Chapter 30: Tying Up Loose Ends

"So you’re telling me you got hurt as soon as you came in and have been here ever since?"

Mo Yan’s eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at the girl before him.

"What’s the problem? Is that not allowed?"

Crimson glared back at him with equal intensity, as if she’d throw down at the slightest provocation.

Sun Ning hovered awkwardly to the side, wanting to interject but too timid to speak.

"No, that’s not it. I just didn’t expect it," Mo Yan conceded first, turning his gaze away.

"Let’s contact the medical team. You can’t get around in your condition anyway."

Everything had gone surprisingly smoothly. Aside from finding a pile of Shadow Clan corpses on the stairway between the seventh and eighth floors, nothing else had happened.

But the ease of it all left Mo Yan unsettled, especially when…

He glanced at Crimson, who lay on the sofa, cheeks puffed in frustration—the wound on her leg was indeed severe.

But for someone with Crimson’s temperament, even a broken leg wouldn’t stop her from handling the situation. Yet now she behaved just like an ordinary girl.

"What about that extra member you mentioned in your report? He’s not here?"

Mo Yan swept his eyes over the other people in the room. Most were weeping with relief after being rescued and, under Tang Tianhe’s guidance, were heading downstairs. They were all clearly ordinary civilians, nothing special about them.

"You didn’t run into him?" Crimson’s expression froze for a moment, then she sat up anxiously.

"That’s impossible… Could something have happened to him?"

"Calm down," Mo Yan said, thinking of the stairwell clogged with corpses, and shook his head. "Most likely he’s fine. Describe him for me."

Crimson realized she’d lost her composure and flushed slightly.

"Around six feet tall, average build, a face that’s kind of handsome."

"Any distinguishing features?" Mo Yan frowned. That description was much too common.

"He never wore a shirt, and he had a lot of injuries on his upper body," Crimson recalled, though she chose not to mention the strange creature that had appeared behind Mu Yu. For any Wallkeeper, their abilities were a closely guarded secret, and Crimson felt it was her duty to protect Mu Yu’s.

Mo Yan recalled Mu Yu’s battered appearance and what he’d said, and his heart skipped a beat.

No way…

"And what about his personality? How did he come across?"

"Hmm… very steady, dependable, and gentle. No, actually—domineering," Crimson remembered the feeling of those large hands ruffling her hair, her tail swished involuntarily, and the tiger atop her head beamed with delight.

"Oh, in that case, I definitely haven’t seen him," Mo Yan replied with absolute certainty, not a hint of hesitation.

"Um, well…" Sun Ning tried to speak up.

But Mo Yan interrupted her. Though the Shadow Clan had suffered heavy casualties, a few might have slipped away.

"I’m going to search the area. You two wait here for the rescue team."

"Yeah, yeah, go on, you’re just in the way," Crimson waved him off, though worry clouded her face.

Given Mu Yu’s strength, the Shadow Clan likely couldn’t do anything to him—so why had he suddenly vanished?

Had he left as soon as the incident was resolved?

Crimson felt a vague unhappiness, her hat’s ears drooping.

Sun Ning looked left and right, then hugged the pistol Mu Yu had given her and squatted in a corner, her gaze vacant.

Mom, I want to go home…

Even though the elevator was out of order, the medical team still arrived quickly.

"Come on, up on the stretcher!"

A kindly old man helped Crimson up, his slightly open collar revealing his muscular chest.

Several white-coated interns followed, panting and looking ready to collapse.

"Sir, maybe we should just do emergency first aid here? This is already the second injured person!" One thin intern leaned against the door, sweating as if he’d just stepped out of a shower.

"What nonsense! Are patients supposed to wait for you to rest?" The old man huffed, his voice shaking the windows. "Hurry up, or you’ll all fail your internship!"

The interns exchanged glances and managed a bitter smile before forcing themselves to lift the stretcher again.

It wasn’t for lack of effort—they’d been dispatched so hastily, and there weren’t enough hands.

They were only here because their internship happened to be nearby, and so they’d been drafted as porters.

The real medical team was waiting in a makeshift operating room downstairs; the interns, led by their mentor, handled the transport of the injured.

If it were the real team, they could probably carry stretchers up and down stairs—or even carve a path through a mountain—without breaking a sweat.

"Grandpa, was there another injured person before me?" Crimson asked sweetly, curious as the old man hefted the stretcher single-handedly.

"Yes, but that boy was hurt much worse than you. The lead doctor’s operating on him now, so it’s up to this old man to do the lifting," he replied cheerfully, clearly charmed by Crimson’s demeanor. "Don’t worry, young lady. We’ve got supplies this time—no scars left behind."

"That’s not really a big deal to me…" Crimson shrugged, chatting animatedly with the old man all the way.

Sun Ning, trailing behind, kept wanting to say something but never quite managed, her head hanging in dejection.

