Extra - Ji Lu Wushuang - Primitive Tribe

Lu Qianqian's hand, reaching out towards the little boy, froze mid-air.

She knew the boy's fear and mistrust were not directed at her.

Yet, a chill still crept into her heart.

Soon, the town's police, or rather, the government soldiers, arrived.

It was the same group from yesterday's checkpoint.

The leader was still that officer with the brutish face.

When he saw the corpses and spent shell casings littering the ground,

his expression turned grim.

When his eyes fell upon Ji Wushuang, a flicker of poorly concealed wariness, even fear, passed through them.

He did not question Ji Wushuang.

Instead, he ordered his men to roughly disperse the gathering crowd.

Then, he organized his people to begin cleaning up the scene.

Ji Wushuang, holding Lu Qianqian and Annie, prepared to leave.

Just then, Annie suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Wait."

Annie pointed at a dead bandit.

"Look, on his arm."

Ji Wushuang followed her gaze.

On the bandit's arm was a black scorpion tattoo.

It resembled the pattern on her lighter.

But, not exactly.

This scorpion's tail was red.

"That's a 'Red Scorpion' man,"

Annie's voice was tight.

"They're the most brutal faction among the northern rebels. What are they doing here?"

Ji Wushuang's eyes also darkened.

She understood now.

This wasn't a simple robbery.

It was a premeditated terrorist attack.

Their goal probably wasn't money at all.

But to sow panic and chaos.

She looked back at the officer and found him also staring at the tattoo.

His face wore a complex mix of anger and fear.

He, too, seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.

Back at the aid station, the oppressive atmosphere did not lift.

After returning to her room, Lu Qianqian remained silent.

She didn't cry.

She just sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly out the window.

Downstairs, Annie was in urgent discussions with Jacob and several core members of the station.

Ji Wushuang stayed with her in the room.

She cleaned her weapon.

This time, it wasn't the dagger, but a gun.

She remembered Lu Qianqian's back in the marketplace, standing up and walking towards that orphan.

That back looked frail, as if it might collapse.

Yet, it held an undeniable strength.

She remembered the first time she had killed someone.

After the initial discomfort passed,

killing had become, for her, a precise, emotionless technical action.

She thought her heart had grown as cold as the gun in her hand.

But today felt different.

Seeing that dead mother.

Seeing that boy turned orphan.

Seeing the pain and confusion in Lu Qianqian's eyes.

She felt a long-scabbed-over place in her heart

tear open a small fissure.

So, evil doesn't completely vanish after being killed.

It leaves behind these ugly, unhealing scars.

Ji Wushuang looked out the window.

At this impoverished, chaotic city.

She suddenly gained a new understanding of Lu Chenyuan and Lu Qianqian's seemingly crazy decision.

Perhaps, only by witnessing such hell firsthand

can one truly understand how precious the word "human world" is.

And truly understand what it is one wants to protect.

What she was protecting was no longer just a contract, a mission.

But a fool who, after seeing hell, still wanted to create heaven.

A precious ideal.

Just then, Lu Qianqian turned around and looked straight at Ji Wushuang.

"Wushuang-jie."

Lu Qianqian's voice was hoarse.

"I'm okay now."

Ji Wushuang looked up at her.

The girl's eyes were still red.

But there was no fear in them anymore.

Only a settled determination.

"I want to learn how to shoot,"

Lu Qianqian said.

Her voice was quiet, yet firm and resolute.

Ji Wushuang looked at her, silent for a long time.

Then, she nodded.

"Okay."

...

That afternoon, Lu Qianqian completed the final round of price verification for basic supplies in the surrounding areas.

She handed a thick stack of notes to Annie.

"Annie-jie, the first draft of my research report is done."

"So fast?"

Annie was surprised.

She took the report and quickly flipped through it.

The handwriting was neat, the data detailed.

It was completely unlike something a pampered young lady could produce.

"Qianqian, you..."

Annie looked up, about to say something,

but saw Lu Qianqian's gaze fixed on a map on the wall.

It was a tribal distribution map of K country's deeper interior.

"Annie-jie,"

Lu Qianqian pointed to an area on the map called "Walu."

"Do we still have staff stationed there?"

A trace of worry appeared on Annie's face.

"Yes."

"Lin Ke and Uncle Zhao."

"They went there for geological surveys and water source testing almost half a month ago."

"We lost contact with them three days ago."

"Lost contact?"

Lu Qianqian asked, puzzled.

"Mhm, it's strange,"

Annie rubbed her temples.

"The Walu tribe is famously peaceful in this region. That area has always been our safe zone."

Ji Wushuang, who had been standing quietly nearby, heard Annie's description.

Her own risk assessment for that region was also at a relatively low level.

"That's precisely why I'm worried,"

Annie's tone, however, carried concern.

"I'm worried it's not an armed conflict, but that they fell ill, or their equipment failed, trapping them in the mountains. That mountainous area has plenty of poisonous insects and wild beasts too."

Lu Qianqian looked at the map in silence.

After a moment, she said,

"The final part of my research involves the living conditions in primitive tribal areas."

"Walu was originally one of the options."

"I'll make it my last stop."

"And, we'll go bring them back,"

Lu Qianqian said, her voice calm and firm.

Annie was taken aback. After a moment of silence, she said,

"Alright. But, don't ignore any security risks."

Lu Qianqian nodded. Then, her gaze turned to Ji Wushuang.

"Wushuang-jie, you'll protect me, right?"

Ji Wushuang looked at her.

At this girl who, just days ago, had been pale with fright.

Now, there was no fear in her eyes, only resolve.

Ji Wushuang did not answer her question.

She simply said to Annie,

"Give me a copy of Lin Ke and the other's files, and a detailed map of the Walu region."

Annie finally sighed.

"That area isn't technically a warzone, but the journey still isn't safe."

"I'll arrange a local guide for you. His name is Omar, he's from the Walu tribe. He knows the way and can take you there."

"But, at most, he can only take you to the outskirts of the tribe."

"Okay," Ji Wushuang nodded.