Chief Xie Won't Let Her Go

Song Weishi didn't bother checking what was behind her. She lunged with her knife—her body moved before her eyes did, blade already swinging.

A sharp, piercing scream tore through the air behind her. Song Weishi spun around to see a face half-sliced off by her blade, blood dripping as it shifted, trying to coil around her like a python striking.

It lunged at her with sudden fury.

Its gaping mouth revealed a round tongue shaped like a spoon, shooting out with a foul, rancid stench. Song Weishi finally understood the source of that strange noise she'd heard earlier.

The flesh on those corpses had been scooped out so cleanly because this thing had eaten it like a watermelon—one spoonful at a time.

Song Weishi hacked at its tongue and ran for her life. She absolutely could not let it catch her.

The tongue was incredibly tough. Her blade merely bounced off it without causing any real damage.

Behind her, the neck kept stretching longer. Song Weishi screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping to rouse the others: "Wake up! Everyone wake up! Someone's turned into a monster! Get up!"

People sleeping inside the rooms were jolted awake by the commotion. Her shouts only made the monster behind her speed up.

Blood dripped everywhere, turning the corridor into a mess. Many tried to open their doors to see what was happening, but found them still locked. When they cracked open the small windows, something blocked the view outside.

The rooms were dark, lights off, pitch black. They could only call out from inside: "What's going on? What happened?"

Nobody knew what was happening outside. The corridor soon buzzed with panicked chatter.

Some pounded on doors, others tried to pick locks, but no one could get out.

Song Weishi realized then that her door had been deliberately left open. Bad luck. She had to circle back, and along the way she spotted the security guards lying in the corridor—their chests ripped open, organs devoured just like the corpses in the room earlier. Their keys were gone, presumably taken by the monster.

She soon reached the end of the corridor. The monster's neck had curled into something like a paperclip, its cold gaze fixed on her, but it couldn't stretch any further.

The neck was a retractable weapon for it. Song Weishi had slashed its face earlier, but the wound hadn't fazed it—it was already scabbing over.

She tried poking the neck and found it rubbery, impossible to pierce. Seeing it couldn't advance any further, the monster shot her a cold smirk, retracted its neck, and adjusted its length to strike again.

Song Weishi was trapped in the dormitory. The surveillance cameras overhead had all been destroyed, so no one outside knew anything was wrong. If she waited for the next security shift to arrive, it would take another ten-plus minutes—by then, she and everyone here might be dead.

She gripped her machete. The only option now was to kill this thing first.

Getting wrapped in that neck meant certain death. Song Weishi made a snap decision and returned to the room she'd entered earlier. The corpse on the bed still lay quiet. She shut the door.

A faint rustling sounded from outside. She'd barely stepped inside when that half-sliced face squeezed through the doorway.

The corridor that had been noisy a moment ago fell silent again, as if everyone had drifted back into sleep.

Song Weishi stared at that grimacing face forcing its way in, and her eyelids grew heavy. The smell of blood in the air seemed to morph into the fragrance of wild grass, making her feel as if she were standing in an open meadow.

She felt an urge to lie down and savor the sensation.

But the moment her hand touched the corpse on the bed, she snapped awake. The head poking through the doorway extended its tongue and greedily scooped toward her heart.

"Take this!"

Song Weishi grabbed its tongue. If she couldn't cut it off, she'd control the weapon. This thing only had a neck. She'd been terrified of it at first, but now she felt much better.

The monster, caught off guard, its tongue stiff and unyielding like a real spoon in her grip.

It pulled its head back, trying to reclaim control of its tongue, but Song Weishi held on for dear life. The two of them were locked in a tug-of-war, neither gaining ground.

Song Weishi squeezed the tongue until the monster's face flushed red. The cramped room would've been the perfect hunting ground for it—victims couldn't escape, couldn't break free, and could only be at its mercy.

Until Song Weishi had stumbled in, the monster had been cackling behind her, mocking how its meal had walked right into the trap.

But now it couldn't laugh. The girl held its tongue in a death grip; when it tried to bite her, she blocked it with her foot and kicked it square in the face. Anyone would've had enough by then.

The monster's eyes bulged from the kicks. Song Weishi showed no mercy, her gaze locked on it, ready to deflect any attack.

It wished it had hands to restrain her, but it had abandoned human advantages in favor of stretching its neck as its final form. Those weak, shriveled limbs could no longer be used.

They wrestled for a while, Song Weishi kicking it dozens of times until its face was battered out of shape. Unable to stand the tantalizing meal in front of it, the monster suddenly drew a deep breath, its head inflating like a balloon.

