"He wants to shoot me dead!"
Li Banfeng could hardly accept this reality.
The big-eyed young man couldn't accept such an order either. "Captain Xiao, he only picked up an item. We have to shoot him dead for that?"
"This is an order, Lightbulb! You have no idea how important that thing is, nor how many lives it could cost!
"Don't forget why your parents lost their lives. Don't forget what kind of enemy we're up against!
"For the safety of the majority, he must be executed immediately. This is our responsibility, and our mission."
"But, Captain Xiao..."
"No buts! Find a deserted spot to do it, then bring the item back to me. Conceal the body well; I'll send people to deal with it."
The line went dead.
Lightbulb stared with wide eyes, standing in the corner of the wall, looking completely lost.
He had no idea what to do.
After more than a minute, he steadied his breathing, walked up to the entrance of the supermarket, and peered inside.
Li Banfeng bought a bottle of Coke, two canisters of potato chips, and two bags of latiao—the insanely spicy kind—then casually strolled toward the checkout counter.
After paying, Li Banfeng exited the campus supermarket onto the walkway connecting the Second Teaching Building and the library.
It was the noon break and close to summer vacation, so there wasn't a single soul on the path.
Past the walkway, the university's east gate lay only a short distance ahead, and less than eight hundred meters from the gate was the subway station.
Li Banfeng quickened his pace down the walkway when Lightbulb suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
Less than five meters apart, the two stared at each other for a moment.
Lightbulb drew a deep breath and silently rehearsed the words he was supposed to say next.
What he ought to say was: *Hands behind your head, get down on the ground, and cooperate with our investigation.*
Once Li Banfeng squatted down, it would be the optimal moment to shoot him dead.
Yet when Lightbulb actually opened his mouth, entirely different words came out. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't follow my orders, you can't blame me for being merciless."
These were hardly words a Dark Star Bureau operative should say, but under the crushing tension, they slipped out anyway.
Lightbulb truly didn't want to kill anyone. He continued, "First, put your backpack on the ground. Then hold out your hands and wait here with me for someone."
With that, Lightbulb drew a pair of handcuffs.
He wanted to restrain Li Banfeng and wait right here for Captain Xiao. If Captain Xiao still insisted on killing him, that would prove Li Banfeng truly deserved to die.
Li Banfeng nodded, slid the backpack off his shoulder, and slowly set it on the ground.
Lightbulb's gaze remained glued to the backpack. The instant it touched the paving, his heart settled.
*He's just a student after all. He doesn't know a thing. Catching him is easier than catching a chicken.*
*When Captain Xiao sees him like this, maybe he'll spare his life after all.*
Holding the handcuffs, Lightbulb moved to cuff Li Banfeng, failing to notice Li Banfeng slipping a strip of latiao from his pants pocket—the insanely spicy latiao.
With a flick of his wrist, Li Banfeng hurled the spicy strip at Lightbulb.
Within five meters, he never missed.
The latiao struck Lightbulb square in his left eye. A searing, agonized burn flared up, and Lightbulb instantly clamped a hand over his eye.
At the same time, a second spicy strip flew, hitting Lightbulb in his right eye.
Clutching both eyes, Lightbulb lost his vision completely.
He had never expected Li Banfeng to dare attack him.
Li Banfeng hadn't wanted to get involved in this mess; that was true.
Yet now that he was in it, he wouldn't turn back; that was also true.
A layer of oily, viscous slime surged across Lightbulb's body as he braced himself for a brutal fight.
He was terrified. This was his first real battle since joining the Dark Star Bureau, and faced with an unexpected crisis, he unleashed the skills of a dark energy user.
*Vicious!*
*This Li Banfeng strikes so venomously!*
*I completely underestimated him before.*
*Now that I'm blinded, I can't be reckless, or I'll suffer terribly.*
*First hold my ground, stay on defense, and yield to advance!*
*Is Li Banfeng better at close combat or ranged attacks?*
*I don't fear close combat. He's just a white lamb. If he touches me, he's the one who's done for.*
*If he attacks from a distance, that'll be trouble...*
Lightbulb waited for what felt like ages, but no strike came.
Enduring the agonizing sting, Lightbulb forced his eyes open, only to see no trace of Li Banfeng.
*He ran?*
Yes, he had run.
Clutching his backpack, Li Banfeng had already reached the east gate.
Lightbulb quickly concentrated the slime beneath his feet, hunched his torso, bent his knees, and pushed off in alternating strides, shooting forward like an ice skater in hot pursuit.
Li Banfeng was plenty fast himself. He sprinted the eight hundred meters at full tilt and ducked straight into the subway entrance.
Near the subway station, foot traffic grew thicker. Lightbulb retracted the slime covering his body and returned to a normal running stride.
He didn't want to draw attention, nor did he want to harm innocent bystanders.
Lightbulb dashed into the station, but Li Banfeng had already boarded a train.
Lightbulb rushed toward the train doors, only to hear the chime sound—*ding-dong, ding-dong*—as the doors slid shut.
Watching Li Banfeng glide away inside the carriage until vanishing into the tunnel, the frantic Lightbulb waited for the next train to arrive.
*Wait, what am I doing waiting for a subway here?*
*My car is parked right back at school! Why on earth am I waiting for a train?!*
*Think. Where would he go?*
*How would I know where he's going? How do I know which stop he'll get off at?*
Trying to track down someone on a subway was next to impossible!
Helpless, Lightbulb called Xiao Zhenggong.
"Captain Xiao, I lost him."
Xiao Zhenggong sounded furious. "How could you lose him? Didn't I tell you to shoot him immediately?"
