Chapter 61

Chapter 61

The post that caught Fang Zhou's attention was as follows.

[Topic: Is the Central planning to open up a certain number of Paradise residency slots?]

Main Post: As titled, today, while going through the Michèle perspective, I heard them discussing quota issues at a meeting. Nothing confirmed yet, just a speculation.

1L: Wow, if that's true, it would really change the game's dynamics, wouldn’t it?

2L: For real? The Central is so strict about residency rights in Paradise, why would they suddenly open it up?

3L: There must be conditions, it's not like just anyone can get in.

4L: How strict is it? I only remember from the storyline that they haven’t opened it up since the 'Falling Sun' event, but I don’t have a clear idea.

5L: For example, they won’t even agree to accommodate family members of high-level Transcenders they want to recruit, not even one (unless the family member also meets the recruitment criteria). They can negotiate money and benefits, but not quota.

6L: Yes, precisely because of this, many powerful Transcenders who want to enter Paradise prefer to stay outside.

15L: Actually, I don't quite get it. Paradise is resource-rich, spanning an area equivalent to several cities in the old world. If they really want to expand their power, adding a few ordinary people in Paradise shouldn’t be a problem.

16L: Who knows? We are just players; the more thrilling the plot, the better. If it opens, maybe it will merge with another storyline?

17L: The Joker storyline? That seems too soon, there’s still so much unexplained in the Central line.

18L: The person above has a point.

As usual, discussions in the Central line were not very active. The few times discussions about her first disguise occurred were considered quite heated for the Central line.

If Fang Xunjiang's storyline is considered a personal line, the Central line is less focused on individuals and more on an ensemble, consisting of several key characters. The story progresses by switching perspectives among these characters, eventually converging their narratives into a unified storyline.

"This should be more exciting than the Joker line, but unfortunately, it seems to fall short of players' expectations."

"However, based on Fang Zhou's experience, while everyone loves a good spectacle, it's typical for storylines like the Central line to pick up momentum in the later stages, which might explain its current lower discussion volume compared to the Joker line."

"As the players in the thread mentioned, if residency rights in Paradise are indeed opened, it would certainly reshuffle the power dynamics outside of Paradise."

"Fang Zhou noted this information down."

"Exiting this thread, Fang Zhou continued to search through the crevices for other Central line related posts. She flipped through a few pages as her allotted viewing time was nearly up."

"[Topic: Is Xingfei Finally About to Find Miss World?]"

"Fang Zhou, seeing this title: ?"

"She immediately clicked to enter."

"Main Post: The governor gave him an ultimatum. He hasn't reported any useful information in a week in the Tonghua District and even lost track of Miss World. In his latest communication with the governor, he said he has found her and results will be forthcoming soon. Is this just to appease the governor, or is it true?"

"1L: Will we finally see Miss World again?"

"2L: It's probably not just talk. Xingfei wouldn't dare deceive the governor. There's a high chance he's really onto something."

"3L: Yay! Does that mean we'll soon see Miss World again!"

"4L: The Easter egg of Xingfei being outwitted is about to end. I'm going to miss it."

"5L: Good point above."

"6L: But I think the governor is running out of patience to let him get close to Miss World again. In the recent communication, the governor was very stern, saying if he can't get close, then just capture her directly, absolutely can't let her escape."

"7L: Ah..."

"8L: Governor, you're really pushing the limits!"

"9L: Why is the governor so obsessed with Miss World? She's a bit of a mystery, sure, but it doesn't warrant such urgency."

"10L: I don't know. The previous communication gave me the impression that the governor was just somewhat interested, but this latest communication was a real ultimatum, as if he's onto something."

"11L: Yes, I could feel Xingfei's pressure even through the screen."

"25L: Speaking of which, what are Xingfei's abilities again? I only know that Mi Le is a humanoid weapon created by the governor, but there's not much discussion about Xingfei. He seems to always rely on various assistive equipments in battles."