If Song Weishi kicked it again, she'd end up in its mouth with no way back.

It sneered, its face swelling to several times its size.

Song Weishi, however, relaxed. She smiled and casually released its disgusting tongue.

The extended tongue snapped back the instant she let go, the monster not bothering to aim it: "You're dea—"

It only got half the words out before realizing its tongue was stuck in its throat. The rebounding tongue had wedged its head firmly between the walls—can't turn, can't pull free.

Its face, red from inflation, was now truly red.

Song Weishi ignored its plight. She pulled a charcoal brazier from her space, jammed a mop handle into its mouth, and poured the burning coals inside.

The monster let out a wretched scream. Its skin hardened rapidly, and a foul, burnt-smelling stench wafted from its head.

The spoon-like tongue thrashed in its mouth, trying to push the coals out, but it was stuck fast. The fire roasted its entire oral cavity to dead flesh.

This building was solid—fire-resistant, with nothing inside to burn. In an instant, flames shot out of the monster's mouth.

No one could withstand burning coals, not even a monster. Its head shriveled rapidly, its neck going limp and drooping over the window frame.

The entire head, scorched by fire, crumbled at the slightest touch.

Song Weishi quickly cleaned up the coals that poured from its mouth. The long tongue had pierced through the cooked flesh of its cheeks, skewering the head like a barbecue stick.

She gave the monster's head a kick and heard footsteps approaching outside.

The security guards had arrived. The corridor lights flicked on. Song Weishi stepped out of the room and found herself facing several shocked stares—all of them raised their guns at her.

Song Weishi instantly raised her hands, then pointed at the neck coiled in a loop out in the corridor: "I'm not the monster. I already killed it."

The guards, tense, cuffed her hands behind her back. They turned and went inside, finding the dead monster on the floor and the gutted bodies in the room.

"Sorry, but the situation is unclear—please cooperate with our investigation!" The lead captain's expression was cold and stern as he signaled to the soldiers beside him.

Song Weishi didn't argue. She glanced at the monster on the floor to make sure it was thoroughly dead, then allowed the soldiers to fit the handcuffs without resistance.

Everyone from all the rooms was roused and pulled out. After understanding what had happened, the lead captain, Chu Miaoxuan, finally released Song Weishi.

She was young and tough, handling matters methodically, but somewhat cold and impersonal.

She wasn't afraid of offending these "future colleagues." The people she'd cuffed grumbled endlessly.

"Didn't they say it was handled? Why are we still locked up? Weren't the injections supposed to work? How did someone turn into a monster after being in quarantine this long? And why did it take the security team so long to show up?"

"Who knows? You didn't wake up either, did you? I hear the guards on watch died too—several of them. If it weren't for that Song Weishi, we'd all be dead."

"Come on, we wouldn't have been wiped out. Let them try me—I'd make sure they never come back."

"Yeah, right. You slept like a log. You didn't even wake up when she finished the fight. Looks like that woman is the strongest of us."

Song Weishi rubbed her sore wrists and looked up lazily to see Chu Miaoxuan standing before her, apparently having arrived without her noticing. "Sorry for the misunderstanding. The situation forced our hand. I hope you understand."

Song Weishi shrugged, pushed herself up from the chair, and said it was nothing—a team lead being cautious was a good thing. She'd learned that if she truly became a security officer, she'd likely serve under Chu Miaoxuan. Having such a responsible superior would at least avoid a lot of danger.

Though her people skills left something to be desired. Song Weishi had sat here being questioned for a long time, and no one had even offered her water.

"It's fine, I understand. Can I go back now? I want to sleep."

She yawned, her tired eyes narrowing and turning slightly glassy. Chu Miaoxuan stepped aside, making way for her, and watched her walk out.

Waking up in the middle of the night was exhausting enough, and after such a dramatic emotional swing, she was at her limit. She practically floated out of the interrogation room.

Many people, shaken by what had happened, didn't want to stay in the dorms. These weren't truly helpless refugees after all, so the security team turned a blind eye to them grouping up in the gym for isolation, with a guard posted just in case.

When Song Weishi came out, she received a new set of bedding—completely different from the thin, flimsy one she'd had before. The soldier who had cuffed her pointed to a room in another area and handed her backpack back.

"Song Weishi, this is your new room. The captain said not to crowd you in with the others."

Song Weishi swallowed the words she'd been about to say, took the bedding, and headed to the white room the soldier indicated.

