217: I've decided on you.

[The Real World]

The dust from the explosion had yet to fully settle, the air thick with the smell of scorching and tension.

Wei Ziqing sat beside a temporary medical vehicle set up by GUPA, a bandage on his forehead, his face still pale from the earlier suffocation and fright.

The deadly device on his temple had been carefully removed by the arriving GUPA technicians, leaving only a faint red ring on his skin and a lingering, hard-to-dispel palpitation.

His master, Wei Qingyuan, sat beside him, tightly gripping his hand. The old man's hand was still trembling slightly, but his eyes were full of relief.

At that moment, Wei Ziqing's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out somewhat dazedly. The screen displayed a new wechat message from a contact he had no memory of at all—the profile picture was a deep starry sky, and the nickname was just a simple period '.'.

He opened it, puzzled.

.: Hello.

Wei Ziqing frowned and quickly typed a reply.

Wei Ziqing: Who are you? I don't remember adding you.

.: You can call me 'The Forger'. Right now, I need your help.

.: Shen Mingyuan, the Lawyer Shen you know, is in grave danger.

Wei Ziqing's pupils contracted. He sat bolt upright, oblivious to the scrapes the sudden movement aggravated.

Wei Ziqing: Lawyer Shen? What's wrong with him? Wasn't he just...? Wait, how do you know him? What danger is he in?!

.: Shen Mingyuan is 'shadow'. That person in the black armor who just tried to fight Lin Mo on the stage and vanished in the explosion.

The light from the phone screen illuminated Wei Ziqing's young face. His expression instantly froze, his eyes widening in disbelief, his fingers hovering over the screen, almost unable to move.

shadow... that mysterious, powerful figure who appeared at the critical moment... is Lawyer Shen? That Lawyer Shen who helped him with the lawsuit, comforted him, and always spoke in a calm, reliable tone?

The massive information shock left his mind blank. Only after several seconds did he tremulously type a reply, almost one character at a time.

Wei Ziqing: ...What? It's actually... Lawyer Shen? This... how is that possible...

.: There's no time to explain much. He is in extreme danger, taken by an evil organization called 'Prometheus'. His life is unknown, and he could meet with misfortune any second.

.: I need someone to rescue him immediately.

Wei Ziqing's heart clenched as if gripped by an icy hand as he read the words 'life is unknown' and 'meet with misfortune'. Lawyer Shen had saved him and his master; he was their benefactor, someone he deeply respected. But now... Wei Ziqing: I... how can I help? I'm just an ordinary person! I can't even fight those monsters! And... why me? Don't you have anyone else?

His reply carried confusion, anxiety, and a hint of being overwhelmed by the immense responsibility.

.: Right now, only you are available. I can't find anyone else more suitable or able to act immediately.

.: Listen. The 'tool' that can save him—a device that allows a person to transform—is in Shen Mingyuan's own home, in his wardrobe, locked in a metal box. I'm sending you the address now.

.: I need you to get it, then use it to rescue him.

Immediately, a detailed address was sent—the exact address of Shen Mingyuan's apartment.

Wei Ziqing stared fixedly at every word on the screen, his chest heaving violently.

Transform? Like Lawyer Shen did? Rescue someone from an organization that sounds terrifying? This far exceeded the imagination of a high school student; the danger was self-evident.

He looked up at his master, Wei Qingyuan, sitting beside him, his face full of worry. The old man didn't understand what was happening but seemed to sense his disciple's intense emotional turmoil. His cloudy eyes were filled with concern.

He looked down at his phone again. His mind flashed back to Shen Mingyuan saying "I'll handle it" in the corridor of Nandu Hospital, to that black silhouette shielding everyone on the stage just moments ago, to Lawyer Shen's calm and resolute gaze.

The debt of gratitude was as weighty as a mountain. Moreover, it wasn't just anyone; it was Lawyer Shen.

A mix of determination to repay the kindness, youthful courage, and a sense of responsibility ignited by this immense trust dispelled some of the fear. He took a deep breath, and his eyes gradually grew firm.

His fingers tapped out a reply.

Wei Ziqing: ...I understand. I've received the address.

Wei Ziqing: What should I do? How do I use that 'tool'?

