Chapter 158 – Take a Look at Your Abs

Chapter 158 - Take a Look at Your Abs

The highest leader of the Monitoring Institute stood above the Sky Stairs, witnessing the spectacle of lightning and thunder. His face was filled with shock and suspicion as he subconsciously tightened his grip on the walkie-talkie in his hand, asking the secretary in a deep voice, "Who is that person in black?!"

If his memory served him right, Sky City only had one lightning ability user—Xing Yuan. When did another terrifyingly powerful individual suddenly appear?!

The secretary also looked surprised, lowering his voice as he hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment. I'll check immediately."

The originally aggressive wanderers were forced to disperse under the suppression of two lightning ability users, allowing Sky City to hold its ground. It was just as the sun began to set in the west, and the crowd erupted into cheers, celebrating the end of the battle.

Lu Yan saw this and nimbly jumped down from the defensive wall. Due to the massive consumption of his abilities, his back was already drenched in cold sweat. He hadn't expected such a large number of wanderers to gather in Sky City. The Weather Station predicted that the red sun would last for an entire week, and it was only the second day. If they came back in full force tomorrow, the situation wouldn't be good.

When Lu Yan acted, he drew the attention of many people. He noticed the looks of shock and awe from the onlookers, subtly pressing down on his cap brim. He lowered his head and quickly walked through the crowd, wanting to leave—

Lu Xiaozhao, the symbiote, was still tied up at home. It wasn't suitable to attract official attention now.

However, how could the Monitoring Institute let such a powerful talent slip away? Just as Lu Yan took a few steps, he was stopped by a refined man wearing silver-rimmed glasses. Several patrol soldiers stood behind him, indicating a high status:

"Wait!"

Secretary He Zhu saw that Lu Yan was about to leave and hurriedly caught up, his tone somewhat anxious. "Sir, please wait! Our director wants to thank you for your help earlier and would like to invite you for a casual meal later. Is that convenient for you?"

In reality, the meal was secondary. What was most important was finding out the background of the man in black before them and figuring out a way to recruit him into the Ability Special Zone. Secretary He Zhu sifted through all the ability users in Sky City in his mind but couldn't guess the identity of the man in black before him.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan paused. His low voice came through the mask, muffled and hard to identify. "Sorry, I'm in a hurry to get home."

Secretary He Zhu's eyes flickered as he asked with a smile, "Where do you live? We can send a flying vehicle to take you home. The traffic on Cloud Road is already paralyzed, and I imagine it's similar in other districts. You might find it inconvenient to go alone."

Lu Yan could see through his ulterior motives and replied coolly, "Thank you, but I can go back myself. There's no need to waste manpower and resources."

As he finished speaking, he prepared to leave. Suddenly, a group of black figures appeared not far away, blocking his path. It was Xing Yuan and Luoyang. Unlike their indifference and contempt on the flying vehicle, everyone now looked at Lu Yan with caution and curiosity. A closer look revealed a hint of reverence—

Of course, this didn't include Xing Yuan.

"Are you a fifth-level lightning ability user?"

Xing Yuan's emotionless gaze fell on Lu Yan, sizing him up. His tone was indifferent and cold, making it difficult to analyze the hidden meaning in his words, but it was certainly not friendly.

Damn, Daddy Moneybags.

Lu Yan hadn't expected to run into the other party. His pupils contracted slightly, and he instinctively put both hands in his coat pockets. His brain raced to think of a way to handle the situation without offending anyone. After a moment, he finally said, "Sort of."

Xing Yuan sneered. "Sort of?"

It was clear that he found this answer disdainful.

Don't doubt it—it was jealousy.

Xing Yuan asked ambiguously, "Can't you even figure out what level of ability you have?"

"Xing Yuan…"

Luoyang stood behind, secretly tugging on Xing Yuan's sleeve, his expression twitching. They had come over to see the situation, but why did Xing Yuan start mocking and ridiculing the moment he opened his mouth? It made them seem like the vicious cannon fodder in a novel.

Lu Yan showed no signs of being infuriated by the mockery. Xing Yuan had always been this way, and he knew it well. At this moment, he could calmly respond and even stroke his ego, appearing particularly humble. "I'm a self-taught amateur. I can't distinguish between third or fifth levels. I'm definitely not as good as Captain Xing."

Regardless of how he answered, flattery was the key.

But unexpectedly, Xing Yuan wasn't buying it. He lifted his eyelids, visibly picking faults and displeased. "Are you being sarcastic with me?"

This sentence would have been fine coming from someone else, but from Lu Yan's mouth, it indeed sounded sarcastic. After all, his strength was evident, on par with Xing Yuan's. Yet, he insisted he wasn't as good as the other man. As the saying goes, excessive modesty is pride?

Well, he had just stepped in it while trying to flatter.

At this moment, Lu Yan couldn't help but silently lament that money was hard to earn and shit was hard to eat. He saw Xing Yuan looking at him with disdain but unable to do anything about it, which made him want to laugh inwardly: "No, I mean it sincerely."

