INSIDER Chapter 156

Yuan Kejie and Luo Qi seemed to be having too much fun, living freely in the real world. After the incident, Luo Qi was fine, but Yuan Kejie was completely exhilarated.

They exchanged contact information and wandered everywhere, often disappearing without a trace. It was only after making headlines that they excitedly thought to share the news with Lu Chu and the others.

Lu Chu had just finished reviewing a series of screenshots sent by Song Gui about Yuan Kejie and Luo Qi bravely fighting off criminals when he received a call from an unfamiliar number.

Typically, calls from unknown numbers are scams, sales pitches, or fake relatives claiming emergencies. Lu Chu usually hangs up immediately, but this time, he instinctively thought of Yuan Kejie and Luo Qi, so he answered the call.

Sure enough, it was Yuan Kejie and Luo Qi on the other end.

The moment the call connected, Yuan Kejie’s intentionally lowered yet unmistakably excited voice came through clearly: “Hello, sir, would you like to buy condoms? A household necessity for prevention.”

Lu Chu: “…”

Next, it seemed Luo Qi kicked Yuan Kejie, who yelped and quickly corrected herself: “Ah! No, actually I’m selling insurance! Sir, do you need life insurance?!”

Lu Chu smiled warmly: “No need for condoms, not interested in insurance, my phone plan is sufficient, I don’t need a new house or renovation, no special services required, no children at home needing rescue… any other questions? If not, I’ll hang up now.”

This time, it was Yuan Kejie who fell silent.

After a long sigh, Yuan Kejie said: “Hey, Xiao Lu…”

“It’s me.”

Thinking the conversation would finally become normal, Lu Chu was surprised when Yuan Kejie lowered her voice again, cautiously asking, “If I were a hyperbola?”

Lu Chu: “…”

Unfortunately, he had never heard this password.

Just as Lu Chu was considering hanging up, Yuan Kejie’s painful exclamation came through: “Alright, alright! I’ll stop joking, okay? Ouch, Qi Qi, stop kicking me! It hurts!”

Finally serious, Yuan Kejie still couldn’t help muttering: “Haven’t you heard the song ‘Sad Hyperbola’? Did you study hyperbolas in high school? It’s so catchy, essential for learning math!”

Then she hummed a few lines: “If I were a hyperbola, you’d be the asymptote; if I were an inverse function, you’d be the coordinate axis. Though we’re destined, sharing the same plane…”

Amused and exasperated, Lu Chu found that even the tension from the baby’s inexplicable crying had eased. He steered the conversation back on track: “What’s going on?”

Yuan Kejie stopped singing, excitedly asking: “Do you watch the news?!”

“Girls demonstrate martial arts skills to subdue criminals?”

“Yes, yes!”

Lu Chu laughed: “Yes, I just saw it.”

The other side was thrilled: “We’re heroes now!”

Luo Qi’s voice interjected calmly: “Don’t include me, idiot.”

“Qi Qi!”

Lu Chu: “You two seem to be having a great time.”

Yuan Kejie chuckled: “Just a bit, just a bit.”

Lu Chu: “Any plans to come back?”

“Not for now,” Yuan Kejie said excitedly, “Lu Xiao Chu, you know, I feel like I’ve found my purpose in life!”

“Just from subduing criminals once?”

Yuan Kejie nodded vigorously: “Yes! Qi Qi and I have decided to embark on a grand path of fighting crime!”

Luo Qi: “I am not, I did not.”

“Ambitious.” Beyond that, Lu Chu didn’t know how to evaluate Yuan Kejie.

“Lu Xiao Chu, is the boss with you?!” Yuan Kejie asked.

Lu Chu glanced at Seven, who had been standing silently by his side: “Yes, he’s here.”

“Haha, I knew it. You two are inseparable. Lu Xiao Chu, can you ask the boss if he wants to join us in traveling the world, robbing the rich to help the poor? With him, Qi Qi and I would be much safer, though we don’t think anyone could beat us. You know, like Song Gui, who has no aspirations, just guarding his company with no idea what he’s doing. Money isn’t everything, right?! Obviously not, my young brothers!…”

Yuan Kejie kept talking, and Lu Chu quietly moved the phone away.

After returning to the real world, possibly due to the release of pressure, Yuan Kejie had become more talkative. Even in the “bureau,” she showed signs of being chatty, and now it was even more pronounced.

It could also be that Yuan Kejie was inherently a chatterbox with a wild imagination, but had been restrained by the shadow of death, despite her humor. Now, free from that burden, she naturally returned to her true self.

Or perhaps, having seen life and death, she simply wanted to enjoy liveliness, making even the usually calm Luo Qi seem more spirited. Though this newfound talkativeness could sometimes be overwhelming.

When Yuan Kejie finally finished her lengthy monologue, Lu Chu returned to the phone.

On the other end, Yuan Kejie let out a satisfied sigh, clearly wanting to continue, but Lu Chu promptly interrupted: “I have a situation here.”

A brief pause, then Yuan Kejie excitedly exclaimed: “Really?! What’s happening! I knew this day would come when you called last time asking if there was anything unusual. Tell me, tell me! What’s going on? Can we help?”

“Not sure yet, but I’ll inform you if there’s any development. Be careful and stay alert while you’re out.”

“Got it! Lu Xiao Chu, wait for us. We’re coming over to check the situation. I’ll call Song Gui and Qian Zhen too. It’s been a while since we all gathered!”

Lu Chu thought for a moment: “Alright.”

“That’s settled then. We’re heading back! See you soon, won’t keep you any longer. Don’t want the boss to scold me. Bye!”

Lu Chu chuckled, saying “goodbye” before hanging up. He turned to Seven, who had listened quietly the whole time: “They still seem pretty wary of you.”

Seven put Lu Chu’s phone back in his pocket, gently holding Lu Chu’s hand: “As long as you’re not afraid.”

Lu Chu’s eyes curved with a smile: “I can’t get enough of you.”

Seven’s eyes brightened, and he swallowed hard, unable to resist pinning Lu Chu against the wall, giving him a brief, gentle kiss on his forehead.

After the brief touch, Seven stepped back, touching Lu Chu’s eye corner and gazing at him: “Continue inspecting the building?”

“Yes.”

They continued walking up a few more floors.

To avoid missing anything, they didn’t take the elevator, opting for the stairs instead.

Most people in the building, even for just one or two floors, preferred the elevator, so the stairwell was rarely used. It looked clean, but the air was thick with a musty, oppressive dustiness.

When they reached the sixth floor, Lu Chu stopped.

Seven asked, “Here?”

“Yes,” Lu Chu nodded, “the dampness and intermittent crying are most noticeable here.”

Meaning, the strange events occurred in one of the four apartments on this floor.

At that moment, the elevator chimed softly, and someone stopped on their floor.

The elevator doors opened, and out walked a woman in her thirties.

The woman dressed casually, her face pale, eyes lifeless. Even seeing Lu Chu and Seven in the hallway, she didn’t pause but walked straight ahead, her steps unsteady, stopping at the door of 602. She took out a key, unlocked the door, and entered her apartment.

The whole process was slow yet seamless, with a mechanical precision.

Simultaneously, a baby’s piercing cry echoed in Lu Chu’s ears, a wave of black energy converging towards him, causing him discomfort as he rubbed his temples, trying to fend off the sudden dizziness.

Seven immediately supported him: “Feeling unwell?”

Lu Chu shook his head: “I’m okay. We made some progress.”

He looked at the door of 602, calm in his eyes: “At least we’ve identified our first suspicious target.”