Chapter 123 Escape, Really Don’t Want to Hurt You

Chapter 123: Breaking Out – I Really Don’t Want to Hurt You

This news stunned Miao Yuanjin, as the contents of that diary from the sinister laboratory in City Twenty-Five flashed vividly before her eyes.

"What... do you mean?" A wave of dread seized Miao Yuanjin’s heart.

"You know, the three seeds you retrieved were merely the remnants. Seven other seeds were already taken from City Twenty-Five two months ago," Miao Nianzhen’s voice was heavy. "Our research indicates that the three seeds you brought back are of inferior quality. This means the ones taken out earlier were healthier—and one of them is now inside Yu Xing’s grandmother."

Miao Yuanjin was too shocked to speak. She couldn’t fathom how events had spiraled this way. Just two months prior, Yu Xing and her grandmother had been an ordinary pair.

Lans tilted his head slightly, asking, "What kind of seed is it?"

"That’s the most terrifying part," Miao Nianzhen took a deep breath. "City Twenty-Five fell because a colossal tree grew within it. That tree is not only immense but possesses extreme regenerative capabilities and continuously emits potent pollution."

Lans knew of this tree. Nearly every Divine Chosen in the Federation was aware of it. The tree was incredibly powerful—immune to cutting, unaffected by ordinary flames. It was said that the flames of a Level 6 Fire God Chosen were effective against it, but the tree was simply too enormous, its regeneration too rapid. Burning it from the outside was nearly impossible; it had to be destroyed from the roots.

A Level 6 Fire God Chosen had once attempted to enter the central zone but failed, escaping with severe injuries. Since then, the Federation had abandoned any plans to reclaim City Twenty-Five, focusing instead on researching the origins of the giant tree.

As Lans pondered, Miao Nianzhen continued, "After studying the seeds and samples from the giant tree, we confirmed that those seeds are its offspring. Among the seven seeds taken out two months ago, one ended up in City Seven. We can’t even imagine what would have happened if we hadn’t been fortunate enough to detect the anomaly in Yu Xing’s grandmother early. If that seed had sprouted, what would City Seven have faced?"

After Miao Nianzhen finished speaking, the observation room lapsed into a long, heavy silence.

Miao Yuanjin turned her head. Inside the interrogation room, Yu Xing remained motionless, unchanged.

She wiped away her tears and said, "Even so, that doesn’t mean Yu Xing is to blame. If she were involved, why would she have gone with us to City Twenty-Five? You don’t even know what we experienced there, do you? Without Yu Xing, we wouldn’t have made it into the central zone, nor would we have retrieved the seeds. Without those seeds, how would you have known any of this?"

Her voice was loud, its echo lingering in the observation room.

"You make a fair point," Miao Nianzhen also looked at Yu Xing. "That’s why we’re only interrogating her."

"But she lied—repeatedly. Some of those lies prove she wasn’t entirely unaware of her grandmother’s condition." Miao Nianzhen’s gaze darkened. "We must eradicate the followers of that Evil Cult from the shadows. Otherwise, no one knows when doomsday might arrive. If Yu Xing tells the truth and proves she has no connection to the Evil Cult’s plans, I’ll apologize to her immediately. She’s still the Federation’s hope for the future."

At this, Miao Nianzhen softened as she looked at Miao Yuanjin’s tear-stained face.

She gently placed a hand on Miao Yuanjin’s shoulder and said in a milder tone, "Xiao Jin, now that you’re aware of everything, you must understand that what I’m doing is necessary. You may visit Yu Xing later. You’re her good friend—I hope you can persuade her..."

Lans suddenly thought of something. "You’ve already drugged her. Has she still not told the truth?"

Miao Nianzhen’s expression turned odd. "We did administer the drugs, but... her speech was fragmented into delirious ramblings—nothing useful. When she’s lucid, she says nothing except asking about her grandmother."

---

Yu Xing had a long dream. She dreamed of when she first entered the mental institution—so young, so unused to living there. Dr. Li would make his rounds daily, encouraging her to recover quickly so she could leave. He even taught her in secret: if she pretended to be normal, the hospital might release her.

But by then, Yu Xing no longer wanted to leave. She liked the hospital—she was happy there.

The sound of a door opening jolted her awake instantly.

She didn’t move, maintaining her sleeping posture. She had been confined here for a while now. Miao Nianzhen kept asking questions she couldn’t answer. She had expected torture, but instead, they only injected her with something.

