HAGLTP Chapter 14

The encounter with the White Dove was unexpected for Xiao Lu, and it all stemmed from Ye Qi.

Ye Qi debuted at the age of 16 and has been navigating the entertainment industry for many years. Besides receiving widespread acclaim for his acting skills, he is also highly regarded for his character; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been under the paparazzi’s watch for ten years without anything scandalous surfacing.

He has helped many people, including MIKI, who is now the second-in-command at White Dove.

MIKI, originally named Mi Qi, was once a top makeup artist in the industry. However, after inadvertently offending a popular star, she fell victim to capital suppression and became a marginalized figure.

Just when she was about to give up hope, it was Ye Qi who invited her to join his film crew. After the movie became a hit, MIKI managed to turn her life around.

MIKI has always been grateful for Ye Qi’s help back then. Upon seeing Ye Qi and his group in Yun City, she took the initiative to greet them and invited them to visit the White Dove headquarters.

“Currently, there are four main forces in Yun City,” MIKI introduced.

Dressed in a sharp suit, she sat casually, her bold red lips and arched brows exuding confidence, remaining true to herself even in chaotic times.

“The most powerful force right now is the Night. They advocate for actively hunting down alienators and ghouls; they are a group of warlike individuals.”

“Next is us, White Dove. We maintain a neutral stance and prefer not to stir up trouble, but we have our own principles.”

MIKI gestured for her subordinates to bring tea and snacks: “The other two are quite special.”

“Void is a group of hedonistic and dangerous individuals. They act without restraint and have almost no bottom line. If you see someone with more than three scars on their face, it’s best to avoid them; that’s a mark of Void members.”

“The Divine Punishment Society believes that alienation is a test from the gods, so they endure suffering and take on more pain willingly. They often help others but are a bit eccentric; they aren’t considered dangerous, but prolonged contact can lead to brainwashing.”

Xiao Lu took a sip of tea. Being able to serve tea to guests at this time was a sign of high status: “It seems that White Dove and the Divine Punishment Society have a good relationship.”

Huang Sansheng felt he couldn’t interject and quietly munched on snacks.

Ah, this is really delicious, I’ll have another piece.

“Well, it’s just average. A helpful quack is certainly better than a violent maniac or a lunatic,” MIKI chuckled.

MIKI casually glanced at Ye Qi, who had remained silent, his gaze completely fixed on Xiao Lu.

Since Xiao Lu had been the one conversing with her all along, MIKI naturally noticed something was off with Ye Qi. She was straightforward but not naive, so she didn’t immediately jump to conclusions.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

The person who entered was Mo Yisheng, the leader of White Dove.

He was already over forty but, as a popular entertainment program host, he naturally took good care of himself, looking no more than in his early thirties. He was gentle and elegant, exuding a strong sense of approachability.

Mo Yisheng had collaborated with Ye Qi many times. After sitting down, he naturally joined in the small talk. Having been in the entertainment industry for many years, he handled interactions with ease, regardless of the situation or the person.

Xiao Lu looked at Mo Yisheng and thought of a different storyline.

In the original plot, he played a mentor role similar to that of the protagonist Xiao Keyang, being a rare healer. He provided crucial assistance when Xiao Keyang was alienated and later established White Dove, supporting Xiao Keyang all the way; he was a very capable ally.

Thinking of this, Xiao Lu glanced at MIKI.

Mo Yisheng’s original deputy was not her but Xiao Keyang.

Xiao Keyang’s absence—did it mean that after Xiao Lu altered the storyline, the fates of others also changed? Perhaps Mo Yisheng never met Xiao Keyang and instead saved MIKI.

In the original plot, Mo Yisheng ultimately died in an attack by alienators, entrusting the entire White Dove to Xiao Keyang.

If Mo Yisheng never met Xiao Keyang, perhaps he could escape the fate of the mentor’s inevitable death.

As the warm-up ended, Mo Yisheng inquired about Xiao Lu’s group’s intentions for coming to Yun City and stated, “It’s rare to reunite with friends. If you need anything, White Dove can offer assistance.”

Xiao Lu replied straightforwardly, “I want to inquire if there have been any recent disappearances involving ability users nearby.”

In the plot, the boss Duan Kai, as an alienator, had been cultivating his own power. Besides gathering other alienators, he also targeted ability users, using special methods to make them obey him.

“Disappearance?” Mo Yisheng pondered.

Seeing his troubled expression, Xiao Lu asked, “Is there something inconvenient to discuss?”

“No,” Mo Yisheng shook his head, “rather than inconvenient, it’s more like there’s too much to say.”

“There are many forces occupying Yun City, and everyone is in an expansion phase, leading to constant conflicts. Many use brutal methods, and with alienation, people die and go missing every day; it’s not particularly special.”

This was the trouble with advancing the plot early.