She nodded and walked over. Ke Shaoyi emerged from inside, holding her cat. She'd been knocked out by the monster's stench and only woke up when the cat bit her. Now, hearing about Song Weishi's exploits, she was excited and wanted to drag her into a long chat.

But seeing Song Weishi yawning and clutching her luggage, she settled for a brief greeting: "Little Song, are you going to the gym or back to the dorm? Let's walk together."

Song Weishi glanced at the bedding in her arms and said vaguely, "Captain Chu arranged a new room for me. I won't be going with you."

Ke Shaoyi nodded eagerly. "Oh, okay."

She headed to the gym with her cat, thinking that skilled people really did get special treatment.

Song Weishi didn't engage with anyone else. She walked straight to the room the soldier had indicated. It was much more spacious—the beige walls seemed to smell of fresh paint. Inside the door was a vanity sink, a private bathroom with a separate shower, and a small living room leading to the bedroom suite, where a bed twice the size of the previous one sat beneath a window.

It was a fully furnished studio apartment.

Song Weishi casually spread out the new bedding, shut the door, and realized that Chu Miaoxuan truly rewarded and punished fairly—just a little false accusation, and her accommodations went up several notches.

If her next room could be like this, that would be great. She adapted quickly from industrial style to a decorated apartment and fell asleep in no time.

In the surveillance room, Jiang Yan spun around in her chair and looked at Chu Miaoxuan as she walked in, a smile on her face. "Why'd you give the room to that newbie?"

Chu Miaoxuan's expression wasn't pleasant. Jiang Yan was the head of the Suo Harbor quarantine zone, always wearing a playful grin. Chu Miaoxuan disliked her partner deeply—she was always sloppy and irritating in her work. Now that Jiang Yan was trying to cozy up, it only annoyed her further.

"Did you report the situation? You didn't do your job. How important is surveillance? Fifteen minutes without a report—why aren't you reflecting on yourself after something this big happened?"

Jiang Yan's smile didn't fade, though her expression turned a bit cold. She scoffed, "Is it just my people who had problems? Your veteran squad couldn't even beat one newbie. This monster wasn't even detected by the drugs. It knocked everyone out the moment it appeared. My people died just like yours. I don't know why you're blaming me, Captain Chu. What exactly do I need to reflect on?"

In the end, no one could be held accountable. Chu Miaoxuan just couldn't stand Jiang Yan's flippant attitude. Hearing her words, anger surged uncontrollably.

She stepped forward and grabbed Jiang Yan by the collar of her loose shirt: "I told you, don't act so flippant with me. Other teams might put up with it, but I won't. Drop that attitude, or when Chief Xie gets back, I'll make sure you're out of here!"

Jiang Yan laughed even brighter, two rosy patches blooming on her striking face. She yanked Chu Miaoxuan's collar in return, pulling her closer: "Oh, is that so? Then you can stand guard yourself for the next few days. That way, no one else will die. You're confident you can handle the monsters, right?"

Chu Miaoxuan shoved her with her well-defined hand, wrenched free of Jiang Yan's grip, and slammed the door as she left the surveillance room.

Behind her, she could still hear the woman's near-hysterical laughter. Her frustration was almost too much to contain.

She didn't understand why Chief Xie had assigned such a lunatic to be the head of the quarantine zone. Most of her partners were steady and experienced—she'd never met someone as unhinged as Jiang Yan.

Chu Miaoxuan took over a guard post and stood outside the quarantine zone. She was a woman of action over words.

She held that post until the shift change.

Song Weishi woke to the sun already high in the sky, light filtering through the blinds in warm slants. It was a bit hot, but that was just summer's temperature—still within what a normal person could bear.

She got up to wash up and check the time—it wasn't even seven yet. Her internal clock hadn't fully adjusted, so she'd just slept as best she could.

The morning was quiet; no one else was up. She checked the room for cameras, then took out her breakfast from her space.

She'd barely eaten two small buns when a knock came at the door.

Song Weishi tapped her fingers on the packaging, tucked everything away, rinsed her mouth, and peeked through the small window to see Chu Miaoxuan's chin.

She tilted her head to see Chu Miaoxuan's face. The other woman took a step back and asked, "Are you free right now?"

Song Weishi opened the door and stepped out. The corridor was silent, empty—everyone was still asleep.

Chu Miaoxuan, gun in hand, walked ahead and motioned for her to follow: "Other camps sent word. Little Song, why didn't you mention you knew Chief Xie?"

Song Weishi was momentarily blank. "What chief? Who?"

