Archfiend Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Apology

With a swish, he stood up like a human and pulled the door open: "Look! No one's even here!"

Xu Yangyi raised his brows, as well.

Indeed, there wasn't even a single person.

Then… the question was, what had he just heard moments ago?

He had clearly heard someone named Manager Su at the door talking to themself. Manager Su and Mao Ba'er had spoken quite clearly on a cooperative arrangement, price, and share, however… there really wasn't anyone at the entrance!

"There wasn't anyone on the left? Someone that wanted the doctor to change their medication?"

The dog scouted out and returned: "None at all."

"Was it your imagination?" Mao Ba'er looked at Xu Yangyi suspiciously: "In fact… you shouldn't make things up, we'll still be good friends… If you're willing to explain to me clearly how you learned of my deal with the Many Treasures Pavilion."

Xu Yangyi narrowed his eyes and didn't answer the other, rather he set his spirit sense free.

A thought sprang into his mind.

Perhaps… it wasn't a trick of the ear.

Just as he unleashed his spirit sense, he immediately felt it was different, a clearness completely different from before!

In the past, it had also been clear, but in comparison to his present spirit sense, it had been like a film of mist!

The flower was red. In his eyes, he sensed even more layers of red that were even richer, like he could clearly see the composition of its color. As to so far that he could see the honeybee on the flower just as it buzzed its wings.

Or perhaps it could be put like so, the world had become even more realistic.

He was in the sickroom of the tenth floor, and the flower garden was on the lower level outside of the hospital, close to a hundred and fifty meters on the side of the national highway!

Even if he was a Qi Condensation cultivator, he shouldn't have been able to see something a hundred and fifty meters away to the most minute of details! A hundred meters was the max!

But more important was the sound.

Every sound, the buzzing of the honeybee's wings, the discussion of the patients the floor below, and the hailing of a car two hundred meters away… was like it was at the side of his ear, as to so far he could hear the middle-aged driver as he slightly coughed.

His eyes began to faintly narrow. He hadn't heard incorrectly… rather his spirit sense had surprisingly strengthened! Moreover, it was a sudden expansion by around a third in size!

Xu Yangyi strongly suppressed the throbbing of his heart. Spirit sense could be said to be on the same level of importance to a cultivator as their sea of essence. It was the eyes, ears, tongue of how cultivators perceived the world, the same as all of a human's five senses, also comprising…

The strength of perception and absorption of spiritual energy!

In other words, his perception of spiritual energy and his rate of absorption of it was over third stronger than a cultivator of the same stage!

An art or treasure that could upgrade spirit sense absolutely wouldn't exist these days! This era of Cultivation Civilization was also known as Saddharmavipralopa or the End of Days. Spiritual energy had already become incomparably thin, and things such as cultivating to Foundation Establishment in a hundred days like in novels were incapable of appearing once again. Presently, to achieve Foundation Establishment in a hundred years was considered top-notch. Spirit sense would only advance followed by a cultivator's elevation in realms. Never had there been a precedent for such a sudden advancement!

"Pretty boy… You alright?" Like a dried well, his complexion was without a single ripple. Mao Ba'er asked nervously: "Is it… because you didn't rest well enough that you're suddenly hearing things?"

"Possibly." Xu Yangyi shut his eyes and leaned against the sickbed: "Pack things up. In several days, we're going to leave Sanshui City."

"Thud Thud Thud…" At the same time, the sound of knocking suddenly echoed out. Just as he said enter, he saw a large bouquet of flowers with ten-odd people following behind.

They were all the agents of the Disciplinary and Observations Group. This time, all of them were present! Following the lead of Vice Captain Chen!

"Captain Xu, has your health improved?" Vice Captain Chen set the large bouquet of flowers on a table deferentially and stood sincerely at Xu Yangyi's bedside: "I heard you've been out for ten-somewhat days; we're truly apologetic, we didn't expect that scumbag would've installed explosives. If it weren't for you, Captain Xu… We don't even know if we would be able to see our children again."

