Lin Wenzhi was starting to appreciate the fact that he'd been a hitman in his past life.
It showed. In the way his senses stayed sharp no matter how tired he was. In the way he noticed things most people wouldn't. The shifts in movement, changes in rhythm, the subtle feeling of being watched.
Honestly, he would have preferred being an Esper. A B-rank guide wasn't exactly ideal in a world like this.
It had been hours since he left the Halo Guiding Center.
By now, he was already on the far edge of Beilun City, the skyline thinning into quieter, less populated sectors.
The road stretched ahead of him, mostly empty. Too empty.
Wenzhi didn't slow down. But his grip on the bike tightened.
Someone was following him.
Not close enough to be obvious. But not far enough to be ignored.
He veered off the main road without warning, cutting sharply into a narrow alley. The moment he did, the noise of the city dropped.
There were no pedestrians. No traffic. Only empty space and the car behind him.
Wenzhi didn't look back. The engine shift told him enough. They were still on him.
He leaned forward over the bike, teeth catching the strap of his bag as he tightened it across his shoulder.
Then he accelerated. Hard.
The alley spat him out toward a wide express bridge, lanes packed with fast-moving vehicles.
Good. Crowds meant cover.
Wenzhi shot onto the bridge, weaving between cars with dangerous precision, speed climbing fast enough to blur the edges of his vision.
His goal was to get out of the city.
Movement ahead.
A car swerved across lanes. Another followed. A third pulled wide to block the way.
Behind him, the pursuing car rushed forward.
"…You've got to be kidding me." His heart kicked hard against his ribs, but his hands stayed steady.
He pushed the bike faster, straight toward the gap. He slipped through, barely.
The wind tore past him as metal screamed behind him. A sharp, clean shot rang out, cutting through the noise.
The bike jolted violently.
Wenzhi's eyes widened. "…Shit."
The rear tire blew. He slammed the brake instinctively and immediately regretted it.
The bike skidded. Hard. Metal scraping against concrete, sparks bursting beneath him as control vanished completely.
He was thrown off.
His body hit the ground and rolled, pain exploding through his side as he tumbled across the rough surface before finally coming to a stop.
For a second, everything rang. Then engines roared back to life.
Four black cars swerved to surround him.
The doors opened in sync. Armed personnel stepped out, weapons raised without hesitation.
Wenzhi pushed himself up with a low groan, ripping off his helmet and tossing it aside. "That… could've gone better."
Pain shot through his left arm the moment he tried to move it.
He sucked in a breath sharply. "…Ah. That's broken."
He lifted his head, grey eyes reflecting the harsh headlights as he glared at them.
"Seriously," he said, voice edged with irritation, "what the hell do you all want?"
One of the doors opened again and Director Shen Jue stepped out with a smile.
Wenzhi's expression flattened instantly. "…Of course it's you."
"Oh," Shen Jue said smoothly, glancing over at him. "My apologies, Mr. Lin. Are you injured? You were moving rather fast."
There wasn't a trace of concern on his face.
Wenzhi let out a low breath and pushed himself up, gripping his arm as pain flared through it. His gaze flicked to his bag near an armed guard before returning to Shen Jue. Annoyed.
"I'm pretty sure," he said, voice edged, "I already made it clear I want nothing to do with you people."
"You did," Shen Jue agreed easily. "As it happens, we also received a call from Director Wei Kang."
He tilted his head slightly. "And according to him, you submitted a resignation letter this afternoon."
Wenzhi's eyes narrowed.
"And," Shen Jue continued, almost conversational, "the tracker placed in your bike indicates you were leaving the city."
That did it.
"A tracker?" Wenzhi snapped. "Since when does my resignation concern the government?"
His voice dropped, sharper now. "Don't you already have a guide for Shao Xinyuan?"
That was the only reason Shen Jue would personally show up like this.
"We did," Shen Jue said. "The Guide with ninety-seven percent compatibility. In fact, he was the S-rank Guide we prepared for him. But since your guiding... Shao Xinyuan has tried to kill him three times."
Wenzhi froze.
So that's why. Gu Luhan's reaction earlier...
His jaw tightened.
"…And what exactly does that have to do with me?" he said coldly. "That's your problem. Find another guide."
He took a step back. "I'm leaving."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible."
Wenzhi's eyes hardened. "I have rights."
"That you do," Shen Jue replied calmly and lifted his hand.
Soft clicks echoed as dozens of red lights appeared. Laser sights settled across Wenzhi's chest, head, and limbs, steady and unmoving.
The message was clear.
You're not going anywhere.
"Large-scale rifts have been opening across multiple sectors," Shen Jue said, his tone even. "Rifts that even SS-rank Espers are struggling to contain."
His gaze settled on Wenzhi. "We need Shao Xinyuan and you are going to help us. Whether you like it or not."
Wenzhi narrowed his eyes. "And you chose to wait until I submitted my resignation?"
"We've had your organization monitoring you since the moment Xinyuan rejected Gu Luhan." A faint smile tugged at Shen Jue's lips. "You're not exactly something we can afford to lose."
Wenzhi scoffed.
Halo sold him out.
A quiet breath left him as he slowly raised both hands, even the broken one.
Pain flashed instantly across his face, his expression tightening. "I'm not doing it."
Shen Jue's smile faded. "…What?"
"Are you deaf?" Wenzhi looked at him like the answer was obvious. "Shoot me. I'm not doing it. Go ahead."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then Shen Jue smiled again.
"Your stubbornness is… impressive." His voice softened. "But like I said—"
He took a step forward. "you're too valuable to discard."
Wenzhi's jaw tightened as he lowered his arm, grabbing at the broken one with a sharp hiss. Annoying pain pulsed through him.
He wanted to punch Shen Jue. Badly. But guns were faster.
"…No," he said again.
Shen Jue exhaled slowly as if he was indulging a difficult child. "Then let me make this easier for you."
Wenzhi didn't respond.
"How about we make this… worthwhile?" Shen Jue's smile sharpened. "You gain something."
He took another step closer. "I gain something."
His eyes flicked briefly to the armed personnel surrounding them. "And the world continues to exist."
He met Wenzhi's gaze again. "Sounds fair, doesn't it?"