It sounded even more sarcastic.

Xing Yuan's expression darkened further.

Secretary He Zhu saw that the situation was getting out of control and hurriedly spoke up to smooth things over. "It's truly rare. Sky City has only two lightning ability users, and we've met today. Why don't I treat you both to a meal since we've bumped into each other?"

Upon hearing this, Xing Yuan glanced at He Zhu, laughing coldly. This perfectly demonstrated what it meant to be sarcastic. "Forget it. My appetite isn't good. I'm afraid I can't afford Secretary's meal."

Two? Xing Yuan never liked being one of two. He wanted unique things.

This man in black had suddenly appeared from nowhere, possessing the same lightning ability as him and surpassing him in level. Xing Yuan felt a sense of encountering a natural enemy or nemesis, making him feel particularly uncomfortable. Without waiting for He Zhu to speak, he turned around with his team, practically showing his rudeness openly.

He Zhu was quite embarrassed. Xing Yuan's position in the Ability Special Zone was extraordinary. Even the director had to give him some face. Now, someone stronger had arrived, and it was inevitable that there would be conflicts. It was difficult to choose sides.

He Zhu managed a weak smile and apologized to Lu Yan. "Captain Xing has always had this temper. I hope you won't take offense. Sky City is always eager for talented individuals, especially during these difficult times. Please do us the honor of staying… Hey! Don't go!"

Before He Zhu could finish speaking, Lu Yan placed one hand on the defensive wall and leaped down using the leverage. The black figure quickly disappeared into the crowded sea of people, vanishing in the blink of an eye. He changed his expression and hurriedly said to the patrol squad behind him, "What are you standing around for! Go find him immediately!!"

The red sun would continue for several more days, and the other party hadn't even left a name. What if he didn't show up tomorrow!

The patrol squad immediately scattered upon hearing this, rushing down to search for him. But the situation below was chaotic, and anyone could tell that they wouldn't find him.

The secretary was so anxious that he stomped his feet. Turning around, he found the male reporter from the TV station standing behind him, holding the microphone and hesitating. He adjusted his glasses and, restraining his impatience, said, "The director is currently dealing with post-battle matters and may not be able to give an interview. Let's talk about the TV station's affairs later."

As he finished speaking, he prepared to leave but was stopped by the male reporter, who thrust the microphone in front of him. This perfectly demonstrated the concept of news supremacy and the urgency of every second. He fired questions like a machine gun. "Secretary, please spare a few minutes of your time. Can you confirm whether the man in black who appeared in today's battle is an official member of Sky City? If so, can you reveal his identity information?"

Annoyed, He Zhu pushed the microphone away. "Not convenient!"

He wanted to reveal it, but the problem was that he couldn't even find the person. What could he reveal?!

Seeing He Zhu turn to leave, the male reporter tugged at his tie, thinking, What kind of situation was this? A major news story had emerged, yet the officials weren't giving any hints. He looked up at the sky and realized it was almost six o'clock in the evening. He prepared to pack up and go home but didn't expect his assistant to suddenly rush over in a panic, holding a phone and babbling incoherently, "Teacher Xu! It's on fire! It's on fire!"

Xu Pinyan was extremely annoyed and couldn't bear to see him so panicked. "What's on fire? A fire or a flood? Straighten your tongue and speak clearly!"

The assistant gasped for breath, pointing at the phone screen. "Our livestream is on fire! It went from just over a hundred thousand viewers to a staggering eight hundred thousand after that guy in black appeared. He seems to be a mega-celebrity!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Pinyan was taken aback and hastily snatched the phone. The once desolate live room was now flooded with hundreds of thousands of viewers. The comments were packed, all mentioning one name:

"My Brother Lu is the best!! (screams)"

"I thought Little Lu had turned off his stream, but he ended up in Sky City's footage. Damn, he's so cool, summoning lightning with his bare hands!"

"This breathtaking scene, I'm content for life having seen it!"

"Who dares challenge my Brother Lu when he's around!"

Little Lu? Who is he?

Xu Pinyan was puzzled. He quickly scrolled through the comments and eventually found the account mentioned by netizens. Upon clicking, he discovered a broadcaster with over a million followers, whose ID was Demon Hunter. The profile had hardly any videos, yet the number of fans and popularity was astonishingly high. The description was simply:

Outdoor explorer, hunting wanderers at night, updates irregularly.

Xu Pinyan was stunned. Holy crap, hunting wanderers at night—do today's streamers really go that far?!

If Lu Yan were here, he would tell him that it wasn't about wanting to go big—it was simply a matter of survival. In these times, how could you make money without risking your life?

Lu Yan borrowed a car from Feng Xiangming and didn't return home until late at night. He entered his house, closed the door, and immediately took off his black outerwear. Scratches and abrasions were visible on his shoulders and abdomen, all left from standing on the defensive wall and killing wanderers earlier. They hadn't hurt then, but now they stung and tingled.