The speech revealed heartfelt admiration, deference, and respect. In the past several days he had just taken up office, the other had been an overbearing and menacing person, but that demeanor had vanished long ago without a trace.

"Just doing my job." Xu Yangyi looked at the big bouquet of sword lilies that represented good health and laughed: "Thank you for the flowers, everyone."

"T-There's no need for thanks… No, I want to say that Captain Xu doesn't need to give thanks!" Old Zhu took a step forward and sighed deeply: "Before, some people said you were a paratrooper, said you were sent down to fill the numbers, and even more, I actually believed it… Captain Xu, we… we…"

"We rejected the praise and awards of the Provincial Public Security Department." Vice Captain Chen revealed a shameful look: "Captain Xu…… We were all waiting on you, but the Provincial Public Security Department didn't want to hold on any longer. The case had dragged on for too long. You don't know, but people of Sanshui City have been alarmed for the past month, and night classes were canceled. There weren't even any people on the street…… They wanted to immediately announce this information, I……"

"No need to apologize." Xu Yangyi didn't care at all. Calming the hearts of the people, this was the primary order of business after a strange incident: "That is what you should've done."

The present scene had become a bit awkward.

In the past, none of them could bear looking at Xu Yangyi. For a paratrooper to drop down all of a sudden and then take charge over a major case was akin to the situation of a sheep leading a pride of lions. Above all else though when Xu Yangyi had expressed that he would personally handle the case, it had nearly sent them into a furious rage.*

At the present, after they had lost consciousness and awakened, they had become aware the Captain Xu had saved their lives at the critical moment. According to the report, it was because the criminal had installed explosives that had lead to them losing a part of their memories, since they were close.

Thinking back to their display in the past, they had drummed up enough courage to get together and come visit. 

It was embarrassing… how could they set face aside? They were all people in their thirties and forties, judging by appearance. The result was that the other had saved all of their lives and single-handedly apprehended the criminal. As Chief Zheng had announced this information, the entire Disciplinary and Reconnaissance Group had been left without words.

After brief period of shock, their guilt had swelled forth like a tide. However… on the contrary, they were embarrassed. After stewing around for a good while, it wasn't until these feelings had reached their boiling point that they carefully selected a large bouquet of flowers and came together to the sickroom.

"Is there something else?" Xu Yangyi had approximately understood their way of thinking: "I have to get a re-examination straightaway and then I will be transferred later on. How about you guys wait for me to leave the hospital, and we'll chat again?"

Transferred?

Their feelings of embarrassment weakened in a flash and were thereupon replaced with a bubbling reluctance to part ways. Everyone looked at each other in shocked dismay. They recalled that it seemed that Xu Yangyi had indeed said that. After the case, he would be transferred.

In the past, they had been overwhelmingly willing! But now…

They had been quite willing in the past, but now now, they were rather unwilling!

Was this a joke! Which department wasn't willing to have such a friggin' awesome captain? Not even to speak of humans, even chickens and dogs would ascend to the heavens in following another person in study for an abundant harvest!**

"Captain Xu!" Vice Captain Chen pursed his lips, suddenly stood up, and bowed seriously: "I apologize!"

Together with him at the head, everyone behind him bowed at the waist and said in chorus: "Our apologies!"

"Never mind it." Xu Yangyi shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, Vice Captain Chen immediately followed up: "No! There's something else! If I don't say this, I'm afraid my dreams won't be peaceful later on!"

"Originally, we judged the book by its cover. Captain Xu… I truly didn't expect… you would be s-so…" Old Zhu pursed his lips, reflected over it for two seconds, and then said wholeheartedly: "Awesome, frickin' awesome! No one dared to accept this case in Nantong Province, but you busted it in three days flat! I, Old Zhu, accepted the last sitting captain, Captain Gong. Now, I accept you!"

