The Frenzied Savior - Chapter 16

Fu Qingya’s features were exceptionally sharp, and his thin, pale lips only added a layer of frost to his piercing gaze.

Strangely, his hair was grown out to a medium length. When he lowered his head, a small tuft tied at the back of his scalp became visible. It was a hairstyle that should have looked somewhat childish, yet on Fu Qingya, it appeared remarkably handsome.

From Luo Mingyuan’s vantage point, he could see Fu Qingya’s slightly disheveled strands and the blood-red mole on the edge of his earlobe.

White skin and a red mole, like crimson plum blossoms against the snow, the striking contrast of colors was unexpectedly captivating. Luo Mingyuan’s gaze lingered on the side of Fu Qingya’s ear almost against his will.

It wasn’t until Fu Qingya stood up, clutching several uniquely textured stones he had salvaged from the Hidden Mine, that Luo Mingyuan abruptly snapped his eyes away. He turned his head and stepped a few paces back, trying to hide his distraction.

“Is it handled?” Luo Mingyuan asked softly.

Fu Qingya gave him a curious look before offering a slight nod. “Let’s go find the first two.”

Returning to the time before the Star Calendar era, Fu Qingya held the advantage of foresight. He could prevent unspeakable tragedies, but he had also lost access to his once-vast scientific resources. To recreate the specialized technology used against the A48 galaxy, he had to scavenge materials from the mechanical products discarded by that very system.

Fu Qingya was intimately familiar with this process. Back then, humans—whose resource development and energy acquisition lagged far behind the A48 galaxy, had only managed to catch up by studying and reverse-engineering these mechanical entities. Without doing so, it would have taken humanity at least several more centuries to possess the power necessary to resist them.

The Hidden Mine he had just dismantled contained several materials and energy sources useful to him. Regardless of the circumstances, Fu Qingya had no intention of abandoning them or simply handing them over to the state.

Luo Mingyuan was stunned for a moment but quickly understood. He turned to instruct the police captain to secure the remains of the mine Fu Qingya had already stripped, then led him straight to the Kyoto General Bureau.

Given the efficiency of the bureau, the first two Hidden Mines had likely already been covertly transported there, awaiting Fu Qingya’s arrival.

Since they had reached a swift agreement regarding the ownership of the mines before setting out, Luo Mingyuan did not hinder him. Instead, he drove at top speed to reach the headquarters.

Half an hour later, Director Luo stood outside the observation glass of the isolation room alongside a refined, middle-aged man in a suit. Together, they watched Fu Qingya as he rapidly dismantled the mines in the inner chamber.

“Consul, is it truly safe to leave those things to Fu Qingya? Shouldn’t we keep one for research?”

“Those objects are incredibly unique and miraculous, but they are also extremely dangerous. If we let him keep all of them while we remain in the dark, and if he were to develop selfish motives in the future…”

Those in the police force were often forced to assume the worst of people. They had to remain cold-hearted because they dared not gamble the lives of countless citizens on a stranger’s potential for kindness.

“Comrade Luo, what kind of person do you think young student Fu is?”

The elegant Consul smiled warmly, his gaze toward Fu Qingya filled with admiration and a trace of subtle, unnoticeable heartache.

“He is a brilliant and mysterious youth. He’s stubborn enough to disregard his own life to save others, yet he’s also a child who doesn’t know how to look after himself.”

Director Luo froze for a moment, his expression suddenly becoming complex. He recalled what Luo Mingyuan had said earlier.

“That guy is just a reckless brat who isn’t afraid to die!”

The handsome young man, who usually only knew how to be abrasive, had looked utterly frustrated. His fists had been clenched tight as if he wanted to slam them onto the desk, only to be held back by his own reason.

“To stop the explosion, he even used his teeth. He was covered in blood but was still thinking about the components inside the mine. No matter how much I tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t leave.”

“Mingyuan, if that thing had exploded, you and those boys in the police squad would have lost your lives.”

“You can resent the mastermind, but you cannot say a single word against Fu Qingya, who risked his life to stop that explosion.”

Director Luo had stood before his son with a grim expression. The mastermind was targeting Fu Qingya, making the boy’s future safety even harder to guarantee.

Luo Mingyuan had punched the desk with a heavy thud before slumping into a chair.

“He’s a crazy brat, and I’m a useless waste. It fits.”

Luo Mingyuan lowered his head helplessly. “Write me a voucher. I’m going to get him some high-quality medicine. That brat doesn’t know how to take care of himself.”

Director Luo had looked at his son with relief. Luo Mingyuan had been quite rebellious in recent years, so seeing him go out of his way for Fu Qingya’s sake was a welcome change. The Director nodded and agreed.

Recalling how his son had been so frustrated yet felt compelled to compromise, even becoming more concerned about Fu Qingya’s wounds than the boy himself, a faint smile flickered in the Director’s eyes.

“In your heart, you think more highly of young Fu than you realize.”

The Consul caught that smile. Having worked with this strict, impartial Director for decades, the Consul knew his character well. Seeing the Director’s unique reaction when discussing Fu Qingya only strengthened the Consul’s own resolve.

“Comrade Luo, caution is important, but we must also prioritize integrity and trust.”

“Young Fu has saved so many innocent citizens for this country multiple times, and in critical moments, he has trusted the state with his spoils of war. How can we betray that trust by shamelessly seizing a young man’s belongings?”

“Furthermore, we can be skeptical and cautious, but we cannot be paralyzed by fear. Even if something goes wrong, I believe the country can quickly provide a solution.”

The Consul looked like a scholar, yet he possessed immense courage and decisiveness. It was because of his strong support that Fu Qingya was allowed to approach the Hidden Mines again and take whatever he wanted from them without restriction.

Hearing the Consul’s words, Director Luo felt a jolt of clarity. He watched Fu Qingya for a long time before finally letting go of his inner reservations.

“However, we still need to send someone to escort him.”

Carrying such a large quantity of special items, they couldn’t afford to be careless. At the very least, they had to ensure he reached home safely before they could breathe a sigh of relief.

The Consul chuckled. “That is a necessity, of course. But we still need to ask for young Fu’s opinion.”

Director Luo’s face turned serious. “I will make sure he agrees.”

The Director knew exactly what was most important to someone like Fu Qingya. As a member of the prominent Luo family in Kyoto, he could offer many things that researchers found irresistible. He was confident Fu Qingya wouldn’t refuse.

Another hour passed. It took all of Luo Mingyuan’s strength to pull Fu Qingya out of the inner chamber of the General Bureau. He led him around a corner and into a conference room.

Fu Qingya, his brow furrowed as he glared coldly at Luo Mingyuan, looked up only to meet the smiling gaze of the elegant Consul and the suddenly much more genial eyes of Director Luo.

“Mr. Fu Qingya, it is a great pleasure to meet you here.”

The Consul greeted the young man, who was clearly still immersed in his own world, with a warm smile.

Fu Qingya’s gaze froze on the Consul’s face. For a fleeting moment, his usually indifferent and icy expression turned into one of dazed disbelief.