Chapter 52 Do You Believe It?

Chapter 52: Would You Believe It?

Due to the early appointment time, Fang Ran brought the puppy to work with him the next day.

He'd bought a travel carrier from the pet hospital, but the little thing refused to stay inside for even a moment.

Fang Ran had to carry him all the way to the entrance of the subcenter.

He felt heavy in his arms.

The puppy had been sleeping a lot these past few days and had put on some weight.

Fang Ran grabbed his paw to take a look.

Big and thick.

This furball would probably grow into a large physique.

His fur shone jet black under the sunlight, and the patch of red on his tail was as vivid as blood, like a flame hidden in the dark night.

Patting the puppy's back, he walked into the subcenter lobby.

A blast of cool air hit him.

The air conditioning in the center's hall was cranked up high, and the lights were somewhat harsh.

The puppy stirred, burying his head deeper into Fang Ran's embrace.

The front desk attendant came over, curiously looking at the black furball in his arms.

“Guide Fang Ran, did you get a pet?”

“Yes.”

The notice had been up for days, and no one had claimed him.

Fang Ran had already decided to adopt the puppy.

But in truth, he still had some lingering doubts.

The more time he spent with this furball, the more familiar it felt, yet there was also something different about it...

He shook his head without thinking.

Impossible.

That person was still in District 12, in a coma...

He took two turns and arrived at the corridor leading to the Purification room.

The furball in his arms suddenly shivered and lifted his head.

His gaze was more wary than he'd ever seen it.

Huh?

Fang Ran followed his line of sight.

There was a tall figure standing in front of his Purification room.

“Guide Fang Ran.”

Zheng Mingyu was dressed in the blue-striped black uniform of the Guardians, standing erect and steady, a striking presence amid the center’s white surroundings.

Fang Ran stopped in his tracks, keeping his distance.

“Sentinel Zheng Mingyu?”

The Sentinel was poised, amusement in his eyes. “Guide Fang Ran, long time no see.”

“Long time no see.”

Fang Ran nodded at him and went to open the door to the Purification room, only to find the sensor at the entrance blocked by the Sentinel.

“Sentinel Zheng Mingyu, please step aside. This is my Purification room.”

The Sentinel stood motionless in front of the door, not budging.

He held Fang Ran's gaze for a moment before speaking.

“Fang Ran, why are you avoiding me?”

Fang Ran frowned and said helplessly, “I'm not avoiding you.”

Zheng Mingyu gave a low chuckle. “Then why did you decline the test and take several days off in a row to avoid seeing anyone?”

Fang Ran was stunned, thinking it wasn't exactly his fault.

He glanced down at the restless puppy in his arms.

If it wasn't due to hauntings...

The most likely cause was this puppy.

But would you even believe me?

Moreover, Zheng Mingyu’s attitude was too strange.

Chen Yao had said that whether to accept a Guardian’s Purification request was entirely their own choice.

Even if Zheng Mingyu was a high-level Sentinel from a partner agency, he had no business questioning him.

Fang Ran disliked Sentinels who overstepped boundaries the most.

Seeing his silence, Zheng Mingyu smiled amiably.

“If you're not avoiding me, then how about scheduling the compatibility test now?” His tone was pretty pushy.

“Huh?”

Fang Ran shot back a refusal, “That won't be necessary.”

Zheng Mingyu’s expression darkened, and he took two steps closer to Fang Ran, lowering his head. The pressure of a high-level Sentinel immediately bearing down on him.

“From what I know, Fu Zhangzhou’s condition isn't good.”

Not good?

What does that mean?

Fang Ran looked up, meeting Zheng Mingyu's unreadable eyes.

His heart pounded uncontrollably.

Zheng Mingyu leaned down slightly and said softly:

"Fang Ran, I told you before he wasn’t a good choice."

"Fu Zhangzhou—he’s nothing but a monster created by the Sentinel and Guide Center..."

"Wait."

Fang Ran didn’t want to discuss this in public.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed many people glancing their way, some even whispering to each other.

He reached out and pressed the sensor by the door.

"Let's talk inside."

"Arf—"

The black furball in his arms suddenly bristled, its teeth biting down gently on his wrist.

Startled, Fang Ran dropped it.

The small black figure shot toward Zheng Mingyu's face like an arrow.

Zheng Mingyu swiftly sidestepped, retreating a step.

The puppy landed on the ground, planting itself between Fang Ran and Zheng Mingyu. It emitted a low growl, its gaze growing fierce as it issued a warning to drive the intruder away.

Its front paws pressed down, hind legs bent, ready to pounce again at any moment.

Zheng Mingyu frowned at the creature on the floor, sensing something was off.

How could this little animal suddenly emit the pressure of a high-ranking sentinel?

Fang Ran was also startled by the dog’s reaction.

This was its first time meeting Zheng Mingyu—why such intense hostility?

Just then, someone came rushing over in a panic.

"An unidentified rift has appeared in District 4, TG-15 Street! All relevant personnel, provide support immediately!"

He immediately looked down at his terminal, where a message had already popped up.

「Emergency assembly, District 4, TG-15 Street: 12 Class A, 23 Class B, 56 Class C. Numbers still increasing.」

Guides from the subcenter generally didn’t go on field operations, but this time, the distance was probably too great for headquarters to respond in time, so the alert was sent to nearby sentinels and guides.

This was an unprecedented occurrence.

All safe zones in the Federation were surrounded by containment zones; monsters mostly appeared outside urban areas.

An outbreak of this scale in the central district—

It was the first time in Fang Ran’s memory.

It shattered the belief that the inner districts were safe, rendering humanity’s defenses laughable.

Fang Ran didn't have time for Zheng Mingyu now.

He scooped up the dog, tossed it into the Purification room, shut the door, and turned to run toward the assembly point, where a sentinel could take him to the scene.

But Zheng Mingyu stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "I'll bring you," he said urgently.

Just as Fang Ran was about to refuse, Zheng Mingyu added, "Don’t overthink it. I’m going to the scene anyway."

As he hesitated, Zheng Mingyu’s hand was already on his shoulder.

The next instant, the space before them shattered into fragments.

Fang Ran instinctively tried to recoil, but an energy held him trapped.

A feeling of being torn and distorted swept through his entire body.

Before he could react, the world before him suddenly dissolved into broken whiteness.