144: Chapter 144 A Rare Moment of Leisure...

Commander Ji Yunlan led the way.

Lu Cheng followed behind her, passing through streets that were still being cleaned.

People from the Defense Bureau were dragging the last few carcasses of Pollution Beasts onto transport trucks. The air was filled with a mixture of disinfectant and a burnt smell. As they stepped on the cracked asphalt, their soles made a crisp clicking sound.

Xia Xi walked beside him. Chu Xiuxiu was wrapped in her coat, her other hand held by Lu Cheng.

Su Wan and Qian Shuying walked at the very back.

The Defense Bureau's temporary command center was set up on the third floor of the Municipal Building.

Commander Ji Yunlan pushed open the meeting room door and stepped aside.

The meeting room wasn't large. A dark brown long table sat in the middle, and a map of Rong City's urban area hung on the wall, marking all the pollution outbreak points.

The curtains were half-drawn, and the afternoon sunlight slanted in through the gaps, cutting a golden band of light across the table.

Xia Yunchi was standing in the middle of the conference hall.

He had changed his uniform; the clean deep blue fabric still held the residual warmth of ironing. The bloody scratch on his left cheek from a sharp claw had already scabbed over, and the burnt fingertips of his right glove had been cut off, revealing skin with faint red burn marks.

Seeing Lu Cheng arrive, he turned around.

"Student Lu Cheng."

Xia Yunchi squared his shoulders, tucked his chin slightly, and folded his hands in front of him as he spoke.

"On behalf of all the citizens of Rong City, I thank you for your contribution to the city."

Lu Cheng got goosebumps from such a formal thank-you.

He subconsciously scratched the back of his head...

"Uncle Xia, you're joking.

This is the city where I've lived since I was a child. Since I have the ability, of course I wouldn't just sit idly by."

Xia Yunchi looked at Lu Cheng, feeling more and more satisfied the more he looked.

Meridian Opening Realm, yet he killed a War General.

But this kid's way of speaking was still the same as when he first met him at No. 3 High School—carefree and without the slightest air of a master.

The corners of Xia Yunchi's mouth curled slightly. He was increasingly pleased with the boy, though for some reason, Xiao Xi seemed a bit preoccupied.

Xia Yunchi frowned but didn't ask right then.

"Everyone, sit down and talk."

He pulled out a chair by the long table and took the head seat himself.

Lu Cheng sat on the left, and Xia Xi immediately sat next to him. Su Wan, Qian Shuying, and Chu Xiuxiu sat opposite them. Commander Ji Yunlan stood at the door and closed it.

Xia Yunchi pushed a report over.

It was paper, stamped with the red seal of the Defense Bureau, and the ink on the corners wasn't even fully dry.

"I have already reported this incident to my superiors. The higher-ups will strictly handle the issues caused this time."

He flipped the report open, revealing the second page.

"As for your side."

Xia Yunchi looked at Lu Cheng.

"I've already reported to the school. They know what you did and were somewhat stunned... but that's normal."

"The academy wants you all to take a good rest in Rong City for two days before returning." Xia Yunchi turned another page.

"As for credits, a mission of this level has already exceeded the standards for Selected Students.

Lu Cheng, you are awarded three thousand credits and points, along with a pre-locked admission slot and the title of Honorary Student."

"As for the others," Xia Yunchi looked at Su Wan, Xia Xi, and Qian Shuying, "each is awarded five hundred credits and points."

Su Wan nodded, her face expressionless.

Five hundred points wasn't a small amount. From now until the end, she probably wouldn't need to go on any more missions to secure her admission slot.

Qian Shuying lowered her head, her fingers slightly clenching on her knees.

She had been held back by Pollution Beasts from the very beginning and had hardly been of any help throughout the battle. Holding this reward made her feel somewhat uneasy.

Xia Yunchi closed the report and pulled out a deep blue folder from under the table.

"Additionally, the Rong City government has something for you as well."

He pushed the folder over.

Lu Cheng took it and opened it.

The first page was a property deed for a lakeview villa; his name was written in the owner's column.

The second page was a commercial development rights document.

It granted priority development rights for the East District, the Commercial District, and the area around the Lakeview District of Rong City, covering a large area. It was stamped with the joint seals of the City Hall and the Federal Commerce Bureau.

The third page was a certificate.

"Rong City's Most Outstanding Youth"—the words were in gold foil, with the steel seal of the Rong City government pressed into the corner.

Lu Cheng looked up, his expression a bit complicated.

"This..."

"Take it," Xia Yunchi waved his hand. "What you did this time isn't something a few pages of paper can repay. I'll give you everything I can; as for what I can't, we'll talk later."

"Also, regarding Chu Xiuxiu..."

Xia Yunchi paused, looked at the little girl beside them, and said, "After communicating with our superiors, we've decided to give you full responsibility for her care... I'll have to trouble you with this."

Lu Cheng was just worrying about what reason he could use to take Chu Xiuxiu away, and he hadn't expected Xia Yunchi to provide the answer directly.

Most likely, this had the support of Old Master Xia...

"Thank you, Uncle Xia..."

Lu Cheng didn't decline further. He closed the folder and placed it by his hand.

After the meeting ended, Commander Ji Yunlan handed the villa keys to Lu Cheng.

It was an electronic key card, black, with the Lakeview District code printed on the front and a sensor chip on the back.

Holding the key, Lu Cheng first went back to his original residence.

