When Luo Hai returned to the bedroom, he heard the soft sound of the front door closing—Eugene had left.
Leaning against the headboard, Luo Hai picked up his phone and watched the green dot on his surveillance app move slowly toward the community trash bin, then drift toward the small convenience store downstairs.
At that moment, his phone rang, switching from the surveillance screen to display Colin’s name.
Luo Hai answered directly, getting straight to the point. “How’s it going?”
The background noise on the other end was loud, filled with the shouts of street vendors. “I followed your orders and looked into it. I noticed two suspicious-looking Omegas hanging around the government building lately. I tailed them and found that they had been tracking several government officials, even noting down their addresses and personal connections. You were right—these Omegas are definitely up to something!”
“Are you certain of their identities?” Luo Hai asked. “Can you confirm they’re from the Lightwing Society?”
“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be calling you,” Colin said, his tone laced with excitement. “I overheard their conversation myself—they mentioned the Lightwing Society and even brought up Eugene’s name.”
“You’re sure?” Luo Hai’s tone sharpened. “They mentioned Eugene?”
“Yes, absolutely. I was close enough to hear them clearly—there’s no way I misheard.” Colin’s voice was firm. “They said that gathering information on government officials was something Eugene had arranged.”
Luo Hai closed his eyes, staying silent for a long moment. The only sound on the line was the noisy street on Colin’s end.
Moonlight spilled into the room, faint stars visible outside the window. From below came the laughter of a few children, unnaturally loud in the still night.
Eugene had hidden all those weapons and explosives, yet he hadn’t bombed the government building. Not because he had given up—but because he had found a better way to achieve his goal.
It made perfect sense.
Eugene was one of Nantes’ most dangerous fugitives, the leader of the largest Omega resistance group. There was no reason for him to suddenly abandon everything he had built.
Luo Hai let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh, ridiculing himself for the fleeting moment of hope he had allowed in his mind.
“Prosecutor Luo Hai…?” Colin asked cautiously.
Luo Hai opened his eyes, his voice steady and unreadable as he spoke again. “You weren’t discovered, were you?”
“No, no way. If I couldn’t even handle that, I wouldn’t last a day at the prosecution office,” Colin said with a chuckle.
“Good.” Luo Hai’s response was indifferent.
“So, what’s our next move?” Colin asked carefully. “At this point, we can’t afford to alert them, right?”
“Correct,” Luo Hai said. “Record their appearances, clothing, and the details of their conversation. We’ll keep them under close surveillance and use this lead to catch bigger fish.”
As he finished speaking, Luo Hai exhaled slowly.
“At last, Oddis is showing his tail. Now we just have to see what tricks he’s planning.”
….
After hanging up, Luo Hai heard the front door open and close again, followed by the sounds of shoes being changed and things being put away.
Soon, Eugene walked over and knocked on his door. “Luo Hai, are you still awake?”
“I am,” Luo Hai replied, lifting his head.
Eugene’s voice carried a hint of cheerfulness. “There was an old lady selling candied hawthorn downstairs, so I bought two skewers. If you want some, come out and eat. I put them in the fridge.”
“Alright.” Luo Hai’s response was brief.
Eugene left the doorway, and soon, Luo Hai could hear him humming a tune as he washed up in the bathroom, then walked into his own room and closed the door.
The apartment fell silent once more, the screen of Luo Hai’s phone gradually dimming.
He glanced up at the calendar on his wall. A certain date this month had been circled in red—standing out vividly under the light.
Fifteen days remained until Eugene Oddis’s execution.
…..
By early the next morning, news of Luo Hai sealing off Eugene’s hideout and confiscating a large cache of weapons and explosives had spread throughout the entire prosecutor’s office.
The fact that Eugene Oddis had managed to hide enough firepower to destroy an entire building right under the government’s and prosecution’s noses, in the bustling center of Nantes no less, shocked everyone.
This revelation immediately elevated the priority of the Lightwing case to the highest level within the prosecution office.
Aside from Luo Hai, no one had anticipated that a small Omega resistance organization would have the resources and audacity to pull off something like this.
As a result, even colleagues who were usually indifferent or distant toward Luo Hai now looked at him with admiration and greeted him proactively when he arrived at work.
Chief Prosecutor Doyle even took the rare initiative of summoning Luo Hai to his office, inquiring in detail about the entire sequence of events and all related specifics.
Although Luo Hai was accustomed to his heavy workload, that day was so hectic that he didn’t even have time to take a sip of water, constantly rushing around the prosecution office.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that he finally managed to push aside his work, avoid others, and step into the first-floor medical office.
