The Balancer's Seal

Late at night, Chen Changrui arrived at Yuezhou Third Hospital with Big Head, Mijian, Zhuizi, Banzhuan, Huajia, Juzi, Wowotou, Haitangguo, and over a dozen other core members from the Dark Star Bureau. These veterans had been handpicked by Chen Changrui. Xiao Zhenggong didn't feel easy about it—he didn't think much of any of them. He had wanted to come himself, but he couldn't leave the Dark Star Bureau. He had already used the Balancer's Seal and now had to bear its price. For the period ahead, if he wished to retain his status as a balancer, he had to obey all the bureau's arrangements. Besides these veterans, Old Chen had also brought along several team members who had room for growth and were worth training. These included Tangyuan, Zhong'er, Lightbulb, and Mingxing. Along the way, Mijian couldn't help grumbling, "Doesn't Sugar Lump have such high standing and strong capabilities? Doesn't the brass praise her every day? Why didn't she come?" Zhuizi gave a cold sneer. "What the brass praised was her comprehensive capability, not her combat ability. Though with your qualifications, I'd say your comprehensive capability shouldn't be worse than Sugar Lump's." Mijian's qualifications were indeed not lacking; both in looks and figure, she was far above Sugar Lump. She snorted. "I'm a decent woman." Juzi chuckled. "Listen to you. Are you saying Sugar Lump isn't decent?" Chen Changrui cleared his throat. "He Jiaqing's level isn't low. For this operation, everyone must strictly carry out the battle plan. Tangyuan, you few are the future pillars of the team. Tonight's task is strictly observation and learning. Without my order, no one is to participate in the action. Understood?" Tangyuan was thrilled; she deeply cherished this learning opportunity. Lightbulb was rather nervous. He repeatedly went over the layout of the hospital in his head, wondering whether he could find a suitable escape route if something went wrong. Mingxing was somewhat dejected, because Captain Chen had called him a 'future pillar.' The core members present all shared a common trait: they had strong combat abilities, but none of them held high positions. Zhong'er, Qin Minghui, was staring blankly at a newspaper. As they were about to reach the hospital, Chen Changrui emphasized once more, "He Jiaqing's level is very high. Everyone must strictly execute the battle plan." Haitangguo asked, "Captain Chen, the highest level for a dark energy user is Tier Seven. Is He Jiaqing at Tier Seven?" Chen Changrui didn't answer. In the operating procedures of the Dark Star Bureau, the highest tier for dark energy users was indeed Tier Seven. Five hundred meters from the hospital, all the operatives got out of the vehicles and moved into their respective positions. Big Head lightly touched the button on his cuff. ... Mijian and Haitangguo took the elevator up to the inpatient building. Disguised as nurses, carrying thermometers and clipboards, they walked toward He Jiaqing's room together. Upon reaching the room, neither of them saw He Haisheng; only He Jiaqing was lying on the bed. Haitangguo took out the thermometer and flicked it three times—a signal to Chen Changrui. He Jiaqing was present; He Haisheng was not. Chen Changrui contacted Huajia. Huajia sprouted eyes all over his body, and the eyes stretched out in every direction, observing all parts of the hospital. "Captain Chen, He Haisheng is smoking in the backyard. I see him." Huajia spotted He Haisheng and sent word to Chen Changrui. Chen Changrui instructed Huajia to keep watching He Haisheng. At the same time, Big Head and Banzhuan took up positions in the corridor; Zhuizi and Juzi took positions by the stairwell; Wowotou was a roamer with swift footwork, and he led the others to take positions downstairs. According to the battle plan, Mijian and Haitangguo would make the first move. Mijian was a binder who could restrain He Jiaqing instantly. Haitangguo was a slumberer who could swiftly plunge He Jiaqing into deep sleep. Once that step was accomplished, their task would be complete, and Big Head and Banzhuan would take charge of the capture. Big Head carried a restricted object—a hunting net. No cultivator below Tier Seven had any chance of breaking free from it. Banzhuan had another restricted object, a very handy brick. If smashed directly against He Jiaqing's head, it would knock him unconscious for half a minute. If there was no chance to strike him directly, throwing the brick also worked; if it hit He Jiaqing's head, it would likewise stun him into unconsciousness. The duration of unconsciousness would be shorter, but the hit rate was high—normally over eighty percent. Once the two captured him, everyone would coordinate to transport He Jiaqing back to the Dark Star Bureau. If the capture failed and He Jiaqing escaped via the stairs, he would