The restricted area was an hour and a half’s drive from Star University. The vehicle drove onto the city highway, with the driver stepping hard on the accelerator, constantly overtaking other cars.
The scenery on both sides of the window rushed by, the wind making the car body sway slightly, and the engine occasionally emitting a deafening roar.
Tang Li was so scared that he tightly gripped the handrail, whispering complaints to Liu Bo: “This driver acts like someone owes him money.”
Liu Bo, swaying from side to side and almost fainting, still tried to be understanding: “Think about it, today is Dawn Day. Would you be happy if you had to work overtime?”
Tang Li was disgruntled: “It’s not like we asked him to work overtime.”
Liu Bo said weakly: “Forget it, look at Lance, he hasn’t said anyth—”
As he was persuading, he looked toward Lance, only to see Lance with furrowed brows and closed eyes, uncomfortably leaning in Zhan Pingchuan’s arms. Zhan Pingchuan held him securely, stroking Lance’s gland, continuously releasing soothing pheromones.
Liu Bo: “……”
Tang Li: “……”
The vehicle sped all the way, finally reaching the gate of the restricted area before the midday sun shifted.
The entire restricted area was surrounded by ten-meter-high concrete walls, with sharp spikes made of rare lead ore erected on top. The gate in front was the only passage authorized for outsiders to enter and exit, guarded and examined by inspection team members from Blue Pivot’s Seventh District.
Outside the restricted area was a vast lawn. In the center of the lawn stood a hundred flagpoles, flying the city flags of various cities under the Federation flag. Apart from this, there were no other high-rise buildings within a kilometer radius, making the restricted area more like an easily defensible fortress.
Inside the restricted area, through the thick concrete walls, two intricately designed buildings could be seen protruding, standing side by side. They were like two door gods, standing firm, guarding both sides of Qian Yun.
The red building was seventeen stories high, with a wide and flat structure. The roof was shaped like an open fan, symbolizing the shield of the Federation.
It housed twelve scientific research departments: pheromone biology, pheromone chemistry, crystal ore new energy, beast analysis, new agriculture, human sociology, financial mathematics, geography, electronic science, cryptography, medicine, and artificial intelligence, gathering the top scientists of the entire Federation.
The blue building consisted of three independent, slender structures, connected by arched corridors between the buildings. Above the roof, golden steel bars were built into a pyramid shape, symbolizing the spear of the Federation.
The entire Blue Pivot inspection team was divided into eight sectors, responsible for information networks, investigation, trade, weapons development, ability management, military medicine, security, and combat—an absolute force institution.
Lance got out of the car, leaning on Zhan Pingchuan’s shoulder, and immediately saw the outline of the restricted area. The huge concrete wall almost blocked half of the sunlight.
Zhan Pingchuan asked with a smile: “Little classmate Lance, doesn’t this place look like a prison?”
He didn’t know what psychology prompted the Federation government to protect itself so tightly, but it looked really ridiculous, as if there must be someone in this world who wanted to rebel.
Lance raised the corner of his lips, casually saying: “Maybe it is.”
After all, Oliver had been imprisoned here for fourteen years.
Zhan Pingchuan suddenly felt that Lance’s tone was somewhat different from usual. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Lance, about to say something, when he heard the driver who had been speeding all the way suddenly speak—
“The restricted area was built before the rebellion suppression. At that time, there was a rumor saying that some kind of powerful, uncontrollable Awakened ones would eventually overthrow the Federation regime.”
Zhan Pingchuan indeed no longer paid attention to Lance’s abnormality, turning instead to look at the driver who had taken out another cigarette to smoke.
Tang Li asked: “What kind of powerful, uncontrollable Awakened ones? S-level?”
The driver took a deep breath, exhaling a rich smoke ring. With his smoker’s voice, he sneered: “What’s an S-level? That was a power from beyond this world.”
Lance immediately turned his face, narrowing his eyes to look at him.
Power from beyond this world, the Outer God?
So there were such rumors surrounding that dog thing, but he hadn’t seen that fellow have the slightest intention of overthrowing human regimes.
Tang Li had now forgotten the displeasure caused by the driver’s wild speeding. He exclaimed in surprise: “What power from beyond this world?”
The driver gave him a sidelong glance: “A rumor is just a rumor. Rumors are naturally false.”
The squad leader who had been accompanying them had already verified the internship procedures with the Seventh District inspection team members. He turned back, glared at the driver, and scolded: “What nonsense are you chatting with them? Let’s go, we’re going in.”