The drugs made her mind chaotic, leaving her barely conscious. It was excruciating yet endurable.

One moment stood out as particularly painful for her—they showed her hologram footage of Di Shensi being interrogated. He, too, had been injected with the same drug.

Unlike her, Di Shensi had reacted violently. He convulsed in torment, his skin flushed, veins bulging as he howled in pain.

Miao Nianzhen had said to her, "Lieutenant Colonel Di Shensi is your friend, isn’t he? He truly cares for you. To shield your secrets, he’s resisting the drug’s effects. It’s excruciating—you know how it feels. For his sake, won’t you stop holding back?"

But what could Yu Xing say? That she was an alien? That she had access to the Transmigrator Exchange Forum, where she could trade pollution sources for mystical items from other worlds? That she wasn’t a Divine Chosen—just someone with the Broomstick Star Skill?

Even if she confessed, would they believe her? And if they did, what would they do to her?

Yu Xing thought she at least needed to know her grandmother’s condition—where she was. Only then could she decide whether to reveal everything.

If telling the truth meant her grandmother would be safe, she might consider it.

But no matter how she implored, Miao Nianzhen and the others remained tight-lipped.

"Xingxing." A familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

Yu Xing trembled slightly and turned her head just enough to see familiar clothing—the outfit Miao Yuanjin had been wearing when they parted.

"Yuan Jin." Yu Xing didn’t dare look up further. Her glasses had been confiscated—if she met Miao Yuanjin’s gaze, misfortune would befall her.

"You’re here." Yu Xing managed a weak smile. "Did your aunt let you see me? When can I leave?"

Seeing her like this, Miao Yuanjin’s nose stung, tears threatening to fall again.

She fought back her sobs. "Not just me—Bishop Lans is here too."

Huh? Yu Xing was perplexed. Why was Lans here?

She glanced to the side and indeed saw a red-robed figure.

Lans looked down at her, his eyes filled with profound compassion. "Yu Xing, what is it that you can’t say?"

Yu Xing remained silent. Her secrets were too many.

"Xingxing, just tell them," Miao Yuanjin said with a sniffle. "I know you’re not a bad person. If you speak, you can leave right away."

Listening to the crying beside her, Yu Xing knew Miao Yuanjin and Lans were worried about her. But she really...

She clenched her jaw. "Yuan Jin, how is my grandmother? Do you know her condition? Where is she? Is she... alive?"

"She..." Miao Yuanjin hesitated, her heart heavy. If Yu Xing learned the truth, would she break down?

As she wavered, Lans spoke.

"Her situation is complicated. Let me explain from the beginning..."

Lans recounted everything he had learned from Miao Nianzhen without holding back. Then he said, "Your grandmother is currently at City Seven’s research center. There’s no solution for her condition yet. Her body has completely fused with the seed. Even a Level 6 Moon God Chosen can’t Purify the contamination inside her without risking her life."

Yu Xing’s mind reeled.

Others might find it strange—how could a grandmother from the D-District, a defective person, be connected to such a dangerous contaminant? But Yu Xing immediately remembered the photo they had found in City Twenty-Five’s lab, still stored in her storage ring.

Her rationality clashed with the emotions she held for her grandmother and brother. She couldn’t accept this reality—not yet.

"Xingxing..." Miao Yuanjin tried to comfort her.

"I... need to be alone," Yu Xing murmured, her face contorted in anguish. "Just let me think."

Miao Nianzhen stepped into the interrogation room, baffled by Yu Xing’s resistance. "I don’t understand. If you have no ties to that Evil Cult, what could possibly be unspeakable? You’re the God of Misfortune’s first Chosen. As long as you haven’t betrayed your god, anything can be forgiven."

"Leave." Lans suddenly spoke. "Let her be."

From start to finish, apart from that one initial plea, he had remained silent.

After everyone left the interrogation room, Yu Xing quickly calmed down in the empty space. She finally understood what had happened and grasped the full picture of her grandmother's condition.

Once everything became clear to her, she made a decision: she absolutely could not reveal her secrets.

From the current information, her grandmother had fused with the seed of the sacred tree. Even a Level 6 Moon God Chosen couldn’t separate them without endangering her grandmother’s life.

This meant there was no way to save her grandmother in this world. And if the seed inside her grandmother began to change—such as sprouting—they would immediately eliminate them both.

