389: Chapter 386 Is this resonance?

The night was as thick as undiluted ink.

Deep within an abandoned commercial street in the east of the city, in one of the darkest alleys, several flickering streetlights buzzed with unstable electricity. Rotten cardboard boxes and abandoned shared bikes were piled in the corners, and puddles on the ground reflected the faint light from distant construction site searchlights.

Four people were scattered in the surrounding shadows—Lu Jianchuan leaned behind a low wall, Wei Ziqing crouched by the window of an abandoned shop on the second floor, Ye Ouyang hid next to a trash can at the corner, and Shen Mingyuan stood at the alley entrance with his arms crossed, waiting to watch the show.

In the center of the alley, the play had already begun.

"Jie jie jie jie jie—!"

A man dressed in black and wearing a black hood—the very same logistics lad from earlier today—was looking up at the sky, letting out an extremely exaggerated, eerie laugh. One foot was planted on a nearby cardboard box as he struck what he thought was a most ferocious pose, waving both hands wildly in the air.

"Didn't expect this, did you, little girl!" His voice was forced deep and gravelly, but a hint of suppressed laughter was clearly audible at the end. "In this pitch-black night, you've actually fallen into the hands of me—the Great Devil King of Dark Terror!"

Opposite him, the girl from the front desk crouched in the corner, clutching her knees with her head buried low. Hearing this, she looked up, revealing a face she was trying her best to squeeze into an expression of terror.

"No, please don't—" Her voice was drawn out, trembling with an obvious effort to keep from laughing. "Someone save me—I'm so scared—waah waah waah—"

"Scared? You should be!" The man in black laughed "jie jie jie" again and pulled a pre-prepared plastic prop knife from his waist—it was clearly a child's toy, reflecting light. "Today, I'll let you know that this night belongs to me, the Great Dark Devil King! No one can save you! No one!"

He brandished the plastic knife, spun around twice on the spot, then stood with hands on his hips, howling at the sky.

"Hahahaha—!"

Crouched behind the trash can, Ye Ouyang almost failed to hold back his laughter and quickly covered his mouth.

Just as the echoes of that "hahahaha" were still reverberating in the alley—

A red shadow descended from the sky.

"Stop right there—!"

The voice was deep and husky, carrying a deliberate sense of drama. A red Armored Man landed between the man in black and the girl. The armor, a weave of red and black, gave off a dull luster under the dim lights; the visor was deep black, hiding any expression.

After landing, he slowly straightened up and raised a hand to point at the man in black.

"In this city shrouded in darkness, in this night where evil breeds—" He drew out his words, each one sounding as if it were ground out from his chest. "I have heard the cries of the innocent, and I have smelled the scent of evil!"

The man in black was clearly stunned—how did these lines sound even more exaggerated than his own?

But the red Armored Man didn't give him time to react. He continued, getting more and more into character:

"Therefore—I have come! I am the flame burning in the darkness, I am the terminator of evil! Remember my name—Red Armor Hero!"

He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head back slightly, striking a classic chuunibyou hero pose.

The girl in the corner completely forgot to act, staring at him with wide eyes, her expression one of genuine shock—this guy... is he for real?

Wei Ziqing, crouched on the second floor, covered his face with his hand.

Ye Ouyang's mouth hung wide open.

Lu Jianchuan leaned behind the low wall, expressionless, but his eyelid twitched.

And then—

"Good—!"

A loud shout of approval came from the alley entrance.

Shen Mingyuan stepped out.

With his arms crossed, he stared at the red Armored Man with bright eyes, his face filled with the excitement of finding a kindred spirit.

"Great lines! Great Aura! Great entrance!"

The red Armored Man paused, turned his head, and looked at him.

Shen Mingyuan took a step forward, then another, each step steady. He came to a halt in the center of the alley, raised his hand, and slowly pressed it against the armband on his waist.

"In this pitch-black night, in this city full of evil and lies—" His voice also lengthened, carrying the same dramatic flair as the red Armored Man. "I didn't expect to meet someone who pursues justice and light just as I do!"

He pressed the armband.

Matte black biomass armor spread from the wristband, instantly covering his entire body. The red visor lit up, cutting two cold streaks of light through the darkness.

"In that case—let me stand by your side!"

He raised his right hand, fingers splayed, pointing toward the night sky.

"I am the observer walking in the darkness, I am the eye that pierces through the mist! Remember my name—shadow!"

The red Armored Man stared at him, silent for two seconds.

Then he slowly raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and held it out toward Shen Mingyuan's hand pointing at the sky.

"...Resonance," he whispered.

"Resonance!" Shen Mingyuan responded loudly.

The alley fell silent for a second.

The girl in the corner was completely petrified.

Hiding behind the trash can, Ye Ouyang buried his face in his knees, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

On the second floor, Wei Ziqing silently pulled out his phone and sent a message to Lu Jianchuan:

[I can't take it anymore.]

Lu Jianchuan took out his phone, glanced at it, and replied expressionlessly:

[Endure it.]

"Pfft—hahahahaha—!"