"I didn't find a good opportunity to strike." Lightbulb didn't dare admit that his carelessness had allowed Li Banfeng to escape.
Xiao Zhenggong asked, "Which way did he go?"
"He just got on the subway."
"Which line?"
"Line 4. Departed from University Town at eleven forty-five, heading toward Meiyun Square." Lightbulb remembered it with absolute clarity.
Xiao Zhenggong fell silent.
Lightbulb grew anxious. Knowing Xiao Zhenggong was enraged, he hurried to propose an idea. "Captain Xiao, if we just contact the authorities now and shut down the exits along Line 4, we'll definitely catch him."
Xiao Zhenggong barked, "Shut down the subway exits? What are you thinking?! Do you want this all over Yuezhou City? Do you want the entire city to know what a useless waste you are?!"
Lightbulb gritted his teeth, not daring to make a sound.
Xiao Zhenggong pondered for a moment before speaking. "Line 4 leads to Yuezhou East Station. Li Banfeng wants to leave town. Head straight to Yuezhou East Station and intercept him."
Lightbulb said in a low voice, "We could notify the station staff not to let him board..."
Xiao Zhenggong snapped, "How many times do I have to tell you? This matter is of critical importance! We cannot leak word of it! We cannot cause a panic!
"A train station has too many eyes. Once you spot him, don't make a move right away. Wait for the right opportunity to shoot him dead, and absolutely do not let anyone notice!
"Lightbulb, your parents were heroes. I believe you're definitely not trash. Such a simple task—I trust you can get it done.
"Don't bring shame to our Dark Star Bureau again, and don't bring shame to your parents!"
Xiao Zhenggong hung up.
Lightbulb sprinted all the way back to the campus and started his car.
On the road to East Station, he gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.
*A useless waste!*
*Don't bring shame to your parents!*
Lightbulb wiped his swollen, stinging eyes and ground his teeth over and over.
Isn't he just a college student?
Isn't he also a mental patient?
How could he possibly have slipped through my fingers?
How could I let him escape?
I'm not trash.
If Li Banfeng really went to the station, he had to be shot dead on the spot. No mercy.
...
Xiao Zhenggong changed into casual clothes, went down from the second floor of his villa to the garage, and started his car as well.
*Lightbulb, whatever you do, don't turn this into a spectacle. Don't let anyone notice.*
*Once you kill Li Banfeng, the item will be secured.*
*Then, once I kill you, this matter will be finished.*
...
The subway reached Yanbi Station; the next stop was Yuezhou East Station.
To Li Banfeng's left stood a burly man whose dark blue clothes were spattered with grayish-white mud.
Li Banfeng smiled at him.
To Li Banfeng's right was an attractive young woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing headphones.
Li Banfeng smiled at her as well.
He hadn't expected the subway to be this crowded at this hour.
Li Banfeng unzipped his backpack and began stripping off his clothes right there on the train.
The packed carriage instantly cleared out a wide pocket of space. The passengers around him shot him appalled looks and scrambled backward to get away.
Having stripped off his shirt, Li Banfeng began unbuttoning his trousers.
The pretty woman shrieked.
The burly man shrieked right along with her.
An elderly passenger covered a child's eyes.
Several people glared at Li Banfeng, crying out in unison, "Pervert!"
From his backpack, Li Banfeng pulled out a long-sleeved white collared shirt and a pair of black trousers, slipping into them.
Next, he took out a hiking hat and placed it on his head.
The entire process took less than a minute. Before complete chaos erupted in the carriage, the train pulled into East Station, and Li Banfeng stepped off immediately.
Exiting the subway and arriving beside the railway station turnstiles, Li Banfeng sent He Jiaqing a message: *Did you buy the ticket?*
*Bought it. Boarding is open now.*
Swiping his ID to pass through the turnstile, Li Banfeng spotted Lightbulb on guard nearby, but Lightbulb didn't notice him at all.
Lightbulb was focused and deeply tense, trying his best to scrutinize everyone entering through the gates.
Yet it was impossible. Passenger traffic at East Station was staggering; far too many people were passing through, and he was only keeping an eye out for someone wearing a T-shirt.
Once past the turnstiles, Li Banfeng relaxed considerably. A message from He Jiaqing came through: *Just now on the subway, why were so many people calling you a pervert?*
Why would he ask that? Couldn't he see?
Could he only hear, but not see?
Li Banfeng replied: *I changed clothes on the train.*
*Are you insane?*
*I'm not insane.*
*Weren't you afraid of causing a riot?*
*It took less than a minute. Nothing that serious.*
He Jiaqing couldn't wrap his head around it: *You changed that fast?*
Li Banfeng found it entirely natural: *How do you think I broke out of the hospital back then?*
He Jiaqing texted back: *You broke out back then? They didn't drag you back?*
Li Banfeng couldn't be bothered to explain.
*Drag me back for what?*
*That was the hospital's psychiatric department, not an asylum.*
...
After waiting beside the turnstiles for nearly half an hour, Lightbulb hadn't caught sight of Li Banfeng.
He was growing more and more anxious when Deputy Captain Xiao Zhenggong suddenly appeared before him.
"Captain Xiao, why are you here..."
"How long do you plan on waiting around here?" Xiao Zhenggong showed his badge, said a couple of words to the staff, and led Lightbulb straight through the gate.
Sweeping his eyes across the waiting hall, Xiao Zhenggong led Lightbulb to the far end of Waiting Area No. 2, passed the restrooms, and walked into an underground corridor.
Chapter 7