"Almost there! Keep it up!" the old man encouraged, still full of energy.

But there was no reply—the stretcher bearers were nearly spent.

She looked so petite, but weighed as much as an anchor!

Luckily, the operating tent was set up close to the building for quick response.

Seeing the white tent just ahead, the team nearly burst into tears of relief.

At that moment, a bandaged figure lifted the tent flap and stepped out.

"Hey?" Crimson exclaimed, and Sun Ning looked up blankly around her.

"Chief, what is it?"

"Nothing, I just thought I saw someone," Crimson replied, settling back with unmistakable joy on her face.

That silhouette…

She didn’t know why he wouldn’t come out in public, but just knowing he was safe was enough.

"By the way, what did you keep trying to say just now?" Crimson turned to Sun Ning, curious.

"Wahh, Chief, you really are the best…" Sun Ning was moved nearly to tears—she’d never thought she’d get so emotional just because someone finally listened to her.

"Fat Bear and the others are still waiting for a signal in the elevator."

Crimson’s smile froze instantly.

Somewhere in a pitch-dark elevator shaft, more than a dozen burly men were crammed together, sweating profusely.

"Papercut, can you still use your ability?" Fat Bear tried to turn around but was shot a glare by the muscle-bound man beside him and had to give up.

Papercut’s weak voice came from behind Fat Bear, muffled by the press of bodies.

"Fat Bear, move over a bit."

"My name’s Black Bear… Let me lift you up."

Fat Bear didn’t feel like arguing his nickname now and sighed, reaching behind him.

Papercut, though looking frail, was an average adult and yet was effortlessly hoisted overhead with one hand.

"Phew, saved at last," Papercut gasped, hair disheveled, suit in tatters.

"No good, I can only send ten messages a day. I’ve already used them all up."

"Thanks, Fat Bear. I never thought someone as big and black as you would have such a kind heart."

Fat Bear—no, Black Bear’s face darkened even further as he let go.

"Help!!"

Papercut tumbled back into the pile of men, eliciting a groan from the battered elevator.

…

"Hiss—ow, that hurts," Mu Yu muttered as he hobbled forward, clutching his lower back.

Those doctors were monsters!

He shuddered thinking of the syringe that was thicker than his forearm.

No matter what, he needed to make himself scarce.

He had no choice—after treatment, they wanted to run a full checkup.

His enhanced physical abilities and the spider still lurking in his abdomen weren’t things he could explain.

He’d probably end up on an operating table right after the examination!

Mu Yu shook his head, trying to banish the mental image of himself being dissected, and trudged onward.

His injuries weren’t the problem—it was hunger.

The medicine that had sped up his healing had also drained his body’s reserves.

With his strength having surged recently, Mu Yu was already depleted; now he was running on fumes.

"Hey! What are you doing out here?" Yan Ziqing, holding a boxed meal, immediately spotted Mu Yu, his upper body wrapped in bandages—a look impossible to miss.

"Uh… I have other tasks to complete. I can’t just sit around," Mu Yu replied, feigning seriousness.

"No way. You’re not fully recovered yet," Yan Ziqing frowned and grabbed his arm. "Come back to the ward with me."

Mu Yu was close to despair—was he doomed to end up dissected after all?

A delicious aroma wafted from Yan Ziqing, and Mu Yu’s stomach growled loudly.

"Wait, what is that? Smells amazing."

Mu Yu’s eyes lit up, fixed on the meal in Yan Ziqing’s hands.

"The doctor said you burned through a lot of nutrients with the treatment. This is a special meal—packed with everything you need."

Mu Yu’s eyes glowed green as he wiped drool from his mouth, making Yan Ziqing take a step back in alarm.

Is… is he going to eat me?

"Ahem, just give it to me. I’ll eat it right here," Mu Yu coughed, and before Yan Ziqing could react, the box was already in his hands.

"Ouch, that’s hot!"

Without fanfare, Mu Yu plopped down on the curb and, in a flash, half the steaming meal was gone.

"Slow down…" Yan Ziqing began, but Mu Yu had already finished and was licking the last drops of sauce from the box.

"Want me to get you another one?"

Mu Yu nodded eagerly. With her mask on, Yan Ziqing’s face was unreadable, but at that moment she seemed as beautiful as an angel.

She didn’t keep Mu Yu waiting long before returning with a large bag.

"Good timing—I made a huge pot of special meals. Eat as much as you want!"

Mu Yu barely heard her. He tore into a container the size of his head and, in less than ten seconds, had licked it clean.

"Wow…" Yan Ziqing crouched beside him, opening another box for him and secretly slipping one aside for herself.

Mu Yu’s way of eating was just too enticing—it was as if the food was the most delicious thing in the world.

Who knew I had such culinary talent! Yan Ziqing thought, secretly pleased with herself.