Ye Ouyang finally couldn't hold it in; he sprang up from behind the trash can, doubled over with laughter.

Red Armor Hero snapped his head around, his black visor locking onto him.

"Who's there?!"

Ye Ouyang straightened up, laughing as he took two steps forward into the light of the only dim yellow streetlight in the alley.

"It's me, it's me." He wiped away the tears he'd laughed out. "Sorry, I couldn't hold it—carry on, carry on—"

Red Armor Hero stared at him, stunned for two seconds.

"It's you?" His voice changed, no longer the deliberately lowered dramatic tone, revealing his original voice—young and slightly surprised. "Ye Ouyang?"

Ye Ouyang's smile faltered for a moment.

"How do you know my name?"

Red Armor Hero didn't answer, but the silence itself was like an answer.

Ye Ouyang tilted his head to look at him, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"You've always given me a particularly familiar feeling..." He circled half a step around Red Armor Hero, sizing him up. "You guy—you wouldn't happen to be Lin Yuan, would you?"

Red Armor Hero stiffened all over.

"How did you know?!"

Ye Ouyang spread his hands: "I mean, isn't it obvious? You knew who I was the moment you saw me; isn't that just pure recognition? The only outsider I know is you, Lin Yuan."

Red Armor Hero—Lin Yuan—slowly raised his hand and covered his visor.

"Was my performance... that bad?"

The alley was silent for two seconds.

He lowered his hand, looked at Ye Ouyang, then at Shen Mingyuan, who was still holding the "resonance" pose, and finally at the "actors" around them who hadn't fully reacted yet.

"So..." His voice returned to normal, carrying a bit of helplessness. "You were acting to lure me out?"

"Uh..." Shen Mingyuan's pose finally relaxed, his armor deactivating to reveal his casual clothes underneath and a slightly embarrassed face. "I was also acting to lure you out."

The two looked at each other.

Silence.

"...So awkward," Lin Yuan said.

"Indeed," Shen Mingyuan nodded.

Lu Jianchuan stepped out from behind the low wall, Wei Ziqing jumped down from the second floor, and the other staff members also sheepishly emerged from various spots, gathering together. Suddenly, there were about a dozen people standing in the alley, and the atmosphere was extremely subtle.

Ye Ouyang stood between the two of them, looking left and right, the corners of his mouth starting to curl up again.

Lin Yuan coughed and was about to speak when he suddenly remembered something and looked at Ye Ouyang.

"By the way—" His tone changed, becoming serious. "How did you transform into this state?"

Ye Ouyang was taken aback: "What?"

"Your armor." Lin Yuan pointed at the black-and-white woven belt at his waist. "You should be... below the range for normal activation. I've checked your file; your factor concentration isn't enough to evolve on your own."

Ye Ouyang looked down at his belt, then looked up again.

"Huh? How do you know that?"

Lin Yuan was silent for a moment and didn't answer.

Ye Ouyang frowned: "Wait, do you know Li Jianguo?"

Lin Yuan was stunned for a moment.

"Li Jianguo? Who?"

"Just..." Ye Ouyang thought for a moment. "You don't know him?"

"No."

Lu Jianchuan took a step forward and stood in front of Lin Yuan.

"Then do you know me?"

Lin Yuan glanced at him and nodded.

"Yes. I've seen your videos online. You're the performer of the silver skeleton, and you're with the The Authorities."

Lu Jianchuan nodded.

"Since you know I'm with the The Authorities, that makes things easier." His tone was steady, but it carried an undeniable pressure. "The The Authorities is questioning you now. According to Article 50 of the 'Public Security Administration Punishment Law,' citizens have an obligation to cooperate with public security organs in the lawful execution of their duties. This is a responsibility every citizen should fulfill."

Lin Yuan opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Lu Jianchuan looked at him and waited for a few seconds.

"Where did your armor come from?"

Lin Yuan was silent for a while before finally speaking.

"The person who helped me... I don't know him." His voice dropped, sounding a bit uncertain. "This armor isn't anything special; it's just... a suit of armor. When I put it on, I can help people."

"Where did you get it?" Lu Jianchuan interrupted him.

Lin Yuan fell silent again.

"We need to know that place." Lu Jianchuan's voice didn't change, but every word carried significant weight. "Because it might involve human experimentation, or even extremely serious criminal behavior."

Lin Yuan looked up, his expression changing.

"What?"

Lu Jianchuan looked at him.

"How do you think the armor on him came to be?" He pointed at Ye Ouyang. "His armor was created through a specific method. But what about yours? Did the person who gave you this set ever tell you how it was made?"

Lin Yuan's lips moved, but he didn't speak.

"It's possible it went through extensive human experimentation," Lu Jianchuan continued, "created from the deaths of countless people. Even the piece you're wearing might not be a complete version, but just an experimental prototype."

Lin Yuan's eyes widened.

"They're just using you for experiments," Lu Jianchuan's voice was calm, yet it felt like a stone weighing on one's heart. "Collecting data, testing performance. As for how many people you've helped or who you've saved, they don't care at all."