Chapter 145-I Clean Up Garbage in a Wasteland World
Chapter 145 The Guardian
On the easy children's course, Lin Xiaofeng was skiing under professional instruction, surrounded by kids her own age.
Zhu Ning and Song Zhizhang watched from the sidelines. Song Zhizhang kept his eyes glued to Lin Xiaofeng, anxious she might get into trouble in the crowd.
Song Zhizhang: "What favor?"
Earlier, Zhu Ning had wanted to ask him something but hadn't said it in front of Lin Xiaofeng. Now that the girl wasn't here, she could speak freely.
Zhu Ning: "If something happens to me, can you help look after Lin Xiaofeng?"
Song Zhizhang had guessed as much, but guessing and actually hearing it were two very different things.
Song Zhizhang tried to keep his tone light: "Entrusting your child on your deathbed?"
Zhu Ning: "Pretty much. You don't want her? I can tell you really like her."
Song Zhizhang cared deeply about Lin Xiaofeng. Zhu Ning could feel it. With Song Zhizhang, Lin Xiaofeng would definitely grow up safe.
Song Zhizhang's fingers tightened on the railing. His skin had returned to normal—his knuckles white from the cold.
Song Zhizhang: "Zhu Ning, my profession..."
Zhu Ning cut him off: "I know what you do. It's not like I just met you. That excuse is way too boring. You might as well tell me you don't have long to live."
"Wait—" The words left her mouth and she caught herself. "You don't actually have a short life expectancy, do you?"
What was beneath Song Zhizhang's high-collared sweater?
Song Zhizhang said flatly: "No."
As long as he didn't do anything reckless, living out a normal life wouldn't be a problem.
Zhu Ning didn't press further: "See? You're perfect for it. If I die, she'd be all alone. How sad would that be?"
Zhu Ning recalled that she'd already asked Song Zhizhang to look after Lin Xiaofeng before—and he'd done it for Lin Xiaofeng's sake. "I'm not saying I'll actually get into trouble. I'm just giving you a heads-up. Insurance."
Being an adult was exhausting. So many things to handle. At the very least, you had to think decisions through.
"If you don't say anything, I'm taking that as a yes." Zhu Ning: "My Sub-Brain password is 790812."
That was Zhu Yao's birthday. Most of Zhu Ning's passwords were that number.
"When the time comes, withdraw my savings. I think they should last a while if you're careful?"
"Zhu Ning," Song Zhizhang said, "I don't want money..."
Song Zhizhang wasn't short on money. He wouldn't be so hard up he couldn't raise a little girl.
Zhu Ning asked back: "Then what do you want?"
Song Zhizhang was silent for a long time. He turned to look into Zhu Ning's eyes, then said nothing.
His eyes were beautiful—thin eyelids, prone to reddening. When he looked at someone intently, he appeared deeply sincere.
Zhu Ning clicked her tongue. How was this man so good at weaponizing puppy-dog eyes? She really couldn't take it.
Zhu Ning: "Relax. I'll come back alive. I have Danger Sense."
Zhu Ning was confident her survival odds were very high.
Especially since she'd already figured out who should be her guardian. There was absolutely no one in the world better suited.
......
The three-day deadline arrived.
Zhu Ning tore through the streets on her motorcycle, the world whipping past behind her.
She had earphones in. Xu Meng was connected remotely. The clack-clack-clack of a keyboard came from Xu Meng's end. "ETA one hour. Are you ready?"
Zhu Ning pulled up in front of a villa, killed the engine, and removed her helmet. "Ready. I just found my guardian."
Xu Meng knew Zhu Ning might not have many acquaintances. Normally, whoever Zhu Ning chose was none of Xu Meng's business—but a bad feeling was forming. "Who?"
Zhu Ning had just rung the doorbell. A nameplate hung by the door—the character Huo. She'd gotten the address from Fang Ying.
Tracking down Huo Wenxi had turned out to be surprisingly involved. Getting the exact address required Zhu Ning to go through a registration process. If Huo Wenxi were murdered today, the first suspect would be Zhu Ning.
Zhu Ning: "Someone you know. Team Leader Huo."
