Just Friends

When Song Weishi opened her eyes again, the vehicle was still moving. She whipped her head around to look at Chu Miaoxuan—she was sitting there just fine, her head still intact. Everything she'd just experienced felt like nothing more than a dream.

Song Weishi habitually asked, "Where are we now?"

Jiang Qingrou leaned in close to her side. "Sister Song, you slept for quite a while. We're almost at the outskirts of Huihai City—about two more hours and we'll be back."

Identical. These were the exact words Jiang Qingrou had spoken just moments ago. There was no way she'd misremember something so recent.

"I'm so tired. Do we get any time off when we get back from an assignment? Captain Chu, are we getting a break?"

Chu Miaoxuan shook her head. By the time they returned to Huihai City, it would already be past three days since they'd left. "Of course not. What are you thinking? This is a special period—the insect plague in the city was just dealt with. There's no way they'd let us rest now. We'll be busy for a while yet."

The voices in the cabin kept rising, matching the earlier conversation exactly. Within just half a minute, everything was happening exactly as Song Weishi had predicted.

She could even recite exactly what Chu Miaoxuan was about to say next.

"But everyone will get a bonus this time—"

"But everyone will get a bonus this time—half a month's wages, paid out together with this month's salary."

Everyone stared at her in astonishment. Song Weishi turned to Jiang Qingrou. "Don't keep thinking about going on outside assignments. Forget it—no matter how I try to talk you out of it, you won't listen."

Jiang Qingrou looked at her, stunned. "Sister Song, how did you know that I—"

Chu Miaoxuan frowned. She'd never mentioned this to anyone. The people in her squad shouldn't have known about it.

Song Weishi stood up and looked outside. The sky was gray, almost dark, and they still hadn't entered Huihai City. There was still time—it wasn't too late yet.

"Stop the car! Have all the vehicles stop!"

She rushed to the front of the cab. The others in the car all stood up. "What's wrong? What's happening? Sister Song, are you okay?"

Song Weishi said without wasting a single second, "Captain Chu, get all the vehicles to stop right now! There are mutated plants up ahead—they'll attack the convoy! If we don't stop, all of us will die!"

Chu Miaoxuan's face turned serious, her gaze full of doubt. The two argued back and forth, and two minutes later, all the vehicles halted in place.

Outside, swarms of insects surged forward, surrounding the stopped vehicles in a dense ring.

Everyone in the car looked at Song Weishi. Chu Miaoxuan paced anxiously on the spot before finally stopping and fixing her eyes on Song Weishi. "Explain—what exactly is going on?"

The vehicles had all stopped before reaching the mountain road, and the fuel on board wasn't enough to keep the convoy out here for too long. Every second counted now. If they ran out of fuel and had to have people from the city come out to deliver more, it would be a significant financial burden.

Song Weishi took a deep breath. She'd been too hasty earlier and hadn't thought about how to explain herself. Now she quickly spun a story in her mind.

"Captain Chu, I sensed danger. I've figured out what my change actually is since that incident."

The others widened their eyes. "What? Is it the ability to foresee the future?"

Ke Shaoyi immediately zeroed in on the key point. Sometimes having a mind that wandered too freely wasn't a good thing—Song Weishi thought she'd been conservative enough with her phrasing, but Ke Shaoyi had still guessed it on the first try.

Song Weishi didn't want to admit it outright. Having such an ability was hardly a good thing; it would only make it harder for her to slip away in the future. Even just being able to sense danger was already eye-catching enough.

She still wanted to keep a low profile. "No, I just sensed that things are more dangerous up ahead. My sixth sense is telling me not to get near that area."

There was no avoiding her ability being exposed. A convoy this large couldn't stop just because of her word alone. Trips like this weren't a game—people wouldn't believe you just because you said something. You had to have some solid proof to back it up.

Fortunately, Song Weishi's words still carried considerable weight. They were already near the Huihai City checkpoint, so Chu Miaoxuan sent someone to contact Xie Huiqing. They got through, and the higher-ups were sending people to investigate. They'd have the results in about half an hour.

The entire convoy waited there. Outside, aside from the chirping of insects, everything was silent.

The convoy waited on the road for half an hour before word came from the city: don't come in through this entrance yet.

They'd have to take the west checkpoint instead—mutated plants had indeed been found at the original one.

Just as Song Weishi had predicted. It was several red kapok flowers in bloom. Ordinary kapok blossoms had a diameter of only about ten centimeters, but these mutated ones had flowers as long as an adult's arm from forearm to fingertip. You could tell something was wrong at a glance.

