After some consideration, Lu Yan chose secondary anonymity, meaning his identity would not be disclosed to the outside world, but it would be disclosed to the headquarters.
After all, headquarters needed to send people to resolve the sea fog in Changjia, or Ning Huai and the others would remain trapped on Changjia Island.
Those new generation dependents could continue to undergo ideological transformation on Changjia, but this batch of Harbingers, including Ning Huai, had already spent too much of their youth in the Divine Realm. It was time to return home in style.
When Lu Yan was halfway through his report, there was a knock on the door.
Glancing at the time, it was eight in the morning, a bit later than he had expected.
This showed that Tang Xunan could really keep his cool.
"The door isn't locked," Lu Yan said.
Unexpectedly, the person who entered was not Tang Xunan but the staff member he had seen earlier.
He wore a gentle smile on his face, and after entering, he locked the door behind him.
The system whispered softly: "Although he means no harm to you, he's not a staff member."
The person by the door spoke, their voice familiar yet strange: "Dr. Lu."
"It's Shen Qingyang in a mimicked state," the system clarified.
Lu Yan closed the computer, looking wary: "What are you doing here?"
No matter how human-like Shen Qingyang looked, he was ultimately a pollutant.
"I've been waiting nearby for you," Shen Qingyang replied. He took two steps forward but stopped abruptly. "It seems you don't want to be too close to me."
His expression seemed slightly hurt, but he quickly smiled: "Doctor, I didn't kill anyone... The staff member who was here earlier was on the night shift and has left. I mimicked his appearance and came back, saying I forgot something."
Lu Yan scrutinized him carefully: "You seem to have recovered."
Shen Qingyang replied, "Yes, as long as the tentacles connecting to my brain don't die, I can keep living."
For any pollutant, their fatal parts should be an absolute secret.
But Shen Qingyang spoke of this matter openly, as if it were ordinary small talk.
"Why did you know I would be here?" Lu Yan asked.
"That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about," Shen Qingyang replied.
Shen Qingyang gently spread open his left hand, revealing a dark brown eyeball in his palm, bloodshot and filled with fear.
The eyeball emitted a hoarse growl: "I've told you everything I know. Why won't you let me go?"
Lu Yan felt a familiar aura emanating from this eyeball.
He pursed his lips, his expression gradually turning cold.
Shen Qingyang smiled: "This is my mentor. Although his pollution level is high, his combat ability is weak. After much thought, I finally found a way to conveniently carry him. As long as he's with me, my mentor doesn't have to worry about getting hurt."
"Doctor, as long as you pierce this eyeball, my mentor can disappear forever." His voice was low, akin to the allure of a Siren, "Although precognition is a good talent, your happiness is more important."
Shen Qingyang's features began to change gradually, like a lump of clay being molded back into his original appearance.
He looked into Lu Yan's eyes: "Shall we make a deal? I'll detach my mentor and give him to you, and all I ask for is a kiss from the doctor."
"System," Lu Yan whispered.
[Shen Qingyang, codenamed Black Sheath, pollution value 10400.]
[Talents: Life Absorption, Precognition, Mimicry.]
[Due to some accidents, the Prophet Werewolf self-destructed, revealing that the traitor was among them. Unfortunately, he discovered it too late.]
[As you can see, the pollutant Lu Cheng was devoured by the pollutant Shen Qingyang. Shen Qingyang thereby gained the precognition talent. Forgive my bluntness, but this talent is much more useful in his hands than in Lu Cheng's.]
A large black shadow lay at Shen Qingyang's feet.
The morning sunlight cast his shadow, resembling waving tentacles.
Despite the brilliant morning sun, the atmosphere in the room felt cold and damp.
A faint layer of moisture appeared on Lu Yan's hands.
He calmly retrieved a dagger from his waist and gripped it tightly.
Shen Qingyang approached Lu Yan: "Doctor, I saw you and Tang Xunan arrive together, with him holding you. Why him?"
——Why. Him, not me?
That was what he wanted to ask.
Step by step, Shen Qingyang advanced, his tone gradually becoming agitated: "I can die for you, but him? He's not worthy of you!"
Having worked in hospitals for several years, Lu Yan knew how to comfort emotionally distressed patients' families: "Calm down. I came back with him because there were no other means of transportation at sea. We have no relationship beyond being colleagues."
Shen Qingyang just stared at him, looking inexplicably aggrieved: "You're lying to me."
"But it's okay," he smiled again. "At least you're willing to lie to me. You had the chance to kill my mentor earlier, but you let him go, all because of me, right? I'm glad, doctor."
"I know that if others see us together, it will cause trouble for you."
A jet-black tentacle emerged from beneath Shen Qingyang's clothes, holding a letter at its tip.
It placed the letter on the edge of Lu Yan's desk.
"This is another thing I wanted to tell you," Shen Qingyang's face twisted into a sickly smile. "I'll prove that only I am the most suitable person for you."
After saying this, Shen Qingyang didn't wait for Lu Yan's response. He took a few steps back and transformed back into the appearance of a staff member.
Lu Yan let out a slow breath.
He turned his head and noticed the envelope beside him.
Lu Yan walked over, opened the envelope, and found only two lines of printed text inside.
[N49°51′, W128°34′]
[I'll be waiting for you in the abyss.]
*
Shen Qingyang pushed open the door and stepped out of Lu Yan's room.
He took a few steps and coincidentally met Tang Xunan returning from outside.
Tang Xunan had just finished an 82-year-long vacation, nearly 900 days, leaving the headquarters staff stunned.
After some bargaining, Tang Xunan still managed to get a 900-day vacation, but every few days, he had to spend 30 minutes in a short meeting. This was to make Tang Xunan realize his conscience and return to work as soon as possible. On the other hand, it was also to prevent him from going off the grid and being unreachable at critical moments.
The two passed each other.
Tang Xunan sniffed and suddenly said, "Wait."
Shen Qingyang turned around, a smile on his face, his attitude respectful: "Do you have any orders, Mr. Tyrant?"
Tang Xunan frowned, staring at Shen Qingyang's face, the pupils in his eyes turning into tiny dots.
If it were someone familiar, they would know that this was a sign that he had entered combat mode.
Tang Xunan reached out his hand, his voice cold: "Show me your work ID."
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