Chapter 34: The University Gatekeeper

Chapter 34: The School Gatehouse

On the roadside of the Lungmen outskirts, flickering tongues of flame surged repeatedly from a car frame that had been reduced to scrap metal. Thick pillars of black smoke merged into the night, and the biting, bone-chilling wind whipped the dark red flames into a distorted dance.

"Cough, cough, cough! Number Two, Number Three, is anyone still able to move?"

Ragged and covered in dust, Hu Tianming scrambled up from the road embankment, looking at the buckled asphalt road ruined by the violent explosion and the vehicle destroyed by the fuel tank blast.

"Boss Hu, we’re all alive, just some minor injuries. How are you holding up?"

A weak, weary voice drifted from a pile of debris beside a storefront. Two corpses of men in black lay nearby, dark red blood pooling on the ground.

Hearing that his subordinates were alive, the knot in Hu Tianming’s chest finally loosened. He coughed and said, "I'm alright. I took a hit—a rubber bullet—but the elite sniper who fired it took a shot from me as well; he won't be faring much better. Number Four broke a leg, but thankfully, he’s still alive."

Firelight reflected in Hu Tianming’s pupils, yet he felt no joy in their narrow escape. He paced back and forth, asking loudly, "Where is Mr. Guang? Is he alright? I haven't heard him speak—nothing happened to him, right?"

The reply came in the form of a helpless voice from his subordinate: "Boss Hu, Mr. Guang is gone. When the fuel tank exploded, we were too close and got knocked unconscious. When we woke up, he was already gone."

Hu Tianming’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt. His expression was a complex mask of frustration as he shouted, "Sigh! This Guang has incredible skills. He must have felt insecure because of our earlier mistake of kidnapping him, so he took advantage of the chaos to run off. We must inform the Master immediately. Also, we must notify Rhodes Island and explain ourselves clearly—we cannot afford to offend them. This Guang’s identity is certainly not simple."

He was a terrifying man. He had precisely predicted every move the enemy made and leveraged the Lungmen Guard Department’s rule against harming civilians to force the enemy into hesitation, preventing them from using heavy-duty area-of-effect weaponry. Had they not been restrained, none of them would have survived. Finally, he had ended the cat-and-mouse game with a single, devastating explosion.

Hu Tianming looked at the destroyed road and reached up to touch the notch cut into his horn by a bullet, still feeling a lingering sense of dread. The elite sniper had nearly killed him.

"Old Hu, I cannot show my face, because they don't know you kidnapped the wrong person. Bison has a round shield that can block all attacks. The sniper has been holding back, waiting for Bison to reveal himself for a one-hit kill. As long as I don't show my face, he has reason to suspect there is still an unknown enemy hiding in the vehicle. You must act the part well; treat me as Bison, then we will split up. That will shift their focus, making them think you are trying to escape, when in reality, you must wait until we are suppressed by firepower before suddenly launching an attack."

"Who on earth is he?"

Hu Tianming’s gaze grew distant as he stared into the raging fire and muttered to himself.

...

Only the paved highways in the Lungmen outskirts held a hint of modern civilization; the rest were mostly gravel roads and mud. Zhou Jinru, wrapped in a salvaged, ragged work uniform, trudged through the sludge, his chest heaving with heavy, labored breaths. His temples throbbed with a needle-like pain.

He decided that fleeing was the only sensible choice. In the game, Penguin Logistics’ business mostly served civilians. But in a place like Lungmen—a melting pot where good and evil were indistinguishable—he dared not entrust his life to the moral compass of others.

He walked until his consciousness blurred, wanting to lean against a wall for a rest, only to drift off into a hazy sleep.

He did not know how much time had passed before he felt a bright light shining on his face. He hurriedly raised a hand to shield his eyes, catching a glimpse of a face inches away through his fingers.

"Wake up, wake up."

Zhou Jinru snapped awake, shivering violently. His mind was utterly exhausted. As he struggled to stand, the person who had woken him pulled him up from the ground.

"Young man, why are you sleeping here? You’ll catch your death in this cold. Come with me to have a cup of tea to warm up. Even if you're feeling hot-headed, you shouldn't sleep out in the open."

Judging by the voice, it was an elderly man, but the strength in his grip suggested otherwise; few elderly men possessed such youthful vigor.

A moment later, Zhou Jinru sat in a room warmed by a heater, clutching a cup of steaming oatmeal. He lowered his head to blow on the steam, his frozen body gradually regaining warmth.

He had been rescued by the gatekeeper of a civilian high school. The old man who saved him was named Qin, a seasoned Sarkaz of the Forte race. Perhaps due to his racial traits, his strength was far greater than that of other races.

"So, 'Guang' is an operative from Rhodes Island? Tell me, Uncle, how did you end up here? This is the slum of the Lungmen outskirts; the nobles from the city rarely come this way."

Old Man Qin asked curiously while tidying up some clothes. He claimed to have an incredibly sharp eye for character, claiming he could see a person's nature from a young age. At first glance, he didn't think Zhou Jinru was a bad person; he must have fallen on hard times to be in such a state, and lending a hand wasn't much trouble.

"Uncle, I was taking a car to the terminal in the outskirts when I ran into a gang fight. I had to run for my life, and they even snatched my clothes."

Zhou Jinru kept his head down, sipping his oatmeal. His story was half-truth, half-lie, and he didn't worry about what Old Man Qin might think.

Old Man Qin looked worried. "I haven't heard anything about gangs in these parts for years. Over a year ago, we were attacked by Reunion, and in order to settle the matter once and for all, Lord Wei completely banned all gangs in the outskirts. How did new ones suddenly pop up?"

Just as Zhou Jinru was thinking about how to respond, Old Man Qin chuckled. "Don't think too much about it. It’s not really a big deal. Gangs are the Guard Department's headache. We’re just a school here; lots of students, just some minor scuffles, no real gangs."

"Guang, I can see you’re a decent person. Just sleep here for the night, and tomorrow you can find a way back. There’s a bit of spare change in the drawer nearby—take it for the fare if you don't have any money on you. Don't worry about paying it back. You Rhodes Island folks are good people; the new medicines you’ve developed have saved many lives, and they’re affordable. It’s not just the Infected—many Lungmen citizens are grateful to you from the bottom of their hearts. Even my grandson has received your vaccines."

Old Man Qin stood at the door and pointed outside. "I’m heading home now. Be here by six sharp in the morning. If you’re around, help me watch the gatehouse. If anyone asks, just say you’re my distant nephew, understand? After six, there’s an old man named Dong who sells morning tea at the gate. Just mention my name, Old Qin, and you can put it on my tab."

"Yes, sir."

Old Man Qin watched as Zhou Jinru agreed, then pedaled his bicycle away, humming a little tune in total satisfaction.