Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"I didn't," An Zhe whispered.

He handed the work manual to Lu Fen, who raised an eyebrow slightly before taking it.

"There's also the coat." He took off his coat and passed it to Lu Fen, saying, "Thank you."

Lu Fen draped the coat over his elbow and looked down at An Zhe.

"You don't have to wait for me," he said. "Just leave it at the city gate."

An Zhe didn't respond. He met Lu Fen's gaze for a few seconds before cautiously asking, "Are… you alright?"

Lu Fen averted his gaze. "I'm fine."

His tone was indifferent, as if nothing had just happened.

An Zhe: "…Oh."

He continued, "Where are you headed?"

Lu Fen looked at him, his cold green eyes, filled with scrutiny, always reminding An Zhe of something icy. Coupled with the chilly night breeze sweeping through the city, An Zhe, having just left the warmth of the coat, shivered slightly.

Reaching out, Lu Fen tossed the coat back into An Zhe's arms.

"I'm not sure," he said. "I'll take you back first."

An Zhe wrapped himself in the coat again. After putting it on, Lu Fen started walking forward, and An Zhe followed suit.

On either side of them, the path was cleared by the marching crowd. Their expressions were grim, mouths downturned, and they still held their signs and flyers aloft. The papers rustled in the night wind, creating a sharp sound.

Everyone watched them in silence, tense and alert. The vibrant hues of green, purple, and orange aurora illuminated their faces, blending with their skin to create an unusual metallic sheen.

In those eyes, An Zhe saw vivid hatred and cautious wariness – if not for the fear of Lu Fen's gun and his license to kill, they seemed capable of anything.

The same gaze fell upon An Zhe, and one could argue that most of them were watching him. Unconsciously, An Zhe moved closer to Lu Fen – he understood why Lu Fen was escorting him back.

Fortunately, although the crowd was substantial, it wasn't immense compared to the entire city. Within five minutes, they passed through the protest area and stepped onto the road leading to the residential district.

The residential area's towering structures cast long, dark shadows under the aurora's glow, turning the gray-white concrete roads into a patchwork of black and gray. The shadows of An Zhe and Lu Fen also stretched on the ground, intermingling with the irregular patterns.

An Zhe was unsure what to say to Lu Fen, and neither did the latter initiate a conversation.

Despite the night, the area was far from tranquil. A military truck rumbled past them, stopping at a fork in the road. Its doors swung open, and residents seeking refuge streamed out, escorted by a team of soldiers and a staff member from the city office in a white shirt, clutching a notebook. They guided the displaced people into one of the buildings for settlement.

A man asked the soldier, "How long will we have to shelter here?"

The soldier replied, "Depends on the situation."

Another resident inquired, "I've heard that District 6 is safe. Can you guarantee its safety?"

The soldier answered, "No concrete information yet. We'll wait for the Lighthouse's report."

"Then..." Someone tried to ask more, but the soldier promptly interrupted, "Follow me, now."

Clattering footsteps echoed as they entered the building.

An Zhe looked up at the number on the right side of the building: it read '55'.

Lu Fen didn't pause, nor did An Zhe. They continued on for another thirty meters until they stood before Building 56.

Building 56—

Something stirred within An Zhe as he lifted his gaze to the label, then to the dark entrance of the building's center unit.

This area was very close to the isolation gate. The military had already started relocating personnel to Building 55, so it wouldn't be long before they reached Building 56.

Lu Fen's voice rang out, "Want to go in?"

An Zhe shook his head.

Lu Fen spoke matter-of-factly, "If you want to, then go."

An Zhe replied, "."

He suspected that the Judges and their officials were trained in mind-reading.

Saying, "Then let's go," he began walking.

Lu Fen changed direction and headed for Building 56, with An Zhe walking beside him. As they walked, An Zhe took an ID card from his pocket. On it was a string of numbers: 3260563209, signifying Unit 3, 2nd floor, Room 09 in Building 56.

This wasn't An Zhe's room, nor was the ID card his – it belonged to Fan Si, the one who had brought him to the Northern Base.

After Fan Si's corpse had been taken away that day, the soldiers had handed this ID card to An Zhe as a memento. Since then, he had kept it with him.