Dr. Ian, as usual, greeted him with a warm smile and handed him a cup of hot tea. Luo Hai rarely drank tea from others, but this time, he downed three cups in one go, making Dr. Ian chuckle beside him.
“Busy day, huh? I heard about your big achievement—sealing off a terrorist leader’s hideout and uncovering a whole arsenal of weapons and explosives. The whole building is talking about it. They say if it weren’t for your sharp instincts, the government building would’ve been in danger, and some people in the prosecution office would’ve been at risk of losing their heads.”
Luo Hai gave a faint smile and lay down on the examination bed. “It was nothing, just a stroke of luck.”
“This isn’t the time to be modest.” Dr. Ian laughed as he turned on the medical equipment and sat beside Luo Hai. “Everyone in the office knows how dedicated and hardworking you are. I think Doyle should give you a promotion and a raise already.”
Luo Hai didn’t respond, simply letting Ian attach the monitoring devices while watching the data and graphs flash across the computer screen.
Dr. Ian glanced at Luo Hai, then at the screen, before breaking into a smile. “Good news—your indicators are improving. You’re in better shape than during your last check-up.”
“How much better?” Luo Hai asked.
“Let’s put it this way—when Doyle first brought you here for an examination, I honestly doubted you’d make it to thirty.” Ian removed his stethoscope and said optimistically, “But looking at your results now, I think you could live to fifty, no problem.”
“…” Luo Hai gave him a helpless look. “Well, thanks.”
“Having a reliable Alpha to help regulate your heat suppression has done wonders for your recovery.” Ian removed the equipment from Luo Hai and turned to print the report. “If he could become a long-term, stable partner, that would be even better. Over time, your health might improve even more…”
“…” Luo Hai rolled down his sleeves and muttered, “That’s not going to happen.”
Ian glanced at him and sighed. “I figured.”
“I’m here to pick up a new batch of injections,” Luo Hai said. “Could you prepare some for me? My supply is running low.”
“Already? That fast?” Ian looked surprised.
“I had an… incident while out with my colleagues,” Luo Hai explained. “I had to increase my dosage to ensure my safety.”
Luo Hai was sharp—even with his words. The moment he mentioned “safety,” Ian had no argument left, only sighing and shaking his head as he went to fetch the medicine from the fridge.
“Take it easy—these meds are in limited supply. If you keep upping the dose, I won’t be able to get you more.”
Luo Hai knew Ian was bluffing for the most part, so he simply chuckled and sat on the bed, watching him prepare the medication.
Dr. Ian had once been a military doctor and later worked at the Nantes Central Hospital before his own health issues forced him into a quieter job. Doyle had personally recruited him for the prosecution’s medical office.
The number of major incidents Ian had witnessed likely outnumbered everyone else’s in the entire office combined. Maybe that was why he treated everyone with such kindness and never held any prejudices.
“How much of this medication does the government produce each year?” Luo Hai asked, looking at the small glass vials.
“Not much—only a limited batch from the labs,” Ian replied while preparing the doses. “Since it’s still an experimental drug, the government won’t invest too much into this kind of niche research.”
“How many people have access to it?” Luo Hai asked.
“Not as few as you think, but not as many as you’d expect either.” Ian tapped the vial with his fingers. “Nantes does have a few wealthy and well-connected Omegas willing to take the risk. But as for someone injecting it long-term and in large amounts like you? I can guarantee you’re the only one in all of Nantes. Damn, you act like you have a death wish.”
“It’s necessary for my job. What choice do I have?” Luo Hai said with a sigh.
Ian packed the injection vials into a box, sealed it in a plastic bag, and handed it to Luo Hai—this time with an extra box inside. “Alright, take it. If anything happens, contact me. And take care of yourself. I expect you to always walk into my office on your own two feet, got it?”
Even Luo Hai couldn’t help but smile at that. “Got it.”
As he stepped out of the medical office, the sun was already setting. The golden light stretched across the road, tinting the treetops in a warm glow.
Luo Hai pulled out his phone, only to find a flood of unread messages—every single one from Eugene.
[How did you sleep last night? Busy today?]
[I tuned my violin today, and it sounds better now. Damn, I should’ve done this before playing last night. Regret it now.]
[I’m so bored. I played the violin all day. Mrs. Parsifal came upstairs and knocked on my door, saying I was disturbing her dog. I think she’s the crazy one—her dog barks at me every day, and I never complained!]
[Do you think we could play that piece together again sometime? I want to record a video. After I die, I’ll put a QR code on my tombstone so people passing by can listen to it on loop.]
Luo Hai: “…”
Lunatic.
