AITAMITB Chapter 29

Zhao Xiaokui nodded.

An orphan can survive anywhere. In the mermaid world, venturing alone, unless backed by a powerful force or exceptionally extraordinary, often meant facing dangers alone. Those without capabilities or influential parents would often not survive long; their fate sealed in some obscure corner.

The human world might not be as dangerous, but that doesn’t mean the competition among superhumans is any less. Resources related to superhumans are scarce, regardless of the world. In the mermaid world, superhumans are abundant, and resources are plentiful, varying only in their levels. The high-level ones are controlled by major forces, while the low-level ones are overlooked. Solitary adventurers can scrape by, scavenging for scraps.

In the human world, it’s different. Superhumans are rare, and resources available to them are equally scarce. In a world dominated by low-level superhumans, even low-level resources are highly sought after.

For superhumans to enhance their abilities, they can’t do without substantial resources. Different races like mermaids and vampires have longer lifespans, and the longer they live, the stronger they become. Even if resources are scarce, they can manage to outlive most enemies through cunning.

Humans, on the other hand, are different. Before undergoing the first life leap, reaching the first tier, their lifespan is short, around a mere hundred years. With even a slight lapse in attention, they might find themselves left behind by time, falling into the embrace of death.

“However, if you’re unwilling to join the superhuman organization, you don’t need to force yourself. You have the right to choose to be an ordinary person unless the world is in such a crisis that requires a young girl to go to the battlefield. You have the right to seek help from the Night Walkers at any time. In the territory of Huaxia, every citizen, whether or not they possess superhuman abilities, enjoys the same legal protection. You don’t have to worry about anyone targeting your superhuman abilities to harm you. In case of any special situations, you can always seek help from the Night Walkers,” Su Mingyue said.

Zhao Xiaokui caught onto the phrase “within the borders of Huaxia” and asked, “What if I go abroad?”

“…I strongly advise against going abroad alone. There are many organizations abroad that hunt and trade superhumans. Once they discover your superhuman identity, you’re likely to become their target.”

“What do they want with superhumans?” Zhao Xiaokui showed a horrified expression.

“Experiments, sacrifices to dark gods…” Su Mingyue said, “Basically, anything you can’t think of, they can do.”

“Isn’t there anyone to stop them?”

Su Mingyue shook her head, “It’s not that no one tries, but it’s difficult. These organizations are usually very secretive, moving from one place to another. It’s often like cutting grass without removing the roots. You destroy one nest, and ten more pop up elsewhere. Besides, they are cunning; they won’t target people from major forces. Generally, they focus on lone rangers who aren’t attracting much attention. Some official forces are unwilling to waste their resources on them, thinking it doesn’t harm their interests. They turn a blind eye.”

After explaining the situation abroad, she comforted Zhao Xiaokui, “But you don’t need to worry. Huaxia is very vigilant; these forces dare not infiltrate. As long as you are in Huaxia, you are safe.”

Zhao Xiaokui pondered.

She didn’t entirely believe Su Mingyue’s words. A country is like a net, no matter how fine the mesh, there are still holes, and things might seep through. However, when it came to safety within the borders of Huaxia compared to outside, she chose to believe, thanks to the good impression created by her companions.

Compared to countries where ordinary people could be shot in the head while walking down the street, Huaxia, where one could still enjoy grilled skewers on the street at three in the morning, was immediately highlighted.

After all, most superhumans came from ordinary people. Their families and friends were mostly ordinary. In a world where ordinary people could live peacefully, superhumans might behave. However, in a world where even ordinary people couldn’t find peace, superhumans would surely find it hard to stay calm.

Su Mingyue had spoken so much, and Zhao Xiaokui could see that it was sincere and not entirely official.

She said, “Thank you, Sister Mingyue, for telling me so much.”

“You call me Sister Mingyue, so you’re my little sister,” Su Mingyue turned to her and smiled, “Older sister would always protect her younger sister, right?”

Zhao Xiaokui grinned, curious, she asked, “Sister Mingyue, how did you join the Night Walkers? Can you tell me?”

Being a superhuman, she was found by the Night Walkers, but how did Su Mingyue, a regular person, get in?

“I don’t have much to say. I used to work in genetic engineering. The Night Walkers were recruiting researchers externally, and I heard the salary and benefits were good, so I came over. But the result, well, my three views were completely overturned. It felt like all the books I read before my Ph.D. were useless.”

Zhao Xiaokui keenly sensed that she wasn’t telling the whole truth, at least not the complete truth, but she didn’t expose it. Instead, she marveled along with Su Mingyue’s words, “Wow, I didn’t expect, Sister Mingyue, that you have a Ph.D.”

While talking, Su Mingyue’s car also arrived at the entrance of an ice cream shop not far from the municipal government. She stopped the car and said to Zhao Xiaokui, “Guess how old I am this year?”

Zhao Xiaokui’s face showed a hesitant expression. After a moment of contemplation, she guessed, “Around thirty?”

She felt like she had overestimated, thinking she had gone too high. Normally, people would be at least in their late twenties after completing a Ph.D. Adding a few more years, she guessed around thirty, which should be close.

Su Mingyue said, “Older.”

Zhao Xiaokui guessed again, “Thirty-five?”

