Chapter 87: Chapter 80: The Overwhelming Power of [Adrenaline] (Part 2)

Lu Chao turned his head to look.

The other patrol officers and the members of the cleanup crew who had rushed over from downstairs all stopped what they were doing and looked up.

Red and blue lights appeared in the night sky, exceptionally glaring.

It was a hovercar with a rugged design, tearing through the night with red-hot exhaust as it arrived at the abandoned building.

A blinding white searchlight beam shone from the distance, forcing everyone downstairs to squint and instinctively raise their hands to shield their faces.

Lu Chao was puzzled. As it drew closer, he soon made out the paint job on the hovercar.

A blue hexagonal pattern, surrounded by a ring that looked like it was made of light.

"It’s the Superpower Bureau."

Yang Wangtao suddenly spoke, having identified the newcomers before him.

The captain’s square face remained stern as he said in a low voice, "The Superpower Bureau is now in charge of all matters related to the God-Worshiping Church."

"But we only just reported this. They shouldn’t have arrived so quickly."

He too was a little confused. Then, he saw the hovercar slowly decelerate and land in an open area downstairs.

WHIRR!!

The rush of air hummed, making the air tremble.

Then, with a soft click, several figures emerged from within.

After briefly showing their identification and speaking with the patrol officers on guard downstairs, they were led up to the second floor.

"Leader Yan?"

Yang Wangtao’s expression hardened, a rare look of respect appearing on his face.

The other squad leaders in charge of the scene also turned serious, saluting one after another upon seeing the arrivals.

"Leader Yan!"

"Good to see you, Leader Yan!"

The second floor grew briefly noisy as a series of respectful greetings rang out.

Lu Chao, slightly curious, followed their gazes.

There were three newcomers. The man in the lead appeared to be middle-aged and was tall and well-built. He wore a black trench coat, had a crew cut, and a square-jawed face that gave off an air of righteousness.

Following him were a man and a woman, both clad in black combat uniforms made of some special material. One carried a gun, while the other had a metal combat sword slung across her back. They gave off an intimidating aura.

[Carbon-Based Human]

[Life Energy: ?]

His intuitive sense activated instantly. Lu Chao’s eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the man in the lead.

’I can’t see through him?’

’My Life Energy is a full forty-six, and even with the doubled upper limit, I can’t read his?’

"Hmm?"

As if sensing something, the man in the lead glanced over.

After a patrol captain whispered an explanation in his ear, he strode forward and came to a stop before Lu Chao and the others. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Leader Yan." Yang Wangtao straightened up and quickly saluted.

"Ah, Xiaoyang."

The man nodded with a smile, his tone steady. "Not bad. It’s been a few years, and you’re holding your own now."

"Heh, it’s all thanks to your guidance back then."

The usually stern Yang Wangtao was now smiling respectfully, a sight that secretly amazed Lu Chao.

After some more small talk, Leader Yan looked over and asked softly, "Is this the young friend who was attacked?"

"Yes, Instructor Yan."

Yang Wangtao had unconsciously changed his form of address. He then introduced Lu Chao, gesturing for him to salute and greet the man.

"Leader Yan!"

Suppressing his confusion and curiosity, Lu Chao raised his hand in a salute and offered a respectful greeting.

Meanwhile, the other two from the Superpower Bureau had split up to confer with the other patrol captains or to survey the scene and collect samples.

"Excellent. A young hero indeed."

Nodding, Leader Yan looked him up and down and said appreciatively, "To reach Professional Level at such a young age... It seems the Patrol Department has found another gem."

"It’s all thanks to Captain Yang’s support!"

Lu Chao replied humbly, earning another nod and a slight smile from the man.

The pleasantries ended, and another round of questioning began.

Lu Chao stuck to his previous story the entire time.

"Is that so."

The man known as Leader Yan’s gaze shifted, as if he’d thought of something, especially after hearing about the attacker’s methods.

"In that case, young Lu, it seems you’ve been targeted for now."

He said suddenly, looking directly at Lu Chao.

Lu Chao’s expression tightened at his words. ’Just as I thought,’ he mused.

At his side, Yang Wangtao’s expression also changed, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Instructor Yan, this... "

"It’s not as terrible as you think."

