“What the hell? Why can’t I connect today?”

Luo Lin pulled off the link headset and stepped out of the experiment pod.

Programmer Qiao Geng was furiously typing away at his keyboard, trying to reconnect. Luo Lin shook his head. “Forget it if it doesn’t work.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the logic or the code! It was working fine before!”

“Maybe we got caught,” Luo Lin muttered, his expression darkening. He tossed the headset onto Qiao Geng’s lap. “Keep trying. I’m going for a walk.”

The experiment pod was too stuffy. Stay in there too long, and forget astral projection—you’d pass out.

Luo Lin walked down the corridor, heading for the garden to smoke.

Something about all this felt off. Chu Chen was either showing off his body or clinging to him in his sleep. This guy had nothing better to do all day than play house? Was he messing with him on purpose?

He pulled out a cigarette, but before he could light it, a colleague rushed over with urgent news.

“There’s a bus hijacking in the East Bay district. The director wants you on-site.”

“Damn it. I investigate Chu Chen, I handle the crises—what am I, a workhorse?”

“There are special circumstances, so—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Get my gear ready. I’m heading out.”

Luo Lin got clearance from the Bureau, boarded a special vehicle, and reviewed the incident footage en route.

That morning at 10:00 AM, Bus 585 departed from Hushan Driving School toward Xinxing West Road South. At 10:45, a man boarded at Fengxing Apartments. Around 11:05, as the bus passed Xiaguang Bridge, the man suddenly pulled out a concealed firearm, forced the driver to make an emergency stop, and claimed he had planted explosives on board.

When Luo Lin arrived at the scene, the first thing he saw was a bus completely encased in thick, intertwining vines. Only glimpses of the yellow paint were visible between the gaps. The force of the vines had already warped the frame, making the vehicle look like an abandoned relic overtaken by nature.

The police had deployed officers for crowd control. The on-site commander briefed Luo Lin: “Snipers are in position on that rooftop. The perpetrator is a first-stage wood-type enhanced human. There are children on board.”

“He’s manipulating vines—shouldn’t that mean he’s already evolved to the second stage?”

Typically, first-stage enhanced humans only enhanced their physical traits. It wasn’t until the second stage that elemental or specialized abilities manifested.

“He’s still categorized as first-stage, but he has a wood-type inclination. We checked surveillance footage—his limbs transformed into vines to entrap the bus. Since it’s still connected to his body, and given the latest intel from the records department, we’re confident he hasn’t reached the second stage yet.”

Luo Lin had no objections. “Good. First-stage is easier to handle. Since only his limbs are transformed, a suppression bullet targeting Gillifischer-type abilities will paralyze him for 30 seconds. How many passengers?”

“The driver, a woman with a child, a couple, and one other man.”

“Not many. We can extract them in those 30 seconds. Any demands from the perpetrator?”

“The negotiator has already conducted a round of discussions. Do you remember arresting the leader of Aizhirenhe before? He is a member of Aizhirenhe.”

Hearing this, Luo Lin vaguely recalled. Aizhirenhe was a cult that suddenly emerged some time ago. Due to causing casualties and spreading hatred, Luo Lin took advantage of a gathering to arrest all its members, including the then-leader.

It was a major case. After cracking it, Shen Yunhe was happy for several days. The higher-ups even awarded their investigation bureau a medal, which still hangs in Shen Yunhe’s office. Whenever he has nothing to do, he takes it out to polish and admire it.

“He is using the lives of everyone on the bus as leverage, demanding the release of the leader. The negotiator is in the second round of talks. We want the suspect to release the women and children first—”

Before the words were finished, a gunshot suddenly rang out from inside the bus, followed by several screams.

Everyone on-site was startled. Luo Lin’s voice sank: “Where’s the sniper?”

“Feng Wen, on that building.”

Luo Lin quickly rushed up the stairwell, heading to the nearest building with a clear view of the bus. It was the only spot where the entire scene was visible.

His colleague Feng Wen had already set up his sniper rifle. Like Luo Lin, he was an enhanced human, recruited by the Special Investigation Bureau for his evolved, highly precise vision.

