291: Well-intentioned arrogance.

The excited discussion about the 'Lizardman Haunted House' from the college students at the next table gradually subsided, turning into whispers about specific details. Wei Ziqing and Wang Yu withdrew their attention and exchanged glances.

Wang Yu bit his straw, lowering his voice, his eyes gleaming not with fear but with curiosity and judgment: "Haunted house? Lizardman? Dinosaur Person? Sounds quite... 'interesting.' Although it's old news from over ten years ago,

my intuition—and experience from missions—tells me that rumors like this, which sound particularly bizarre and eventually point to a specific 'haunted' location, are almost certainly related to our 'business' here."

Wei Ziqing was deep in thought, the chocolate shavings on his Black Forest Cake seeming to transform into some vague clue. He mused:

"You mean... it's not groundless? Could it be..." Several possibilities flashed through his mind.

"Like the 'Immortal' situation I encountered before? Perhaps their ancestors were Evolvers with a specialized direction, their Bloodline latent, and then in a certain generation, a strong 'atavism' suddenly manifested?"

"Oh! That's highly possible!" Wang Yu's eyes lit up, then a hint of complex emotion appeared, and his voice softened. "But... for that family, especially that child, it's too pitiful.

Even though they are also human, due to uncontrollable physical mutations, they are treated as monsters, their family shattered, and ostracized by society..." He had seen many individuals fall into tragic circumstances due to evolution, and his tone carried a sigh of empathy.

He changed the subject, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Wei Ziqing: "But the key is that 'haunted house' they're going to. If part of the legend is true, and that child wasn't dealt with back then... what's the most likely choice, especially if the family couldn't bear to but also couldn't face it?"

Wei Ziqing immediately understood his hint:

"Hide them. Keep them from seeing the light of day. That so-called 'haunted house' might not be haunted at all, but rather someone—most likely informed family members or related parties—deliberately creating terrifying rumors to scare away approaching people, thereby protecting or perhaps... imprisoning that child."

"Yes, just like in some TV shows." Wang Yu nodded, his tone becoming firm. "Regardless of the truth, since we've heard about it, we can't ignore it. At least we should go take a look and confirm."

Wei Ziqing nodded with almost no hesitation: "Why not? If our deduction is true, that child might have been living in that environment all this time. That's not protection; it's another kind of cruelty.

We should at least try to make contact, and if possible... bring him to GUPA or a place that can provide appropriate help and a safe environment."

He paused, his voice steady, "I don't know if he's already accustomed to that isolation, but I think that, for him, it definitely isn't a 'good' life."

The two quickly reached a consensus. The desserts on the table were no longer the focus. They quickly finished the remaining food, and Wang Yu didn't forget to carefully pack the Chocolate Lava Cake for Little Pink.

"They seemed to mention the address just now, in the Western Suburbs?" Wang Yu asked while operating his phone, trying to search for a more specific location.

"Yes, sounds like it." Wei Ziqing had already stood up, his gaze sweeping over the four young people still enthusiastically discussing their equipment, then looking out the window at the western sky.

"Without further ado, let's head back to base to prepare. It would be best to retrieve old archives and resident records for that area. Tonight... or as soon as possible, let's go check out that 'haunted house'."

The hustle and bustle of the street were gradually left behind, and the road to the base was relatively quiet.

Wei Ziqing walked in silence, his brow slightly furrowed, seemingly digesting the heavy thoughts brought by the conversation, finally letting out an almost imperceptible sigh.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Wang Yu, beside him, keenly noticed his mood and asked with concern, "Why are you sighing? Worried about that matter?"

Wei Ziqing didn't stop, his gaze fixed on the outline of the base building in the distance, his voice a few shades lower than usual:

"I was just thinking... for that potentially existing child, is a life of isolation, perhaps even 'imprisonment' deliberately maintained by fear, happiness or misfortune?"

He paused, as if organizing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and continued slowly:

"If he longs to see a wider world, to interact with others, to feel the sunshine and wind, then our attempt to take him away might be correct. But..."

A rare trace of confusion entered his voice: "If he has already grown accustomed to that life, or even... if that's all he has ever known, then for him, that 'imprisonment' is his world, his 'normal'.

Then, my wishful thinking of 'saving' him, forcibly bringing him into an external world that is entirely unfamiliar, perhaps even terrifying to him... wouldn't that also be a kind of arrogance? Wouldn't it be imposing what I consider 'good' upon him?"

Wei Ziqing shook his head, his eyes complex:

"I... I want to make things better, to ensure everyone doesn't have to endure unnecessary suffering.

But I'm starting to be unsure if what I perceive as 'good' is truly what others need.

For some, what others see as 'bad' might be the only 'good' they can accept after struggling. I..." He stopped speaking, falling into deeper silence.

Wang Yu listened quietly, not immediately refuting. He followed Wei Ziqing's pace, also looking ahead, and after a while, he spoke, his voice sounding more mature than usual:

"No matter what, Brother Wei, your original intention is good. That much will never be wrong."

He tried to organize his words: "And, I think... many things, just as you worry, might not be black and white.

Perhaps, what we need isn't to directly 'choose' for him, but to first 'ask'? To give him a chance to see other options.

It's like... like a bird raised in a cage from birth. It might not even know it can fly, thinking the cage is its entire sky.

Only by truly opening the cage door and letting it try once will it understand what 'flying' and 'sky' feel like. Only then can it truly decide for itself whether to stay by the familiar cage or fly into the unknown."

Wang Yu scratched his head, smiling with some uncertainty:

"Of course, this is just my thought. How to judge, when to reach out, when to respect... it's really difficult.

But I think, at least going to 'ask' first, to see the situation, is better than doing nothing because of fear of making a mistake, right? After all, we heard about it."

Wei Ziqing nodded, his expression seeming to soften slightly. He turned to Wang Yu and said, "Yes, I understand what you're saying. I just suddenly thought of these things while walking... about the boundary between 'good intentions' and 'arrogance'."

He looked at the darkening sky in the distance, his tone calm but with a serious self-analysis:

"I worry that I might unconsciously, and as a matter of course, apply 'what I consider good' to everyone. That might be a kind of... well-intentioned arrogance. I don't want to be that kind of person.

I want to help everyone who might need help, but I can't help but worry if my 'help' might, in some unseen way, turn into another form of harm."

He paused, returning his gaze to Wang Yu, the heavy confusion in his eyes seemingly dispersed by the wind, replaced by a touch of clear determination.

Wei Ziqing lightly took a breath, as if shedding some invisible burden, his tone becoming a bit more resolute, "At least, this time, let me be 'willful' one more time. Go take a look, go ask. As for what happens after that... we'll talk about it then."