.: After you get it, put it on. I'll tell you the specifics once you have it. Hurry, there's not much time.

"Master," his voice was still a bit hoarse, but his tone was unprecedentedly resolute, "something urgent has happened to Lawyer Shen. He's in great danger. Only I can help a little... I need to go to his house immediately to get something."

Wei Qingyuan looked at the familiar light in his disciple's eyes—the same look when the boy was hell-bent on seeking revenge after he himself was injured—but it seemed to contain something more now, something calmer and more determined.

The old man was silent for a few seconds. Without asking for details, he just squeezed Wei Ziqing's hand firmly and said in a low voice, "Be careful. Go quickly and come back soon."

Inside the cordon established by GUPA, medical staff and special task force members bustled about, tending to the wounded, registering information, maintaining order. The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and a tense atmosphere.

Wei Ziqing knew he couldn't just swagger out. The officials wouldn't allow a teenager who had just experienced an attack and might be involved in a key incident to leave the group freely.

He lowered his voice and quickly said a few words to a deeply worried Wei Qingyuan. The old man first looked startled, then, seeing the unshakable resolve in his disciple's eyes, nodded heavily.

"Ouch... oh dear..." Wei Qingyuan suddenly clutched his chest, his face twisting in "pain." He swayed and started to collapse to one side.

"Master!" Wei Ziqing exclaimed at the right moment, his voice filled with "anxiety."

Nearby GUPA members and medical staff were immediately alerted, and two of them ran over quickly. "Sir! What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"

"My chest... feels tight... can't breathe..." Wei Qingyuan acted convincingly, his finger trembling as he pointed to his chest, while his other hand made an extremely quick, covert gesture to Wei Ziqing.

While everyone's attention was drawn to his suddenly "ill" master, Wei Ziqing crouched low. Like a swimming fish, using the medical vehicle and piled-up supplies as cover, he slipped silently out of a blind spot in the cordon and darted into a nearby alley littered with broken bricks and rubble.

He glanced back one last time at his master surrounded by people, silently thinking, "Sorry, Master," then turned and ran without looking back.

Following the address sent by "The Forger," Wei Ziqing sprinted with all his might through the still-chaotic streets. Only one thought occupied his mind: Faster! Even faster! Lawyer Shen can't wait!

Arriving at the apartment building where Shen Mingyuan lived, he had no time for manners or to find a way through the security door. Making sure no one was around, he took a few steps back, took a deep breath—a foundation laid by years of martial arts training—and slammed his shoulder against the area near the door lock!

Thud! Thud! Dull thumping sounds echoed in the hallway. The doorframe groaned under the strain, and finally, on the third impact, the lock connection gave way, and the door swung violently inward.

Wei Ziqing rushed into the apartment. After a quick glance, he headed straight for the bedroom. Pulling open the wardrobe, beneath a few jackets, the cold metal box was right there. Without a key, his eyes swept the room. He grabbed a heavy metal ornament nearby and smashed it down hard on the box lock!

Clang! Crash!

After a few heavy blows, the lock deformed and broke open. He lifted the lid. Lying inside was that magnificent belt, white as its base, inlaid with golden patterns and outlined with black stripes.

A cold touch, yet it seemed to contain a burning power.

There was no time to examine it closely. He grabbed the belt, quickly lifted his shirt, and fastened the belt tightly around his waist. With a soft click, the belt automatically contracted and fitted snugly, its weight just right, as if tailor-made for him.

Without a moment's pause, he turned and dashed out of the apartment, not even bothering to close the broken door properly.

As he raced down the stairs, he opened his phone again, confirming the constantly blinking, moving coordinate that "The Forger" had simultaneously sent—which had finally stopped at a location on the city's outskirts. That should be the location of the "Laboratory" where Shen Mingyuan had been taken.

At this moment, he had no time to dwell on what he would face, nor time for fear. The cold touch at his waist constantly reminded him of the responsibility he bore. Images of Shen Mingyuan and the final look in his master's eyes flashed alternately in his mind.

He flagged down a taxi that happened to be passing by and gave the driver the remote coordinate from his phone's map.

"Driver, here, as fast as possible!" The boy's voice was slightly hoarse from urgency, but his eyes shone with an astonishing intensity.