Chapter 56: Gene Disease

"What?"

Lin Qing exclaimed in surprise, "Captain Xiao has been poisoned and fallen into a coma? What happened?"

The patrol officer who rushed to report said, "Just now, Captain Xiao's watch triggered an alarm; his vital signs weakened rapidly. Data analysis suggests he was poisoned by a certain neurotoxin. After a patrol team donned gas masks and protective suits to enter, they found Captain Xiao already unconscious on the ground."

"Where?" Lin Qing asked, though he already knew.

"In the office area of this underground boxing arena, in the retro-style office at the very end."

The patrol officer added, "Oh, by the way, there are two safes in that office. One is empty and equipped with a high-pressure poison gas injection device. The other safe contains a large amount of extraterrestrial currency; its value hasn't been estimated yet, but it should be in the eight figures."

Lin Qing nodded slightly and said, "Alright, I understand. Make sure the poison gas doesn't spread, and send Captain Xiao to the hospital for emergency treatment as soon as possible."

After the patrol officer left, Yuan Anping walked over, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"You young man have quite the luck."

Yuan Anping said with a strange expression, "Just now you were saying that Xiao Peidong and you are mortal enemies, and that he wouldn't rest until he settled the score with you. Yet in the blink of an eye, he poisoned himself and ended up in the hospital."

He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "This is truly..."

"Looks like I have good luck."

Lin Qing smiled, then turned his head to look at Zhao Jiayi, who had just been playing on her phone in the corner, and said with a smile, "Jiayi, looks like my luck is even better than yours."

Zhao Jiayi's face was somewhat pale; she forced a smile and tried to perk up.

"Why is your face so pale?" Lin Qing frowned slightly and asked, "If you can't make it, shall I take you home first?"

"Now?"

Zhao Jiayi was slightly stunned. "But the search isn't over yet, is it?"

"It's basically done." Lin Qing turned to look at Yuan Anping. "Chief Yuan, may I take my friend home first? Is that alright?"

"I'll stay here and watch. You take her back."

Yuan Anping said indifferently, "But you'll have to come back later. Captain Xiao Peidong has been sent for emergency treatment; only you can wrap up the team, and you still need to submit a summary report."

"Alright." Lin Qing nodded.

"Alright, go ahead."

Yuan Anping glanced at the underground boxing arena and clicked his tongue, saying, "Today is truly your lucky day, young man. The merits tallied so far are already considerable; I estimate at least two second-class merits, plus quite a bit of bounty money, all going to you alone. With such luck, even I'm envious."

Lin Qing twitched the corner of his mouth but said nothing.

However, as he glanced at Zhao Jiayi beside him, the heart hidden beneath that smile became even heavier.

He knew.

This was not luck at all.

The moment he heard the news that Xiao Peidong had been poisoned, he had already confirmed it completely.

Because...

When assigning the search tasks, he deliberately omitted the office area, giving Xiao Peidong the opportunity to search Zhou Yang's office.

That arrangement also gave Xiao Peidong a chance to be wary and hesitate.

He had also explicitly pointed out his conflict with Xiao Peidong in front of Zhao Jiayi.

Under these circumstances, the only person with both the motive and the ability to poison Xiao Peidong... was Zhao Jiayi.

Is Zhao Jiayi a telepathic awardee?...

By the roadside.

This stretch of road belongs to a rather bustling area, with vehicles streaming endlessly.

Lin Qing and Zhao Jiayi stood quietly by the roadside waiting for a car, watching autonomous vehicles speeding past before their eyes.

"Jiayi."

Lin Qing looked at the road and suddenly said, "My current speed is very fast; I should be able to cross this road within 0.2 seconds. Tell me... if I cross the road at my current speed, will the laser sensors of the autonomous vehicles have enough time to adjust and avoid me?"

"Probably not..." Zhao Jiayi said somewhat puzzled, "And that would be far too dangerous."

"I think I can, and with my current speed, I shouldn't be afraid. It would be a good chance to train my movement techniques. Let me try."

Lin Qing took a deep breath, immediately activated his combat technique, and his figure flashed to the side of the road, looking eagerly at the vehicles speeding past on the road.

"What?"

Zhao Jiayi was stunned and said anxiously, "But that is very dangerous. You haven't practiced any defensive combat techniques. What if something happens?"

"I'm just trying; nothing will happen."

Without turning his head, Lin Qing stared at the opposite side of the road, as if he had already made up his mind.

Zhao Jiayi bit her lip, took a deep breath, gazed at Lin Qing, and said softly, "This is really dangerous. You will get hit. Come back, okay?"

At that moment, Lin Qing suddenly felt a strong intuition and a sense of crisis.

It seemed as if his subconscious was telling him that if he did this, something would likely go wrong.

Lin Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

I thought it was mind influence; turns out it's only this level?

Something like subconscious guidance and communication? If it's merely this, once I know I might be influenced, as long as I stay vigilant at all times, ignore the abnormal intuition, and judge completely based on reason, it will be fine.