The driver had no choice but to put out his unfinished cigarette again, patting his pants as he prepared to get in the car. The gate was still some distance from the Blue Pivot building, and shuttle cars were often needed for transportation within the restricted area.
Lance was already about to get in the car when suddenly a two-meter-tall inspection team member walked over. He looked down at Lance and Tang Li with a commanding air: “Wait, take down all your luggage for inspection!”
Lance’s fingers gripping the door handle tightened slightly, but he didn’t immediately turn around.
Tang Li, having never experienced such situations and naturally revering and admiring the Blue Pivot inspection team members, hurriedly took his suitcase off the car as soon as he was ordered, afraid of making them impatient.
“Brother, I just brought a few sets of clothes, bed sheets and quilts, computer and headphones, oh, and some textbooks.”
As he spoke, he opened his suitcase to show he wasn’t lying.
Indeed, inside the suitcase were neatly folded clothes and a stack of textbooks tied with elastic bands.
However, the inspection team member didn’t let Tang Li off because of this. Instead, he crouched down and began rummaging through Tang Li’s luggage.
“What’s this? Is there anything dirty hidden at the bottom?”
He turned Tang Li’s clothes into a mess, pulling out a pair of underwear from the bottom: “Oh, what’s this? It even smells nice.”
After saying this, he winked and made faces at several Seventh District team members behind him, constantly snickering.
Tang Li’s face immediately turned red, and he was at a loss. He couldn’t imagine that the inspection team members he had always respected and admired would do such a thing.
Originally, he had brought very ordinary clothes, which he would casually hang on the balcony to dry without any concern. But now, having them picked out and pointed at, he felt extremely ashamed and embarrassed.
“You… you…”
That inspection team member continued to rummage through Tang Li’s suitcase without restraint: “Let me see what other good things are hidden below. Did you bring condoms that you Omegas use every day?”
As he spoke, he buried his hand in Tang Li’s clothes, rummaging around randomly.
Tang Li’s eyes quickly reddened. He was so angry that his whole body trembled, yet he didn’t dare to speak up.
He was just an ordinary college student, his family’s financial situation wasn’t too good, and they were counting on him to make something of himself at Star University.
The other party was from the Blue Pivot inspection team, possessing privileges he couldn’t see or touch. So even when harassed, he could only endure.
Lance’s eyes, however, grew colder and colder. If this wasn’t in broad daylight, if this wasn’t at the gate of the restricted area, this inspection team member would already be a disfigured corpse.
But Lance wasn’t accustomed to enduring. He always believed that if one could only feel frustrated when encountering thorny issues, it meant one’s intelligence and abilities were still insufficient.
So he walked over, picked up the other side of Tang Li’s suitcase, snapped it shut forcefully, and asked seriously: “Which district are you from? What’s your ID? By what authority are you inspecting us?”
Almost at the same moment, Zhan Pingchuan stepped forward, unobtrusively standing by Lance’s side, providing Tang Li with space to escape.
Tang Li gratefully looked at Lance, then hurriedly backed away, hiding behind Zhan Pingchuan.
Liu Bo patted his shoulder lightly to comfort him.
But Liu Bo was still very self-aware; he was only E-level and had no qualification to confront the Blue Pivot inspection team. He could only place his hopes on Zhan Pingchuan.
That inspection team member was, after all, C-level and professionally trained. Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, he immediately withdrew his hand, staggered two steps, and sat down on the ground.
His teammates behind him were amused by his awkward appearance, doubling over with laughter, showing no intention of coming to help.
The inspection team member was humiliated and angry. He supported himself with both hands on the ground, stood up with a jerk, and his gaze fell on Lance, who had spoken up. He noticed that Lance was fair and delicate, with clear, bright eyes, a high nose bridge supporting silver-rimmed glasses, and reddish-brown long hair tied with a band, hanging straight down to his waist.
From any perspective, this was an Omega beautiful enough to leave a deep impression, and only eighteen years old at that.
The inspection team member’s anger subsided by half, and he immediately spoke crudely: “What’s the matter, eager for uncle to inspect you first? Then let’s see your…”
Before he could finish, he suddenly felt as if something was strangling his throat. The strangling force was so strong that he couldn’t utter a single word. His tongue uncontrollably protruded, his eyeballs bulged with blood, and his face turned increasingly purple.
Zhan Pingchuan pulled Lance up and held him by his side, giving the inspection team member a half-smile: “Go on, why aren’t you speaking, uncle?”
