Chapter 29: The Actor King

“Come up.”

Mo Yan’s cold voice came through the communicator, making Tang Tianhe shiver involuntarily.

“C-Captain, isn’t this a bit inappropriate… I have a girlfriend, you know.”

His bashful tone made Mo Yan rub his brow in exasperation. What was going on? Why did the whole atmosphere change as soon as Mu Yu appeared? The image of Tang Tianhe as the reliable, steady type was rapidly crumbling in Mo Yan’s mind.

Luckily, Ma Gao took the lead, heading toward the stairs and glancing back at the motionless Tang Tianhe with a strange look.

“Come on, Xiao Tang, the captain’s calling us upstairs.”

“Huh?”

Was it really going to be that wild? All of them together???

Tang Tianhe wiped the sweat from his forehead, his legs trembling a little. Why did Brother Ma look so experienced? Could it be…

Another team member patted him on the back, asking with concern, “What’s wrong? If you’re not feeling well, just file for early withdrawal—don’t throw your life away.”

It was allowed to leave an incident early, though it wouldn’t count toward mission credit. Still, that was better than dying.

What! Dying was possible? Was it really that intense?

Tang Tianhe’s back was nearly soaked with sweat, his face as pale as if it had been dusted with flour. But when he thought of his girlfriend and family…

“Phew—”

He took several deep breaths, a determined look crossing his face.

Fine! At worst, a stint in the proctology ward—he’d survive!

Ma Gao watched, bewildered, as Tang Tianhe suddenly strode forward. They were just called up to assemble—why did he look like he was marching to his doom?

“Over here!”

Mo Yan beckoned to Tang Tianhe, who burst out of the stairwell, while his other hand restrained Director Bai, pinning him to the floor.

“Ahem… Yes, sir!”

Even though he’d mentally prepared, Tang Tianhe was still somewhat startled. What was this bizarre scene…

“Did you bring the restraint device?”

“Got it.” Tang Tianhe pulled a cord from behind him and handed it to Mo Yan. According to the briefing, each member entering the incident was to carry a restraining device for controlling Shadowkin.

He hadn’t expected to use it like this.

Tang Tianhe’s expression was hard to describe.

“As expected from the captain—so quick to find him.”

Ma Gao came over and circled Director Bai, clicking his tongue in admiration.

Beads of sweat the size of peas dripped from Tang Tianhe’s hair.

So this was the real purpose of entering an incident? Since when did the investigation team develop such habits—and why did he know nothing about it?

“The mental stress here… nearly at B-level, right?”

Tang Tianhe paused, pulling aside his humming trench coat.

The inside was lined with sensors and devices, one of the mirrors already covered in cracks.

He’d been so nervous he hadn’t even noticed!

“Is it mind control?”

Only now did Tang Tianhe realize, his face full of shock.

Director Bai looked utterly bewildered. Why, when the beetle was in his hands, did it seem useless? He’d tried his best to use it to hypnotize the people in front of him, but aside from making his wounds bleed faster, it had no effect.

As Mo Yan strapped the restraining device onto Director Bai’s wrists, the buzzing alarm finally faded.

“Get up.”

Mo Yan released his grip, allowing Director Bai to sit up.

Tang Tianhe’s gaze was immediately drawn to the object embedded in the center of Bai’s chest, his expression growing grave.

“That design… a scarab?”

In truth, a scarab is just another name for a dung beetle, but the golden insect before them was the spitting image of those depicted in ancient Egyptian murals—the very symbol of the mythical scarab.

Clearly, the magnetic field encircling the office building and the mass mind control was the work of this tiny creature.

“Incredible—a natural Controller? Some people have all the luck.”

Tang Tianhe felt a pang of envy. Most objects couldn’t be used, and those who, by chance, could wield them were called Controllers. Though Director Bai would likely spend the rest of his life in prison for aiding the Shadowkin, his luck was undeniable.

“Not quite. Look at the area around the bug.”

Ma Gao prompted, as he opened his communicator to report the situation outside. The sudden appearance of a Controller meant the incident had taken a new turn—no small matter.

Tang Tianhe looked closer. The scarab’s tiny limbs had burrowed deep into the flesh, faint traces of blood spreading out around it.

“So it’s… feeding on blood?”

Mo Yan was unconcerned with these details, instead pressing his communicator.

“Send a medical team up—track my location.”

“Understood!”

Mu Yu’s condition was beyond dire. Various penetrating wounds covered his body, and the bleeding gashes were exposed to the air.

“Don’t move,” Mo Yan instructed, tearing off a strip of fabric to bind Mu Yu’s artery tightly.

“Hiss—” Mu Yu winced, almost leaping from the chair.

