Chapter 91: To Seek the Light He Has Always Longed For

“I’ve thought of someone!” Wang Zhi suddenly raised his head and said to the others.

“Who?” Lao He turned to look at Wang Zhi.

“Why don’t we try to find Duan Qingtian?” Wang Zhi suggested.

“Him? Are you sure Zhang Ming’s injury is healed enough for you to ask him to come along? That’s just cruel,” Su Mu Ying said with a hint of amusement.

“Sigh, I know it’s not the best idea, but at this point, I feel like whether he comes or not, we still have to tell him about Zhang Ming,” Wang Zhi sighed. Ever since his return, he had not had the courage to face Duan Qingtian. He didn’t know how to tell him. Before joining the team, Duan Qingtian had said that he trusted Wang Zhi with Zhang Ming, but now it felt like a slap in the face.

“Yeah, I think so too. Just tell him. Whether he wants to come or not is up to him,” Su Mu Ying said nonchalantly.

After inquiring around, Wang Zhi learned that the reason for the fifth round of the recruitment was that some people who didn’t have a team or the ability to go out on missions were downgraded to the status of refugees, and Duan Qingtian was one of them.

Wang Zhi made his way to the refugee area and found the Industrial District’s district chief, Wang Yaoxing.

At that moment, Wang Yaoxing was reprimanding a few managers.

“Hello, District Chief Wang, can I have a word with you?” Wang Zhi approached and politely asked.

Wang Yaoxing, seeing someone looking for him, scolded the managers for a few more words and then sent them off.

“You are?” Wang Yaoxing looked at the five people in uniform.

“Oh, we’re from the team called the ‘Twilight of the Sunset,’ and we’re here looking for someone named Duan Qingtian,” Wang Zhi answered honestly.

“Oh, so you’re the team from the third-level group. Follow me to my office, I’ll look up his information,” Wang Yaoxing said, his tone becoming more friendly when he saw their third-level status.

Wang Yaoxing went into the room and searched for Duan Qingtian’s information on his computer.

“Heh, found him. He’s working in the Industrial B Zone, Section 5, and lives in Dorm 8105. He’s probably on duty right now, but I’ll take you to him. Otherwise, he won’t be able to come out,” Wang Yaoxing said with a smile.

“Thanks so much, District Chief Wang!” Wang Zhi expressed his gratitude.

“No problem, I know that Duan Qingtian was once the captain of a third-level team. I never expected him to end up like this,” Wang Yaoxing added, shaking his head as he led them out.

“You’re here to invite him back, right?” After a moment, Wang Yaoxing turned around and asked.

“We just want to bring him something and have a chat,” Wang Zhi replied with a smile. He wouldn’t tell others that they hadn’t fully succeeded in their task yet. If he told others before it was done, the chances of success would decrease. He had always believed in this kind of superstition.

When they arrived, Wang Zhi could see Duan Qingtian working in the distance, dressed in a dirty uniform. At this point, he had lost a lot of weight and his hair was messy. It was clear that he hadn’t shaved in a while. This contrast with his previous energetic and confident appearance was a stark reminder of how far he had fallen.

“Wang Zhi?” Duan Qingtian looked at him in confusion after Wang Yaoxing led him out.

“You guys go ahead and chat. I still have some things to handle, so I’ll leave you to it,” Wang Yaoxing said before excusing himself.

“Long time no see, old Duan,” Wang Zhi forced a smile.

“You… what are you doing here? Where’s Zhang Ming?” Duan Qingtian glanced at the five people and noticed Zhang Ming was absent.

“This isn’t a place to talk. Let’s go back to your dorm,” Wang Zhi said.

It seemed that Duan Qingtian sensed something was off. The mood among the group was heavy, and no one was speaking. Only the sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet.

Once they reached the dorm, it was a small and dirty 20-square-meter room with six beds crammed into it. The room smelled musty, and Wang Zhi couldn’t help but frown at the poor living conditions.

“Tell me, what happened?” Duan Qingtian’s voice trembled slightly.

Wang Zhi recounted the events from the past few days, everything from their mission to their return, detailing every little thing.

“This is Zhang Ming’s gun, and this is his magnetic card and the note he left,” Wang Zhi said, handing over Zhang Ming’s gun, magnetic card, and the note.

Duan Qingtian pressed his hand against his forehead as he stared at the note. His expression was unreadable, but Wang Zhi could see a few tears fall onto the floor.

“Heh, you foolish kid. You’re perfect in every way, except you care too much about others. You see, you lost an arm, and no one said anything to you. You could have stayed with me here, at least to keep me company,” Duan Qingtian muttered to himself, his voice barely audible as he tried to hide his emotions.

Wang Zhi and the others remained silent, giving Duan Qingtian the time and space he needed to calm down.

“So, you want me to join your team?” After a long silence, Duan Qingtian slowly raised his head. His eyes were still bloodshot.

Wang Zhi didn’t deny it but simply gazed at Duan Qingtian, waiting for his decision. He knew Duan Qingtian had already made up his mind, so there was no need for further persuasion.

“I became a refugee not because I was afraid of death. I’m not coming back with you because I can’t stand this miserable life here. I’m doing it for Zhang Ming, to continue living for him, to find the light he always longed for,” Duan Qingtian said, his hands trembling as he held the gun and magnetic card. His gaze was firm as he looked at the five people.

At this moment, Lao He couldn’t help but step forward and embrace Duan Qingtian. As fellow soldiers, they understood each other in this silent moment of mutual respect.

Wang Zhi and Su Mu Ying exchanged a glance before standing up and saying, “Old Duan, welcome to the Twilight of the Sunset! Let’s go home!”

After leaving, Wang Zhi went back to Wang Yaoxing’s room.

“I’ve got him. Thanks again, District Chief Wang,” Wang Zhi said, giving a wave to Wang Yaoxing.

“Don’t mention it, the rest of the process is on me. You can head back now,” Wang Yaoxing replied cheerfully.

Wang Zhi wasn’t surprised by Wang Yaoxing’s attitude. In this place, the district chiefs of refugee areas didn’t have much power. The higher-ranking departments in the Dawn Tower were usually the guard department, command center, medical unit, biological research lab, and the scientific research department—all crucial to the tower’s operations.

When Wang Zhi and his team exited the refugee area, they noticed that because Zhang Ming’s magnetic card hadn’t been deactivated yet, Duan Qingtian was temporarily using Zhang Ming’s identity. This saved them the trouble of going through the lengthy team entry process.

Just as they were about to head back to the third floor, they saw several bloodied figures rushing out from the elevator in the first-floor entrance area!