In the original storyline, the forces in Yun City had stabilized, and everyone had a grasp on the people and events in their territories, making it easy to notice disappearances. But in the chaotic initial phase, finding clues about the boss among a large number of missing persons was not easy.

“I do have a lead, but I don’t know if it’s what you’re looking for,” MIKI suddenly spoke after a moment of thought.

Xiao Lu looked at her.

MIKI: “I have a few reports that came in not long ago, stating that bodies were found outside the city. The deceased were all ability users, and their star patterns completely disappeared after death, indicating a series of cases specifically targeting ability users. However, there has been no progress in the investigation so far.”

“The star patterns completely disappeared… how is that possible?” Mo Yisheng began to ponder.

Under normal circumstances, whether ability users or alienators, their bodies would exhibit gray star patterns after death, representing that the power of the stars had died along with their bodies.

The disappearance was very abnormal.

Having read the script, Xiao Lu knew that this was the boss’s exclusive technology, which stripped the star power from ability users and condensed it into star pattern crystals.

Duan Kai’s ability to control ability users was also greatly aided by these star pattern crystals, making it a useful lead.

Soon, as the boss’s power expanded, this would no longer be a secret.

But right now, Xiao Lu didn’t want to reveal too much of his knowledge about the plot, as it would cause trouble.

“That reminds me of something,” Mo Yisheng looked up at Xiao Lu, “Have you heard of the S·A Treatment Center?”

“S·A Treatment Center? We saw their flyers in Yao City,” Xiao Lu replied.

Mo Yisheng: “As far as I know, no one who went there has returned. They are also a force that specializes in collecting ability users.”

…

As the conversation drew to a close, Mo Yisheng turned to Ye Qi: “Ye Qi seems to have been injured before?”

Xiao Lu nodded, not denying it.

Mo Yisheng smiled warmly: “If you don’t mind, I can help him with treatment. This way, it can alleviate some pain and be beneficial for your activities later on.”

“Are you still in pain?” Xiao Lu turned to Ye Qi in surprise. Throughout their journey, Ye Qi had appeared completely normal, showing no signs of injury.

Seeing Xiao Lu ask him, Ye Qi gently shook his head.

“Be honest,” Xiao Lu stared into his eyes.

Ye Qi remained expressionless, his gaze slightly dropping, avoiding Xiao Lu’s eyes.

Seeing this reaction, Xiao Lu understood that Ye Qi’s injury had definitely not healed completely; he was just putting on a brave face and pretending nothing was wrong.

Xiao Lu couldn’t help but laugh: “Ye Da Ying Di truly deserves his award-winning acting skills.”

Ye Qi remained expressionless.

Huang Sansheng quietly tugged at Ye Qi’s sleeve, signaling him to back down when necessary.

Unfortunately, Ye Qi remained steadfast, standing before Xiao Lu, neither backing down nor showing remorse, his entire demeanor exuding stubbornness.

Mo Yisheng observed the three of them and gave MIKI a knowing glance.

MIKI felt a bit relieved. It seemed that Xiao Lu was not using Ye Qi; rather, it appeared that Ye Qi had some serious psychological issues, but unfortunately, they couldn’t find a psychologist at the moment.

“Ahem.” Mo Yisheng stepped in to ease the atmosphere, “I have other arrangements later. Since we have some time now, why don’t we start the treatment?”

·

Ye Qi followed Mo Yisheng to the treatment room, while Xiao Lu and Huang Sansheng sat in a nearby temporary lounge.

Footsteps echoed outside the lounge, with many people passing by.

“You, you are Xiao Lu?” A soft female voice rang out.

Xiao Lu turned around to see a woman at the door who could be called his adoptive mother—Xiao Yimei.

She was the one who brainwashed young Xiao Lu and raised him to be a stepping stone for her son.

Xiao Yimei was 36 this year, well-maintained, still looking delicate like a willow, with a pair of beautiful eyes that had a slight droop at the corners, giving her a pitiful appearance, but unfortunately, her heart was filled with malice.

“It’s so good to see you,” Xiao Yimei said with a beaming smile, lifting her skirt as she walked towards Xiao Lu.

As she walked, she said to the man beside her, “Darling, this is Keyang’s brother. He is a filial good child and will definitely be able to help you.”

Xiao Yimei reached out her hand to Xiao Lu, her eyes glistening with tears, making anyone who saw her feel she was a loving mother missing her child.

“Let Mama see, have you been doing well during this time?”

However, Xiao Lu grabbed her wrist without giving her any face: “Let’s skip the pleasantries; your new pig head is glaring at me.”

Xiao Yimei’s expression froze. Her dear husband was 58 this year, stocky, with a large head that made his body appear somewhat awkward, and he had a pair of prominent ears.

To put it nicely, he was steady and dignified; to put it bluntly—wasn’t he just a pig head?

The “pig head” looked at this mother-son scene: “…”

Is your standard for a good child this hardcore?