"Elder Yu, please take it slow."
Chen Qingxue held the trembling old woman by the arm and gave Zhang Xiaoxi a look. Xiaoxi understood and also supported the old woman from the other side.
The other researchers quietly exchanged glances but said nothing. Only the young man following Elder Yu frowned slightly.
He was clearly displeased.
"Chongyang City..."
The old woman took a deep breath and smiled:
"I haven’t been here in many years. It’s a good city. Let’s hope this expedition yields some results."
Voices of agreement echoed around, and the young man said with a smile:
"Teacher, honestly, the researchers shouldn’t have asked you to come. Isn’t it a waste of your talents?"
This old woman was one of the few ’chief experts’ in the institute. Though she didn’t possess Martial Arts Cultivation,
her status was impressively high.
Whenever she visited a city, that city had to treat her with great respect—like now.
Zhang Xiaoxi curiously observed the law enforcement officers stationed around for security and the four armed hovercars in the sky.
She clicked her tongue and said:
"Wow, what an entourage we have."
Chen Qingxue laughed on the other side:
"It’s not us; it’s Elder Yu who has the grand entourage..."
The old woman waved her hand:
"Alright, let outsiders call me a ’divine and noble lady,’ but why do you kids join in the teasing?"
She shook her head and said:
"I’ve mentioned it to the Institute multiple times, not to engage in these formalities, tsk..."
Zhang Xiaoxi laughed and said:
"It’s for your safety, isn’t it!"
The old woman laughed:
"Safety? I’m a person halfway to the grave; who would want to kill me? But you, are you called Zhang Xiaoxi?"
She turned her head to look at the young girl and nodded slightly:
"I’ve seen your assessment report; you have a good talent and sensitivity. Study well, work hard, and don’t be corrupted by local temptations."
"Local temptations?" Zhang Xiaoxi was somewhat confused, and Chen Qingxue said with a laugh: "You’ll probably experience them later."
As the three joked, the young man’s expression worsened, staring at Zhang Xiaoxi and Chen Qingxue but saying nothing.
Meanwhile,
the aerospace ship slowly ascended and departed, the airwaves rolling, smoke and dust rising, and a figure emerged from the dust.
"Is Elder Yu from the Source Point Research Institute?"
A gentle and somewhat familiar voice sounded.
Zhang Xiaoxi instinctively looked up, nearly blurting out an exclamation.
Elder Yu nodded slightly:
"I am."
Zhang Fusheng glanced at his wide-eyed little cousin and extended his hand with a smile:
"I’m Zhang Fusheng, responsible for Elder Yu’s security detail these two days."
Chen Qingxue reached out and helped Elder Yu shake hands with Zhang Fusheng, curiously inspecting the young man who appeared so young and frail.
Usually, the local law enforcement captain would be in charge of security.
How could the captain be so young??
Intending to make a brief appearance and disappear, Zhang Fusheng changed his mind at the moment and gestured:
"Please follow me."
Leading the group of ten onto a large hovercar, the rest of the law enforcement officers drove hovercars, surrounding them.
The convoy headed towards the city center.
Inside the hovercar,
Zhang Xiaoxi was clearly still somewhat dazed, staring at her straight-sitting younger cousin, staring and staring.
What’s this brat doing here?
How did he become a law enforcement officer??
The old woman glanced at the gawking Zhang Xiaoxi and smiled:
"Child, why do you keep staring at others?"
Several pairs of eyes turned to her.
Zhang Xiaoxi snapped back to reality, stammering:
"No, Elder Yu, I, I..."
Zhang Fusheng smiled and explained for her:
"Elder Yu, I’ve known Xiaoxi for many years. I was surprised she suddenly came to Chongyang City."
He didn’t reveal that Zhang Xiaoxi was his cousin—the identity documents had been altered so that his documented age was older than hers.
The researchers were slightly puzzled.
"Oh?"
The old woman was a bit surprised and nodded:
"That indeed is a coincidence. The young man looks very young; becoming a law enforcement captain this early, his future is limitless."
Zhang Fusheng smiled but didn’t explain further, casually agreeing and refraining from asking about the institute’s purpose for this trip.
Soon, the hovercars arrived at a luxury hotel in the city center, and law enforcement officers flooded inside. Many guests silently moved aside, giving respectful looks,
and the group didn’t need to perform any check-in procedures, heading directly to the top floor—entirely cleared out.
Over forty rooms, all for this group of ten or so people.
After a tiring day, Elder Yu announced a meeting would be held in half an hour,
and, like the other researchers, returned to her room to rest.
Zhang Xiaoxi seized the opportunity.
She whispered a few words to Chen Qingxue, swayed her hips over, and stared with wide eyes:
"Little brother, what’s going on here?"
Zhang Fusheng glanced sideways:
"I was just about to ask you?"
They leaned against the corridor wall, and Zhang Xiaoxi couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch her little cousin’s cheek:
"It’s really you..."
Zhang Fusheng slapped away her pesky hand:
"You just joined that institute, right? How did you climb so quickly to follow Elder Yu?"
"Hmph, of course, your sister is the unrivaled genius!"
Zhang Xiaoxi twisted her hips and then suspiciously eyed Zhang Fusheng:
"And you? How did you become a law enforcement captain? A captain in a major city!"