Chapter 12: A Secret Vigil

The rain began to taper off, falling like wisps of silk in the breeze. Pedestrians on the street folded their umbrellas, and a number of hot pot and skewer stalls began moving their tables out onto the sidewalk. The vibrant, bustling spirit of City 11 quietly bloomed in the evening air.

Li Chenqiu, wearing a black helmet with a tiny pinwheel spinning "whirringly" in the wind, rode his bike through the streets, soon arriving at his destination: the Fourth Senior High School.

Outside the school gates, countless snack stalls lined the road, their enticing aromas teasing the taste buds of passersby. Students who had just finished their evening self-study sessions gathered in small, scattered groups by the stalls, savoring this moment of peace.

In front of a stall selling shredded pork sandwiches, a young man of about twenty with a slightly round face stood motionless, his eyes glued to the sizzling pork in the oil pan as he repeatedly swallowed his saliva. This was Li Qingxia, Li Chenqiu’s second eldest brother.

Li Qingxia’s bright yellow shirt made him stand out on the roadside, and Li Chenqiu spotted him as soon as he pulled up on his bike.

"Second Brother," Li Chenqiu called out.

"Oh!" Li Qingxia turned around, pleasantly surprised. He raised a hand in acknowledgment and trotted over excitedly. "You got here so fast! That’s really thoughtful of you!"

"Where are the skewers you bought?" Li Chenqiu asked, glancing at his brother's empty hands.

"I was going to, but the prices went up. Vegetable skewers went up by thirty cents, and meat ones by fifty. It’s such a shame... wait, wait, wait!"

Li Qingxia lifted his leg to get on the bike, but Li Chenqiu pushed him back. "What 'wait'? I came to pick you up on an empty stomach; do you really have the nerve to hitch a ride empty-handed?"

"I have the good will—" Before Li Qingxia could finish, Li Chenqiu twisted the throttle and began to roll slowly forward.

Li Qingxia stood there in a daze for a moment before hurriedly chasing after him. "Hey, don't go! Alright, alright, I’ll buy them, I’ll buy them!"

Hearing this, Li Chenqiu stopped. "Go ahead, and tell them to add extra cumin."

"Wait for me." Li Qingxia gave Li Chenqiu a resentful look before heading toward the distant skewer stall.

Although Li Qingxia had been working much longer than Li Chenqiu, his hourly wage at Li Ji’s shop wasn't much higher—six yuan an hour, just one yuan more than Li Chenqiu’s.

Watching his brother’s retreating back, a hint of warmth flickered in Li Chenqiu’s cold, clear eyes. After learning of Xu Yue’s death, Li Chenqiu had felt like a piece of duckweed adrift on the ocean—homeless, helpless, and utterly alone. It was then that Li Ji and Li Qingxia had entered his darkened heart.

When the sun was bright, Li Qingxia would take Li Chenqiu on his bike to the mountain peak to watch the sunset, and on the way down, he would buy Li Chenqiu the most expensive milk tea from a roadside shop. Whenever there was a good movie, Li Qingxia would generously buy Li Chenqiu a 3D ticket while he sat on the steps outside the theater to soak up the sun. At night, back at the shop, Li Ji would always cook expensive meat dishes, silently sliding the plates toward Li Chenqiu’s side of the table.

The shop was small, but it had everything they needed. Though they were few in number, they provided each other warmth. These brief moments of happiness made Li Chenqiu wish things could stay that way forever, but he knew that was merely a delusion.

Li Chenqiu’s sudden appearance had aroused the suspicion of an intelligence officer from the Special Abilities Department. The officer followed the trail, uncovering many suspicious points about Li Chenqiu and even questioning the identities of Li Ji and Li Qingxia. Not long after, that intelligence officer died—at the hands of Li Chenqiu. From that moment on, Li Chenqiu understood a truth: the peace he craved could only be built upon strength, and his happiness could only be held fast with his own fists.

...

On the side of the road, Li Chenqiu looked exhausted, slumped weakly over his handlebars. His stomach was growling so loudly he couldn't even be bothered to sit up straight.

Seeing that Li Qingxia hadn't returned yet, Li Chenqiu was about to reach into the storage space under the seat for the leftover roast chicken when his body suddenly stiffened. He quickly recovered, however, and began eating the chicken as if nothing had happened.

A few seconds later, Li Chenqiu pulled out his phone and dialed Li Qingxia’s number.

"Don't rush, I'm haggling with the boss right now, you just wait—"

"I think I'm being watched," Li Chenqiu interrupted, cutting him off.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, and the background noise faded. Li Qingxia found an inconspicuous corner to crouch in and asked seriously, "How do you know?"

"Just now, when I was eating on the bike, I felt a cold gaze staring at me from behind for several seconds. You know my sixth sense is always accurate."

"I believe you. What do you need me to do?" Li Qingxia looked up, his gaze scanning through the crowd toward Li Chenqiu’s direction.

"What kind of building is about a hundred meters behind me at the five o'clock position?" Li Chenqiu asked in a low voice.

A blue light flashed in Li Qingxia’s eyes as he looked toward the back of Li Chenqiu. "The Anxian Hotel. It’s quite dilapidated; looks like it’s been there for years."

Li Chenqiu closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "The windows face me directly. Is there any room between the third and sixth floors that looks strange to you?"

"Strange... hold on." After a few seconds of silence, Li Qingxia replied, "The fifth floor looks a bit off. There’s someone standing behind the curtain, and they aren't moving at all."

"Got it. Keep buying your food!" Li Chenqiu was about to hang up, but Li Qingxia stopped him.

"What are you planning to do? You don't even know who it is, and you’re just going up there? Aren't you afraid of what might happen?!"

"How strong could someone be who has to hide in the shadows to watch me? As for who they are, I'll know once I catch them."

As he spoke, Li Chenqiu parked his bike and headed toward a nearby alleyway.

"Wait, I'm coming with you. We have a better chance if we’re together!"

"No. Your ability only amplifies your five senses; it’s useless here. It’s easier if I go alone."

With that, Li Chenqiu hung up and walked into the depths of the alley.

On the other end of the line, Li Qingxia’s expression darkened. He pursed his lips, not knowing what to say. Although his combat strength was a bit weak, was he really that useless?

...

*Pat, pat, pat...*

Li Chenqiu stepped through the puddles, slowly reaching the shaded side of the Anxian Hotel. He glanced toward the fifth floor, bent his knees slightly, and leaped upward, scaling the wall toward the fifth floor with the agility of a cat. He moved so quickly that even a security camera would only capture a faint, indistinct blur.

Reaching the fifth floor, Li Chenqiu instantly locked onto the target's position. Pushing off the wall with his legs, he transformed into a dark shadow, threw open the window with lightning speed, and lunged into the room, pinning the figure behind the curtain to the floor.

"Who sent you to—" Li Chenqiu was about to ask, but when he saw who it was, he swallowed the rest of his words, stunned into silence.