In this cyberpunk era, why are you still playing the traditional villain?

Ye Shanshan shook her head. "Besides, I always feel that Xu Shi is a little different today than before... He seems much more reliable, like a different person."

"……interesting."

Xie Qingyan chuckled lightly, "Alright, come back as soon as you're done."

"His matter...I will report it to you in person."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 11 Xia Ke'an

The words are divided into two parts.

Stepping out of the "Prism" gate, seeing that it was just past noon, Xu Shi prepared to go to the hospital to take care of Xia Wuyou's matter.

The executive car sped silently along the road, and he lay half-reclined in the back seat, humming a little tune.

Although Shen He, this scourge, cannot be completely eliminated yet, Xu Shi is well aware that with "Spark's" current strength, such a defeat is enough to severely damage his vitality.

Shen He definitely won't be able to jump around for a while, which allows Xu Shi to spare some energy to deal with other things.

Not to mention that Xia Wuyou's hidden dangers have also been initially eliminated... This is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.

In contrast, Xia Wuyou, sitting next to him, appeared much more dejected.

Having activated her superpower earlier, her body was somewhat overloaded, and her face turned pale as a result.

In addition, being forced to do things against her will put her under considerable mental strain, causing her to lean against the car door and unconsciously curl up into a ball.

The only thing she could be thankful for was that Xu Shi really did keep his promise.

Actually, she hadn't had high hopes. If he were to break his promise, she would be powerless to stop him... That's why she had just wanted to remind Xu Shi not to forget what he had promised.

Unexpectedly, he had already arranged everything, which made her feel a little more favorably toward Xu Shi.

At least this person keeps their word.

Of course, that's all. The hatred for him won't change because of this, and the auras on both sides of the back seat still won't blend together.

Before long, the group arrived at their destination—the Hua Lan Public Hospital in District 12.

The areas of Night City are divided by numbers, with lower numbers indicating a worse level of security.

Although District 12 belongs to Night City, it is only slightly higher than District 11 of Sin City.

Most Night City residents don't consider the locals as one of their own, but rather habitually categorize them as "sin city outcasts."

It's easy to imagine that the conditions in a hospital in such a place, especially a charitable hospital built by the city hall, are certainly not very good.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of chlorine. Patients fitted with cheap prosthetics huddled together, their cries and groans rising and falling. Burly caregivers hurried through the crowd, shouting impatiently.

Upon seeing this scene, Xu Shi's mood instantly shifted from sunny to cloudy, and he unconsciously frowned.

But this was the best medical care Xia Wuyou could find.

Although the high-risk missions of the conglomerate were lucrative, the exorbitant prices of life-sustaining drugs still left her unable to make ends meet, and the remaining money was simply not enough to afford a private hospital room elsewhere.

We can't go back to Sin City... things will only get worse there.

It wasn't until the end of the corridor on the third floor that things became a little quieter. Two men in black suits stood expressionlessly in front of the door, effectively separating a section of the corridor.

These were bodyguards that Xu Shi had arranged in advance.

Inside the ward, a little girl with white hair, wearing a hospital gown, was leaning against the bed, quietly reading a yellowed book in her hands.

Her body was covered with various tubes, and under the artificial fluorescent light, her skin appeared unhealthy and pale.

She is Xia Wuyou's aunt, Xia Ke'an.

"Hey? Wuyou, what brings you here?"

Hearing the door open, Xia Ke'an put down her book, her tone filled with joy and a hint of surprise, "Didn't you go to work today?"

"aunt!"

Xia Wuyou rushed to the bedside and held her hand tightly.

Only at this moment did her tense nerves finally relax. If Xu Shi hadn't been there, she probably would have already burst into tears.

"What's wrong with you, child? Why are you in such a panic?"

The white-haired loli sighed and reached out to smooth her hair. "I'm perfectly fine... Um, who is this?"

Only then did she notice Xu Shi behind her niece.

"Hello, Miss Xia Ke'an."

Xu Shi greeted her politely, "I am Xu Shi, Team Leader Xia's superior."

"You must be Chairman Xu?"

Xia Ke'an let out a soft "Eh?", then smiled. "I really didn't expect you to come in person... Could it be that Wuyou has caused you trouble?"

It sounded like the anxious words of a parent facing a home visit, but it didn't seem like she was particularly surprised by Xu Shi's arrival.

"How could that be? Team Leader Xia is the most competent employee I've ever met."

Xu Shi waved his hand, "So after hearing her about Miss Ke'an's situation, I am also very happy to offer my help."

"Is that so?"

The white-haired girl was taken aback, but when she looked at Xia Wuyou again, her face showed a hint of relief. "Thank you so much."

"Miss Ke'an, you're too kind."

Xu Shi smiled back, "Shall we set off now?"

-

the other side.

A certain location of "Spark".

"What did you say? The entire army was wiped out?!"

Upon hearing this news, Shen He, who had been feeling quite smug, froze on the spot.

"...It's like this, Chief Shen, the only survivors... are the two of us."

The battered warrior answered weakly.

"So, Chen Fang... how could he have done this?"

Shen He was somewhat confused. "We rehearsed this so many times beforehand, so why did this happen?"

"Because that intelligence was false! The enemy's actual troop strength was several times greater, and they were all heavily armed troops!"

The other person's face was filled with resentment, "I even saw it, Miss Xia, she..."

"What's wrong with her?" Shen He asked anxiously.

"...Captain Chen died at her hands."

"……impossible!"

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Shen He's voice became somewhat out of control, "I know her, how could she..."

He never expected that the "Snake Ring" setup would be so terrifying.

He had already been very cautious, taking into account the possibility that the other side might increase its troops, which was why he was on guard and asked Xia Wuyou for a second confirmation.

The two pieces of intelligence he received did indeed differ, which dispelled his concerns.

But he hadn't considered this possibility—that both pieces of information were false.

Such scheming left him breathless, as if he could hear the other party's mockery from the depths of his being.

But what he could not accept even more was Xia Wuyou's betrayal.

After all, during his ten years in Sin City, he often relied on fond memories of the past to keep going.

Parents, friends... and Xia Wuyou occupies a large part of them.

So when he first contacted her, he was genuinely happy and thought more than once about reuniting with her and fighting side by side together.

But he never expected things to turn out this way—not only did the other party betray him, but they also personally executed his trusted operative.

It's like... showing loyalty to someone.

Shen He didn't want to believe it was true, but he also knew that two people who had escaped death had no reason to lie.

This caused him even more pain.

"...That's all for now. You two go back and take good care of your injuries."

It took him a while to come to his senses and he took a deep breath.

The complete failure of his first attempt was a huge blow to him, and he needed some time to recover.

“Xu Shi…”

Shen He bit his nails hard, his tone filled with indescribable resentment.

However, the communication device on the table soon rang at an inopportune moment.

This was probably the last thing he wanted to hear... After a long silence, Shen He reluctantly answered the call.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 12 You don't really think of me as a child, do you?

While Shen He was in a state of panic, Xu Shi had already arranged for Xia Ke'an to be transferred to another hospital.

Compared to the charity hospital in the 12th ward, the private hospital of "Prism" in the 16th ward has much better conditions.

The lobby was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Outside, a large number of flowers were planted, their fragrance perfectly masking the unpleasant smells in the hospital.

Those who seek medical treatment here are mostly political figures and wealthy businessmen, each accompanied by several well-built nurses in white stockings or handsome young male caregivers.

With their meticulous care, it must be very helpful for the illness, right?