"26L: He's not one of the main perspectives and doesn't have as much screen time as Mi Le, only visible through the third-party perspective, so the information is limited for now. More revelations should come later."

"27L: I just hope Miss World is okay..."

"28L: Praying for Miss World's safety."

"29L: Xingfei: Miss World is fine, if there's anyone in trouble, it's probably me."

"30L: Haha, then let's show him a bit of sympathy."

"Fang Zhou didn't finish reading the thread as the forum's viewing time limit was almost up, so she exited."

"What does this mean? Xingfei knows her location? How did he find out?"

"The only thing linking her to Xingfei was the bracelet on her hand, but this bracelet had been scanned by Lu Feilan's abilities, and no tracker was found inside."

"Fang Zhou didn't suspect Lu Feilan of deceit and immediately began recalling all the details of the day, searching for any discrepancies."

"Quickly, she remembered an incongruous scene related to the bracelet."

"Today, while searching for Fang Xunjiang in the Tonghua District, the indiscriminate gunfire from a helicopter triggered the bracelet's sensor mode to block the bullets."

"Thinking carefully, that was the first time she had activated the bracelet's effect since leaving the Tonghua District."

"Fang Zhou immediately removed it from her wrist, intending to destroy it, but then hesitated."

"Its defensive capabilities were too good, and at certain moments, it could really save her life. She always had a deep desire for such life-saving defenses."

"Of course, there was also the most crucial point: was the bracelet really how Xingfei knew her location? What if it was something else?"

"She needed to know the exact reason."

"In the end, Fang Zhou chose not to destroy it immediately."

"It was already late, and the situation was too urgent to ignore. If Xingfei really knew her location through the bracelet, he would probably be in the Baijing District by now."

"With this thought, Fang Zhou put on a coat and went out the door, intending to find Lu Feilan and examine the bracelet again."

"Lu Feilan, due to his injuries, was currently staying in a residence near the medical hall, not far from here. Liuli Street, with its special location lacking Order Bureau surveillance, was a short distance away. Fang Zhou opted to use her enhanced speed instead of driving, as it would be much faster."

"The streets of Liuli Street at night were unexpectedly bright, with colorful screens embedded in some of the old buildings, playing old-world videos and cheap advertisements. The sight of dilapidated old buildings paired with half-functioning screens created a comically incongruous scene."

When Fang Zhou used her speed enhancement to pass by, it was like a colorful light streaking across, leaving a glowing rainbow in her wake.

Soon she arrived at Lu Feilan's residence. She waved at the sensor at the door, and Lu Feilan's somewhat sleepy voice came from inside.

"…Who's there?"

"It's me, there's an emergency."

After a moment, the door opened. Lu Feilan, looking somewhat frail due to his injuries and leaning on the door frame, asked, "What's up?"

Fang Zhou entered and handed him her wristband, getting straight to the point: "Could you use your ability to check this wristband again for me?"

Lu Feilan rubbed his forehead, closing the door: "You really are a ruthless boss, making an injured man work in the middle of the night."

Fang Zhou: "Please, I appreciate it."

Lu Feilan sat on the living room sofa, examining the wristband: "Didn't you already have me check this last time? Is there a new problem?"

After speaking, he activated his ability, scrutinizing the wristband's internal structure.

"…" He frowned slightly.

Fang Zhou asked, "How is it? Any issues compared to last time?"

"There's something activated inside," Lu Feilan said. "It wasn’t there when I checked last time... or it was a different structure then. This isn't a tracking or eavesdropping component; I've never seen it before. It might be new technology from the Paradise."

Just as expected.

The activation of this switch in the wristband must have been triggered by its use, and this switch might be linked to something related to Michèle, which led him to discover her location.

It’s unclear whether the link to Michèle allows for precise location tracking or just an approximate area.

"“Is it possible to destroy it separately?”"

"“Yes.” Lu Feilan paused after answering, “Did the commander tell you?”"

