Sea of Darkness (Part 7)

Shu Xuyao looked at Kui Xin, who was sitting across from him, and sighed helplessly.

“Captain, working overtime?” Kui Xin tried to start a conversation.

“Mm, overtime. I should’ve clocked out three minutes ago, but you…” Shu Xuyao paused. “Explain what happened.”

“On my way home after work, I ran into a robbery. Then… I lost control and ended up killing them,” Kui Xin said bitterly. “Am I going to be disciplined?”

Shu Xuyao thought for a moment. “No, because those two had criminal records, and you acted in self-defense. You’re part of the Investigation Division, even if you’re just an intern. You have immunity—any casualties caused during official duties don’t carry legal liability. We can handle this internally without involving other departments; otherwise, the procedures would be endless and far too troublesome.”

Kui Xin said, “Captain, I wasn’t on official dut—”

Shu Xuyao gave her a stern look. “You were on official duty.”

Kui Xin: “…Got it.”

Shu Xuyao was clearly using his position to smooth things over.

“Captain Shu, the autopsy report has arrived,” Adam reported.

“Display it,” Shu Xuyao said.

The holographic projection equipment in the office shifted angles, vividly presenting two bodies lying on dissection tables.

One had a horrifyingly sunken facial bone, the head a bloody mess that could’ve been censored. The other had a barely noticeable knife wound in the chest, but blood had soaked their entire body.

Kui Xin lowered her head, averting her gaze from the corpses.

“Liu Gaoyang, cause of death: skull fracture. The temple was struck by a heavy object, and shattered cranial bones pierced the brain, resulting in death. Time of death: less than an hour ago.”

“Song Yuan, cause of death: chest punctured by a sharp weapon. The weapon precisely penetrated between the third and fourth ribs on the left side of the chest, directly piercing the heart, killing him instantly. Time of death: also less than an hour ago.”

Shu Xuyao raised an eyebrow in surprise. Seeing Kui Xin’s pale face, he chuckled. “I thought you didn’t feel anything. If I’m not mistaken, this is your first time killing someone.”

“How could I not feel anything?” Kui Xin covered her forehead, her stomach churning.

Luckily, she hadn’t eaten much in the past few hours; otherwise, she might’ve thrown up.

When the incident first occurred, she indeed didn’t feel much—just a sense of unreality, as the events unfolded beyond her expectations.

But now, hearing Adam narrate the autopsy reports, her mind involuntarily replayed the scenes of her killing them, over and over again. This brought her back to reality.

“Don’t vomit in my office. The restroom is to the left outside the door,” Shu Xuyao said.

“You learned your basics well at school. I’ve seen your internal assessment scores—tracking, combat, investigation, shooting… all your practical courses were nearly perfect. Kui Xin, you’re the most outstanding rookie the Investigation Division has had in recent years.”

He poured her a glass of cold water. “Drink this to calm down.”

Kui Xin picked up the glass and drained it in one gulp. The icy sensation helped cool her thoughts slightly.

“You were originally supposed to go to the Criminal Investigation Unit, but I specifically requested you to join us. The Field Operations Unit is tougher than other departments. We face danger directly, confront criminals head-on, and encounter many unexpected situations during patrols, sometimes even life-threatening ones,” Shu Xuyao said.

“If you can’t adapt to fieldwork, you can apply for a transfer to another unit after your internship ends.”

Kui Xin didn’t respond.

“Think it over. Personally, I hope you’ll stay. We need more rookies in the Field Operations Unit,” he said. “By the way, your family lives on Anning Street in the Harbor District?”

“Yes,” Kui Xin replied.

“The security there is terrible—lots of gangs, hard to manage. There’s a murder case every month, and the Harbor District has the most illegal trading dens,” Shu Xuyao suggested. “You should move to a safer area.”

“But I don’t have the money to move,” Kui Xin said sadly. “That house was left to me by my parents. I went to college on loans and owe the bank three hundred thousand… How many years will it take to pay that off?”

Shu Xuyao was momentarily at a loss for words.

“When you get promoted to full-time, you can live in the employee dorms,” he said. “You can apply for promotion in a week. Take it one step at a time. Also, it seems your personal communicator got damaged during your last field mission. You…”

“Can I get reimbursed for the damage? It was a work-related loss,” Kui Xin asked softly.