Under these circumstances, whether Yu Xing revealed her secrets or not wouldn’t change this fact.

Because they would never gamble with a whole city for one person. Even Yu Xing herself wouldn’t want to see that happen.

Moreover, even if no one killed her grandmother, her survival was unlikely once the seed sprouted.

So Yu Xing couldn’t expose her secrets—because she had to save her grandmother.

Behind the surveillance monitor, Bai Lujun had been observing the interrogation room this whole time. He had seen everything, including the conversation between Miao Nianzhen and the Cardinal.

He stared at Yu Xing, who remained silent with her head lowered in the surveillance footage.

In his hand, he clutched a soda bottle, mindlessly flexing and releasing it over and over.

*Now that you know about your grandmother’s condition, what will you do next?*

He leaned closer to the monitor, trying to study her face on screen, hoping to catch something unusual in her expression.

Suddenly, the person in the surveillance footage raised her head.

Yu Xing looked up, staring directly into the camera. Bai Lujun’s eyes widened a fraction as he met her gaze through the screen—it felt as if she was looking straight at him. The two of them stared at each other across the surveillance feed.

Those clear black-and-white eyes seemed to bore into him, making Bai Lujun feel as if he had truly been seen.

Then, he saw Yu Xing’s lips move.

*Was she speaking? What was she saying?*

Unable to resist, Bai Lujun leaned in further, as if trying to hear her words.

The next second, the surveillance feed went completely black. The screen in front of him emitted a crackling noise, arcs of electricity bursting from its surface.

KABOOM!!

The screen exploded.

"Ahhh!!!" Bai Lujun let out a shrill yelp, quickly leaping away from his seat to avoid the blast.

Once the smoke cleared, his silver hair had turned into small waves, charred at the tips.

"So scary..." He pressed a hand to his heart, then pulled out his terminal to contact Miao Nianzhen. "Minister Miao, something’s happened."

Miao Nianzhen’s voice came through the terminal: "What happened?"

Just as Bai Lujun was about to answer, a series of harsh static bursts filled his ears.

He looked up and saw the surveillance monitors fizzling out sequentially. At the same time, he noticed the elevator ascending.

"Come back now," he managed to say into the terminal before the call cut off. Immediately, he alerted all his team members: "Assemble. Everyone, follow me."

Outside the elevator on the first floor, five people stood at the front, while a group of soldiers in military uniforms crouched against the wall behind them, fully armed and ready.

Bai Lujun stood at the very front, hands in his pockets, leaning casually with his head tilted as he watched the elevator’s floor indicator rise.

When it finally displayed "1," he pulled his hands out.

"Yu Xing," Bai Lujun recited mechanically. "Defective, Physical Rating: C-class. Chosen of the God of Misfortune, Level 2 Chosen. Capable of bringing misfortune to enemies through direct or indirect contact."

"Do not make direct contact. Watch for projectiles. Do not kill..."

As he spoke, the muscles of those around him tensed.

Ding—

The moment the elevator doors opened, Bai Lujun blinked out of existence.

Every weapon, every gaze, focused on the elevator’s interior.

The doors gaped empty—inside was completely empty.

Bai Lujun reappeared in his original position. He confirmed that there was no one inside—not just invisible to the naked eye, but undetected even by infrared scanners.

Frowning slightly, he stepped into the elevator. It was truly empty.

*Did she not leave the underground interrogation area yet?*

Standing inside, he said, "We’re going down."

Everyone followed him into the elevator. When it reached the lowest underground level and the doors opened, a shrieking siren tore through the air.

Outside the elevator, the hallway was filled with choking, chemical-laced fumes, visibility extremely low.

One of the team members whispered, "It’s the fire alarm. Did she start a fire?"

The department’s safety measures were thorough—wherever a fire alarm was triggered, sprinkler systems would activate immediately.

And besides, Bai Lujun thought, *how did she even do this?* The interrogation rooms were specially designed to contain Chosen, capable of restraining even a Level 5 Fire God Chosen. How had she escaped the interrogation room and disabled all surveillance?

The corridor was completely swallowed by smoke. Bai Lujun led the way, edging forward cautiously.

Squelch!

A crisp sound echoed underfoot—he had stepped into water.

The automatic sprinklers were spraying water, turning the floor into a shallow pool as the smoke gradually dissipated.

Bai Lujun was certain Yu Xing was still on this floor. He had observed earlier that the elevator hadn’t stopped at any point during its ascent. Since it was empty, she must still be here.

