375: Chapter 373 Are you ready, children?

Meanwhile, in a rest area on the other side of the base, Lu Jianchuan and Shen Mingyuan were sitting on a bench.

A teenage boy stood opposite them.

He looked about sixteen or seventeen, not very tall, wearing a faded blue hoodie and clutching the hem of his shirt tightly. His gaze shifted back and forth between their faces, carrying an irrepressible urgency mixed with nervousness.

“Senior Lu, Senior Shen,” he began, his voice still carrying the raspiness of puberty. “I want to ask a favor of you.”

Lu Jianchuan looked at him without speaking. Shen Mingyuan tilted his head, signaling for him to continue.

“I want to...” The boy took a deep breath. “I want to meet the person who created your armor.”

Lu Jianchuan’s brow twitched slightly. Shen Mingyuan’s expression also shifted, but neither of them responded immediately.

The authorities must have guessed it long ago. Three sets of armor, three different Aptitude Holders—one would have to be truly foolish to think there wasn't someone behind it. It was just that these things were never discussed openly, and they were happy to play dumb. But this kid—

“Why are you looking for him?” Lu Jianchuan asked.

The boy’s eyes lit up.

“I want to be like you!” His voice rose slightly. “I want to wear armor too, I want to fight, I want to—”

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts.

“I want to become like you.”

Lu Jianchuan was silent for a second.

“I see,” he said. “But it's very dangerous.”

“I don’t care!” the boy blurted out. “I just want to keep fighting. I want to fight for the happiness of others!”

Shen Mingyuan let out a small chuckle from the side.

“Oh?” he said, his tone carrying a hint of genuine interest. “That’s quite a noble thought.”

Then he stopped smiling and shook his head.

“But I’m sorry, this isn't something we can just give you because we say so.”

The boy grew anxious.

“My concentration is very high!” He took a step forward. “I’ve been tested; my evo factor concentration is 2.007%! It’s very high! If you can help me find that person and have him make a set of armor for me, I could—I could—I'd do anything!”

Lu Jianchuan raised his hand and pressed down slightly.

“Wait, wait,” he said, his voice not loud but possessing a power that made people quiet down. “This really isn't something we can decide.”

He looked into the boy’s eager eyes and remained silent for two seconds.

“When we first obtained these armors,” he said in a steady tone, “no one told us anything in advance. It was all... an accident.”

He paused slightly on the word “accident.”

Shen Mingyuan glanced at him but said nothing.

Lu Jianchuan continued, “So, I can't help you with this. It’s not that I don’t want to, I truly can’t.”

He didn't mention The Forger, the mysterious group chat, or the entity existing within the conscious space. He wasn't sure if he could talk about it. Until The Forger explicitly stated it could be revealed, he wouldn't make that decision for someone else.

This was basic courtesy. And respect.

The light in the boy’s eyes dimmed. He lowered his head, his hands clutching his hoodie even tighter.

“...Alright,” he said, his voice dropping low.

The boy kept his head down in silence for a few seconds before looking up again.

“Alright,” he said, his voice softer than before, yet every word was clear. “If... he finds you, or if you’re willing to introduce me—”

He paused.

“My name is Ye Ouyang. I want to fight like this.”

He looked at Lu Jianchuan, then at Shen Mingyuan, his gaze lingering on their faces for a moment.

“Even though my concentration is high, it’s... in an almost pathological state of dormancy. No matter what, I can't activate it. So I can't evolve like others, I can't fight.”

His lips moved as if he wanted to say more.

“After all, my birth was—”

He didn't finish.

He turned around and walked toward the door. His pace wasn't fast, but he didn't falter. At the doorway, he stopped for a moment without looking back, then pushed the door open and disappeared down the corridor.

Lu Jianchuan and Shen Mingyuan sat on the bench, neither of them moving.

The silence lasted for several seconds.

Then Shen Mingyuan took out his phone, and the screen lit up. He took a glance, his brow twitching.

“There's news from Wei Ziqing’s side.”

He handed the phone over. Lu Jianchuan took it and scanned the information on the screen—Black Bear, residential area, combat, and the old man who provided the lead.

He returned the phone to Shen Mingyuan and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

Shen Mingyuan also stood up, and the two of them left the rest area one after the other.

The matter regarding The Forger would have to wait.

The two quickly arrived at the residential area where Wei Ziqing was located.

By the building entrance, Wei Ziqing was still sitting on the ground leaning against the wall with his legs stretched out straight, the two combat personnel standing beside him. The Psychological Evaluators were talking in low voices nearby, while Qing Lian stood in the shadows, her gaze constantly fixed on Long Qingyun. Long Qingyun was crouching next to Wei Ziqing, still rambling about the transformation. Seeing Lu Jianchuan and Shen Mingyuan arrive, he quickly stood up.

“Brother Lu, Lawyer Shen.” Wei Ziqing waved at them.

Lu Jianchuan walked over and crouched down to check his legs.

“How are you?”

“I'm fine, it's just the aftereffects of that form.” Wei Ziqing bared his teeth in a grimace. “I'll be okay after a bit of rest.”

Shen Mingyuan had already turned to the old man nearby. The elderly man stood there with his hands behind his back, gazing at the carcasses of the Black Bears in the distance.

“Old gentleman,” Shen Mingyuan walked over, his voice softening. “Thank you for the information you provided.”

The old man turned his head, looking at him and then at Lu Jianchuan who was walking over, a small smile appearing on his face.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said. “You young people are risking your lives to protect us. If an old man like me can help a little, it's a blessing.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across their faces as he slowly nodded.

“You must keep fighting for a better world.”

Shen Mingyuan nodded.

“We will.”

The old man smiled and reached out, patting his arm. The hand was very thin and bony, but the strength of the pat on his arm was unexpectedly steady.

“I’ll leave it to you young people,” he said. “You are the future of the country.”

Lu Jianchuan stood by without speaking, only nodding slightly.

The old man looked at them once more, then turned and slowly walked into the building. After a few steps, he looked back at the Black Bear carcasses, shook his head, and disappeared into the depths of the hallway.

Shen Mingyuan looked down and checked his equipment. The recording pen was in his inner pocket, the pinhole camera was pinned inside his collar, and a spare memory card was tucked into a hidden compartment in his belt. He patted each spot to confirm everything was there.

“Are you ready?” He looked at the two combat personnel.

The two nodded simultaneously. The one who had gone to dismantle the signal jammer had already handed his gun to the remaining Psychological Evaluator, and the other had also removed his long-range weapon, leaving only a few small gadgets at his waist—a stun gun, a folding knife, and a miniature walkie-talkie.

“Ready.”

That's a bit too quiet.