However, a telepathic awardee shouldn't be limited to just this kind of method, right?

After waiting a while longer and confirming that she seemed capable of only this much, Lin Qing finally stopped the combat technique, turned around to look at Zhao Jiayi, and said, "Alright, you're right; let's cherish life after all."

Zhao Jiayi finally breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her sore temples. At this moment, the ride-hailing car Lin Qing had called stopped at the waiting area by the roadside.

Inside the speeding smart-driving car, Lin Qing glanced at Zhao Jiayi sitting beside him and found her leaning wearily against the seat.

Could it be due to the consumption of telepathic power? "Jiayi."

Lin Qing spoke, "I estimate that next month I will become the official captain. If you have time, take the patrol officer's professional exam. I recall that the executive assistant to an official captain is required to hold the rank of patrol officer."

"Oh, okay..." Zhao Jiayi nodded with her eyes half-closed, seeming already very sleepy.

Lin Qing glanced at her and suddenly said, "I still owe you a Third-Class Merit. Once this merit is awarded, if it's enough for a Third-Class Merit, I'll transfer three to you. Then you can learn a combat technique."

"Give me three?" Zhao Jiayi's eyes snapped open. "I only lent you one."

Lin Qing fell silent for a moment, then asked, "If there's a chance to earn a Second-Class Merit, would you let me have it?"

"Yes... uh, I suppose I would."

Zhao Jiayi felt she had spoken too definitively, coughed lightly in embarrassment, and added, "Anyway, you're a combat technique genius. Once you learn it, you can protect me... we're friends, after all."

"Friends?" Lin Qing looked at her. "You're so generous with friends?"

"It's not a big deal..."

After speaking, Zhao Jiayi suddenly realized she was just a lowly Patrol Officer and added, "What I mean is... friends shouldn't count every little thing. Besides, you're the only friend I have."

Lin Qing fell silent again, then asked, "What about other colleagues? I see Han Ying often talks with you. Doesn't she count as your friend?"

"Well..." Zhao Jiayi scratched her head awkwardly. "She's a nice person, but her qualifications don't match. I can't be friends with her."

"Qualifications?"

Lin Qing paused, then said, "So you mean... only those who meet the qualifications are worthy of being your friend?"

"It's not exactly about worthiness." Zhao Jiayi sighed helplessly. "Mainly, I have some kind of genetic disorder that prevents me from getting too close to others..."

"Genetic disorder?"

Lin Qing didn't quite understand her meaning. "If you can't get too close to others, why approach me?"

"Because your qualifications match. Anyway, it's just... ah, I don't know how to explain it." Zhao Jiayi scratched her head, feeling a headache. "Dad doesn't let me talk about these things."

Lin Qing glanced at her, then shook his head slightly and said, "Then forget it. No need to tell me."

At that moment—

"Ding!"

"Destination reached."

The car's intelligent voice spoke up.

"Get out."

Lin Qing looked at Zhao Jiayi and said, "Also, since you consider me a friend, I'll tell you one thing."

"Mm-hmm, go ahead." Zhao Jiayi nodded.

Lin Qing paused, then said, "Even between friends, each is an independent individual. First, you must respect each other. Do you understand?"

Zhao Jiayi blinked in surprise and whispered, "I don't quite get it. I'll ask Dad when I get home."

"Alright, see you tomorrow." Lin Qing sighed.

After Zhao Jiayi got out of the car, the ride-hailing vehicle sped off again, returning to the starting point.

Lin Qing sat silently in the car.

He didn't know if what Zhao Jiayi said was true, nor did he know what intentions or purposes a Telekinesis Awakener like her truly held.

Of course...

Reflecting on recent events, he knew Zhao Jiayi had always been helping him, but he couldn't grasp the nature of this unexplained kindness; it only made him more uneasy and restless.

To him, "friend" had long become a very luxurious word.

During those years of the apocalypse, he was deceived and betrayed by so-called friends one after another. If not for the advantages brought by the Entropy Reverser, he would have died long ago.

Though humans are social creatures unable to endure true solitude, he also hated the feeling of being manipulated and observed.

He also despised testing human nature and didn't want to verify whether friends were real or fake.

"Friends who keep their distance... that might be acceptable..."

Lin Qing slowly closed his eyes. "Provided I have sufficient self-defense capabilities..."

He didn't even dare to directly expose Zhao Jiayi's identity as a Telekinesis Awakener.

Because Telekinesis Awakeners were far too rare; even the Patrol Headquarters didn't know much about them, which clearly indicated something was wrong.

If he exposed the other party's identity, he didn't know what would happen.

So, he would just wait.

Since he couldn't avoid her, and her intentions were currently benevolent, he could only try to accept it.

"Once this merit is awarded, I'll ask if there are any methods to resist Telekinesis Awakeners..."

Lin Qing took a deep breath and glanced again at what he held in his arms.

He also needed to verify whether the Hyper-Sensory Original Fluid was real. If it was, he could master the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method in a short time.

(End of this chapter)