Xu Meng lowered her voice: "I told you to find a guardian, and you found Team Leader Huo?"
What kind of fearless maneuver was this?
Zhu Ning hadn't even earned Huo Wenxi's full trust. Huo Wenxi had always been suspicious of her.
Zhu Ning: "Don't worry, I won't expose you."
Xu Meng: "That's not what I mean. I mean she's not suitable, is she?"
They were about to pull something this big. Afterward, Huo Wenxi would find out if she wanted to. Maybe Zhu Ning giving her a heads-up would actually save them some trouble—fewer interrogations down the line.
It was just that Zhu Ning choosing Huo Wenxi as her guardian seemed unreliable no matter how you looked at it.
Zhu Ning: "At the end of the day, a guardian is there to keep me alive. They're my safety latch—making the most beneficial decision for me while I'm unconscious. Right?"
Xu Meng: "Right."
Zhu Ning: "Don't you think Team Leader Huo's ability is perfect for this?"
One option for a guardian was a battle-tested comrade—years of rapport, deep mutual understanding, someone who could save your life at the critical moment.
Unfortunately, Zhu Ning had only been "rebooted" for less than two months. She hadn't met anyone like that, and there was no time to build that kind of bond.
Song Zhizhang and Lin Xiaofeng were both unsuitable. They couldn't bear the weight of Zhu Ning's death. If she died on their watch, they'd have a mental breakdown. Zhu Ning didn't want to be the villain.
That left the second option: an absolutely cold-headed guardian.
Huo Wenxi's ability was intuition. She could maintain one hundred percent composure with zero personal emotion, making the most advantageous choice at every juncture.
An intuition-type. Absolutely perfect—it would maximize Zhu Ning's survival rate. Zhu Ning's rule for survival: anyone who could be useful must be used.
Xu Meng was speechless. Zhu Ning's logic was actually sound.
The only issue was—why on earth would Huo Wenxi agree to be Zhu Ning's guardian? This was an audacious choice.
Click—
The front door opened. Zhu Ning had expected a housekeeper or something. Instead, it was Huo Wenxi herself.
Huo Wenxi wore a loose grass-green loungewear set today, a long braid draped over her chest. Probably thanks to her intuition, she wasn't surprised to see Zhu Ning.
Huo Wenxi: "What are you doing here?"
Zhu Ning flashed a sweet smile: "I heard you're off today."
Huo Wenxi scoffed. Zhu Ning had some nerve. Huo Wenxi had been working nonstop for half a month, practically living in her office. Her three days off were still consumed by work.
Huo Wenxi remembered approving Zhu Ning's leave. Why wasn't she at home?
Zhu Ning: "Team Leader Huo, can I use your bathtub?"
For anyone, this question would be jaw-dropping—especially directed at Huo Wenxi.
In all her life, she'd never heard such an outlandish request.
Huo Wenxi: "I'm a decent person."
Zhu Ning: "And I'm a decent employee."
Huo Wenxi wasn't so sure. Zhu Ning was the least decent employee she'd ever seen. But her intuition told her Zhu Ning had come prepared. "What are you up to this time?"
Subtext: what kind of trouble are you bringing me now?
Zhu Ning: "I can't tell you everything right now."
Huo Wenxi raised an eyebrow. Here we go again—Zhu Ning always told half the story and hid the rest.
Zhu Ning genuinely feared Huo Wenxi would slap her into next week. "Didn't you ask me to find evidence? I'm working for you here."
Huo Wenxi frowned.
They had an agreement. Huo Wenxi had vouched for Zhu Ning, and in return, Zhu Ning had to find proof that Non-Natural Humans truly existed and truly posed a threat to humanity.
Zhu Ning pressed on: "The Mechanical Oceanarium incident. I saw the case file on your wall. You're investigating it."
Huo Wenxi's office had an entire wall covered in case files. The Mechanical Oceanarium was among them.
Huo Wenxi didn't deny it. Her intuition had always told her these cases were connected, but she'd yet to find a worthwhile lead.
Zhu Ning: "What's the latest progress?"
Huo Wenxi: "No progress. Still studying the Transparent People."
Zhu Ning watched Huo Wenxi's expression as she spoke. Apparently, Huo Wenxi didn't know the truth behind the scenes either—otherwise she wouldn't still be investigating.