Chu Mu was busy in the kitchen. This incident was resolved quickly, and only a small number of residents were affected.

Steam rose from the pot on the stove, and chopped vegetables were piled on the cutting board. Hearing the sound of the lock turning, she didn't even look back.

"You're back?"

"I'm back." Lu Cheng stood at the kitchen door. "Mom, pack your things. We're moving."

Chu Mu turned around, her apron stained with water, still clutching a kitchen knife.

"Moving?"

"Yeah." Lu Cheng placed the electronic key card on the counter. "Given by the city. A lakeview villa."

Chu Mu glanced down at the key card, then looked up at Lu Cheng.

Her expression didn't change much; she just fell silent for two seconds before placing the knife on the cutting board.

"Then we have to finish making this meal first."

Lu Cheng laughed.

The moving process was simple. The city arranged for personnel to handle it, and within half an hour, the entire house was cleared out.

Lu Cheng stuffed their original belongings into his storage space, and the two of them hailed a taxi to the Lakeview District.

When the car stopped, Lu Cheng pushed the door open and looked up.

Then he froze.

He had thought it was just a villa by the lake...

But... why did the main gate enclose the entire lake?!

After asking the staff, he learned that the boundaries of this lakeview villa included this entire bay of the lake...

The entire villa covered more than fifty mu...

The lake surface shimmered with a dark blue light under the evening sky, with an artificial road cutting through the water straight to the villa.

The villa's exterior walls were a combination of dark gray stone and floor-to-ceiling glass. Grass grew on the roof, and several warm yellow lights peeked out from the edges.

"Mom." Lu Cheng stood at the entrance of the walkway and looked back at Chu Mu. "Do we need to buy a boat in the future?"

Chu Mu walked past him carrying a jar of pickles... and nodded.

"Good idea. It's just that this house is too big... it feels empty living here..."

Chu Mu seemed to be planning something in her heart...

The interior decoration of the villa was even more extravagant than the exterior.

The living room had a double-height ceiling, with a full wall of floor-to-ceiling glass in front, looking out over the lake.

The evening sunset shone through the glass, dyeing the entire living room orange-red.

The furniture was all ready-made; the sofa was wide enough to be used as a bed, the kitchen counters were marble, and the refrigerator was stuffed with fresh ingredients.

The second floor was the bedrooms. The master bedroom's floor-to-ceiling window faced the center of the lake; one could see the moonlight on the water while lying in bed.

Lu Cheng threw his luggage in the bedroom. When he went downstairs, he saw that Chu Mu had already put on her apron and was busy in the kitchen.

That day, the Federation took action.

This was the largest cleanup operation in recent decades.

Defense Bureaus of major cities, the Federal Military, and the Inspection Bureau acted simultaneously, launching a crackdown on Black Seed hideouts everywhere at almost the same time.

Four large-scale bases were uprooted, and countless small hideouts were cleared.

Even four Divine Envoys were slain in this operation.

In just one day, the Black Seed forces throughout the Federation suffered an unprecedented heavy blow.

Those Black Seed members who usually hid in the shadows felt Terrify for the first time.

Everyone was on edge.

No one knew if the next person whose door was knocked on by the Defense Bureau would be themselves.

On Lu Cheng's side, however, a rare peace arrived... Two days of leave allowed Lu Cheng to have a good rest.

However, during these two days, Xia Xi became exceptionally unusual.

She seemed to have returned to her initial state.

No, not just the initial state—she was even more clingy than before.

Wherever Lu Cheng went, she followed.

When Lu Cheng sat in the living room looking at his terminal, she would sit beside him holding a throw pillow.

When Lu Cheng went to the yard for some fresh air, she would also put on a coat and follow him out.

Even during meals, she would sit next to Lu Cheng, occasionally lowering her head and quietly leaning a bit closer to him, as if this person before her would suddenly disappear if she stayed too far away.

Lu Cheng was a bit uncomfortable at first.

But he slowly got used to it.

The relationship between the two also changed from what it was before in this silent closeness.

As someone who had been through it, Chu Mu naturally understood.

Sometimes when she came out of the kitchen and saw Xia Xi quietly by Lu Cheng's side, her fingers lightly clutching the hem of his clothes, Lu Cheng wouldn't say anything, nor would he push her away, simply letting her lean against him.

Chu Mu would take a look, shake her head with a smile, and turn away.

Originally, she had thought about playing matchmaker with the daughter of the old Tang Family.

Now it seemed there was no need.

This girl, Xia Xi, was quite good.

At least the way she looked at Lu Cheng couldn't lie.

There was no calculation or weighing of pros and cons in those eyes.

Only the kind of treasuring that comes after the fear of losing someone.

Late at night, the villa gradually grew quiet.

The lights of the distant city were blocked by the shadows of the trees by the lake, leaving only fragmented light leaking through the gaps in the leaves.

Lu Cheng sat on a wooden chair by the lake, leaning back slightly.

Xia Xi leaned on his shoulder.

She didn't speak, just leaned there quietly. Her long hair hung down, and a few strands were blown onto the back of Lu Cheng's hand by the wind, bringing a very light itch...

Lu Cheng glanced down at her.

The young girl had her eyes closed, her eyelashes casting a small, shallow shadow under the moonlight.

Her usual bright and somewhat mischievous expression was completely tucked away, leaving only a rare quietness.

For the past two days, Xia Xi had been like this...