"Fang Zhou, understanding he was referring to the matter of his abilities, replied, “Yes, but I think there was no need to hide it from me.”"

"While using his ability to dismantle the bracelet’s component, Lu Feilan glanced up at her: “I didn’t intend to hide it; you just never asked.”"

"Fang Zhou: “…”"

"Well, she indeed had never asked proactively."

"“Click.”"

"Fang Zhou heard a very faint sound coming from the bracelet."

"“It's done.”"

"“Are you sure there are no other suspicious components left inside?” Fang Zhou asked, still apprehensive."

"“I checked thoroughly this time, scanning each component meticulously.”"

"“Will destroying this component affect the bracelet’s functionality?”"

"“No, its operational structure remains intact.”"

"Hearing Lu Feilan's assurance and knowing the reason, Fang Zhou hesitated momentarily before deciding to summon a thread python to destroy and consume the bracelet."

"As for why not keep it, since Lu Feilan missed it the first time, there could be a second or third time. She couldn’t take that small chance."

"Based on the forum's content, Xingfei's objective had shifted from approaching her to capturing her. His abilities were unknown, and she vividly remembered the scene of those Devourers self-destructing at the conference. If possible, she preferred to avoid a direct confrontation with Xingfei."

"“If you were planning to destroy it from the start, you shouldn’t have wasted my energy,” Lu Feilan grumbled. “By the way, where did you get this bracelet? It clearly looks like something from inside Paradise.”"

"“The sucker gave it to me himself, but it was destroyed before it could be used much. It's a shame.” Fang Zhou sighed, “I'm heading back, you should rest well.”"

"Lu Feilan couldn’t help but comment: “You're always in such a rush. Are you a perpetual motion wheel, always spinning?”"

"“I'm racing against death, can't afford to slack off.” After saying this, she asked for Lu Feilan's communicator, “By the way, lend me your communicator for a moment.”"

"“What for?”"

"Fang Zhou entered Lei Qie's number into it: “This is Lei Qie’s number.”"

"Upon hearing his name, Lu Feilan immediately showed a disgusted expression."

"“Get along well, he'll be a comrade from now on,” Fang Zhou said with a smile. “If anything unusual happens tonight, contact Lei Qie first. I’ll have him teleport me over to rescue you from peril.”"

"“...Stop joking around. Have you been influenced by that annoying guy?”"

"She waved her hand: “Bye, sweet dreams.”"

"After leaving Lu Feilan's place, Fang Zhou returned to her current residence."

"She didn’t sleep in the first half of the night. Based on Xingfei’s character, knowing her location, he would definitely rush over immediately. If it was precise tracking, he would either come near her current location where she had spent the most time, or near Lu Feilan’s place."

"She created a new mimicry for herself and waited until around 3 or 4 in the morning, but there was still no movement."

"Lu Feilan didn’t contact her either, confirming that Xingfei indeed couldn’t pinpoint her exact location, likely only a general area."

"Even if they were face to face, Xingfei probably wouldn't recognize her."

"With this realization, Fang Zhou finally relaxed and went to sleep."

"The next day, nearing noon, she went out to familiarize herself with Liuli Street’s surroundings, then bought a new communicator and sent the new number to Fang Xunjiang and others."

"Fang Zhou considered whether to leave Baijing District, but given the recent situation, all routes out were likely heavily guarded. She dismissed the idea and decided to stay in Liuli Street for the time being to observe the Order enforcers’ recent movements."

"Two days passed, during which Fang Zhou and Fang Xunjiang and others refrained from any action, quietly observing the situation in Baijing District. Everything remained relatively peaceful, without any incident of Order enforcers rounding up everyone in Liuli Street to capture them."

"Until Lei Qie informed her."

"“Someone has been looking for you these past two days, not an Order enforcer, um...” He recalled, “It's your ‘companion’ I saw at sea before, the tall woman with short hair.”"

