There's nothing more blissful than enjoying a hot pot after a grueling mission. If there is, it would be adding a bottle of 52-degree baijiu to the mix.
The Scrap Iron City security team, who had just survived a life-or-death crisis, indulged in a hearty meal under Brother Zhu Zai's thoughtful care. As their empty stomachs began to fill, the fatigue from the intense battles started to set in, and their faces showed signs of exhaustion. Captain Ouyang Jian stood up, waving his hand: "Everyone, go back and rest immediately."He reiterated the team's principle: never let work affect your health, especially for the two interns. The team members all loudly agreed, particularly Wei Wei and Ye Feifei, who were very obedient.Before leaving, Captain Ouyang seriously asked Wei Wei if he needed a stabilizer injection. After missions, it was common to gather for a meal or a meeting to observe if anyone's demonic powers were out of control. Many team members, including Uncle Gun, Lucky, and Little Lin, had used stabilizer injections this time. Unlike last time, they didn't risk waiting to see if they could handle it on their own.Captain Ouyang was surprised that Wei Wei, like before, didn't need an injection. During the meal, Wei Wei showed no issues and even had a voracious appetite. Brother Zhu Zai had prepared various meats and vegetables, and after finishing those, he specially cooked a large pot of hand-pulled noodles with six poached eggs for Wei Wei, all of which were devoured.Captain Ouyang couldn't help but admire Wei Wei's resilience, thinking that their meal standards needed to be raised. He wasn't surprised by Wei Wei's exceptional recovery, given that even Qing Niao from the Xingtian Squad had personally invited him to join her team.Wei Wei himself didn't fully understand the need for stabilizer injections. He had grown accustomed to his demonic powers being active and had stopped using the injections early on because he required larger doses than others. He found that not using them made his work and life more exciting.As Wei Wei helped clean up, Brother Zhu Zai stopped him, urging him to rest. Wei Wei bid farewell and left with Ye Feifei.After eating, Wei Wei felt deeply fatigued, a sensation stronger than usual. This time, unlike before, he didn't experience a strong desire after using his Scarlet Power. The continuous battles had pushed his body to its limits, and even his cellular vitality had nearly depleted before slowly recovering.Wei Wei rode Ye Feifei's electric scooter back home since his car was still damaged. Along the way, Ye Feifei seemed troubled but didn't ask anything, seeing how tired Wei Wei was. She watched as he rested his head on her back, dozing off.After dropping Wei Wei off, Ye Feifei rode away into the night. Wei Wei, now more alert, wondered if she might be in danger but quickly dismissed the thought. With the chaos in Scrap Iron City, it was safer than usual, and if Ye Feifei encountered any issues, it would likely be from thugs.As Wei Wei entered his building, he almost tripped over people sleeping in the hallway. They were homeless due to the destruction in the city center and were temporarily housed there by the administrative office.Wei Wei returned home, finally able to relax. He hung his pendant on the door hook and put away his raincoat, scythe, and broken mask. Opening a bottle, he released the Ghostly Lady, who appeared with a fierce expression but soon calmed down, surveying the room like a mistress in her domain.Wei Wei lay on the sofa, using his gun holster as a pillow. The Ghostly Lady grew angry when she saw him not going to bed but softened upon seeing him curled up on the sofa. She floated into the bedroom, trying to blow air onto the bedspread.Meanwhile, at the eastern part of the city, in a mansion where Wei Wei had once attended a funeral, Sen Sen walked into a large room, removing her heavy armor. She showered with cold water and sat in front of a large mirror, taking out a professional emergency surgery kit. She began to stitch her wounds without anesthesia, despite the intense pain.Sen Sen's eyes blurred as she finished sewing her injuries neatly. She felt hungry and craved a bowl of instant noodles with eggs, but she lacked the energy to boil water. Her grandfather had passed away, and she missed him. She thought about the new recruit in the security team, who still carried her grandfather's spiritual energy.In her mind, a strong desire emerged to find him.Ye Feifei returned to her villa, which was near the first life sacrifice site Wei Wei had discovered. However, her teammates were unaware of her residence, thanks to her excellent secrecy. She used to park her sports car near the subway and take a taxi back, but now she uses an electric scooter for commuting.Feeling proud of her secrecy, Ye Feifei entered her villa. The house was empty, as the nanny had disappeared during the chaos. Ye Feifei turned on all the lights and went upstairs to change into pajamas. However, she couldn't sleep, constantly waking up to strange noises."What's different?" Ye Feifei wondered. She sensed a change but couldn't pinpoint it. This feeling began when she returned to Scrap Iron City, despite her father's unspoken fears about the city's situation.For the first time, Ye Feifei had chosen to return to Scrap Iron City despite knowing it was dangerous. This decision seemed to have triggered something.As she lay awake, Ye Feifei realized she hadn't been unlucky lately. Usually, after a bad event, she would have a few days of bad luck, but this time, it seemed different. Her bad luck had shifted to a new level, with misfortunes happening around her but not directly affecting her.Unable to sleep, Ye Feifei got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She made a gun-shooting gesture in front of the mirror, laughing afterward. She didn't know why she had come to the bathroom but decided to wash her hands. However, when she turned on the faucet, there was a loud hissing sound without water. Suddenly, the water burst out with immense pressure, and she quickly turned it off. The pipe ruptured, spewing water everywhere.Ye Feifei was soaked and frustrated, unable to call for repairs due to the city's chaos. She sat in the flooded bathroom, listening to the sound of running water, which seemed like demonic laughter."I think I know where the change is," she thought, but the bigger problem was finding someone to fix the pipes without exposing her secret.Back at the base, Captain Ouyang sat outside his office, watching Brother Zhu Zai clean up. "Thanks for your hard work, Zhu Zai," he said, exhaling smoke from his cigar.Brother Zhu Zai trembled slightly. "Captain, are you blaming me?"Captain Ouyang was taken aback. "Blame you? You've been watching over everyone, ensuring no one gets into trouble. Even when the Ivory Tower was destroyed, you managed to survive. Not many could do that.""You can't keep intervening," Captain Ouyang continued. "The consequences would be severe."Brother Zhu Zai sat down, looking dejected. "I feel like I owe you all..."Captain Ouyang spoke softly, "It's us who owe you. You've always tried to stay out of trouble, but we're all targets for demons. Will they let us be?"Brother Zhu Zai hesitated before speaking, "I know you've been trying to avoid this, Captain. But demons won't agree to spare us."52-degree baijiu - A strong Chinese liquor often enjoyed during social gatherings.