The Hypervelocity Particleized Bureaucrat

Chen Dapeng spoke with unwavering seriousness, his tone so righteous it was almost comical.

It was hard to reconcile this dignified figure with the unhinged killer he had been not long ago. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous. The collective influence of rehabilitation had proven immense, and Mike's politically-driven reformation program was undeniably effective.

The slaves were silent, their expressions a mix of confusion and dread.

Was this a threat?

Or... a reward?

None of them could say for sure. All they could do was watch as Chen Dapeng strode toward the captives. This time, he didn't rush to take new prisoners. Instead, he cleared his throat and made an announcement loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Hello, everyone! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Chen Dapeng, Captain of the Special Operations Unit under the Commander's directive in Jinling. My special codename is... Little Polar Bear."

A faint ripple of recognition crossed the crowd, though it was mixed with unease.

"Some of you may have heard of me before," Chen Dapeng continued, a sheepish smile softening his otherwise sharp demeanor. "And yes, I understand you might not have the best impression of me based on my previous... activities. Let me assure you, those were all misunderstandings!"

He paused, waiting for the murmurs to settle, then pressed on, gesturing with a confidence born of practiced authority.

"Now, let me explain. Have you heard of the Commander? No? Ah, I see some confused faces. That's okay! Let me enlighten you. The Commander is a new position, born from the post-apocalyptic victory mechanism of our national military. Powerful survivors have been granted the authority to embody the will of the nation itself—these are our Commanders."

Chen Dapeng's voice swelled with pride as he elaborated.

"Commanders represent the nation. They are tasked with defending its people, resisting the calamities of the apocalypse, and rescuing those in need. Now, do you understand who I am? I work for the government. I'm a civil servant!"

The captives remained motionless, caught somewhere between disbelief and confusion.

Chen Dapeng coughed again, this time with a hint of theatrical arrogance. "I'm here to take you to safety. What's that? Those people behind me?" He glanced dismissively at the armed slave warriors glaring daggers at his back. "Oh, don't worry about them. Just think of them as air."

He clapped his hands together briskly. "Alright, standard procedure: women, children, and the elderly first. Line up! Don't rush. Everyone will get their turn!"

With that, Chen Dapeng began ushering the captives into neat lines, handpicking priority targets for rescue. He didn't so much as glance at the furious slave warriors behind him, whose indignation was practically vibrating in the air.

The slave captain's face turned ashen, his hands trembling with rage.

Sure, he thought, we're not against the idea of saving people. Who doesn't secretly hope for liberation? But at least follow the process, damn it!

This guy didn't even bother with the theatrics. No daring battles, no elaborate schemes. He just strolled in like we weren't even here and started taking people.

What the hell? Does being the bad guy mean nothing anymore?

"Stop him! Don't let him leave!" the slave captain roared, nearly hysterical.

One of his men hesitated. "Uh, boss, bullets don't work on him."

"Then use your bodies! He can't kill us either!"

Without a moment's pause, the slave captain planted himself at the basement's only entrance, determined to block the way.

The others quickly followed his lead, forming a human barricade. If they couldn't overpower Chen Dapeng, they'd outlast him with sheer stubbornness.

Chen Dapeng, now holding the hands of two small children, glanced over his shoulder at the human wall. A faint, mocking smile curled his lips.

"Close your eyes, kiddos," he said softly. "Big brother's going to show you a magic trick."

"You've heard of Harry Potter, right? Good. Watch this—Abracadabra!"

Before anyone could react, Chen Dapeng's figure vanished into thin air, taking the children with him.

The crowd stared at the empty space he left behind, slack-jawed in disbelief.

This wasn't just speed. This was impossible.

"He just... disappeared," one of the slaves muttered.

"Impossible," the captain whispered, his confidence cracking. "Is he teleporting?"

Confusion rippled through the ranks. The intelligence reports had always been clear: Chen Dapeng's strength came from his unparalleled physical stats. He was fast—inhumanly fast—but even speed had its limits.

This... this was something else entirely.

Meanwhile, miles away, Mike leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with an amused chuckle.

"Oh, Chen Dapeng," he murmured. "You lovable idiot. People think you're all brute strength, but they forget you've got a few tricks up your sleeve."

Mike's eyes flicked to the holographic display in front of him, where Chen Dapeng's abilities were neatly cataloged.

[High-Frequency Particleization]: Grade A skill. Consumes stamina to place oneself and surrounding objects into a high-frequency state of motion, enabling non-material traversal. Maximum range: 500 meters. Duration: 3 seconds.

Mike didn't fully understand the science behind "high-frequency motion," but the description was clear enough. In layman's terms: three seconds of absolute freedom within 500 meters, immune to physical barriers.

Unless the enemy could fill every cubic meter of space within that radius—including the sky—there was no stopping Chen Dapeng.

Back at the basement, Chen Dapeng reappeared in a flash, grinning as he materialized right in the middle of the captives.

"Alright, next batch! Let's speed this up—this time, I'll take three of you at once."

His casual tone sent waves of relief through the captives and pure fury through the slave warriors.

"Fresh food, clothes, air conditioning, and cold water are waiting for you outside," Chen Dapeng announced with a flourish. "We even have medical teams ready to check everyone's health. And most importantly, freedom. Real freedom, back to your homes, with your families."

Tears filled the eyes of the captives as they surged toward him, hope lighting their faces for the first time in what felt like forever.

In that moment, Chen Dapeng wasn't just a man. He was the embodiment of the government they had long prayed for. A promise that their suffering had an end.

And for the first time in years, they believed it.