Zhu Ning: "Don't you want to know the truth?"
Huo Wenxi's interest was piqued.
Zhu Ning: "Bao Ruiming escaped into the Consciousness Cloud."
Huo Wenxi had read the report. In the end, Bao Ruiming had left behind only a set of Cybernetic Implants. If you were ranking criminals by difficulty, consciousness entities topped the list—they could discard their bodies and retreat to the Cloud at any time.
Creation Technology was harder to deal with than the military.
So the Mechanical Oceanarium investigation had stalled. The biggest lead was severed, pressure came from above, and the case remained unsolved.
Xuan Qing had been working the Transparent People angle with minimal results. If nothing changed, this would become a cold case.
Zhu Ning: "I believe this is connected to Desolate Village."
Huo Wenxi must have been using her ability. She stared at Zhu Ning for five or six seconds without blinking. She didn't deny it—which meant Zhu Ning's statement had passed the test of Huo Wenxi's intuition.
Zhu Ning asked: "What about the Outside-the-Wall Investigation Team you sent?"
Huo Wenxi: "It's a ten-day investigation mission. They haven't returned yet."
Jiang Ping's original route had been too long. Retracing all of it would take considerable time. Ten days was already a conservative estimate—it could take half a month. They were on day eight.
Zhu Ning: "Don't you think I'm currently the only person who can bring you new information?"
Really knew how to talk herself up.
Zhu Ning stated her request: "I'm going straight to Bao Ruiming. I need you to be my guardian."
The investigation team was still out. Zhu Ning might be the only breakthrough—and she was extremely proactive. She didn't even need Huo Wenxi to set anything up.
Sometimes official channels were more trouble than they were worth. A reckless young person like Zhu Ning was the kind who actually brought back news.
Then again, the fact that Zhu Ning could bypass Creation Technology's defenses was interesting in itself.
Huo Wenxi: "Aren't you afraid I'll say no?"
Zhu Ning: "I don't think you will."
She hadn't given herself a Plan B. Huo Wenxi would say yes.
If it failed, Huo Wenxi wouldn't even need to step in for cleanup. But if it succeeded, Huo Wenxi would get a free piece of intel.
A guaranteed win.
Zhu Ning asked again: "Team Leader Huo, I'd like to use your bathtub."
Huo Wenxi studied Zhu Ning for a moment, then opened the door and let her in. "First guest room on the left. The bathtub is yours."
Huo Wenxi had relented. She wasn't here in her capacity as Team Leader Huo—Zhu Ning was simply borrowing her ability.
Once inside, Zhu Ning discovered Huo Wenxi's home was styled exactly like her office—equally chaotic, like a dog's den. The dining table was buried under documents.
Huo Wenxi was so busy she was working around the clock.
Zhuang Lin was there too, which caught Zhu Ning off guard. He blinked at her, and she blinked right back. Zhuang Lin was organizing files on Huo Wenxi's desk.
Zhu Ning let out an "oh"—a very loaded "oh."
Huo Wenxi, from behind: "Keep it up and you can get out."
Zhu Ning thought she might get hit, but smiled at Zhuang Lin anyway. "Colleague, I'm going to need some ice. If you wouldn't mind."
Zhuang Lin glanced at Huo Wenxi. She gave a nod.
Twenty minutes later, Zhu Ning lay in the bathtub of Huo Wenxi's guest room. The tub was full of ice. The instant she got in, a jolt ran through her.
Zhu Ning: "If something goes wrong with me in there, I might need your judgment."
Huo Wenxi leaned against the bathroom doorway, smoking. She acknowledged with a sound—she could guess what Zhu Ning was about to do.
That single acknowledgment hardly counted as a promise, yet Zhu Ning took it as one. As if they'd signed a contract.
Then Zhu Ning began her preparations, plugging the chip into the slot at the back of her neck.
Zhuang Lin asked: "You're really going to help her?"
He had to admit, Zhu Ning was clever. She'd opened a path no one had ever considered. Zhuang Lin had never imagined someone would use the little oracle's ability this way.
But the responsibility was enormous. If Zhu Ning died in Huo Wenxi's house today, whose fault was it?