Using the ID card, An Zhe unlocked the door – it still worked, indicating that the base hadn't revoked access to the room yet. He stepped inside, switched on the light, and found a simple room with a disheveled bed, as if its owner had just gotten up and left. On the table were some personal items – a water glass, a pack of cigarettes, and a lighter – this was Fan Si's home.

It had been a month since Fan Si's death. Occasionally, An Zhe would think of him, but only fleetingly. However, after witnessing so many deaths and fears today, passing by Building 56 stirred something within him. He suddenly understood why Fan Si had said that people clung to hope even after being injured – because they longed to return home.

The desire for humans to go back to a place held no difference from their fear of death and will to live, for there were things they held dear.

With this thought, An Zhe gently placed the ID card under the cigarette pack – he remembered that Fan Si enjoyed smoking.

Having finished his task, he turned to leave, and Lu Fen leaned against the doorframe, waiting for him.

His gaze seemed like a falling snowflake, landing softly on An Zhe, appearing different from before.

An Zhe asked, "What's wrong?"

"I subjectively believe you're human," Lu Fen said, turning to leave.

An Zhe followed silently, not wanting to speak up. The Judicator had indeed been constantly and persistently suspecting that he wasn't human.

When they returned to the road, Lu Fen's communicator beeped, and Doctor's voice came through.

"The detectors have been incorporated into the gateway's judgment process, soothing the residents somewhat. The Lighthouse will send five more units tomorrow, but it might still not be enough. Colonel, you might need to return."

"I'm aware." Lu Fen's tone was cold. "I'll go back during the day."

"Thank you. Rest well tonight," the Doctor paused before adding, "Director Howard is dead. What now? You're the only colonel with executive authority left in the outer city. The colonel in charge of City Affairs is a civilian, and just coordinating emergency supplies would be enough to make him go bald."

"The Judicatory will temporarily take over the City Defense Bureau, diverting all troops to rescue efforts," Lu Fen said. "After Judgment Day, I hope the Lighthouse can assist us in formulating a plan to restart the dispersal devices."

"Certainly," the Doctor replied.

Lu Fen ended the call and began making another, arranging matters with the Judicatory. An Zhe listened quietly. The Judicator's words were as concise and straightforward as always, his tone as cold and efficient. Many things had happened tonight, but Lu Fen seemed to remain the same.

An Zhe turned to look at his profile. From what the Doctor had said, this man would still return to the city gate tomorrow, and An Zhe himself had tacitly accepted that he would too. That young judge had mentioned that the colonel was fighting against unimaginable behemoths— perhaps Lu Fen was already accustomed to it.

The only abnormal action he took tonight was turning away from that spot.

By the time the call ended, they had arrived at Building 117, and Lu Fen seemed to know the way even better than him. They smoothly reached Door 14. After turning on the lights, everything inside appeared as usual, except for one missing item along the wall.

—However, even if An Zhe were given ten times his courage, he wouldn't dare ask where the doll was taken after its confiscation.

An Zhe asked Lu Fen by the door, "Would you like to come in?"

"No need," Lu Fen replied. "You should rest."

An Zhe hesitated for a moment before asking, "Then... where are you going?"

Lu Fen furrowed his brows slightly, seemingly in thought.

After a brief contemplation, he said, "I'm not sure."

The communicator screen displayed that it was already eleven o'clock at night. An Zhe counted the hours and concluded that the colonel might have been without rest for almost forty hours.

He knew that today's emergency had forced many arrangements to be made hastily by Lu Fen and Howard. They had done their best to settle the residents in Sector 6, but for others like soldiers, court officials, and city defense personnel, they might not have immediate offices or accommodations. Perhaps they were simply resting for the night in the residential areas near the city gates.

Yet, he sensed that Lu Fen might not wish to return to the city gate right now.

An Zhe was deeply conflicted.

His fingers tightened involuntarily, and he pressed his lips together.

Lu Fen asked, "What's wrong?"

His voice was slightly low. The hallway lights were dim, and perhaps due to the lighting, his contours didn't seem as sharp and intimidating as usual.

An Zhe steeled himself.

Even if it was just for the sake of the spores, he needed to establish a better relationship with the colonel.

"If...if you have nowhere else to go," An Zhe looked up at Lu Fen, "you can stay at my place too."