Chapter 51: Do You Want to Work With Me?
Translator: Pluto Editor: Tehrn
Starting from Lin Sanjiu, the members of Xu Xiaoyang’s squad were hailed as heroes. As they made their way to the building where Chen Jinfeng’s office was, the crowd cheered. In front of the public, Chen Jinfeng commended them, smiling splendidly. But the moment he turned his head to lead the way, the smile instantly slipped off his face, leaving a sullen expression. Ever since he became an Executive, this was the first time he felt so uncertain about the situation before him.
It wasn’t a difficult thing to have them “killed in action” because even if they survived this mission, he still had other chances to do them in. His primary concern was that they might stir up trouble when they regrouped with Marcie. In the past, he would have full confidence in himself to resolve the issue and keep it under wraps. However, he did not antic.i.p.ate Lin Sanjiu displaying such a powerful ability. That was the cause of his apprehension.
He could only blame this on the inaccuracy of the information he was given! That person told him about the woman’s card ability, her companion’s Shapes.h.i.+fting ability, and even some of their stats, but nothing pointed to them having any practical fighting abilities…
“Executive Chen, do you know where is Marcie?” Just then, he heard Lin Sanjiu’s voice from behind him. Chen Jinfeng was startled for a moment, but after some quick thinking, he replied mildly, “I’m also looking for her. If you do see her, please tell her to look for me. I would like her to work at the infirmary.”
“Oh,” Lin Sanjiu answered curtly, sounding somewhat doubtful, but she did not say anything else.
As they walked along the dimly-lit corridor, a surrept.i.tious smile suddenly crept across Septimus’s face. They soon reached Chen Jinfeng’s office.
After Chen Jinfeng said a few poignant words in remembrance of Gao Fei, he ordered one of his men to bring in a few boxes full of supplies as a reward for the team. When Lin Sanjiu looked at the contents, she discovered that there was a good mix of useful items in the box: aside from the many packets of undamaged vacuum-packed food, there were also quite a few daily necessities and other paraphernalia like pens, torchlights, batteries, etc.
As Lin Sanjiu lacked neither food nor daily necessities, she searched the boxes casually and was surprised when she found a tube of c.o.c.kroach gel bait at the bottom of one of the boxes. Along with humans, c.o.c.kroaches also managed to survive the high temperatures of Hyperthermal h.e.l.l. Albeit not because they evolved, but purely due to their natural body structure, but that was also the reason that their population fell sharply.
Lin Sanjiu considered for a second, then she took the gel bait, smiling, “I just happen to need this in my room. You all can distribute the other items among yourselves. I will just take this.” She thought that she had already shown enough consideration for the others with her actions. However, she did not expect that Xu Xiaoyang would just sit there without even taking one look at the boxes. Following suit, Griselda also did nothing. Subsequently, Septimus took only two torchlights. Left with almost the whole lock, stock, and barrel, Hu Changzai found himself a little flummoxed.
Seeing that all the items have been distributed, Chen Jinfeng beamed as he said a short, superficial speech. The heat had led to a meltdown of all world governments, yet had no impact on Chen Jinfeng bureaucratic buffoonery. While he spoke, Lin Sanjiu took the opportunity to call out her Diary Card by covering her mouth and pretending to sneeze.
Perhaps she was lucky, so her Diary Card appeared “obediently” when it was summoned. Once she had the card in her palms, she held it tightly. She untwisted the cap off the tube of c.o.c.kroach gel bait and squeezed a little gel at the back of the Diary Card. A few words instantly appeared on the card: “12.58 am. Location: Chen Jinfeng’s office. Lin Sanjiu squeezed a splotch of disgusting c.o.c.kroach gel bait at the back of this card.”
Lin Sanjiu paid no attention to the implicit protest. Her ‘’Planar World” ability sometimes displayed human-like characteristics, which she had never observed in others’ abilities, but she was already accustomed to it. When Chen Jinfeng paused to take a sip of water, she walked over to his desk in a nonchalant manner and smiled placidly, “Executive Chen, I just want to thank you for all the a.s.sistance you have given us recently…”
While she said this, she stealthily pasted the card on the underside of the table. Chen Jinfeng laughed as he looked back at her unsuspectingly and said, “This is all within my duty.” Lin Sanjiu nodded before she turned and noticed Septimus’s gaze.
“Did you see that?” she whispered as she walked past Septimus, “Luckily, it was only you and not the others. I want to see what this Chen Jinfeng is hiding.”
Septimus nodded back at her. It was time for them to leave anyway, so he just said, “Let’s go.” The two of them walked toward the door, Lin Sanjiu took one final look at Chen Jinfeng’s table before she closed the door behind her. The small 10m2 office was finally quiet again. Chen Jinfeng mulled silently in his seat for some time, but he could not a.s.suage his restlessness. Maybe it was because he was still angry, maybe it was because he was disturbed by Marcie’s disappearance, or maybe it was due to the failure of the squad’s mission… In any case, this was the first time he felt so uneasy.
At that exact moment, there was a “thump” on the door as if something or someone had knocked on the door. With his enhanced hearing, Chen Jinfeng was certain that no one walked past his office door. After a few seconds, he stood up and opened the door. Just as he expected, there was no one at his door. There was only a rock. He looked around and found a familiar figure standing at the far end of the corridor.
“Why are you here?” Chen Jinfeng asked as he walked toward that person. “Why are you looking for me?”
[One meter, two meters, three meters… That should be fine.] That person smiled and said, “I want to ask you a question. What did you do to Marcie?”
The room was 4m by 2.5m, that was 10m2. The Diary Card had an effective range within the radius of 5m, that would be approximately 25m2. If that was the case, their conversation would not be recorded. The person was clear about this because that was what Lin Sanjiu told him personally.
“What are you saying—”
“Don’t waste your breath,” Septimus interjected. “We never told you that Marcie studied medicine. After we left, you must have met her, right? Then, you did something to her, and she disappeared.” The man reacted with a pursed lip and an overcast expression. Once he saw that, Septimus smiled satisfactorily, knowing that he made a right guess. “Don’t worry. I am not here to confront or condemn you… I know the reason for Marcie’s disappearance. I am more than aware about that. I also know that you wished for Lin Sanjiu and me to die in today’s mission, right?” He continued smiling. “But you won’t be satisfied by just killing me now. Don’t you find that woman, Lin Sanjiu, a hindrance? I wish that she would disappear as soon as possible too. So, do you want to work with me?”
Chen Jinfeng widened his eyes in shock. Seeing that, Septimus said softly, “Besides, let me give you the a.s.surance that Marcie won’t appear during this time to interfere with your plans.”