Chapter 29: So Used to Being Busy, I Can’t Sit Still
When Miss Qiu Yu arrived at the prison, someone was already waiting at the entrance to receive her.
“Director Qiu.”
Seeing her get out of the car, the staff member hurried forward.
“I’ve already filed the report. I’m here to take three prisoners.”
The staff member nodded: “Don’t worry, Director Qiu. We’ve already received orders from above. Those three have been prepared.”
“Director Qiu, please come with me.”
The staff member led Miss Qiu Yu into the prison.
The prison had been informed in advance, and the three prisoners had long been prepared—just waiting for Miss Qiu Yu to pick them up.
“These are the three prisoners. The paperwork is complete; you can take them anytime.”
The guard pointed to three men in prison uniforms, wearing shackles and cuffs designed to suppress their powers.
Even after years of prison labor, their arrogant temperaments hadn’t changed a bit.
Especially after learning that someone had used a hero from the Hero Association as leverage to secure their release, their expressions had been insufferably smug.
Though none of them could imagine who would actually come to rescue them.
When they saw Miss Qiu Yu—the very one who had personally captured them—they even dared to grin provocatively at her.
“Heh...”
One of them grinned, ready to throw out some snarky remark.
It just so happened that Miss Qiu Yu, still fuming, was very much in need of something to take her anger out on.
Before he could finish even a word, an invisible force clamped tightly around his neck.
“Gah... hrg...”
He scratched frantically at his neck with both hands, trying to escape the invisible grip. But all that did was leave a few more scratches.
Only when his eyes rolled back and his lips turned blue did the guard finally speak up.
“Director Qiu, there are cameras here.”
He pointed to the ceiling.
The mouthy guy finally felt the pressure on his neck ease.
But he only got to savor that sweet breath of air for a moment.
The grip on his neck tightened again as soon as his condition improved.
“Grk... grk...”
Seeing their companion’s pitiful state, the other two—who had been just as smug—immediately turned pale.
They lowered their heads, holding their breath, doing everything they could to minimize their presence.
“Don’t worry.”
Miss Qiu Yu’s face remained expressionless.
“Before five o’clock.”
“I’ll bring these three back intact before five this evening.”
With that, she left the room.
The two turtle-like prisoners with their heads ducked and the gasping human punching bag were all bound head-to-toe and levitated after her.
Leaving the prison, Miss Qiu Yu drove at lightning speed with the three prisoners to the location specified by Enemy A.
It appeared to be an old, abandoned factory.
Miss Qiu Yu snapped her fingers, and the three bound prisoners floated behind her as she walked into the derelict building.
“Hey! I brought the people you asked for!”
She glanced around and shouted into the factory.
But there was no reply.
Had the guy sensed the bomb had been disarmed and run away early?
She frowned, a bit disappointed.
“Hey! I did what you asked—now come out already!”
She yelled again into the factory, still getting no answer.
It looked like he’d likely fled.
She sighed lightly and ventured deeper into the factory.
Might as well look around—maybe there’d be some clues.
And maybe the culprit hadn’t actually left, just hiding in the dark, waiting for a chance to snatch the prisoners back.
Miss Qiu Yu waved her hand, tossing the three prisoners in front of her.
Let these guys serve as bait.
She formed a spell with her fingers and quietly followed behind them.
Meanwhile...
Lu Zheng and Ye Qin remained at the Hero Association.
“You really don’t remember what happened?”
Lu Zheng was questioning Ye Qin about her abduction.
“Really, I don’t.”
Ye Qin shook her head.
“When I got there, there was no one around. I was just about to investigate the area when I suddenly felt dizzy, and the next thing I knew, I was back at the Hero Association.”
“Sigh...”
Lu Zheng sighed.
He had already been told this but still held a sliver of hope.
Seeing the guilty expression on Ye Qin’s face at not being able to provide any intel, he quickly tried to comfort her.
“Don’t feel bad. That guy’s clearly extremely cunning—he must’ve prepared thoroughly. It’s normal not to remember anything. Even I might’ve fallen for it.”
“That’s not the only reason, really.”
Ye Qin hid her face behind her cup.
“I mean, I’m a professional hero. To be taken down so easily, and even used as leverage by the enemy—it’s because I’ve been slacking off way too much.”
“I got complacent.”
She slumped onto the table, covering her face with her hands and her cup.
But after a while, she suddenly seemed to remember something, slapped the table, and stood up.
“I’ve decided! Starting now, I’m going to train harder!”
Ye Qin left her seat and raised her arms: “I’m not stopping until the end of the workday!”
Then, shouting things like “GO!” and “Fight!”, she ran toward the training room.
Watching the inexplicably fired-up Ye Qin, Lu Zheng chuckled helplessly, then checked the time.
It was almost 4 PM.
Just over an hour until the end of the day.
Normally, by this time, Yi Ning would’ve finished building her evil invention, triggered the alert, and waited for him to show up.
Lu Zheng leaned back, folding his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes in his chair.
He wasn’t used to this kind of peace and quiet.
He opened his eyes and glanced toward the training room.
Seriously.
It was rare to get a break, and yet here he was, unable to sit still.
Lu Zheng got up from his chair and headed toward the training room.
Might as well go train too—no harm in staying busy.