Splash, splash, splash...

The group moved carefully but swiftly down the hallway, stopping outside the interrogation room where Yu Xing had been held. Thick smoke poured out from within, and dark red flames crawled like liquid fire across the floor. Infrared detection was useless here.

Under the beam of their flashlights, Bai Lujun saw that a wall at the back had been burned through, leaving a smoldering breach leading to the adjacent interrogation room.

His eyes narrowed. "Be careful!"

No sooner had he spoken than a third sound joined the hiss of water and crackle of flames.

Crackle—

Crackle, crackle— Snaking tendrils of blue lightning danced across the water pooled on the floor, now nearly ankle-deep. Lightning surged through the water, electrocuting everything in its path.

"Ahhhh!!!!"

Screams reverberated through the underground interrogation zone. The electric shock came too suddenly, lasting nearly ten minutes. After it ended, everyone in the corridor collapsed into the puddles.

"Tap..."

"Tap tap..."

Faint footsteps echoed through the hallway.

A tall, slender figure emerged from the adjacent interrogation room, stepping over the sprawled figures lying in the water, moving step by step toward the elevator.

Suddenly, a dagger materialized from the smoky haze, plunging into the figure's back.

"Thud..."

A dull sound—the blade failed to penetrate.

The steel quivered unnaturally before a slender hand gripped it tightly. The dagger struggled briefly, as if trying to break free, but the hand held firm, unbothered by the razor edge.

With reluctance, Bai Lujun relinquished the dagger, his figure reappearing three meters away from his original position.

Through the smoke, he stared at the person ahead.

A tall figure, clad in an ordinary long-sleeved jacket and loose pants with four pockets—an outfit that couldn't have cost more than a hundred yuan from a night market stall.

She stood there calmly, black hair loose, eyes shrouded by black cloth. Her right hand was raised, gripping his dagger tightly in her palm.

"I never heard you approach." Yu Xing tilted her head slightly. "Are you the Chosen of the God of Void?"

Yes, Bai Lujun was the Chosen of the God of Void—a born assassin.

The moment the lightning struck, he had phased his body into intangibility. In that state, nothing could harm him. Thus, he had evaded the electric shock, waiting in the shadows for Yu Xing to reveal herself so he could strike decisively.

"You..." Bai Lujun stared at Yu Xing in disbelief. "Is it your body? Or your clothes?"

Yu Xing smiled. "Where are my glasses?"

Bai Lujun’s amber eyes locked onto the woman who dared to laugh in front of him—a deliberate provocation.

His figure vanished once more.

Yu Xing frowned slightly. With a flick of her wrist, the blade dematerialized. She pulled up the hood of her jacket and turned, continuing toward the elevator.

"Thud..."

Another dagger materialized, embedding itself in Yu Xing’s thigh. She merely paused before advancing relentlessly.

"Thud..."

The dagger struck her waist this time, finding a ticklish nerve. Yu Xing let out a soft chuckle. "Heh..."

Suddenly, she sensed something approaching her neck—an inexplicable intuition. Ever since using the Spirit-Nourishing Warm Jade, her intuition had grown preternaturally sharp.

With deliberate slowness, she raised her right hand and covered her neck.

"Thud..."

Sure enough, a dagger appeared, piercing through her glove.

By now, Yu Xing had reached the elevator. She sighed, removed her right glove, and reached for the elevator button.

A spectral hand manifested, blocking the button—just as Yu Xing’s bare hand pressed against it. Skin met skin.

"I won’t let you escape!" A venomous whisper hissed near her ear.

Yu Xing sighed. "The blindfold was my mercy—I didn’t want to hurt you. But now, it’s too late..."

Only then did Bai Lujun realize—they had made contact.

Yu Xing’s ungloved hand rested atop his. He had fallen into her trap—this was her gambit all along!

"If you’re lucky enough to survive, pass a message to Miao Nianzhen for me." Yu Xing methodically donned her glove. "Three days from now, at this exact time, I’ll be going to the research center to take my grandmother away. Anyone who tries to stop me—I’ll kill them."

With that, she pushed Bai Lujun’s hand aside. He tried to stop her, but his void-form abruptly collapsed. Exposed, he inhaled a lungful of smoke, his lungs searing as if scalded.

Yu Xing pressed the elevator button, indifferent to the choking man behind her.