Leader Yan waved his hand dismissively. "Based on past experience," he said calmly, "these people from the God-Worshiping Church do have a peculiar practice of selecting targets for ritualistic hunts."

"But if they fail to succeed within a certain period or after repeated attempts, they usually give up. Not to mention, young Lu is now an official Class-2 Patrol Officer, which is a different situation than before."

He spoke softly, offering a few simple words of reassurance.

Lu Chao and Yang Wangtao exchanged a look, both roughly understanding his meaning.

Even if the masked man wasn’t the true mastermind, there was no need to worry too much.

The fact that their hunter had failed and died a violent death would certainly reach the God-Worshiping Church.

They would also learn of Lu Chao’s change in status and realize the matter had drawn the attention of both the Superpower Bureau and the Patrol Department.

At that point, daunted by the pressure from both organizations...

They might even grow suspicious, unable to rule out a deliberate trap to ’lure the snake from its hole,’ and would likely back off, perhaps even giving up entirely.

"Besides, we’re planning to cooperate with your Patrol Department on this matter."

With a faint smile, Leader Yan said in a steady tone, "The missing persons case needs to be resolved. There may be some plans in the works to take care of this."

’So that’s how it is.’ Lu Chao felt a sense of relief. It made sense, and the pressure on him eased slightly.

As they spoke, the other two Superpower Bureau People finished their survey and walked over.

Yang Wangtao had him say his thanks, and then personally escorted Leader Yan and his team downstairs.

WHIRR!!

The hovercar slowly ascended, kicking up a humming blast of air.

Its red and blue lights tore through the black night, heading straight for the inner city ring.

Yang Wangtao, who had personally seen them off, returned. Lu Chao gradually calmed himself, suppressed his distracting thoughts, and finally had a chance to ask about the man’s identity.

"Instructor Yan is now the head of an investigation team in the Superpower Bureau. He reached Elite Level Peak over a decade ago."

His tone was full of emotion. Yang Wangtao had a nostalgic look on his face as he recalled, "Back then, he was the chief instructor of the Patrol Department’s training camp. I received guidance from him when I first joined."

"As for this time, it was a coincidence. He had just returned from the wilderness and was passing through the area, so he came by when he heard the report."

’I see.’

His confusion dispelled, a flicker of surprise crossed Lu Chao’s eyes.

’An investigation team leader... definitely a high-ranking member of the Superpower Bureau.’

’Elite Level Peak over a decade ago... Doesn’t that mean...?’

"He also said..."

His train of thought was interrupted. Yang Wangtao suddenly clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. "This case gave him a few leads, so you don’t have to worry too much about being targeted."

"Who knows, you might even get some credit for helping to solve the case later on."

Recognizing the comforting intent in his words, Lu Chao smiled and nodded.

Then, he pushed down his worries.

Seeing that things at the scene were more or less handled, he took the opportunity to take his leave.

"I’ll have Xiaowang drive you."

Yang Wangtao nodded, patted his shoulder, and specifically called a member of the third squad to drive him home personally.

After another round of thanks, Lu Chao returned home safely in a patrol car.

Finally, after waving goodbye to the squad member, he took the elevator back to his apartment.

CLICK!

The door closed. Zhao Yuanqing was still at his desk, head down, tinkering with a prosthetic arm.

Lu Chao changed his shoes, exchanged a few brief words in the living room, and then hurried back to his bedroom.

He didn’t rush to change his clothes and rest to alleviate his weakness.

Instead, he pulled the curtains shut and glanced around the room.

After confirming his surroundings were secure, he finally took an object from his pants pocket.

It looked like an eerie red crystal, about half the size of his palm, with sharp edges and corners.

Under the light, the crystal’s surface glinted, emitting an unnatural red luster.

In an instant, his intuitive sense activated, and the panel prompt appeared again.

Lu Chao’s eyes lit up as he clearly saw its contents.

[Magic Power Crystal]

[Quality: Elementary (Fragment)]

[Consumption Effect: A remnant of a blessing from a High-Dimensional Demon God. Contains special Life Energy and spiritual pollution. Consumption will increase Life Energy and plant a Seed of Corruption!]

[Note: This pollution can be eliminated through special methods. Required materials: Spirit Spring Water, Cyan Spirit Grass...]