Captain 07

Gu Heng turned to look at her in surprise. "Wanxing, do you know what you are saying? Can you use your brain for a second?"

Lin Wanxing glared with her big eyes. "How am I not using my brain? Can you really remain completely unmoved when you see these people begging you like this? I misjudged you, Gu Heng!"

Gu Heng opened his mouth and closed it again. He couldn't help but feel that things were going off the rails.

The captain of the guard was a bit dazed when he saw the massive crowd of residents marching toward the supply warehouse, but upon seeing Lin Wanxing leading them, he put on a flattering smile.

"Miss Lin, what is this about?"

"They are starving to death! They need to collect supplies!"

"Huh?" The guard captain stared wide-eyed at the crowd behind her, then back at her. Was she crazy?

"Miss Lin, because you over-issued supplies earlier, the rations for the original residents have already shrunk considerably..."

Lin Wanxing froze for a moment, then gritted her teeth. "I'll ask my grandfather for more! Just bring some more out, look how pitiful they are." She pointed behind her.

No matter how much the guard captain wanted to suck up to her, he knew this was unrealistic, and his attitude gradually hardened. To protect Lin Wanxing, Gu Heng unceremoniously shoved the guard captain who was trying to block them. It was this very action that completely ignited the suppressed emotions of the crowd. This attempt to get free handouts evolved into a mob storming the supply warehouse. The warehouse doors were smashed open, and people frantically looted food, water, and medicine. Some even came to blows over a single bag of flour.

The guards tried to stop them but were besieged by the angry mob. The scene descended into utter chaos.

Standing at the warehouse entrance, Lin Wanxing watched everything unfold before her, completely dumbfounded. She never expected her "kindness" to trigger such consequences. The people who were so grateful to her just moments ago now only had eyes for the supplies; no one cared about her at all.

In the chaos, Lin Wanxing was squeezed by the crowd and nearly fell to the ground. Gu Heng had to use all his strength to protect her. Finally coming to her senses, Lin Wanxing realized the magnitude of the disaster she had caused. But by now, no one was listening to her anymore. The two of them could only watch helplessly as it all happened.

Humming a little tune, Fang Zhiyi submitted the report of the incident to the higher-ups. In the report, he washed his hands completely clean of any faults, repeatedly claiming that Lin Wanxing just wanted to do a good deed but simply lacked a sense of proportion, and so on.

Naturally, this report did not end up in the hands of Lin Wanxing's grandfather, but rather fell into the hands of his rival.

An "extremely egregious" riot sent massive shockwaves through the headquarters, especially since it was caused by the granddaughter of the Lin family's patriarch.

The headquarters dispatched an investigation team overnight.

The guard captain naturally couldn't admit to his own sycophancy. "She kept bringing up her grandfather. As a lowly guard captain, I didn't dare offend her..."

His testimony was exactly what others wanted. Lin Wanxing was taken back to headquarters that very day, along with Gu Heng, who was deemed the primary person responsible. The two were slapped with the label of ringleaders.

It must be noted that, taken to its most severe extent, the nature of this incident could be classified as treason.

As for Fang Zhiyi's punishment, there was none. The investigation concluded that ever since his last injury, Fang Zhiyi had voluntarily stepped back to the second line to support Gu Heng's operations. The current situation was entirely caused by Gu Heng's indulgence and Lin Wanxing's reckless behavior.

Fang Zhiyi logically reclaimed the position of captain.

Looking at the written order, Fang Zhiyi smiled and shook his head. "Trying to play politics with me? I'll play you to death!"

Li Fei, realizing things in hindsight, looked at Fang Zhiyi as if he were a god.

"Damn, boss, you're really not human." He paused. "I mean it in the sense that you're inhumanly good... Uh... anyway, you're too awesome. With just a few casual maneuvers, you managed to get rid of that bleeding-heart princess?"

Shen Yue laughed, "That's not all. I heard the Lin family has been targeted because of this. Old Man Lin might have to retire early."

"Damn, maybe I should go get infected by an anomaly too?" Li Fei circled Fang Zhiyi enviously. Fang Zhiyi felt he looked exactly like an annoying fly.

Only Li Fei and a few others knew who the real mastermind behind this was. Although they didn't fully understand the intricacies, they were very happy that Fang Zhiyi had resumed his role as captain.

Fang Zhiyi, however, was a bit puzzled. If this world was just about dealing with a bleeding-heart rich girl and an arrogant, love-struck male lead, would he have to chase them all the way to headquarters to finish them off?

News from the reconnaissance team arrived again. An anomaly had appeared in a mountain village to the west. The current casualties were unknown, the number of anomalies was unknown, and the scout team members had not come out since entering.

Fang Zhiyi led the team out once more. Along the way, he kept trying to mobilize that inexplicable energy within his body. When they arrived at the village situated in the ravine, Fang Zhiyi frowned.

"This is a type of anomaly we haven't seen before," Shen Yue said nervously.

Thick fog permeated the village, like miasma, leaving the entire settlement faintly visible within it.

Fang Zhiyi only pondered for a moment. "Wait for me here. I'll go scout the way." He really wanted to know what level his strength was at in this world.

"Captain?"

"Boss?"

Without waiting for their reaction, Fang Zhiyi sprinted straight down the hillside, quickly reaching the village entrance. In just the blink of an eye, he disappeared from everyone's line of sight.

"The boss is..." Li Fei smacked his lips. "He seems even stronger now? Could it be because he was buried alive?"

"Bullshit," Zhao Lei replied, still treating his words like gold.

Only Shen Yue, standing to the side, wore a solemn expression. Her eyes glanced downward, her hand clutching the copper coin that had been stuck to Fang Zhiyi's forehead last time. The coin was now covered in mottled verdigris.

"Captain..." She looked at the fog-shrouded village, her heart filled with unease. Are you really still our captain?

A figure in tattered clothes stood by the water well. It leaned on a walking stick and carried a bamboo basket on its back. Inside the basket, something seemed to be struggling desperately to get out.

"Be good, wait just a little longer, just a little longer."

It coughed twice, its voice ancient, exuding a cold and gloomy aura.

A chilling gust of wind blew past as it slowly took a step forward. It raised its head, revealing an ancient face covered in deep wrinkles.

With that single step, the cry of an infant echoed from the bamboo basket on its back. The sound was very strange, somewhat resembling the wail of a kitten, but it was enough to make one's blood run cold.

The bell on its walking stick rang incessantly from the movement, the crisp chiming making one feel as though their very soul was vibrating.

After taking just a few steps, it suddenly stopped and sharply turned its head.

"Strange," the ancient voice sounded. "Did I sense it wrong?"

It shook its head and continued forward with a hunched posture. The bell chimed, and the infant cried, but soon it turned back once more. Behind it, there was still only the well.