Chapter 241: On the Balance 22
That night, Kui Xin had a good rest.
By the time she woke up, it was nearly ten o’clock, a rare lazy morning. She hadn’t had one in a long time.
During her senior year in high school, she used to wake up around five in the morning. As her biological clock solidified, even during the summer vacation, she would definitely wake up before seven. After participating in the game “Crimson Soil,” Kui Xin’s schedule became so chaotic that it felt on the verge of sudden collapse.
With her mind filled with various matters finally relaxed, Kui Xin regained enough energy for some detailed thinking and logical sorting about what was to come.
Currently, three pressing issues lay before her.
First, the ransom from the Popov Clan.
Second, the selection of new members for the Shadowless Organization and the allocation of positions and tasks.
Third, the location and identity confirmation of Remover 777.
The first two issues were manageable.
For the ransom from the Popov Clan, Kui Xin decided to negotiate privately with Polina as per Adam’s suggestion. If Polina agreed to Hui Xin’s terms, and Kui Xin successfully secured the ransom, the matter would be settled.
Regarding the new members of the Shadowless Organization, Kui Xin had already identified reliable candidates through the forum after returning to the First World; candidates like Scalpel, Golden Ring, Wei Li, and Samantha were all on the shortlist.
The last issue was the most important one, but only after resolving the first two could Kui Xin free herself to tackle the final problem.
With Augus thousands of miles away, Fusgong City was inland and too far from White Whale City; it would take time to rush over. Augus was not a stationary target, so Kui Xin needed to act quickly to avoid Augus shifting locations and becoming hard to track.
The core of Augus in the Second World should be in the nuclear power station in Fusgong City, a place belonging to the Dark Realm. Although Kui Xin hoped for Augus to perish there, on some level, she also wished he would come out.
If Augus emerged, it would mean there was a way to enter and exit the Dark Realm, not just a one-way trip. Augus’s method of escape would provide crucial insights for Kui Xin, vital for her plans.
In addition to these three issues, there were also various other minor issues to consider.
Three mountains loomed over Kui Xin—Mechanized Dawn, the Resistance Army, and the TQC.
Their threat had never receded.
Despite the proximity of these threats, Kui Xin was no longer the defenseless ant she once was; she possessed the capital to contend with these large organizations. While she couldn’t confront them head-on, she could maneuver through her various abilities.
Kui Xin’s advantage lay in her mobility; if she couldn’t win, she could retreat. She would always be the hidden snake while her enemies remained exposed.
Mechanized Dawn had lost the Four Leaves, and Chuangtu Technology Company had been infiltrated by Kui Xin. Even though Eve might appear confident, she would certainly have to relocate her strongholds, temporarily unable to deal with Kui Xin.
As for the Resistance Army, Kui Xin managed to fend off the possessed Ghost during the Reset War and successfully subverted Ambereye, allowing her to navigate through this current crisis.
With Li Wanran covering for Kui Xin, Adam also assisted her. As long as Kui Xin didn’t confront an S Rank Awakened from the TQC directly, they couldn’t touch her.
After going through her thoughts, the situation in her mind became clearer. Although the various factions were complex and she had made many enemies, the situation was still under control.
She relaxed slightly, got up to wash up, had a bite to eat, and then did some stretches to loosen her body.
Last night, White Whale City experienced another snowfall. As Kui Xin equipped herself and stepped out from her hideout, she saw the sides of the road covered with grayish snow. The morning temperatures had risen a bit, resulting in partially melted snow and very poor conditions on the roads.
Kui Xin navigated the familiar alleyways and activated the Spatial Vortex to enter, arriving at the stronghold where Su Rong was.
Su Rong was already awake, exercising on a treadmill. She almost stumbled off when she saw Kui Xin approach excitedly.
“You’re here!” Su Rong jumped off the treadmill. “Do you have something to do today? Are you going out to recruit again?”
“I’m not here for that,” Kui Xin said. “What’s the situation beyond the Dark Realm? Any changes?”
“No, everything is normal. That night was very calm. Players were all on the periphery, and there was no one in the inner circle,” Su Rong replied. “Seeing you do that scared me. I encountered White Dove near the Tobacco Factory and remembered he knew you, so I asked him about the Dark Realm. Then I heard a woman next to him talking to him, mentioning your code name, so I had the Shadow appear to interact with them.”
“How did you communicate? The Shadow can’t talk; did you borrow their phone to type?” Kui Xin asked.
“Yeah, you figured that out.” Su Rong said shyly. “The woman’s code name is Dusk. She seemed very anxious and, along with White Dove, was guessing whether you had entered the Dark Realm. She wanted to go in to find you, but White Dove stopped her, saying they had to wait and see if you could return from the Dark Realm. They couldn’t progress with their plans until they confirmed that.”
Kui Xin asked, “What did you talk about with them?”
“I didn’t know what to say, so I just said I was the Ashes of the Shadowless and a teammate of Maotoufu,” Su Rong said. “I didn’t dare to say much more. After you went in that night, the three of us waited outside for your return.”
She worriedly added, “Can you get out again? Maotoufu?”
“I can definitely get out, but I just don’t know how at the moment,” Kui Xin murmured.
“Do you need food? If you can’t get out for a while, we might be able to send food into the Dark Realm,” Su Rong said. “Do you need medicine? Or anything else? We can prepare for your next return. We can package things up and toss them in, and maybe you can collect them.”