The inspection team member stared at Zhan Pingchuan with full rage, but his tongue protruded more and more. He desperately twisted his neck, his hands helplessly scratching, hoping his teammates behind would notice his predicament.
However, how could these ordinary team members see the S-level [Linear Bending]? They saw the tall inspection team member making strange gestures and quickly took out their phones to take photos: “Hey, Yuejia, what dance are you doing? You’ve got us all confused.”
“Don’t move, I’m recording a clip to show your wife later.”
“Hey, doesn’t Yuejia’s neck look a bit deformed?”
Zhan Pingchuan removed his ability just before the inspection team member was about to suffocate.
The tall man collapsed on the ground with a thud, clutching his neck and coughing violently. His brain quickly regained blood flow, his scalp throbbing with sharp pain. After a long while, he finally caught his breath. When he touched his neck, a terrifying strangulation mark quickly swelled and turned purple.
He got up, directly pulled out the gun from his waist, his voice hoarse and rough: “Who just used—”
Before he could finish, Lance adjusted his glasses and said seriously: “We are the champions of this year’s Challenge Cup competition at Star University, invited to intern at the Federation government. If we choose to join Blue Pivot after graduation, we probably won’t be at your position, right?”
The tall man was suddenly stunned, momentarily speechless.
Lance continued unhurriedly: “As for who it was just now, can’t you see? If you can’t see, do you really want to know?”
The tall inspection team member’s face immediately turned extremely ugly. As Lance said, everyone’s aptitude is determined from the moment of birth. Once awakened, the level cannot be changed for life. Just like how he couldn’t see the ability the other party used just now—whether he was twenty, thirty, or fifty, what he couldn’t see, he would never see.
These students might be at his mercy now, but once they graduated with rich internship experiences and applied for positions at Blue Pivot, they would likely start at a higher position than his current one.
By then, these people would no longer be ones he could bully.
This Omega was subtly warning him that his current unrestrained speech might come back to haunt him in the future.
However, he wasn’t willing to be lectured by a young and beautiful Omega. In his emotional state, he recklessly mocked with his hoarse voice: “Students are indeed naive. High levels mean shit. On the seventh floor of the Blue Pivot building, there’s an S-level who waits to be fu—”
Bang!
A gunshot interrupted the tall inspection team member’s unfinished sentence for life.
A bloody hole opened in his head, brain matter oozing out from the hole with a gurgling sound. His eyes stared blankly forward, his body like a flagpole without support, collapsing to the ground with a “thud.”
Tang Li had never seen such a bloody scene up close. The inspection team member’s blood splattered onto his suitcase, and the corpse emitted an unpleasant stench.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
Tang Li closed his eyes and screamed in terror.
If ten minutes ago he had been full of anticipation for this internship journey, now only one thought remained in his mind—
In the future, he would go nowhere except High Tower Guild!
The gunshot was unexpected. A group of inspection team members fumbled to draw their guns, on high alert: “Who’s there!”
From inside the restricted area, an official SUV numbered C.P.1-002.001 slowly drove out.
The window of the back seat was open, with an arm wrapped in uniform resting on it. That hand was holding a gun, showing no intention of withdrawing it.
When the Seventh District inspection team members saw the vehicle number, their faces instantly turned pale. They hurriedly put away their weapons, trying to lower their heads, trembling as they said: “Director Si!”
The car drove over and stopped in front of the corpse. That hand pulled the trigger again, raising the gun barrel. A cold voice came out: “What did he just say?”
“Uh, he said…” A team member was about to respond but was firmly held back by a teammate beside him.
“Report to Director Si, we didn’t hear clearly. He was shot by you for harassing the interns!”
Si Hongche didn’t speak. The backs of several Seventh District team members were already soaked with cold sweat. Just when the air had become so stagnant that it was difficult to breathe, Si Hongche finally withdrew his gun and coldly ordered: “Clean this up.”
The team members immediately let out a sigh of relief, knowing that this ordeal was over.
However, Si Hongche didn’t rush to leave. His gaze turned to the four freshmen.
Si Hongche carefully examined them with a deep gaze. Through a layer of glass film, people outside couldn’t see his expression, but he could take in everything.
The two standing at the front remained relatively calm, except that the red-haired Omega seemed afraid of blood and was currently turning his head away, his eyes covered by the Alpha’s palm.
The Alpha was gently patting his back, softly comforting him with something inaudible.
Si Hongche suddenly had a moment of déjà vu.
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