When the sentries from the checkpoint reached the foot of the mountain road, they spotted these strange flowers blooming from afar. The kapok trees were also covered in blood—they'd clearly already killed who knew how many people.

These were a common tree species in Huihai City, trees that normally bloomed only in spring. The blooming season was already past. If you stood under one in spring and weren't careful, a falling kapok flower might hit you on the head—painful enough to make you see stars.

These were the ornamental trees everyone in Huihai City had grown up seeing. No one ever imagined that such ordinary species could mutate too, let alone carry this much killing power.

Song Weishi thought of that vivid flower biting off Chu Miaoxuan's head in one gulp and couldn't help but shiver.

The facts turned out exactly as she'd said. Everyone sat back down, shaken but relieved.

Chu Miaoxuan, however, kept staring at her, still hung up on the earlier issue.

But then she thought it over—Song Weishi's connection to the Xie family was anything but ordinary. It was only natural she'd know some inside information. After a moment's consideration, she pushed her suspicions aside for the time being. What mattered was that everyone was safe.

Living was more important than anything. Song Weishi had dodged this danger well—if not for her, the convoy might have run into serious trouble.

Completing this mission successfully was what mattered most. The convoy set off again, taking a detour along another route.

As the convoy moved away, they left the kapok trees further and further behind. The strange, faint fragrance never came again, and the car stayed as smelly as ever.

Song Weishi's nerves were stretched taut the whole way, but nothing like before ever happened again. Only when they finally reached Huihai City did she let out a long, relieved breath.

The crisis was over. No more unexpected dangers to worry about. They were finally home safe.

Getting out of the car, Huihai City's warm wind blew against her, yet Song Weishi felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

The convoy entered the depot. The returning security officers went into quarantine for isolation and a series of checks before being released to rest.

Song Weishi was isolated separately, which was expected. The higher-ups were very interested in her ability.

After a few days apart, Xie Huiqing looked much better. The exhausted expression from before was gone. Clearly, the city's insect-culling plan had been effective and had saved her a great deal of worry.

The quarantine treatment this time was excellent. Song Weishi got a single room with a sofa, a living area—everything she needed, very comfortable.

Xie Huiqing walked in slowly, followed by a crowd of people.

They went to the room next door to set up their instruments. Xie Huiqing came in alone.

"Xiao Song, how have you been feeling these past few days? Anything unusual?"

Song Weishi shook her head. The only person who knew her secret was Xie Yi, and Xie Yi wouldn't tell anyone else. So for now, she was still relatively safe.

Xie Huiqing poured her a glass of water. "You've worked hard. You did a lot on this assignment. I've already filed a report for you—you're being promoted to captain of the Eighth Squad."

Song Weishi acknowledged with a word. "Thank you for your trust, Chief."

She wasn't actually all that interested in the promotion, but she couldn't control the fact that she kept rising through the security ranks.

If she had a choice, she'd quit right now, find a house, and just laze around.

But living like that would be too hard in this apocalypse. The pleasant thought flashed through her mind and was immediately discarded.

"It's only right. You're one of us, so I'll be frank. There's a routine check coming up, but regarding your ability—this 'precognition' as you call it—the people at the Research Institute want to run a more thorough examination. I hope you'll consent."

Song Weishi: "No problem. I'll report honestly."

Song Weishi lied without so much as a flush or a skipped beat. It wasn't really a lie, she figured—she'd just give the text a bit of polish when the time came. That didn't count as lying, did it?

Xie Huiqing nodded. Song Weishi thought she was about to leave, so she pressed her hands against her knees, ready to stand up, only to see the woman remain still, just watching her. Song Weishi felt an invisible pressure settle over her.

"Is something the matter, Chief Xie? Any other questions?" Song Weishi asked.

She could handle herself easily now. Even if Xie Huiqing asked anything, she could answer smoothly without a hint of stage fright.

Xie Huiqing smiled, the slight chill in her expression melting away like spring breeze. "Sorry, Xiao Song. There's a personal matter I'd like to ask you about."

Song Weishi: "Please go ahead."

Xie Huiqing asked, "Do you mind telling me—what exactly is your relationship with Xiao Yi?"

Song Weishi nearly spat out her tea. She swallowed too hastily and felt her throat tighten—the first time she'd ever been choked by water.

She remembered that Xie Yi had been injured on this trip. As her family, Xie Huiqing had every reason to ask.