Kui Xin thought for a moment. “That would be good. I need a lot of medicine, and prepare some food as well.”
“Have you been injured?” Su Rong seized the main point.
“Yeah,” Kui Xin nodded. “Please try your best to prepare everything needed from out here.”
Su Rong bit her lip, looking at Kui Xin, and said sadly, “I really hate my powerlessness. Sometimes I wonder if I should give up some things to do what I should do…”
Kui Xin had informed Su Rong about her withdrawal from school, but she hadn’t expected Su Rong to also contemplate giving up her studies.
“Don’t think that way. A normal life shouldn’t be a stumbling block on your path forward,” Kui Xin patiently advised.
Looking at Su Rong’s saddened face, she continued, “Of course you can give up something to do what you believe is right. But your decision should come from your heart, not because others made you do it. I don’t advise you to give up because I think your decision is not yet mature enough, and you haven’t considered the consequences adequately. If you’re clear about it and believe you can bear the consequences, then you can certainly go for it.”
Su Rong silently nodded.
“There might still be things I need you for today; stay on standby at the stronghold,” Kui Xin said as she checked the time. “I need to get busy with other matters first. Goodbye.”
The Spatial Vortex opened behind her, and Su Rong watched her enter.
He Kangshi was overseeing operations in the bar. The bar hadn’t opened yet, but the renovation work should be completed today. Nearby petty criminals had temporarily become the workers, and their work efficiency was surprisingly high.
The first to notice Kui Xin’s arrival was Four Leaves. He had been stacking beer cans on the ground, and suddenly, as if sensing something, he looked back just in time to see the Spatial Vortex open.
“Maotoufu!” His eyes sparkled as he shouted those three words.
Kui Xin was taken aback by his enthusiasm and excitement, feeling a bit at a loss, and said, “Good morning, Four Leaves.”
“Good morning to you too,” Four Leaves politely replied.
He didn’t seem quite as naïve about social interactions anymore.
“I taught him,” He Kangshi walked over, scratching his head. “I’ve been like a kindergarten teacher these days, teaching him table manners and how to treat others. But Four Leaves is very obedient; he listens to everything I say.”
“Oh, good job,” Kui Xin replied casually. “I’m just here to check on the construction progress. You carry on.”
“Alright!” He Kangshi said straightforwardly.
He scooted closer to Kui Xin and whispered, “Why was Ashes so anxious last night? Can you tell me, Sis?”
“It’s not a big issue. There was a minor problem, and she couldn’t reach me,” Kui Xin explained as she examined him. “You feel a bit different; it seems you’ve gotten stronger.”
“You noticed that!” He Kangshi said in surprise. “I leveled up; now I’m C Rank. While I’m still a bit weak, at least I can use my abilities in combat now.”
He Kangshi’s ability was psychokinetic, similar to one of Augus’s abilities named “Telekinetic Control,” exhibiting effects like manipulating objects from a distance. However, due to his skill level being too low and lacking practical combat experience to refine his ability, he struggled a bit, and facing enemies, he might as well use firearms outright.
“Your rank is still a bit low…” Kui Xin thought to herself.
The biggest drawback of the Shadowless Organization was that the trusted individuals around Kui Xin were too low in ability rank, unable to stand on their own. This organization couldn’t operate without her protection, which somewhat constrained her actions.
This wasn’t a problem that could be resolved quickly, so Kui Xin could only set it aside for now.
“You get back to what you were doing; I have to go,” Kui Xin said. Just as she turned around, her clothing was tugged.
“You only said… one sentence to me, and it was only five words.” Four Leaves emphasized seriously. “You left for a long, long time, and since coming here, you only stayed…” He awkwardly gestured with his finger, “for a little bit of time!”
“What do you want me to say to you? How many words do you want me to say?” Kui Xin turned her head to ask.
Four Leaves looked momentarily confused, then firmly declared, “A lot! A whole lot of words!”
“Save those words for later; I’ll say them to you next time.” Kui Xin grasped his hand to pull her clothes free. “For now, I have to say ‘goodbye’ to you.”
Four Leaves watched Kui Xin leave with longing.
He Kangshi said to Four Leaves, “Don’t be sad, kid. Maotoufu Sis has been very kind to you. She doesn’t like to joke at all! Bringing you into this world means she has been responsible for you. She’s just too busy!”
“Oh…” Four Leaves replied blankly.
…
“You’re here,” Ambereye nodded at Kui Xin. “I’ve already found out, and this is Polina’s private contact number.”
Kui Xin noted the number and sat on the sofa, turning to Abrak, who hadn’t fully healed yet, saying, “If I negotiate privately with Polina, do you think she will agree to my terms?”
“Hard to say,” Abrak said cautiously. “You can threaten her with your family’s reputation in negotiations, but it’s difficult to use familial ties as leverage.”
Kui Xin pulled out her communicator and toyed with it for a moment before entering the number on the screen.
Before dialing, she gave Ambereye a nod, and Ambereye promptly discreetly covered Abrak’s mouth.
“Beep—”
The call connected, and a soft breathing could be heard through the microphone before an elegant and calm female voice said, “Is it you? Abrak? Or someone from the Shadowless?”
“You’re quite perceptive, Ms. Polina,” came Kui Xin’s voice, modulated through the microphone.
“Only family members would call this number. I have records of their numbers, but this one is unfamiliar,” Polina coldly replied. “I suspect it’s my useless brother Abrak who gave you the phone number.”