fall into Zhuizi and Juzi's ambush; if he jumped out the window to flee, he would fall into Wowotou's ambush. If capture proved impossible, Banzhuan, Zhuizi, and Wowotou were all equipped with highly lethal restricted objects, and they would eliminate He Jiaqing on the spot. Huajia monitored He Haisheng the entire time. They didn't need to arrest He Haisheng, but they couldn't let him obstruct the operation either. With everything in place, Haitangguo stepped up to He Jiaqing's side, first checking his temperature. She had already activated her technique, putting He Jiaqing to sleep. Mijian appeared to be reading the monitor display, but in reality, she had also activated her technique, binding He Jiaqing to the bed. Having succeeded, Big Head and Banzhuan charged into the room. Big Head whipped out the hunting net, and Banzhuan raised his brick. Bang! He Jiaqing exploded, blowing apart into a spray of flesh and blood. Haitangguo froze where she stood, drenched in blood—part of it He Jiaqing's, part of it her own. She was injured, struck by flying bone fragments. Mijian had been standing slightly farther away and wasn't seriously hurt; she hurried forward to support Haitangguo. Big Head and Banzhuan stood dazed in the hospital room, at a loss. Zhuizi and Juzi heard the explosion and held their ground at the stairwell, awaiting Chen Changrui's orders. Everyone's attention was drawn by the explosion in the hospital room, including Chen Changrui's. Only Huajia kept his eyes fixed on He Haisheng. "Captain Chen, He Haisheng fled!" Captain Chen was stunned as well. He Haisheng fled... His attention hadn't been on He Haisheng; he was still dwelling on that explosion in the hospital room. This hadn't been part of the battle plan either. "Which direction did he run?" "The back gate of the hospital!" Chen Changrui didn't act rashly. Leaving the others at their respective posts, he went after He Haisheng alone. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and flicked the wheel with his thumb. A flame flared to life, and Chen Changrui's speed abruptly skyrocketed. This was a roamer's restricted object. Propelled by it, when Chen Changrui rushed into the backyard, he could still faintly see He Haisheng's figure. He Haisheng dashed out the back gate. Lightbulb and Zhong'er were observing at the back gate. Chen Changrui wasn't worried about Lightbulb, but he was worried about Zhong'er. If Zhong'er made a move against He Haisheng, he would be dead for sure. Zhong'er didn't make a move; he watched impassively as He Haisheng escaped the hospital. Chen Changrui continued pursuing He Haisheng. After chasing him for a street, the lighter's flame extinguished. He failed to catch up to He Haisheng. He Haisheng's figure dissolved into thick smoke and vanished. Chen Changrui pocketed the lighter and returned to the hospital. Nothing more happened in the room; only the shredded flesh and bone of He Jiaqing remained. Yet a great deal was happening throughout the hospital. Haitangguo and Mijian were sent for medical treatment, while Big Head and Banzhuan strung up a cordon. The entire hospital had heard the explosion, and many people were frightened. Juzi and Zhuizi were liaising with hospital authorities, working hard to maintain order at the scene. Chen Changrui sat in the hospital room, staring at the gory mess on the floor, deep in thought. Was this He Jiaqing's flesh and blood? Impossible. Why would He Jiaqing blow himself up? This must have been a puppet. But if it really was a puppet, how could I have failed to see through it? Did He Jiaqing escape long ago? Why didn't He Haisheng flee earlier? Why did he wait until now? Holding his forehead, Chen Changrui reconstructed the entire operation in his mind. After thinking for over ten minutes, Chen Changrui leaned down, picked up a piece of flesh, and sniffed it at the tip of his nose. There was the stench of blood, a scorched smell, and the scent of smoke. Not smoke from burning, but the aroma of cigarette smoke. Why would He Jiaqing's flesh and blood smell like cigarette smoke? Chen Changrui was stunned for a long while before the clues gradually connected in his mind. He Jiaqing had escaped long ago, yet the Dark Star Bureau hadn't responded at all because a puppet was still lying in the room. But why could the puppet fool Chen Changrui? He was a high-tier peeper. This was He Haisheng's doing. The puppet was permeated with smoke and controlled by He Haisheng. It was precisely through this smoke that the puppet had deceived Chen Changrui's eyes. Once the operation began, everyone's focus was on "He Jiaqing," with only Huajia tasked with watching He Haisheng. After "He Jiaqing" exploded, even Chen Changrui had forgotten about He Haisheng, giving He Haisheng the chance to escape. He Haisheng's escape was one thing—the bureau's order had been to capture He