Miao Nianzhen was escorting Bishop Lans and Miao Yuanjin out. After escorting Lans back to the church, she had planned to reprimand Miao Yuanjin during their solitary walk. But then Bai Lujun’s message arrived—something had happened at the Chosen Affairs Department, likely involving Yu Xing. She immediately turned back.

Upon returning, she found all surveillance in the underground interrogation area destroyed, with Bai Lujun already leading a team down.

She tried contacting him but failed, compelling her to muster every available Chosen in the department.

The Chosen Affairs Department wasn’t solely staffed by Chosen—there were also non-combat staff. And since Chosen were usually deployed to handle pollution outbreaks, fewer than a dozen remained stationed.

After Bai Lujun took a team underground, Miao Nianzhen could only gather the recently returned Second Unit, and a handful of unattached Chosen.

She made descent preparations while recalling all field agents to return immediately.

Arriving at the elevator, she found it still idling at the lowest level.

"Get ready," Miao Nianzhen ordered. "We’re going down."

Bai Qinghe, standing behind her, asked, "What’s the mission objective?"

"Chosen—Yu Xing."

Every member of the Second Unit, including Bai Qinghe, went rigid.

"Ding!"

The elevator doors opened, disgorging acrid, suffocating fumes.

Everyone covered their noses, holding their breath. Miao Nianzhen’s glasses detected life signs ahead.

"Follow me!" They advanced in tactical formation, soon discovering Bai Lujun unconscious in the water.

Bai Qinghe's breath hitched—was this Yu Xing’s doing? His last impression of her was of someone ignorant of Chosen protocols and and mired in academy rumors.

Unobserved, the elevator behind them initiated its ascent.

A peripheral sensor registered motion, and someone turned—the elevator was already nearing the first floor.

"Minister Miao!" Su Wenmo gasped. "Look!"

Miao Nianzhen whirled around, her features draining of color. "Intercept—immediate action!"

"Stop the elevator!"

"Ding!"

The elevator doors opened, and Yu Xing, with a black cloth tied over her eyes, emerged slowly. She raised her wand and murmured, "Avada Kedavra."

A lightning bolt zapped the elevator's control panel, shutting it down completely.

She tucked away her wand, thrust her hands into her pockets, and walked forward, navigating by faint light.

Soon, she reached the information desk and smiled at the woman behind it. "Excuse me, ma'am. Could you tell me how to get to the security room?"

The woman working at the desk was an ordinary employee whose daily tasks involved answering questions from first-time visitors.

Today, the Chosen Affairs Department was in chaos, and she had been chatting about the situation with her colleagues on her terminal.

Suddenly, someone appeared in front of her. She looked up and saw a young girl wearing a hood, her eyes completely obscured by a black cloth.

That getup was weird...

But working here, she had seen all kinds of strange people.

This odd girl hadn’t entered through the main doors but had emerged from inside the department—likely an internal staff member.

"Security room?" She smiled. "Take a right and go all the way down. That’s the security room."

"Thank you," the strange girl replied. "Have a nice day."

With that, the girl turned and headed toward the security room. The woman frowned, puzzled by the odd blessing.

Soon after, the strange girl returned, the black cloth now removed from her face, replaced by a pair of glasses. Seeing the girl’s uncovered face, she thought—she was quite pretty. Why had she dressed so strangely earlier?

"Goodbye," the girl waved.

"Goodbye," she waved back with a smile.

As the girl left, she began to wonder—there was something familiar about her, but she couldn’t place it. Who was she?

Just then, her terminal buzzed. One look nearly gave her a heart attack—it was a call request from Deputy Minister Miao Nianzhen.

She nearly fumbled her terminal in shock.

Collecting herself, she accepted the call. "Deputy Minister... You..."

Miao Nianzhen’s urgent voice came through. She listened carefully, and soon her face fell, sweat breaking out on her forehead.

Instinctively, she looked outside—but the girl was already gone.

Yu Xing had walked right out of the Chosen Affairs Department without a single person stopping her. She turned a corner, her outfit changing completely, then continued walking until she reached a bus stop.

A bus heading to District C arrived just then. After a moment’s thought, she didn’t board it and instead kept walking until she reached a dessert shop. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside.

"Welcome!" The clerk greeted Yu Xing warmly. "What would you like?"

"This, this, and this..." Yu Xing scanned the desserts and ordered a dozen different kinds at once. "I’ll take all of these."

She looked up and smiled. "Please pack them nicely. They’re for my friends."