Chen Quan looked at Li Mingxuan’s listless state. There was no trace of sympathy in his tone, only icy resolve. “You killed so many innocent people and destroyed so many families all for your own selfish desires. Did you think you could escape punishment? You were wrong. You will eventually pay the price for what you have done.”
Li Mingxuan hung his head in dejection. The venom and madness from before were completely gone. It was not because he felt remorse, but because he was powerless to escape this dead end, leaving him in utter despair.
The insect queen was dead, and the source of the Dew of Rebirth was completely cut off. His bodily functions would rapidly deteriorate. Before long, he would revert to a terminally ill, dying old man, eventually passing away in agony.
The investigators escorted Li Mingxuan away, and the courtyard fell back into silence.
The sudden insect swarm had claimed countless lives in Chaosheng Apartments and its surroundings. Scattered across the corridors and courtyard were shocking sights of mangled remains and lingering bloodstains.
The residents who were fortunate enough to survive had faces filled with fear and bewilderment, lost on where to go from here.
Bai Ci’s gaze slowly swept across the apartment building. She thought of Du Min, the mother who had gone mad while searching for her daughter, Lele. She wondered if she was still alive.
After bidding Chen Quan goodbye, she headed toward the apartment building.
Seeing this, Lin Wenyu quickly followed. Though her body was still a bit weak, she wanted to lend Bai Ci a hand.
The two of them made their way up the stairs. The state of the corridors was still too horrific to look at. The blood on the walls had dried into a dark crimson, and the fluid from the dead insects on the floor had not fully evaporated. The air remained thick with the pungent stench of blood.
They arrived at the entrance of Du Min's home. The door was wide open, and the interior was in complete disarray. Du Min lay motionless on the living room floor, no longer breathing. The insects had not completely devoured her; half of the skin on her face remained on her head, carrying a lingering trace of resentment and despair.
Looking at Du Min's corpse, Bai Ci felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. In the end, Du Min had still failed to receive any news about her daughter.
She knelt down, pulled some tissues from her pocket—using them as a substitute since she had no handkerchief—and gently laid them over Du Min's face. “Lele has been found. I will find someone reliable to properly take care of her remains, so the two of you can be reunited in the next world.”
She had a vague premonition that the instance was about to end. She wouldn't be able to stay until the day Lele was buried, so she could only leave this task in someone else's hands.
Lin Wenyu stood to the side in silence, her own heart heavy over this outcome.
Leaving Du Min's home, Bai Ci immediately went to find Chen Quan to ask for his help in recovering Lele's remains.
Meeting Bai Ci's earnest gaze, Chen Quan nodded and said gently, “Miss Bai, rest assured. I will arrange for people to properly recover Lele's remains and give her a decent burial. This is the least we can do, and it is our way of making amends to this innocent little girl.”
Chen Quan then assigned an investigator to accompany Bai Ci to the underground passage to recover Lele's skeleton.
The insect eggs in the underground passage had already lost all signs of life. The puddles on the ground were gradually drying up, and the sandalwood scent in the air had completely dissipated, leaving only the smell of damp earth.
Bai Ci walked over to Lele's skeleton and gently wiped clean the jade clasp hanging around the neck.
Lin Wenyu helped from the side, carefully lifting the skeleton so Bai Ci could wrap it in a clean cloth.
After recovering Lele's remains, Bai Ci went on to help the investigators gather the bodies of the other innocent residents in the apartments. Throughout the entire process, she didn't utter a single word, silently doing whatever she could. Her expression remained calm, but the fatigue deep in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Lin Wenyu stayed by her side the entire time, sharing the burden. Though few words passed between them, a silent understanding had formed.
After a full day of exhausting work, all the bodies were finally gathered. The investigators transported them away together to prepare for cremation and subsequent arrangements.
A sliver of peace finally returned to Chaosheng Apartments, but a hollow, sorrowful desolation still hung over the land, refusing to disperse for a long time.
Having received treatment, Chen Quan's wounds were somewhat better. Though still weak, he was now able to walk normally.
He approached Bai Ci and Lin Wenyu, speaking with deep sincerity, “Miss Bai, Miss Lin, thank you so much for this. If not for you two, we wouldn't have been able to resolve this insect swarm crisis at all, and who knows how many more innocent lives would have been lost. Our Bureau of Investigation will never forget your kindness. We will deliver the rewards we promised you as soon as possible.”
Bai Ci shook her head and replied calmly, “Captain Chen, there's no need to be polite. We only did what we had to do. Resolving the insect swarm crisis and letting those innocent people rest in peace is enough.”
She didn't jump at the chance to politely decline the rewards. They had taken action, so they deserved the compensation. There was no need to refuse it.
Lin Wenyu also nodded and smiled. “Exactly, Captain Chen. The important thing is that we survived and the crisis has been averted. If we encounter any anomalous incidents in the future, it would be great if you could give us a hand.”
Lin Wenyu wasn't one to stand on ceremony either. Besides, who knew if her next instance would even connect to this world? Compared to intangible reputation, obtaining tangible rewards was far more practical.
Chen Quan smiled and nodded. “Of course. We in the Bureau of Investigation keep our word; the rewards will be delivered shortly. In the future, no matter what anomalous incident you face, as long as you ask us for help, we will do our utmost to provide protection and assistance. We will never shirk our duties or brush you off.”
After bidding farewell to Chen Quan and the other investigators, the cold, electronic voice of the system rang in Bai Ci's ears.
[Instance 《Chaosheng Apartments》 cleared on Normal difficulty.]
[Evaluation Grade: B.]
[Teleporting to personal independent space shortly...]
“Bai Ci, did you hear the system's voice? We're about to say goodbye. I'm actually going to miss you.”
“Honestly, this instance was too brutal. If I hadn't partnered up with you, I probably wouldn't have made it to the end.” Lin Wenyu sighed, her tone filled with emotion, before a smile quickly returned to her face.
“Let's do quests together in the future when we have time! I'll make a post on the forum. Remember to search for the thread about this instance and add me as a friend.”
“I have more experience than you, so if you ever run into a tough spot in an instance, feel free to ask me. If I can't answer it, my boss can, so you can completely relax.”
Looking at the sincerity in her eyes, the tension at the corners of Bai Ci's mouth eased slightly, and she gave a gentle nod. “Alright, I'll add you. If there's an opportunity in the future, let's team up.”
An opportunity in the future meant there was no telling when it would happen, but adding someone like her wasn't a bad thing, so Bai Ci didn't refuse.
Rate on N.U.