Luo Lin crouched beside him and looked towards the trapped bus.

Feng Wen’s expression looked troubled. He had locked onto the target for a while but hadn’t fired due to uncertainty about the suspect’s exact position.

“Can you shoot through the vines?”

“I can, but I don’t know where he is, and I can’t see the hostages either.”

That was a real problem. The bus’s surveillance system was wrapped in vines, leaving the interior situation unknown.

Luo Lin stepped back a few paces and asked through his Bluetooth earpiece, “What was that gunshot just now?”

There was a long silence before the field control officer responded.

“He shot and injured a passenger, demanding that the investigation bureau and the police immediately comply with their request. We’ve already submitted an urgent request to the prison to transfer the leader over, but it’ll take some time.”

Luo Lin took a deep breath, glaring at the bus in the distance, his body tense. The kidnapper had resorted to harming hostages, proving he was already at a frenzied state.

Then, the cries of a baby echoed from the bus.

It was noon, and dragging things out wouldn’t be good for the child.

“Tell the prison to send him over immediately,” Luo Lin clenched his fists. “If he runs, so be it. I caught him once—I can catch him again.”

The field control officer remained silent for a long time before responding, “Got it.”

The tension in the air was suffocating under the scorching sun. Everyone was sweating.

[Can you hear me?]

A mechanical voice crackled through Luo Lin’s Bluetooth earpiece. “Who are you?” he asked.

[Chu Chen.]

Not only Luo Lin but also Feng Wen heard the robotic female voice in their earpieces. Within seconds, he had hacked into the Special Investigation Bureau’s communication system using his AI.

“Chu Chen? Professor Chu?”

Luo Lin instinctively called out his name.

[B1L4 Human7 (1KL, MA & KID, ME, CP)]

[DR]

[MA & KD]

[KL 7:00 ME CP]

Hearing the string of English letters and numbers, everyone exchanged confused glances, unsure of Chu Chen’s intentions.

Luo Lin took a deep breath and decoded the message aloud: “This is an encryption method. Chu Chen means he’s on Bus 585, last row, left side by the window. There are seven people in total on the bus—excluding the suspect, there’s the driver, a woman holding a child, Chu Chen, and a couple. The woman with the child is sitting in the middle section, while the couple and Chu Chen are seated in a row. The suspect is at their seven o’clock position.”

This was a lifeline. Feng Wen had been struggling to pinpoint the exact location of the suspect, but Chu Chen had just given them precise coordinates.

The field control officer hesitated. “Are you sure this is Professor Chu? What if the suspect is tricking us?”

“This is a communication method only Chu Chen and I know. No one else could possibly use it.” Luo Lin removed the black glove from his hand.

With Luo Lin’s confirmation, Feng Wen adjusted his aim, pressing his shoulder against the gunstock. Using Chu Chen’s information, he calculated the suspect’s approximate position.

“Just hit his torso to buy me 30 seconds,” Luo Lin flexed his wrists. “Of course, if you can shoot his heart, that’d save me the trouble.”

Feng Wen chuckled. “We’re both working here—can’t let you slack off. But if I hit his heart, you owe me spicy crayfish tonight.”

“If you miss,” Luo Lin stepped onto the edge of the rooftop, looking like a man about to jump to his death, “the after-action report is on you.”

Joking aside, Luo Lin adjusted his Bluetooth earpiece. “Chu Chen, don’t make any sudden moves. The suspect is close to you. Once the bullet pierces his body, immediately organize the passengers to evacuate. There’s a bomb on the bus—don’t try to be a hero. We only have 30 seconds. Feng Wen and I will count down for you so you’ll know exactly when the bullet lands. Trust us.”

Luo Lin crouched down, gazing at the bus below the bridge. A gentle breeze swept past.

It was time to end this sweltering standoff.

“Don’t be afraid, because I’m in the wind.”

Luo Lin—Second-tier evolved enhanced human.

Element: Wind.

^[1]Author’s Note:

Luo Lin really loves showing off, lol.

But Chu Chen is totally into it.