Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Crunch Crunch

One sentence stunned the room.

“The Maze?” Zhou Zhou blinked at Su Yu Qing. “The Maze she means—does she mean that Maze? The one they drill into inspectors during training, the source of aberrant corruption?”

Su Yu Qing’s expression sharpened. He stared at Feng Ling like he was trying to see through her skin. “Why are you going into the Maze? That’s a special game area for aberrants. Not somewhere humans belong.”

Feng Ling reached for a bag of cheese-flavored chips on the coffee table, tore it open, and started eating.

“My corruption level is twenty-nine percent,” she said.

The air changed.

Su Yu Qing and Zhou Zhou both went pale.

Behind the sofa, the special assault team’s three guns rose in the same instant, muzzles snapping toward Feng Ling’s head and chest.

Crunch. Crunch.

The chips were loud in the sudden silence.

Feng Ling looked at them calmly while she chewed. “Put them down,” she said. “You can’t beat me.”

She paused, eyes on Su Yu Qing. “And I think I’m still salvageable.”

Su Yu Qing’s jaw flexed, but he didn’t give an order.

The three team members traded a glance and lowered their weapons, reluctant but obedient.

Zhou Zhou sucked in a breath like he’d been punched. “Feng Ling, you’re out of your mind. With that corruption level, if you were in the Inspection Bureau you’d already be in the gas chamber.”

“The gas chamber?” Feng Ling’s eyes flicked to Su Yu Qing.

“Don’t listen to his nonsense,” Su Yu Qing said, rubbing his brow. “It’s called the Special Observation Ward. Any inspector over twenty-two percent goes in for observation. If they’re stable and non-aggressive, they can be released, but they’re still classified high-risk—restrictions apply. That’s for citizen safety.”

Zhou Zhou snorted. “And if you’re not stable—if you go berserk—the Observation Ward sprays you and sends you straight to the afterlife.”

“That’s a high-strength anesthetic spray,” Su Yu Qing snapped. “Not poison gas.”

Zhou Zhou shrugged. “And after you get sprayed, you’re done either way. Humane destruction.”

Feng Ling clicked her tongue. “You’re brutal to your own people.”

“It’s a last resort,” Su Yu Qing said, gaze hard. “Did you think every polluted entity we clear is an aberrant? Dying in the Observation Ward beats your genes collapsing, turning you into something not human and not ghost—turning you into corruption itself.”

Feng Ling crunched twice more, then suddenly felt her stomach tighten. The chips tasted like dust.

Zhou Zhou whistled, voice cool. “If the Central Bureau finds out you’re at twenty-nine percent, their ‘on-the-spot recruitment’ might become on-the-spot arrest.”

Feng Ling chewed louder, irritation spiking.

She shot Su Yu Qing a look. “Isn’t there the Maze? Why doesn’t the Inspection Bureau send people in to find idol? You have more intel than I do. You should know idol can reduce corruption in card bearers.”

“There have been cases,” Su Yu Qing admitted, “but…” He dragged a hand down his face. “Information on the Maze is scarce. The entrance is hard to locate. Inside is lethal. Relying on the Maze to clear corruption isn’t realistic—at least not as a standard method. Right now, prevention matters more than cure.”

Zhou Zhou nodded grimly. “To fight aberrants, we have to push our ability card skills. Corruption comes with it. That’s normal. But the Maze? It’s rare and dangerous. You might never find it before the corruption starts eating your sanity.”

Feng Ling’s eyes narrowed. “I have a lead on the Maze. I think I’m in time.”

“Then report it,” Su Yu Qing said immediately.

He looked exhausted, like the weight of the situation had settled onto his shoulders and started crushing. “Report to the Inspectorate General Bureau. Let the Central Bureau send people to assist you and supervise you. That reduces the chance of you losing control. It’s the safest route.”

Zhou Zhou scoffed under his breath. “Safe for who? Central Bureau shows up and they might drag her straight into the gas chamber. Qing Jiang City finally has someone strong—are you really going to hand her over?”

“I told you it’s not the gas chamber,” Su Yu Qing said through his teeth. “It’s the Special Observation Ward.”

Zhou Zhou turned his face away, still unconvinced.

Feng Ling watched them bicker, then looked at Zhou Zhou. “What’s your corruption level?”

He raised his brows, smug again. “Two percent. Hellhound Card as my main card. Digested the Prairie Wolf Card once.”

Su Yu Qing’s voice dropped into lecture mode, calm but heavy. “Every ability card we confiscate gets sent to the Central Bureau Research Institute. The Research Institute distributes cards based on local needs and each inspector’s traits. They do what they can to keep corruption as low as possible. There are mistakes sometimes… but most of the time, the cards they assign are safe and reliable.”

He sighed and looked at Feng Ling like he was trying to pull her back from a cliff. “I’m not trying to chain you up. But this can’t continue. Report it. Hidden Boss, corruption—both. You need more mature guidance than whatever you can scrape together alone.”

Feng Ling’s first instinct was pure resistance. Reporting to the Inspection Bureau would only complicate everything.

She thought for a moment, weighing it like a knife.

“Fine,” she said. “Maybe. If you agree to one condition.”

Su Yu Qing nodded without hesitation. “Say it. I’ll do everything I can.”

Feng Ling glanced away, almost embarrassed, then forced herself to speak clearly.

“Transfer this apartment to me,” she said. “Give it to me.”

The room went dead silent.

Su Yu Qing stood so fast the sofa barely had time to stop creaking. He didn’t look at her—didn’t say a single word—just walked out and slammed the door hard enough to make the frame shudder.

Zhou Zhou lost it.

He bent over, laughing like he’d been stabbed. “Hahahahahaha!”

Feng Ling blinked, bewildered. She looked at the three special assault team members. Their expressions had turned painfully awkward.

“If he doesn’t want to, then fine,” Feng Ling said, frowning. “Why did he react like that?”

“Minefield,” Zhou Zhou wheezed, still laughing. “That’s Old Su’s minefield!”

Feng Ling opened the door and leaned out. The hallway was empty.

He’d really left.

“He just walked out?” she said, incredulous. “He was so angry he didn’t even speak?”

Qin Liang cleared his throat, trying not to smile. “Sister Ling… this apartment is Captain Su’s wedding house.”

Feng Ling’s eyes widened. “Wedding house?”

Zhou Zhou cackled. “The engagement’s already blown up and it’s still a wedding house! Who told him to like Sister Ye? I swear that man’s never getting married.”

Feng Ling stared, then muttered, half to herself, “So I’m living in his…?”

It was suddenly hard to feel righteous.

She looked at Qin Liang, curiosity rising anyway. “Tell me the details.”

Qin Liang hesitated, glancing at Zhou Zhou like he was asking permission to commit a crime.

“Tell her!” Zhou Zhou crowed, slapping his thigh. “Hurry up—tell her!”