Shu Xuyao laughed. “No, you can’t.”

He bent over and pulled a box out of his desk drawer. “This is the basic model of the communicator issued to official members of the Investigation Division. You can use it for now.”

Kui Xin took the box and said, “Thank you, Captain.”

Unable to resist showing her true nature, she added, “Do other unit captains care for their team members’ lives as much as you do? If they’re not as gentle and considerate as you, I won’t apply to transfer out of the Field Operations Unit.”

Shu Xuyao: “…”

He cleared his throat, pretending not to hear.

“If you really can’t get past the hurdle of killing someone, go to the psychological counseling office,” Shu Xuyao advised her in the end. “Director Yang there is an excellent therapist. He’ll help you sort things out.”

…

Xi Liang stood like a fool on the first floor of the Investigation Division building. He found a spot to sit and wait.

The interrogation had long since ended. As a witness, he hadn’t seen much and had little to say.

The interrogators had hooked him up to some high-tech device resembling a lie detector, asked him a few questions, and then let him go.

He was waiting for Kui Xin in the first-floor reception hall.

Ten minutes passed. The numbers on the elevator display ticked downward. The elevator doors opened, and Kui Xin walked out.

“You’re still here?” Kui Xin asked in surprise.

“Waiting for you,” Xi Liang replied.

“Then hurry home. The rail cars stop running at midnight,” Kui Xin said.

Xi Liang nodded quickly, thinking to himself that he’d been waiting for her to say that.

The Second World had long since entered a cashless society. He was new here, unfamiliar with the payment systems and clueless about how to get home. What if he got lost alone? That’s why he thought of Kui Xin. Her house was also on Anning Street, so once her business was done, they could go back together.

Kui Xin confidently led Xi Liang to the rail car station.

Xi Liang looked around curiously. When he saw the advertisements projected in mid-air, he gasped softly, marveling at the splendor of holographic imaging technology.

“What year are you in?” Kui Xin asked casually, probing for information.

“A freshman. I just got my acceptance letter this morning. I’ve been admitted to the Mechanical Engineering Department,” Xi Liang said, scratching his head.

“Tuition at Black Sea Academy isn’t cheap. Have you found a way to pay for it yet?” Kui Xin probed further.

To make her inquiry seem less deliberate, she added, “When I went to college, I took a lot of wrong turns. Here’s a tip: don’t mess with loan sharks.”

“Got it,” Xi Liang replied. “Expensive tuition… How expensive are we talking?”

Kui Xin recalled the information she’d read. “Over two hundred thousand a year, not including living expenses.”

“What?!” Xi Liang exclaimed in shock. “They might as well be robbing people! This is supposed to be a university for cultivating talent! That kind of tuition will block so many brilliant students!”

Kui Xin looked at Xi Liang oddly. He lowered his voice, muttering, “That tuition is outrageous. Ridiculous!”

“There’s no helping it; that’s the rule,” Kui Xin said.

Xi Liang grumbled under his breath, “Well, this is an eye-opener…”

Educational monopoly, a wide gap between rich and poor, and class stratification—this is the current state of the Second World. The wealthy can afford university and receive higher education, while ordinary people, lacking the means, are left to take on low-paying jobs. Over time, the gap between rich and poor grows wider, and class divisions become more rigid.

Education in the Second World is not designed to nurture talent; its purpose is to consolidate the interests of the elite class.

"Senior!" Xi Liang leaned closer to Kui Xin and asked, "Is there any way to get legal loans?"

This kid sure knows how to sweet-talk—he's already calling her 'senior.'

Kui Xin replied, "The bank, but whether they'll approve the loan is another matter. The interest on repayments can be pretty high sometimes."

Xi Liang frowned deeply and said, "I'm so scared I won't be able to afford school."

The Second World is a capitalist society. How could profit-driven capitalists possibly engage in charity? Even as the tram reached its stop, Xi Liang's face remained clouded with worry.

This was intriguing. Kui Xin had already confirmed that Xi Liang was a player. Logically, he'd only been in this world for less than a day and shouldn't feel much attachment to it.

Yet here he was, genuinely distressed about money for school. Kui Xin herself had once triggered a mission from the game system titled [Investigate the Port Explosion Case].

Could it be that Xi Liang triggered a mission like [Successfully Enroll in Black Sea Academy]? If that were the case, then his behavior made sense.

