Chapter 275: You Want to Try to Capture Me?

"Red Heart 6?" Chen Ling asked, bewildered. "Deputy Captain, what are you talking about?"

A professional Deity of Theatre—no, a professional actor—would never easily abandon their role. Although Han Meng exposing his identity made his heart skip a beat, he showed no outward emotion.

"Initially, I didn't really suspect you," Han Meng began slowly.

"A first-rank rookie enforcer, even if they wanted to play both sides, wouldn't dare badmouth one superior in front of another... Unless, of course, you're completely clueless about social etiquette. So at that point, I was only a little suspicious; I didn't think too deeply.

But after I took you to District Three, it fell into chaos, and then you went missing... If I didn't suspect you after that, all my years as an enforcer would have been wasted.

It only takes a slight shift in perspective to realize that you agreed to follow me simply to use me to access the third floor. The checkpoints leading to the third floor are specifically designed to counter Divine Path users with disguise and face-changing abilities. That's why you had to rely on your accomplice, who was mixed in with the test subjects, to disable the checkpoints... because your face is simply fake.

Coincidentally, I know someone who can change faces..."

Chen Ling threw his hands up in resignation. "So what? Why do you think I'm that person you know?"

"You could have used the opportunity of transporting the bodies to escape the base with your accomplice, but you didn't... because, like me, you learned of Zhao Yi's death.

Since you chose to withdraw then, it likely meant your mission was complete. Therefore, the subsequent laboratory explosion and the rampage of the test subjects were actions you took outside the mission. You did that simply to avenge Zhao Yi, which indicates your relationship with him was very close...

Terrorist attack, face-changing, close ties with District Three survivors... Who else besides you, Chen Ling, fits all these criteria?"

When Han Meng finished speaking, the candlelit corridor fell into a deep silence.

Chen Ling looked at the figure in the trench coat before him, a familiar feeling of being seen through washing over him again... He let out a bitter laugh.

A thin facial mask peeled away with a swipe of his fingers, dissolving into nothingness. Chen Ling reverted to his own face, his bright red opera robe appearing as if steeped in blood under the flickering light.

"So, Officer Han Meng," Chen Ling said faintly, shedding all his disguises, "Are you going to try and arrest me?"

Although Han Meng had already guessed Chen Ling's identity, his expression was incredibly complex when he finally saw that familiar face.

He remained silent for a long time, not answering Chen Ling's question, but instead countered with one of his own:

"In District Three, why did you become an enforcer?"

"Why?" Chen Ling chuckled softly. "To disguise my identity as a member of the Twilight Society, to prevent you from tracing me, to gain more information... It's that simple."

"Did you kill Jiang Qin?"

"No."

"What about Xi Renjie?"

"Not him either, I let him go."

"Why did you do that?"

"I do whatever I want. Who says the Twilight Society only kills and sets fires?" Chen Ling sneered. "Though, I've done plenty of killing and arson too... Do you want to know?"

Chen Ling was telling the truth: he had bathed the ancient Bingshen Treasury in blood, killed all the enforcers in District Three except Xi Renjie, used District Three residents to enter Aurora City, razed the Galaxy Merchants' Guild, framed a prosecutor, publicly shot a witness in broad daylight, and blown up the Aurora Base's laboratory...

Any single one of these actions would be enough to brand Chen Ling as "marked for death." From Aurora City's perspective, he was a mad, bloody, cunning, and extremely difficult-to-apprehend criminal!

Han Meng watched Chen Ling in silence, then slowly lowered the dark gun in his hand after a long moment.

"...You can go."

"Are you sure you won't arrest me?" Chen Ling raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised by the outcome. "If you let me go now, catching me again later... won't be so easy."

"Perhaps not," Han Meng replied calmly.

"We will meet again... but it shouldn't be in an enforcer's dark cell."

Seeing this, Chen Ling said nothing more and turned to walk towards the elevator... If he didn't leave now, things would get complicated once Qiong Xuan and the others returned.

Han Meng watched the red-robed figure step into the elevator, swipe a finger across his face to transform into "Chen Xin," and then wave at him with a half-smile as his form disappeared with the elevator into the base.

Han Meng turned and returned to the third floor. By now, the many enforcers had completely neutralized the rampaging test subjects and were leading the scientists in white coats to clear the scene, checking which equipment could still be used. However, judging by the shattered and scattered parts on the floor, it was likely all completely ruined.

"Deputy Captain! New discovery!" an enforcer ran up excitedly.

"What is it?"

"We've caught an intruder!"

Han Meng paused, then saw another enforcer escorting a figure towards him.

It was Wen Shilin, still wearing enforcer attire, his face covered in dust and bruises, looking utterly disheveled. Despite this, he still clutched a camera, his eyes burning with what seemed like fury.

"He was just over at the observation room on the third floor, taking pictures of Laboratory 0, when we found him," the enforcer recounted the incident. "But he seems to be an ordinary person; he was subdued with no resistance..."

Han Meng frowned, looking at Wen Shilin, feeling a sense of familiarity. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Han Meng thought carefully and finally recalled where he had seen the man. During the first trial, he had been sitting with Lin Yan, seemingly also a journalist.

Wen Shilin did not intend to answer Han Meng's question; he didn't even plan to defend himself. At that moment, he was still overwhelmed by the shock of what he had witnessed in the Aurora Base...

"I want to see Tan Xin!!" Wen Shilin gritted out, enunciating each word.

Han Meng looked him up and down, then calmly told the others, "He's probably not the main culprit of this intrusion. Take him to headquarters; let them question him there."

"Yes, sir."

Wen Shilin was thus handcuffed and led away by the enforcers, his camera forcibly confiscated. As he left, the lights overhead flickered and then returned to full brightness.

"Power's back on," everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Under the restored lighting, Dr. Yi finally saw the full extent of the devastation, his intoxication somewhat clearing as he gazed at the scene with a complex expression, lost in thought.

Just then, a startled cry suddenly came from afar:

"Aurora-kun... Aurora-kun is gone!!"