“Boss, I’m starting to think you’re taking personal revenge on me.”

“Save your energy. You’re about to bleed out.”

Mo Yan’s expression was helpless, but worry flickered in his eyes. If it were anyone else, with wounds like these, the blood loss would be like a fountain. But Mu Yu was only dripping blood, drop by drop. The last time Mo Yan saw something like this was with a power-type ability user who, even with a pierced heart, managed to heal himself through sheer muscle pressure—a miracle.

But Mu Yu? Mo Yan would sooner believe he was about to bleed dry than anything else.

“How are things upstairs?” Mo Yan slapped Mu Yu’s drowsy face, hoping conversation would keep him conscious—falling unconscious now would be as good as a death sentence.

“You ask, and I’m suddenly wide awake! Mo Yan, you have no idea how heroic I was this time!”

“Single-handed, I fought from south to north, east to west—blood flowed like rivers!”

“Those first-generation types, second-generation types—I wiped them all out! Only the third generation, I just couldn’t find where they were…”

“This time, I deserve a level four promotion—no, level five… level six, at least!”

Mu Yu, who a moment before seemed on the verge of passing out, now had a bright gleam in his eyes. If Mo Yan weren’t holding him down, Mu Yu would have launched into a full comic routine about his own glorious deeds!

“All right, all right.”

Mo Yan, feeling the weakness in Mu Yu’s struggles, managed a bitter smile. He didn’t believe a word, but to keep Mu Yu stable, he just kept nodding.

Meanwhile, Director Bai watched Mu Yu with abject terror, trying desperately to inch away from the seemingly frail figure—leaving Tang Tianhe utterly bewildered.

“By the way, I rescued a group in the conference room on the eighth floor, including some trainee combat team members. You should go assist them.”

“All right, all right,” Mo Yan replied, bemused. What combat team trainees? He chalked it up to Mu Yu’s delirium and nodded along.

Soon, a group of people in white coats rushed up with a stretcher.

“Rest well. Leave the rest to me.”

Mo Yan lifted the barely conscious Mu Yu onto the stretcher, his tone resolute. He didn’t know exactly what Mu Yu had gone through, but given his injuries, he must have come within an inch of death.

And to have apprehended a Controller while gravely wounded—what spirit!

Not only Mo Yan, but the medical team was moved to tears by Mu Yu’s wounds; a few of the women even broke down sobbing.

“Don’t worry! We’ll save our hero!” the team leader declared, disappearing with the stretcher into the stairwell.

They took Director Bai as well, who would be sent to the Research Department—where they’d get him to confess even the most embarrassing details of his life.

“Let’s go. Upward!”

“Yes, sir!”

…

“Xiao Yan, tend to the wounds first. I’ll fetch the equipment.”

“Yes, sir!”

After a period of jostling, Mu Yu felt darkness close in—clearly, he’d been brought into a sealed room.

Peeking through slitted eyes, he saw a nurse dabbing something onto his wounds.

Pass out? What a joke. After slashing his way through so much, he was energized enough—how could he possibly pass out? As for why pretend to be so weak…

His parents, grandparents, cousin, aunt, and maybe, in the future, a girlfriend, and her parents too…

Three slots weren’t nearly enough.

Thinking of Mo Yan’s promise of a triple promotion, Mu Yu could have burst out laughing!

Yan Ziqing wiped Mu Yu’s wounds with an alcohol swab, frowning in confusion.

Did someone just laugh?

Then she met Mu Yu’s “weak” gaze.

“You’re awake?”

Yan Ziqing’s face lit up in delight; she gently pressed down his arm. “Don’t move. You’re safe now. We’ll heal you.”

She’d only just joined the medical team and had never worked a major incident before—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been assigned prep work. But she’d heard from her seniors that many just out of an incident were mentally on edge, so she tried to be as gentle as possible.

“Where am I?” Mu Yu croaked.

Go all in for the act—this was what it meant to be a master! (Mu Yu leaned back theatrically.)

“You’re with the medical team. Don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

A flicker of pity crossed Yan Ziqing’s eyes. Who knew what this man had been through inside—there wasn’t a single uninjured spot on him.

“Oh.” Mu Yu closed his eyes again, giving himself a mental thumbs up.

What a performance!

Soon, the operating room doors swung open and a team of doctors filed in.

“Suture first. I will use the artifact to keep him alive—quickly, now!”

So professional!

Mu Yu was gingerly turned over by several careful hands, inwardly marveling.

But wait… something wasn’t right…

A long-absent pain suddenly flared in his backside, and Mu Yu’s eyes flew open.

Where was the anesthetic? Doctor! Where’s the anesthetic!