to the restaurant my parents booked—Deyuelou. I can hold it.”

“…Alright.”

Since he insisted, Luo Shaotian didn’t press further and simply stepped a bit harder on the accelerator.

Silence returned.

Lin Yu sneaked a glance at the man in the driver’s seat.

“Um… Shaotian?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think… I’ve changed in any way?”

Hearing such a strange question, Luo Shaotian turned his head and gave him a sharp once-over.

“When I was in the police force, I’ve seen pickpockets with that exact expression you have right now.”

“That’s not what I meant! I mean… never mind.”

After focusing on driving for a while, Luo Shaotian spoke again.

“Relax.”

“What?” Lin Yu looked confused.

“I mean… if something really changed about you, I wouldn’t fail to notice.”

“…Then don’t notice. I’m not into guys.”

Lin Yu turned away, looking back out into the rainy night.

The car passed building after building.

In the rain, each lit window looked like an eye—

dark, hollow, staring at him.

The New Year’s dinner was lavish.

In front of a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking half the city’s neon lights, Lin Yu spent extravagantly, putting on quite a show.

Watching his parents’ restrained yet proud smiles at the sight of expensive dishes, for that moment, Lin Yu finally seemed to become the son they had always hoped for.

That illusion of pride acted like a powerful anesthetic, carrying him through seven dreamlike days of holiday.

Until the sound of firecrackers faded, and he returned to Dawn Company.

A round-faced man hummed an unknown tune while brewing the first hand-ground coffee after the holiday.

“Oh? Xiao Lin, you’re here? Sit, sit! So—how was your New Year? Feeling good? Is your condition stable lately?”

Manager Qian warmly pulled him into a seat and skillfully poured him a cup. The rich aroma of coffee filled the small room.

“Sigh… honestly, we didn’t think it through. Letting you get exposed to chaos like that… Normally, assets at your level are too confidential to be handled by outside medical institutions.”

“But your case is special. Since that company had a partnership with us, we made an exception. I heard she gave you some treatment in the lab? How is it—any effect?”

“…It worked, Manager Qian.”

Lin Yu’s fingers tightened slightly on his knee, nails pressing into the fabric as he stared at the reflection in his coffee.

The face staring back looked the same as always.

Ordinary. Unremarkable.

“So? Can you transform normally again?”

Manager Qian raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Yes.”

Lin Yu answered flatly.

“…And can you stably channel spiritual energy? You should know—Nurgle’s toxin has strong blocking properties. Forcing open the circuits is extremely difficult…”

“Yes.”

Lin Yu repeated, his voice completely steady.

“What? You can?”

Manager Qian’s expression changed. He set down his cup, his tone turning serious.

“Hey, Xiao Lin, don’t push yourself just for the return-to-work bonus. I’ve seen the tech department report—your condition—”

“It’s really fine, Manager Qian.”

Lin Yu lifted his head. His pitch-black eyes locked onto the other man’s, so deep and still that it sent a chill through Qian’s heart.

“I came back for one reason.”

“To return to duty.”

“Return to duty?”

Manager Qian’s gaze sharpened.

“You sure about this? This is your best chance for a paid injury leave payout. Miss it and it’s gone. Weren’t you always saying you wanted a big sum of money and to retire back home?”

“Manager Qian.”

Lin Yu interrupted softly.

“Prepare a holographic simulation room for me.”

Qian froze for a few seconds, then let out a long sigh, his expression complicated.

“You want a reassessment? Fine… if you insist, I’ll set up a few C-class mimetic contaminants. I remember the ‘Pus Walker’ has a relatively simple attack pattern—”

“B-class.”

Lin Yu said seriously.

“I want B-class.”

“B-class?!”

Manager Qian’s voice jumped an octave.

“Are you sure? That’s a completely different level!”

“Yes. Put in ‘Blood Bodhi.’”

Lin Yu stated calmly.

Manager Qian stared at him for a long time. In the end, he gave in to that almost lifeless determination.

“…If that’s what you want, then try.”

They quickly arrived at the metallic simulation chamber.

As blue-white streams of data reassembled, the “Blood Bodhi” that had once caused Lin Yu endless suffering slowly manifested at the center.

Before that rotting illusion, Lin Yu looked so small.

He gently touched the white mechanical companion on his shoulder and murmured:

“Watch me. If anything seems off later… no matter what, snap me out of it.”

“Gu!”

Xiao Bai’s ruby-like eyes flickered as it nodded solemnly.

Lin Yu took a deep breath, his right hand slowly moving to the gray crystal on his chest.

“—Transform!”

In that instant, a light unlike anything before burst forth in the simulation chamber.

So pure. So dazzling.

Like a pink sun descending into the mortal world.

Behind the observation window, Manager Qian’s eyes stung from the sudden brilliance, forcing him to shut them.

When he finally opened them again—

his voice suddenly broke:

“That… how is that possible—?!”