“Older.”

Seeing Zhao Xiaokui wide-eyed, resembling a startled cat, Su Mingyue no longer teased her and directly revealed the answer, “I’m already forty-three.”

Zhao Xiaokui held back for a long time before uttering an exclamation, “Oh my God—”

How could Su Mingyue not look like she was nearing fifty?!

In terms of body, she had a well-proportioned figure. Although mature, she had charm without any visible excess fat.

In terms of her face, her skin was tight and fair, showing no traces of makeup.

Even guessing thirty, Zhao Xiaokui thought she had guessed too much.

As a result, Su Mingyue told her she was forty-three…

Her first reaction was that Su Mingyue was lying.

She looked perplexed, “Are you not lying to me?”

Su Mingyue chuckled, “Why would I lie to you?”

Zhao Xiaokui, looking at her, mumbled, “Doesn’t seem like it…”

Since Su Mingyue’s soul and body did not show any overlapping signs, her current appearance was original, without any external adjustments.

Have everyone’s skincare techniques advanced this much?

After realizing this, Zhao Xiaokui immediately grabbed Su Mingyue’s hand, squeezed out a flattering smile, and coquettishly said, “Sister Mingyue, how do you maintain your youthful beauty? Teach me some tricks?”

Su Mingyue didn’t have much resistance to her in the first place. Seeing her acting so coquettish, she couldn’t resist at all and had to surrender, saying, “I use some skincare products that I developed myself. Although the shelf life is short, the effect is very good. If you like, I can give you a set, but you probably don’t need it. Your skin condition is even better than mine, and the aging rate of superhumans is slower than ordinary people. Maybe when you’re fifty, you’ll still look like you do now.”

“No need to give, no need to give. Sister Mingyue, name your price, and I’ll buy directly from you. Don’t be polite,” Zhao Xiaokui said. “I won’t use it myself. I mainly want to give it to Shen Zhifei. She’s busy all the time, worrying about this and that. Maybe in a couple of years, wrinkles will start appearing on her face.”

“Sure, just cover the material cost,” Su Mingyue didn’t insist. “I’ll prepare it and send it to you when it’s ready.”

While they were talking, someone knocked on the passenger seat’s window on Zhao Xiaokui’s side.

She turned her head and exclaimed with joy, “Shen Zhifei!”

“How did you get here so quickly?”

Without saying a word, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. Shen Zhifei said to Su Mingyue in the car, “Hello, thank you for your hard work.”

“Hello,” Su Mingyue nodded at Shen Zhifei and took out a sealed document bag from the car’s document box, handing it over. “Considering your status as an informed person, these are some confidentiality agreements you need to sign. You can take them back and have a look. Just send them to the address in the document bag in seven days.”

Shen Zhifei nodded to her.

Behind her, Zhao Xiaokui made faces at Su Mingyue, understanding what she meant. Su Mingyue nodded slightly, indicating that she would help keep the secret.

Turning around, Shen Zhifei had already regained her composure. Her suspicious gaze swept over Zhao Xiaokui, but in the watery, innocent eyes of Zhao Xiaokui, she couldn’t ask anything.

“You…”

She reached out and pinched Zhao Xiaokui’s chubby face, as if confirming her existence, and sighed inexplicably.

Seeing this person safe and sound, her heart instantly relaxed.

Since Zhao Xiaokui left the company, she had been uneasy, unable to focus on her own affairs.

Although she knew she shouldn’t get involved in matters related to the supernatural world and shouldn’t casually interfere to avoid causing trouble for Zhao Xiaokui, she couldn’t help but worry.

Especially when she couldn’t get through to Zhao Xiaokui’s phone, her worry reached its peak.

Sitting in the office, she couldn’t help but think, what if Zhao Xiaokui had been captured by someone? At this time, did she have anything to eat…

Her thoughts were chaotic, and she felt uneasy.

Zhao Xiaokui didn’t understand the complex thoughts of Shen Zhifei. Initially, due to her identity as a public figure, she didn’t dare to come out and wait for Shen Zhifei. She had to stay in the car. Now that Shen Zhifei was here, seeing the bustling scene at the nearby cold drink shop, Zhao Xiaokui, who was a bit greedy, tried various ways to ask, “Shen Zhifei, are you thirsty?”

Shen Zhifei, who instantly understood her intention, sighed inwardly and asked, “What do you want to drink? Stay in the car, and I’ll buy it for you.”

Satisfied, Zhao Xiaokui sat obediently in the front passenger seat, making a loud sucking noise while drinking the beverage.

Zhao Xiaokui, who had not been questioned for a long time, asked in surprise after drinking half a glass of drink: “Don’t you want to know about my situation?”

Shen Zhifei said: “Do you want me to ask?”

“Why not?” Zhao Xiaokui asked, puzzled.

Shen Zhifei remained silent for a while before speaking, “…I’m just an ordinary person.”

With that said, she pressed the brakes, stopping in front of the pedestrian crossing.

Suddenly, her shoulder felt heavier, and Zhao Xiaokui rested her chin on Shen Zhifei’s shoulder, whispering in her ear, “But you are my Shen Zhifei.”

At that moment, she felt as if her heart had been tickled by a feather.

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