"Time to get on," Kui Xin said as she walked ahead and paid by scanning her face.

Xi Liang followed closely behind and tried to pay by scanning his face as well. The machine prompted, "Insufficient balance. Face scan payment failed."

Xi Liang: "…?!"

He scanned again, but the machine still displayed, "Insufficient balance. Face scan payment failed."

Kui Xin looked at him with pity, stepped up to the machine, and scanned her face to pay on his behalf. "Face recognition successful. Payment completed."

She patted the stunned Xi Liang on the shoulder and said, "I paid for you. Thanks for accompanying me to the Investigation Department."

Xi Liang was on the verge of tears. "Damn, why am I so broke? Do I even have a chance at going to university?"

"Work hard, and you'll have a chance," Kui Xin said with a look of shared hardship.

This wasn't just the camaraderie of fellow townsfolk—it was the solidarity of two broke souls. Kui Xin understood Xi Liang's feelings perfectly, because back in the First World, she too had struggled to make ends meet and pay for her tuition.

However, the amount she needed back then wasn't as outrageous as the twenty-something thousand required for one academic year here. The tram sped along, and they got off at Peace Street.

"Uh, isn't it kind of dangerous for a girl to walk alone? How about I…" Xi Liang trailed off. "But with your combat skills, it seems like you don't need me to escort you."

"You should head back; I can manage on my own," Kui Xin said, waving her off.

Xi Liang replied, "Goodbye, Senior... Wait, leave me your contact info, Senior!"

Kui Xin pulled out the communicator that Shu Xuyao had given her. Xi Liang fumbled with it for a while before finally managing to add her contact. The torrential rain showed no signs of stopping.

Kui Xin opened her umbrella and walked away, making several turns before finally locating her home. The small building had peeling paint on its walls, and colorful advertisements were still plastered on them.

The hallway smelled of mildew, and the rusty iron door hung askew, half-open. A gentle push produced a sharp creaking sound. She climbed to the third floor and stopped at the door, gripping the handle. "Fingerprint verification successful." The door opened.

Kui Xin stepped inside, and a sudden sense of foreboding welled up from her intuition.

She looked up and was startled to see a dark figure sitting on the sofa in the living room.

The figure's face was obscured by a silver mask, and a pair of eyes stared at Kui Xin through the hollow openings of the mask.

"You're late," the silver-masked person said.

The tone suggested familiarity.

"Ran into a small mishap on the way," Kui Xin quickly responded, picking up the conversation.

"Have you looked at the mission chip the boss sent over?" the silver-masked person asked.

"No," Kui Xin answered as concisely as possible. She was afraid that saying too much at once might reveal her nerves.

"Hmm. The boss wanted me to emphasize that this mission must be completed, no matter the cost." The silver-masked person stood up from the sofa.

"From today onward, I will be your assistant and teammate in Black Sea City, helping you complete various missions. My codename is 'Silver Mask.' You'll need to come up with a codename for yourself for communication purposes."

Codename? Kui Xin's mind raced.

Silver Mask added, "Your codename should ideally have no connection to your personal characteristics. The more unrelated it is, the better. You don't want anyone to deduce your identity from it."

"Rich Lady."

Silver Mask froze. "What did you say?"

"Rich Lady," Kui Xin calmly repeated. "My codename will be 'Rich Lady.'"

She thought "Rich Lady" was a fantastic codename. Not only was it completely unrelated to her, but it also represented her distant dream—a dream of becoming a Rich Lady someday!

"Silver Mask: '…'"

After a long pause, he said, "Well... That's not impossible... Are you sure you want this codename?"

"I'm sure," Kui Xin said firmly. "Rich Lady it is."

It was a codename that was not only far removed from her real self but also encapsulated her beautiful aspirations for the future. Her dream was to become a Rich Lady!

"Alright then, 'Rich Lady,'" Silver Mask said, his expression hidden behind the mask but clearly complicated. "Hurry up and check the mission the boss sent you."

Kui Xin pulled a blue chip from her pocket and placed it on her wristband to read.

The first line of the mission details appeared: [Mission: Completely destroy the Black Sea City Port.]

Kui Xin muttered, "???"

What was wrong with these NPCs?! Why were they so fixated on destroying this port?!