The headlights cut through the rain—
Like blades splitting the street in half.
Cold white beams swept forward, illuminating everything—
Broken pavement.Overturned bikes.Plastic drifting in flooded water.And the black ash stains outside the store—
Still not fully washed away.
The vehicles hadn't even stopped yet—
But the sound of their engines had already arrived.
Low. Controlled. Heavy.
Not civilian.
Lin Wu stood behind the counter.
Watched the approaching lights—
Then turned to Xie Lin.
"Give me the case."
His breath caught.
His arms tightened instantly around the silver-gray box.
Of course he knew.
They weren't here for him.
They were here for this.
But instinct—
Still told him not to let go.
The headlights drew closer.
Closer.
The sound of tires crushing water—
Like something grinding against his nerves.
Two seconds.
That's all his hesitation lasted.
Then—
He pushed the case forward.
"…Don't give it to them."
"At least… not directly."
Lin Wu glanced at him.
"I'm not stupid."
Her hand touched the case.
Thought triggered—
Gone.
The silver-gray box—
And the wristband—
Vanished.
Xie Lin's pupils shrank.
Even though he had seen it before—
This—
Still made his scalp prickle.
System:
[Special Item Stored][External Tracking Signal Reduced][Partial Detection Avoided]
Lin Wu's eyes flickered.
Good.
That move—
Was correct.
"You can't stand, don't stand."
"Sit somewhere. Stay quiet."
Then—
She opened the reward panel.
Behind the counter—
A section of wall shifted.
A narrow silver-white pod unfolded outward.
Not a bed.
More like—
A survival capsule.
Soft padding.Low blue ambient light.Emergency restraints.Thermal blanket.
Xie Lin froze for a second.
Lin Wu opened it.
"Get in."
"Don't get spotted."
No more hesitation.
He dragged himself inside.
Before closing—
He looked back.
"If they ask—"
"I know."
Lin Wu cut him off.
"Your most valuable trait right now—"
"Is silence."
He shut up.
Outside—
The vehicles stopped.
Ten meters away.
Not because they didn't want to come closer.
Because they couldn't.
A faint golden boundary shimmered in the rain—
Dividing the store—
From the world.
Doors opened.
Six people.
Clean movement. Minimal noise.
Not soldiers.
But better than street survivors.
Tactical rain gear.Weapons holstered.Equipment secured.
Disciplined.
One of them raised a scanner—
Blue light flickered—
Then—
Static.
Signal disrupted.
"Field interference."
The woman at the front didn't turn.
She stepped forward.
Stopped at the edge of the barrier.
Looked at the store.
Then at the ash.
Then—
At Lin Wu.
"Good evening."
Her voice was calm.
"We're from Heng'an Biohazard Recovery."
"I'm Pei Wan."
No wasted words.
"Ten minutes ago—"
"A personnel unit carrying Level-1 sealed assets went missing."
"Last signal—here."
Pause.
"We need to confirm—"
"Has he been here?"
Lin Wu didn't answer immediately.
She studied them.
Clean gear.
Minimal dirt.
Not survivors.
Operators.
People sent with a purpose.
"Information costs money."
Pei Wan nodded.
"As expected."
"But first—"
"I need to confirm your capability."
Translation?
Are you worth dealing with?
Lin Wu smiled slightly.
Didn't like that tone.
"You've already seen the safety."
She gestured outside.
"As for capability—"
"You're outside."
"I'm inside."
"That not clear enough?"
Silence.
Qi Ye almost smirked.
Su Yu nearly nodded.
Even Wang Defa outside muttered:
…damn.
Pei Wan paused.
Raised her hand slightly.
Stopped her teammate.
She understood.
"Alright."
"I'll enter alone."
Lin Wu's gaze dropped—
To her weapons.
"Leave them."
Tension.
Immediate.
Two seconds.
Pei Wan moved first.
Gun—off.
Knife—off.
Hidden blade—off.
Hands up.
"Now?"
"Approved."
Golden light flashed.
She stepped inside—
And stopped.
Clean air.
Warm light.
Order.
Too normal.
Which made it—
Wrong.
Her eyes scanned everything in half a second.
People.
Layout.
Threats.
Then—
Lin Wu.
"You're doing well."
"Opening night."
"Good business."
Pei Wan noticed the ledger.
Names.
Trades.
Records.
While the world collapsed—
This woman kept accounts.
That meant—
She had already accepted the new order.
"I'll be direct."
She placed items on the counter.
Black card.
Injection kit.
Map.
"B-Level access."
"Broad-spectrum anti-infection."
"Evac routes."
System:
[High Value Items Detected]
Lin Wu evaluated instantly.
Valuable.
But not enough.
"Good."
She said calmly.
"But not enough."
Pei Wan looked at her.
"What does it buy?"
"It buys—"
Lin Wu tapped the counter.
"Confirmation."
"Someone came."
Pei Wan's pupils tightened.
Barely.
"Continue."
Lin Wu didn't.
Instead—
She picked up the items.
Inspected them.
Slowly.
Then—
Looked up.
"Question."
"Are you here to recover the case?"
"Or what's inside it?"
Silence.
Pei Wan didn't answer.
That was enough.
Lin Wu smiled faintly.
"Not just recovery then."
"And one more rule."
"I don't sell customers."
That landed.
Hard.
Even Qi Ye turned his head.
Inside the pod—
Xie Lin's fingers tightened.
Pei Wan asked quietly:
"Even if that item could kill people?"
Lin Wu didn't hesitate.
"Then I decide."
"Not you."
Silence.
Then—
Pei Wan nodded.
"Fine."
"New deal."
She placed something else down.
A chip.
System exploded:
[Authority Fragment Detected][Linked to sealed item][EXTREMELY HIGH VALUE]
Lin Wu's eyes sharpened.
Pei Wan spoke:
"One question."
"Did he enter your store?"
Silence.
Everything—
Hung on this.
Lin Wu tapped the ledger.
Slow.
Measured.
Then—
Looked up.
"Answer is for sale."
"But you add more."
"What?"
"Field medical kit."
"Portable comm unit."
Outside—
Her team reacted instantly.
Pei Wan stopped them.
Then—
Smiled slightly.
"You're good."
"Thank you."
Lin Wu replied instantly.
"I know."
Pause.
"…Deal."
System:
[High Value Trade Confirmed]
Pei Wan stood straight.
Waiting.
Xie Lin held his breath.
Lin Wu spoke.
"He entered."
Everything froze.
Xie Lin's heart stopped.
Pei Wan didn't explode.
She asked—
"Is he still here?"
Lin Wu didn't even blink.
"That's question two."
"New price."
…
Qi Ye almost laughed.
Pei Wan stared at her.
Then—
Exhaled.
"You really don't lose."
Lin Wu smiled.
"Losing makes you cheap."
Silence.
Rain.
Lights.
Then—
Trade continued.
But just as tension peaked—
SPARK.
A scanner—
Destroyed.
System:
[Unauthorized Detection][Punishment Executed]
Devices—
Dead.
Pei Wan turned.
Realized—
This place didn't just defend.
It judged.
And punished.
She turned back.
This time—
Different.
"Sorry."
Lin Wu nodded.
"No charge."
"Next time costs."
Pei Wan accepted it.
Then asked:
"Third answer?"
Lin Wu didn't answer.
She looked at everything she had gained.
Then—
At the hidden pod.
Then—
At Pei Wan.
Still holding cards.
She tapped the pen.
"Not yet."
"Buy something else first."
"Water. Medicine."
"Or…"
She smiled.
"Survival."
Pei Wan stared.
Then—
Smiled too.
"Alright."
"Let's continue."