Chapter Fourteen: Reminiscence

Wang Pengfei didn't let the young water-controller follow. It was just him and Yang Huawei, driving the special operations marked off-road vehicle to the outskirts. They stopped by a vegetable field, where there were no nearby houses, so they didn't have to worry about alarming anyone.

"Please go ahead," Wang Pengfei said, tugging at his tie and extending his hand to Yang Huawei.

"Go ahead. By the way, I'm not as fragile as you might think. Feel free to use your full strength," Yang Huawei said with a faint smile.

"I will use my full strength, but I'm afraid I might not be a match for you," Wang Pengfei said with a wry smile. He then sprang into action. In a short span of distance, Wang Pengfei's body morphed into various shapes. Most people would have been dizzy from the sight, but Yang Huawei was not most people.

As Wang Pengfei rushed towards Yang Huawei, Yang Huawei swiftly raised his hand and grabbed Wang Pengfei's throat, even as Wang Pengfei's form had become amorphous. Wang Pengfei's astonished eyes reflected his realization of Yang Huawei's strength—being able to grasp someone's throat even when they were rapidly changing shape.

Despite being held by the throat, Wang Pengfei remained calm. He twisted his body and climbed onto Yang Huawei, one hand transforming into a sharp, glinting dagger aimed at Yang Huawei's eyes, fast, precise, and ruthless.

With a sound of "thud," Yang Huawei gripped the steel dagger and yanked hard. Using his strength, he pulled Wang Pengfei off him, then spread Wang Pengfei's body out before kicking him away forcefully, sending him crashing into the vegetable field and creating a large crater. Vegetable leaves were scattered all over him.

Wang Pengfei twisted and reformed into a normal human shape, but his body still resembled two daggers. He walked slowly toward Yang Huawei.

Yang Huawei waved his hand, "Alright, stop. Even after a full-strength kick from me, you're still fine. You're qualified." Yang Huawei said.

"Your strength is beyond my imagination," Wang Pengfei stopped, his face turning grim. "That kick was quite heavy. If it weren't for my ability to transform, I might have been completely crushed." Wang Pengfei chuckled bitterly, feeling an intense pain he hadn't experienced since his body transformation. It felt as if his insides had been shattered.

"In the Holy City, I'm just average. But I have a penchant for trouble, so I'm assigned tasks. Our team leader isn't here. Not only is he skilled, but he also has abilities like yours—ice powers. We call him 'The Refrigerator.' If he were here, no matter how well you can transform, you'd probably end up as an ice cube," Yang Huawei said with a grin.

"What mission are you here for?" Wang Pengfei asked.

"Are we going to discuss it here?" Yang Huawei looked at the messy vegetable field and smiled. He picked up a nearly full-sized cabbage, chewed it loudly, and nodded, "Not bad. You can't get such good vegetables in the Holy City. I wish I could take some back." Yang Huawei laughed.

"Alright, stop eating. I'll treat you to a big meal when we get back. Let's go," Wang Pengfei said, pulling Yang Huawei towards the car. Yang Huawei shook himself off; his new police uniform was already in tatters from the earlier fight.

"Why is your uniform untouched?" Yang Huawei asked curiously, looking at Wang Pengfei's spotless police uniform. "Even if it was made of animal hide, it would have been torn apart by my kick. How is it still so clean?"

"Don't forget, my ability is transformation, which includes transforming my clothes. It saves on clothing and also helps to train my powers. Sigh, even though the salary at Division 13 is high, with prices rising and only the prices of ladies falling, I have a whole family to support," Wang Pengfei said with a smile, his previous cold demeanor gone.

"Hey, supporting a family, in a few years, you won't need to," Yang Huawei muttered softly. When the great disaster comes, having a family won't matter; surviving would be enough.

"What did you say?" Wang Pengfei asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Yang Huawei shook his head with a wry smile. Maybe his arrival could change the future here. Anyway, the researchers said this is a parallel space; what happens here doesn't affect the future of the Holy City.

The off-road vehicle drove quickly into the city and turned into the police station's compound. With the special operations badge, no one dared to stop them.

"This is the National Security Bureau's office, within the police station. Funds are insufficient, so there's no other way," Wang Pengfei said with a wry smile as they got out of the vehicle. Corrupt officials might embezzle several aircraft carriers a year, but every department is short on funds. This is the reality in China; no one can change it. Otherwise, why would people still remember that iron-willed Prime Minister?