She set down the teacup, feeling a bit flustered. She really hadn't expected Xie Huiqing to ask that.

"We're friends."

Song Weishi said vaguely, but the way she avoided Xie Yi hadn't gone unnoticed by others.

Xie Huiqing didn't seem sure whether to believe her. She pressed further, "What kind of friends?"

Song Weishi really didn't want to get tangled up with Xie Yi any more than she already was. Her opinion of Xie Yi had improved somewhat, but she still resisted getting close. Her own life came first.

"Why are you asking?"

When she couldn't answer a question, she could always just toss it back. Xie Huiqing wasn't pulling rank on her anyway.

Song Weishi's worst-case plan was to just throw caution to the wind. If she angered the woman, she could always just transfer out.

Xie Huiqing just smiled, not at all upset. She explained patiently, "Sorry if I've overstepped. When I asked Xiao Yi about it earlier, she didn't say much. As an elder, I'm just a little curious. Someone as careful as her shouldn't have made such a low-level mistake."

Song Weishi understood now. Xie Yi really was overly concerned about her, but then again, Song Weishi had practically saved her life. Honestly, if the roles were reversed and someone was avoiding her like that, she'd think it strange too.

Owing someone wasn't a pleasant feeling. People with a conscience always wanted to repay their benefactors. The female lead really was a decent person—too bad that getting close to her meant getting close to danger.

Song Weishi thought about it for a moment, then gave Xie Huiqing a brief rundown of what had happened before, explaining the whole story. Once the details were laid out, things became clearer.

She said seriously, "Please help me pass a message to her. Everything I did before was just a small favor. Tell her not to overthink it. I don't need her to repay me for anything, so she shouldn't feel like she owes me. We can call it even between us. She doesn't need to keep doing this—her own safety is what matters most."

Xie Huiqing nodded, a hint of appreciation in her eyes. "Alright. I'll pass that along to her."

Song Weishi nodded, feeling as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. A smile crept onto her face.

"Oh, one more thing."

Song Weishi straightened up. "Please, go ahead."

Xie Huiqing: "You don't need to be so formal with me. You saved my sister, so we're family. There's no need to call me 'Sister Xie'. Just calling me Chief Xie sounds rather stiff."

Song Weishi was silent. This was her direct superior—if she didn't use the proper title, wasn't that just broadcasting to everyone that she had privileges?

"Chief... Sister Huiqing, can I call you that in private? I don't want to make it obvious to everyone that I'm some sort of insider."

Xie Huiqing smiled. "With your abilities, I doubt anyone would underestimate you. I've heard people from District Three are trying to poach you. Clearly, your strength earns you more respect."

Song Weishi felt a little awkward. Even if she had no intention of jumping ship, having her superior hear about people trying to poach her wasn't exactly comfortable.

Seeing her silent, Xie Huiqing said, "Of course, I'm not criticizing you. I just think it would save you a lot of trouble. But if you don't want to, follow your own instincts."

Song Weishi nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

Xie Huiqing stood up, preparing to leave. "Alright, I won't disturb you any longer. The examination has been arranged. Rest for a while, and someone will come to take you over shortly."

Song Weishi nodded and watched her leave.

Finally, there was total peace. Song Weishi leaned back on the sofa, drained the tea in one gulp, and closed her eyes to rest.

Outside, Xie Yi leaned against the wall, staring straight ahead. She didn't turn her gaze until Xie Huiqing emerged from the room.

"Come on. Let's get your wound treated."

Xie Yi's hand was still unhealed. The wound had barely closed, but it was safer to get a few stitches so the flesh wouldn't turn outward and leave a scar.

But she felt a pain in her heart like never before. Song Weishi's words stabbed into her like needles, so sharp that even the ache in her hand faded into nothing.

Even though what the other woman said was right, she still felt miserable. Song Weishi had only said the most ordinary things, yet they made Xie Yi deeply uncomfortable.

Yes, they had no relationship, just ordinary friends. But she refused to be satisfied with that. At the very least, shouldn't they be good friends?

They'd been through so much together.

The two stood outside the window, gazing at the woman inside.

Xie Huiqing: "Let's go. There's still work for you to do later."

The footsteps outside faded away. Only then did Song Weishi walk back to her room and start talking to the System.

She had no idea what kind of examination she was about to undergo, but she doubted it would be simple. She even considered whether it might detect the System.