"Captain Xu, please accept our apologies." Officer Qin said, as well: "We didn't bring a present, but these are our heartfelt feelings. If it's because of our attitudes before that has drawn your misunderstanding…"

"I guarantee. It absolutely won't happen again!" Vice Captain Chen straightened out his waist and patted his chest: "Say no more. I accept this captain. Originally considering qualifications, it should've been my turn. However, only those who are capable may take the seat! If you say to go south later on, we absolutely won't go north!"

Xu Yangyi understood.

They didn't want him to leave…

Concerning their apologies, he really didn't put it to mind. Even though things had been difficult before, he hadn't even taken it to heart.

This was because he was inherently not a person parallel to them. He wasn't looking down on them, rather that which angered him didn't stem from the same root as ordinary people. 

Because of the hardships wrought by their superiors, because of annoying colleagues, and because of increases in prices, ordinary people would swear up a storm in plain view, but he wouldn't. He was only anxious if his cultivation was unable to make progress, only worried he wouldn't see the end of the Grand Dao.

"I'm sorry." He stood up and was supported up by the colleagues of barely several days: "This is a command from the top of the chain, my coming here was only to handle this case. I've finished, so I have to return."

His words were clear and cut to the point. Anyone could hear it, this was a matter that couldn't disobeyed.

"Can't… Can't the rules be bent?" Vice Captain Chen grit his teeth irreconcilably. With such a capable captain, he truly didn't wish for others to transfer him out! 

Xu Yangyi shook his head and laughed: "There's a chance we'll meet again."

Until the agents of the Disciplinary and Reconnaissance Group all left outside the sickroom, all of them were still unresigned to it.

"Hey, Old Chen, do you still remember what happened that night?" Old Zhu furrowed his brows and asked: "I can't remember anything at all… I only remember… it seemed that something extremely grave occurred… We owe Captain Xue quite an awfully large favor….."

"I don't remember, as well…" Vice Captain Chen smiled wryly and shook his head: "However, I'm in the same boat with you, as well. I keep getting subconsciously reminded that if it weren't for him that night, we all would've died there."

"Me, too!" 

"It's strange… It's the same for me, as well." 

"I keep on thinking I owe him a great favor, but I can't even recall anything."

A line of people descended down stairs, with Vice Captain Chen being the last to raise his head and look back towards the sickroom on the tenth floor.

He kept on having a kind of feeling. That perhaps this time would be the final time they would see each other.

"As expected…" He shook his head and followed after the crowd: "How could a talented person possibly be willing to stay in such a backwater place like Sanshui City…"

"Swish…" The blinds lowered, and Xu Yangyi gently raised a slat, his gaze wavering somewhat slightly.

"What? Are you a bit sad you don't have any mortal friends?" Mao Ba'er stood beside him, using his paw in the same manner to brush the blinds aside: "Pretty boy… we haven't been normal people for a long time… This society is harmonious on the outside, but beneath it lies a maelstrom of living fossils that have flowed along since time antiquity… Furthermore, existences like ours exceeds that of ordinary people. Who said it? For the paths we have chosen, we must press on to completion even if we are brought to our knees."*** 

"Clack…" The blinds softly lowered, and Xu Yangyi laughed: "It's rare of you to speak like a human."

"Help me get in touch with Sanshui City's Many Treasures Pavilion. I need to get an appraisal right away."

"What about you?"

Xu Yangyi tapped his wristwatch: "Of course, I have to submit my exam grade now."

*兵熊熊一个，将熊熊一窝. Kinda hard to translate this into english. I used the example I found to demonstrate what it means. Essentially, it illustrates that if you're team is good, but leader sucks, you will suck. But if you're leader is amazing and the team is amazing, then you guys will be awesome.

** Chickens and dogs can rise to the heavens. I was originally going to localize this, but I love the imagery LOL. I played around with the sentence to make it fit. If it isn't obvious, it means that anyone can do anything (given a situation in context)

***自己选的路，跪着也要走完, I translated this kinda looseley and bit poetic, but the meaning from what I have ascertained is "the paths we choose in life hold all kinds of hardship. Despite this, we have to continue on bravely even in the face of danger."

Chapter end