"Division 13 is affiliated with the National Security Bureau's special operations department. Well, I can't tell you more. Let's go in and take a look," Wang Pengfei said, pulling Yang Huawei into the police station. They stopped on the third floor, where a few offices with National Security plates were their workspace. The lights were still on inside. The young water-controller was sitting in a chair, glaring at Yang Huawei, still unwilling to admit defeat.

Wang Pengfei handed Yang Huawei a police uniform with National Security markings and, while Yang Huawei changed, said to the young man, "Xiao Guo, you've got that sour face. You're clearly not as good as him. I lost to him." Wang Pengfei said, extending his arm and giving Xiao Guo a slap on the head.

"What?" Xiao Guo was stunned, his mouth agape.

"Surprised? There are many experts in the world; I'm not invincible," Wang Pengfei said with a smile.

As they spoke, Yang Huawei emerged from the changing room. The uniform was a bit small for his robust physique, stretching tightly and making squeaking noises as he moved, at risk of bursting at any moment.

"Quite sturdy," Wang Pengfei sighed. "The uniform is a bit small. I'll find you a better-fitting one tomorrow."

"Fine, I'll make do for now," Yang Huawei said, looking at his outfit. He moved his arm, and with a "squeak," half of the sleeve split. Yang Huawei gave a wry smile and decided to remove the jacket, leaving only the police vest.

"Alright, let's get to the matter of our cooperation. I believe what I'm about to discuss is confidential. Doesn't he need to leave?" Yang Huawei said, glancing at Xiao Guo.

"Hmph, I've been with Division 13 for four or five years, considered an old-timer. My rank is sufficient, and I've handled confidential documents that could bury you. No need for secrecy," Xiao Guo said grumpily.

"Xiao Guo, watch your language," Wang Pengfei reprimanded.

"It's fine, I like straightforward people. If you like, you do; if you don't, you don't. No need for pretense," Yang Huawei waved his hand and looked at Xiao Guo with appreciation.

"Then let's sit. Xiao Guo, take notes," Wang Pengfei said, pointing to the sofa, and sat on the other side.

Yang Huawei sat down on the sofa, gulped down the cold tea on the table, and let out a sigh. His face grew serious, "Actually, I arrived early. I should have been teleported to after August 2009. Maybe there was a problem on the other end." Yang Huawei said with a wry smile, "The team leader was also lost."

"We don't know much. We only know that in 2010, some monsters appeared on Earth. We call them 'beasts.' These beasts quickly proliferated, causing immense disaster. Gradually, they became uncontrollable, with increasing deaths. At one point, more than a million people died globally in a single day. The government even used nuclear weapons. Ironically, instead of helping humanity, the use of nuclear weapons aided the beasts. The areas affected by radiation were uninhabitable for humans but perfect for the beasts. Later, human-like beasts emerged. They were intelligent, could make and use weapons, and even used modern firearms. These beastmen seemed naturally able to control the beasts in combat. On the ground, level one beasts could kill a squad of ordinary soldiers. Level five beasts could charge like tanks, even more agile and immune to anti-tank missiles. Level eight flying beasts were comparable to aircraft. Humanity's tragedy—within a few years, humans were overwhelmed and nearly extinct. Humanity was fragmented and isolated. Apart from some communication tools, there was no way to meet.

It wasn't until over three hundred years later, under the leadership of our hero, the first-generation leader Yang Chen, that we secured a foothold in northern China using a military base. We began to establish the Holy City, and in the same year, the Holy City adopted a new calendar, called the Holy Era," Yang Huawei recounted, falling into a nostalgic reverie.

"Damn it, Captain, those beasts are attacking again. Do they want to let us live? Damn, they attack eight times a day." A towering man with half his face missing, revealing metallic bone, shouted. This was the defense area of the Fourth City Defense Team, Third Squad. Beyond this was the range of the Holy City, a grain base supplying one-fifth of the Holy City's food.

"Damn, our grain is about to be harvested, and these guys are trying to take advantage. How can that be? Who can move? Get up, get up," the captain shouted, wiping the grain dust off his beard.

People gradually stood up. Of a fifteen-man squad, only ten could still stand. The other five were either piles of meat, retrieved desperately from the battlefield by their comrades. Holy City soldiers don't abandon their comrades, even if just their bodies. They have the pride of the Holy City. Even in death, they refuse to become the beasts' food. One had detonated explosives on himself, leaving no scraps behind.