Would they end up having to dispose of her body?
Zhu Ning really was a lunatic. She and Huo Wenxi weren't even close. Huo Wenxi had been investigating her this whole time.
Yet she'd just handed her life over.
Huo Wenxi exhaled a stream of smoke. "She'll come back. She has to bring me my intel."
Zhu Ning wasn't a lunatic. If she found key evidence, Huo Wenxi would go out of her way to protect her.
Zhu Ning's greatest talent was creating mutual stakes—binding Huo Wenxi's interests to her own survival.
The Desolate Village incident had worked the same way.
Zhu Ning was betting that Huo Wenxi would always make the most advantageous decision, no matter the circumstances.
Zhu Ning lay in the tub fully clothed. She'd already put on the earplugs and eye mask. She couldn't hear Huo Wenxi and Zhuang Lin's conversation, but she could guess what they were discussing.
Zhu Ning gave Huo Wenxi a hand gesture—something like: pleasure doing business.
I'm putting my life in your hands.
Huo Wenxi smiled, thinking Zhuang Lin's worry was a bit excessive. This girl clearly didn't care.
Having agreed to be the guardian, Huo Wenxi intended to do it properly. Zhuang Lin brought her a chair, and she sat beside the bathtub smoking, monitoring Zhu Ning's condition at all times.
Huo Wenxi's bathtub was large. At Zhu Ning's height, she could lie completely flat and sink to the bottom. The icy water engulfed her instantly. With her five senses cut off, her perception became intensely focused.
It was really cold.
Zhu Ning had a special device in her mouth that kept her from suffocating.
A strange experience. Cold surrounded her on all sides. She wasn't wearing a Protective Suit and had no idea of her exact stats.
No wonder a guardian was necessary. If something went wrong, Huo Wenxi would need to pull the chip.
Zhu Ning issued a mental command: "I'm ready."
Somewhere in an underground room.
Xu Meng was already prepared, lying in her own bathtub. Her guardian was Lynx—they were family, fully capable of entrusting each other's lives.
This was dangerous. As captain, Xu Meng would take the risk. Lynx was still young. She and Lynx had agreed—she would go up.
If she died, the investigation into Cheng Mofei would continue under Lynx and Big Orange.
Xu Meng: "I'm ready."
Elsewhere.
Liu Niannian had already returned to the First District—the legendary Divine Kingdom.
She'd gone home the day after Zhu Ning's visit.
Liu Niannian had played the dutiful heiress for two days before the family finally relaxed their guard. Pei Shu was still in District 103, so no one was keeping tabs on her.
She descended the spiral staircase to the basement of the family estate. This was her secret fortress.
Liu Niannian stepped into a dark, fully shielded room. If anything happened, her signal couldn't be traced here.
The Lu family would never in a million years suspect that right beneath their own residence, their precious heiress was about to join a plot to assassinate a VIP client.
Inside the room stood an ornate bathtub. Beside it was her Mechanical Butler.
The Mechanical Butler stood with a gentle expression. It had raised Liu Niannian from childhood. As a First-Class Citizen, the only guardian Liu Niannian could find was a Mechanical Butler.
The butler's skin was entirely mechanical, radiating a calm light. These technological creations could achieve absolute rationality.
Liu Niannian had never participated in anything this thrilling. It was practically dancing on the edge of death.
But Liu Niannian was exhilarated. Her blood was boiling. The Lu family had always been a touch mad—otherwise they'd never have built their empire.
Liu Niannian stepped into the freezing bathtub, submerging herself in ice. She closed her eyes: "I'm ready."
Big Orange sat beside Xu Meng. Xu Meng, Big Orange, and Lynx were all here. If discovered, this location would register as a login point.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Big Orange." Her voice was gentle, like a warm guide.
Zhu Ning focused. Big Orange's voice was the only thing in her ears.
"Port check complete. No anomalies."
"Connecting consciousness. Please relax."
"Uploading consciousness. Countdown: five, four, three..."
Zhu Ning lay with her eyes closed. Her awareness grew hazier and hazier. Then a sharp sting shot through the back of her neck. A flash of white light—and she was in another world.
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