Chu Miaoxuan turned, her expression complex. Just a moment ago, she'd received notice from the other quarantine zone ordering Song Weishi to be sent to District One's quarantine facility.

They said she was one of Chief Xie's people. Apparently, at the checkpoint when she'd entered Huihai City, Chief Xie had noticed this promising recruit with exceptional physical fitness.

At the time, the people being checked ahead of her had said she was with them, entering through the green channel. By regulations, Song Weishi should have been sent there for isolation.

But before her identity was confirmed, Chu Miaoxuan could still request her from the checkpoint. She'd held onto a sliver of hope that once Song Weishi passed the tests, she could offer generous conditions, and when the real choice came, Song Weishi might decide to stay.

Not be taken away outright. But today Chief Xie returned early, reaching the checkpoint area and receiving word from the camp that her sister had been found—right there in the quarantine zone. She'd confirmed their identities on the spot.

Chu Miaoxuan's hopes went up in smoke. If she hadn't witnessed Song Weishi's capabilities yesterday, she might not have minded letting her go today.

But having seen Song Weishi's excellent handling of the situation, Chu Miaoxuan couldn't hold it in. Such a great security team prospect being sent through the green channel was a waste of talent.

That's why she'd asked, hoping to hear a different answer from Song Weishi's lips.

She hadn't expected Song Weishi to genuinely not know who Chief Xie was. Chu Miaoxuan turned, suppressing the excitement in her voice, and asked, "She's the second-in-command of District One, Chief Xie—Xie Huiqing. Do you really not know her? Then let me ask if they got it wrong."

Song Weishi heard the vaguely familiar name and thought of the relatives in Huihai City that Auntie Xie had mentioned. Could it be her?

Watching Chu Miaoxuan quicken her pace, Song Weishi caught up a little: "Does this Chief Xie of yours have a sister named Xie Huiying?"

Chu Miaoxuan stopped dead, turned around stiffly, her grip tightening on her gun: "It can't be that coincidental."

Song Weishi: "Should be right, Captain. I do know her sister."

Chu Miaoxuan: ...

All the air seemed to leave Chu Miaoxuan at once. She let out a sigh, walked ahead, and led Song Weishi over.

The signal at the Suo Harbor quarantine zone was unstable; a landline was the best means of communication. She pointed to the phone on the desk and motioned for Song Weishi to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Little Song?"

"Yes, this is Song Weishi."

Song Weishi had barely spoken when she heard a delighted voice on the other end. She recognized it instantly—Sister Chen: "Little Song, we finally found you! Huiqing's back. Sister Xie had her notify the quarantine zone over there. You'll catch a ride—someone will take you. Just come on over. We've been so worried. So glad we got in touch."

Song Weishi smiled. "Alright, Sister Chen. I'm fine. Is everyone okay?"

"We're all great, no problems. Hang up now and get yourself together and get on the car."

"Okay, got it."

Listening to the call, the last shred of hope in Chu Miaoxuan's heart died. The other side hadn't given her any room to negotiate—they were taking her directly.

Song Weishi hung up and saw Chu Miaoxuan force a bitter smile; she didn't try to talk her out of it.

Her backpack had barely been opened—she just picked it up and walked. Through the iron gate, a car was already waiting outside. Song Weishi didn't quite understand Chu Miaoxuan's expression, but she wasn't one for idle talk.

Isolation was isolation wherever you went. She could come back when it was over. Sister Chen and the others had gone through so much trouble to find her—she couldn't very well not go. Once the isolation ended, she'd apply to return.

But there was no need to say all that. If Chu Miaoxuan was just in a low mood and not reluctant to see her go, it would just be awkward. So as she got into the car, Song Weishi only said, "I'll be back soon, Captain."

Chu Miaoxuan waved a hand and watched the car carrying Song Weishi drive off, then let out a sigh. Chief Xie would never let her go. Someone as capable as Song Weishi had no reason to end up as a regular security officer under her command.

Forget about later—if they met again, they'd probably no longer be superior and subordinate.

The morning sun was rising. Song Weishi once again rode through the long bridge of the Suo Harbor quarantine zone, this time in a modified off-road vehicle. The outdoor sunlight through the dark glass seemed filtered through a lens. On the horizon over the sea, a golden sun emerged. It wasn't too hot by the seaside in the morning.

The woman in the passenger seat didn't turn around and said nothing. Song Weishi turned down the AC, set her backpack aside, and leaned back to rest. She kept feeling like someone was staring at her.

She opened her eyes, scanned the car, and met a familiar pair of eyes in the rearview mirror.

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Author's note: Guess who.