Jiaqing. But where were they supposed to find He Jiaqing now? They didn't even know when he had slipped away! Chen Changrui had always prided himself on being the most experienced in the Dark Star Bureau. He firmly believed the subordinates he trained were the finest operatives. Yet before high-level figures from Puluo Province, they appeared so naive. A battle plan that had seemed foolproof was actually riddled with holes. What should they do next? ... "Next, they should celebrate." He Haisheng lit a cigarette and tossed one to He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing asked, "Will they put out a warrant for you?" He Haisheng shook his head. "No. Their objective was to capture you, or kill you if capture failed. Now you're dead, and that mess of flesh and blood on the floor is the proof. They can test it—the DNA of that flesh matches yours. The mission is already complete, so they won't do anything redundant. Especially after causing such a huge commotion, the Outer States will try every means to quiet things down. As for what the truth really is, not many people will care." He Jiaqing sighed. "I haven't stayed in the Outer States long enough after all. I still don't understand the people of the Outer States well enough." "Understanding them isn't hard; they're much simpler than people from Puluo Province. I'm not worried about the Dark Star Bureau. What I'm worried about now is the Garrison Commissioner. Xiao Zhenggong is a balancer, and judging by the looks of things, he has already used the Balancer's Seal. Our family's business is going to suffer." "We can only rely on Eldest Aunt to deal with it." He Haisheng shook his head. "She can't handle it." "Why don't you go back and take a look?" He Haisheng gave a bitter smile. "What would I go back for? To wag my tail for the Garrison Commissioner? I've wagged it for so many years; I've had enough. Jiaqing, you were right. We have to live with dignity." ... In the He family mansion, He Yuxiu stubbed out her cigarette and looked at the hundred or so people in the main hall. Among these hundred-odd people, some were blood relatives of the He family, and others were subordinates. Gathered together, they were preparing to undertake a major venture with He Yuxiu. All day yesterday, the Garrison Commissioner had dispatched men to shut down the He family's businesses and freeze their accounts across various native banks. The Garrison Commissioner had offered no explanation whatsoever, but through inquiries in multiple quarters, He Yuxiu had caught wind of some news. This matter was related to the Jiangxiang Gang. Two branches of the Jiangxiang Gang had been wiped out, and the Garrison Commissioner's side had shut the He family down in response. "What the fuck does the Jiangxiang Gang even amount to?! If their branches are gone, what does that have to do with us? What right do they have to touch my He family's business?" He Yuxiu was beside herself with rage. She didn't know Xiao Zhenggong was a balancer. She had no concept of balancers, nor did she understand the power of the Balancer's Seal. She only knew the He family's livelihood was about to be wiped out. This family enterprise could not be ruined in her hands; she had to fight to get it back! Dozens of gutsy men from the inner family had answered the call. Plenty of backbone-bearing men from the outer family had arrived as well. Now, He Yuxiu intended to lead these people and storm the Garrison Office to demand an explanation from the Garrison Commissioner. As the crowd prepared to set off, Lu Chunying ran into the mansion and barred He Yuxiu's path. "Sister Xiu, listen to me! You absolutely cannot go!" He Yuxiu stroked Lu Chunying's hair. "Little girl, I'm quite fond of you. Be good and go home. I didn't ask you to come, and this won't involve you!" Lu Chunying looked up at He Yuxiu. She knew what tone she needed to take with her: "Sister Xiu, I'll lay it right on the line. If you're going to storm the Garrison Office, I'll go with you. If I fucking shrink back, I'm a son of a bitch! But you can't go today. The Chu family has already brought men and is waiting at the Garrison Office! If you go, you'll be ambushed by Boss Chu. If you don't believe me, let's go together—today, I'll throw my life on the line with you!" "Boss Chu? Chu Huaijun? Why would he work for people from the Outer States?" He Yuxiu couldn't fathom it. Ma the Fifth said, "Sister Xiu, the Garrison Commissioner promised Chu Huaijun that as long as they get the job done, half of the He family's businesses will be handed over to the Chu family. The Chu family is working wholeheartedly for the Garrison Commissioner now. Chu Huaijun might even send men right to the He family's doorstep!" PS: Chu Huaijun's father had once died at the hands of the Garrison Commissioner, but he didn't seem to care all that much.