Lu Yan stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower, then put on his pajamas and sat on the edge of his bed to tend to his wounds. He bit down on the hem of his shirt as he disinfected the injuries with a cotton swab dipped in antiseptic solution. Due to their numerous and fine nature, treating them was quite laborious.

At that moment, the screen of his phone beside him suddenly lit up. Lu Yan picked it up and realized that Phantom had sent him several messages and made multiple calls during the night. However, because his phone was on silent mode, he hadn't heard them.

It was unusual, as Phantom rarely initiated contact.

Lu Yan set aside the medicine bottle and returned the call. The first call went unanswered, but it wasn't because Phantom hadn't heard it; most likely, he was upset. Lu Yan persisted and called twice more. On the third attempt, the call finally went through.

"…"

Silence filled the line. Xing Yuan said nothing, maintaining an icy demeanor.

Lu Yan cleared his throat and spoke first. "Sorry, I was busy earlier and didn't see your messages."

Xing Yuan was in a gloomy mood, sitting alone on the balcony smoking. He tossed the phone onto the coffee table and waited until half of the cigarette between his fingers burned away before he spoke indifferently, "Lu, you've become quite skilled."

During the early days of their acquaintance, Phantom had been available at a moment's notice. Messages sent in the middle of the night would receive instant replies. Now that they had grown closer, Lu Yan dared to ignore messages for hours. Apart from growing bolder, Xing Yuan couldn't think of another explanation.

How perceptive Lu Yan was. Hearing the tone of Xing Yuan's voice, he knew something was amiss. Although he knew Xing Yuan wouldn't say, he still asked, "Why are you in a bad mood? Did someone upset you?"

Who upset him?

Xing Yuan lowered his gaze, holding the cigarette between his lips. Unbidden, the image of the black-clad figure standing on the defensive wall earlier today flashed through his mind. Summoning lightning, his strength was no less than his own, evoking a sense of meeting a worthy opponent. His brows furrowed unconsciously:

"Don't change the subject. Why didn't you reply earlier?"

Lu Yan couldn't come up with any other reason at the moment, so he decided to be honest. "I accidentally got injured and was applying medicine."

Xing Yuan raised an eyebrow and countered, "Your hand?"

Lu Yan: "Another part."

Xing Yuan didn't believe him. "Take a photo and show me."

Lu Yan: "It's too private. You can't see it."

Xing Yuan paused for a moment before asking, "…Your butt?"

Lu Yan choked. "Upper body."

Xing Yuan's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. "What's wrong with showing your upper body?"

Lu Yan thought to himself that this person acted like a hooligan. "My abs aren't for public display."

Xing Yuan had a rebellious streak. The more you told him not to do something, the more he wanted to do it. With a scoff, he said, "Who cares about your abs? I want to see your injury."

Lu Yan: "No."

Xing Yuan cut straight to the point. "Then you were lying earlier."

Lu Yan: "…"

Lu Yan couldn't refuse any request from his benefactor, especially since Xing Yuan had specifically gone to his neighborhood earlier to clear out the wanderers. He had to give him some sweet talk to appease him. Reluctantly, he took out his phone, aimed it at his wounds, snapped a photo, and clicked send.

"Bzzz—"

The phone vibrated slightly, the sound somewhat jarring in the quiet of the night.

Xing Yuan opened the screen, and what met his eyes was a strong, young physique. The skin was pale and cold, the lines smooth. Counting carefully, there were indeed eight abdominal muscles. The bottom of the shirt was partially lifted, and due to the blurry quality of the photo, it exuded an indescribable aura of sensuality.

At this point, whether there were wounds or not was no longer important. In the presence of such beauty, who cared about anything else?

Xing Yuan's eyes darkened upon seeing this. He lost interest in smoking and swiped left and right on the photo. Finally, he realized that Lu Yan had only sent this one picture, leaving him with a faint sense of regret:

"It's unclear."

These words were strangely assertive.

Lu Yan found it amusing, thinking that if the photo was unclear, it was due to Xing Yuan's poor eyesight, not his fault. "Zoom in and look closely."

Xing Yuan felt both itchy and annoyed. Wanderers were embodiments of all the darkness and negativity in the world. Desires were amplified infinitely at night. At this moment, he was already regretting why he had insisted on making Lu Yan take a photo. His appetite was piqued, but he couldn't satisfy it.

Xing Yuan seemed to recall something and suddenly chuckled. Like a seductive ghost from hell, he lured people to descend, dragging out his deep, husky voice as he asked, "Have you... ever video chatted with anyone?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan had a bad feeling. His eyelids twitched. "What do you mean?"

Xing Yuan's every move was always decisive and efficient. He directly transferred a century's worth of time, sending a concise message: "Shall we chat via video?"

Though a question mark followed, the substantial time transfer of a full century was so overwhelming that it left no room for refusal. Lu Yan initially intended to resist stubbornly, but before his mind could catch up, his right hand reflexively tapped to accept.

"!!!"

Oh my goodness!

Lu Yan was utterly exasperated; his uncooperative hand was the bane of his existence!!