"Ming Chan? Why would she be looking for her?"

"Based on Fang Zhou's understanding of them, they were all ‘good citizens’. Under normal circumstances, they had no reason to approach Liuli Street."

"Her intuition told her this might be important. Fang Zhou thought for a moment and asked Lei Qie for information on where Ming Chan was last seen, then set up a stakeout there."

"It wasn’t long before she spotted a familiar figure nearby, a person with neat short hair, dressed in practical black attire."

"It was definitely Ming Chan."

"Fang Zhou transformed back into her second mimicry and approached Ming Chan, calling out to her."

"“Ming Chan.”"

"“Zhou Er?” Ming Chan’s eyes brightened upon seeing her, scanned the surroundings, then came forward and grasped Fang Zhou's wrist, leading her to a less populated area."

"Fang Zhou had a good impression of Ming Chan and understood her abilities. She wasn’t worried about any hostility from Ming Chan, confident she could handle it if there was any, and let herself be led away."

"Once they were in a secluded area, Ming Chan released her, examining Fang Zhou's current state: “Have you been alright recently? I couldn’t reach you on your communicator, nor in the fourth dimension.”"

"“My communicator was destroyed a couple of days ago, I got a new one. Sorry, did you come to Liuli Street to find me?”"

"Although they had experienced life and death together, Fang Zhou felt she and Ming Chan weren’t yet at the level of companions. If she couldn’t be contacted, she didn’t expect Ming Chan to come looking for her in Liuli Street."

"“Yes, Shang Xize was taken by the Order enforcers, along with Ye Qingjia, Yi Xiuzhu, and He Yongyuan,” Ming Chan said, her eyes turning sharp. “And the Order enforcers are still searching for me and Suo Wan.”"

"This was an unexpected turn for Fang Zhou; she paused, “What happened?”"

"Ming Chan's gaze lingered on her, observing her expression to ascertain she wasn’t lying. Seeing Fang Zhou genuinely unaware, she visibly relaxed."

"She said, “Shang Xize owns many properties in Baijing District.”"

"With this statement from Ming Chan, Fang Zhou immediately understood what she meant."

The house she and Lu Feilan rented from the agency happened to be a property owned by Shang Xize, a coincidence she had secretly marveled at back then.

Connecting all these events, she realized why the Orderlies were targeting Ming Chan's team.

Her second identity used the "Enclosure in the Ground" ability twice, once during the meetup with Fang Xunjiang, and another time to rescue Lu Feilan from the mall.

The people from the Order Bureau aren’t fools. By cross-referencing information, they’d know it was the same person. And since that “mad dog” knew Lu Feilan’s address, all housing outside Liuli Street is registered, so accessing records and surveillance from the agency that day would pinpoint both Lu Feilan and her.

However, Fang Zhou wasn’t worried about this; it was all within her expectations.

What she hadn’t anticipated was overlooking a crucial piece of information.

As her landlord, the Orderlies could trace things back to Shang Xize.

The clues of her having gone to sea with Shang Xize would also be unearthed along with this information.

Moreover, Ming Chan and Shang Xize had probably traded the information on the alien creatures from their sea expedition with the Central for points. It’s very likely that the Order Bureau was now cooperating with the Central, sharing information. No wonder the forums mentioned a complete change in the Governor’s attitude, demanding Michèle to capture her.

"Damn it..."

Realizing this, Fang Zhou cursed under her breath; she never intended to involve Ming Chan and the others.

The enemy wasn’t incompetent and possessed powerful data integration skills.

For the first time, Fang Zhou felt such a strong sense of crisis.

Seeing her reaction, Ming Chan knew she understood the situation. Approaching Fang Zhou, she said, “Tuesday, I don’t expect you to get us and Shang Xize out of this. You’re not obligated, especially since our lives were saved thanks to you.”

“But I need to know what exactly is going on. If we're going to die, at least let us die knowing why.”