That was clearly overthinking it. The System confidently assured her that current technology couldn't possibly detect something as otherworldly as itself. Otherwise, the two of them would have been hauled off for experimentation long ago.

Soon, a knock came from the examiner outside.

Song Weishi was escorted to the research room at the Institute. First, a specialist interviewed her, having her recount all the events from before.

The researchers attached a strange machine to her head, claiming it could sense brainwaves and monitor the brain's activity levels. But to Song Weishi, it seemed more like a lie detector. She wasn't afraid—it wasn't like she hadn't performed before.

She omitted the scenes she'd seen in her dreams, saying only that she could sense dangerous things ahead.

A sixth sense was something mysterious by nature. Her danger prediction only triggered in relation to herself, and it was unreliable—sometimes working, sometimes not. As for the specifics, even she didn't know.

What she'd said was the truth. Since discovering her precognition, she'd only experienced that one dream. She had no idea what the trigger mechanism was.

If she hadn't stopped the convoy in time last time, she would have died in that crash.

She didn't know if Xie Yi would be in danger, but if Chu Miaoxuan died, there was no guarantee she wouldn't be next.

People were fragile like that. She'd always been a mere cannon fodder, and surviving this long in this world was no small feat.

The researchers recorded everything she said. This ability only worked on herself, with no known trigger conditions, duration, or interval. All they knew was that she had this ability and it might activate at any unpredictable time.

Among the researchers, someone proposed running experiments to test the ability's trigger conditions under different variables. Song Weishi flatly refused.

The one who suggested the experiment was an older man named Zhou Liyan, a senior researcher at the institute. He wore a kindly face, but his words were anything but kind.

"Within the permitted range of conditions, why don't we run a few experiments to trigger the effect, Captain Song? I promise you, we'll ensure your safety."

He gestured to some of the captured monsters at the Institute, as if urging her to agree. Security officers were highly combat-capable, and an experiment like this would basically be training.

Song Weishi recalled the training incident with Chu Miaoxuan and thought these people really didn't value others' lives. After last time, she would never participate again.

"Sorry, but I don't think this experiment is safe, and I'm under no obligation to take part."

The Institute was firmly against forcing normal people to participate in experiments, which was why Zhou Liyan had been so roundabout in his request.

He didn't give up, though. He kept pushing, "Captain Song, I assure you, this is also a contribution to our Institute. Nothing will happen to you."

Song Weishi smiled without warmth. "Is there something wrong with your brain? How can you guarantee that? I already told you, I'm not participating. Not in experiments, and not in any future training like this either. Is that clear enough? Don't push your luck."

Zhou Liyan's face turned ashen. Everyone in the room fell silent, listening to her words.

Zhou Liyan didn't have a leg to stand on. She'd already said no, and he was still playing the reasonable mediator, urging her on. It wasn't his life on the line, so what did he care?

Among the researchers, someone secretly gave Song Weishi a thumbs-up. This kind of thing was entirely voluntary—there was no rule saying anyone had to participate.

Whether Song Weishi participated or not was entirely her own business.

"You—you! Is this research for my own benefit alone? You'd be contributing to Huihai City!"

Song Weishi: ?

She stepped forward and, before anyone could react, grabbed Zhou Liyan by the collar. "What research? I already told you this ability is unpredictable. Were you deaf when I spoke? I told you—I have no obligation to do this. If you really want to contribute to Huihai City, why don't you figure out how to cool down the temperatures elsewhere? Why don't you research how to suppress the appearance of monsters?"

Zhou Liyan was so angry his face turned green. He wasn't stronger than Song Weishi, so all he could do was flush red, grab her hand, and try to make her let go.

The people around them surged forward to mediate. A flash of insight struck Song Weishi—like she'd grabbed hold of something. Suddenly, an idea surfaced.

She released Zhou Liyan's collar without resistance. She hadn't paid much attention to this matter before, but clearly, this was the top priority.

Temperature wasn't something humans could fix—it was an environmental force majeure. But monsters, on the other hand, could be dealt with.

Finding the root cause of the mutation was the urgent task.

Suddenly, she recalled her own fever incident. She had seen Xie Yi. She'd never thought about it before, but now, thinking back, perhaps this was the main reason she had an ability.

Or rather, perhaps all mutations in animals, plants, and humans had a crucial factor: stimulation.

The little girl in the mountain village had been like that. She herself had been like that. And in the hospital, Xia Tianyue had also been like that—severely stimulated.

It caused drastic personality changes. But now, there was still a way to verify it.

"I need to see Chief Xie!"