# 279
**Chapter 279: The Captain Candidate**
"A whole year?!" Lin Qiye’s expression changed instantly. "I have to stay here for a year?"
"That’s the minimum. Observation periods for psychiatric conditions are usually long. And given your unique status, if this incident leaves any mental scars, it’ll be much harder to treat once you’ve fully grown," Doctor Li said calmly.
Lin Qiye opened his mouth, as if to argue, but found no words.
After all, in the mental asylum inside his mind, both Nyx and Merlin still hadn’t fully recovered. A year, in theory, really wasn’t that long.
"Don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of freedom during this year," Doctor Li comforted him. "We’ll convert this place into a livable room, install a TV and air conditioning—most of your needs will be met. But we can’t give you a phone. This is an extremely classified facility."
"You’ll be taken out for exercise at set times—yes, together with the criminals held in the outer areas. The Purification Chamber only has so much space, so everyone has to share. Same with the cafeteria. But don’t worry, no one can use Forbidden Ruins here, so there’s no danger."
"Then what’s the difference between me and those criminals? Aren’t we both just serving time?" Lin Qiye couldn’t help but ask.
"Of course there is," Doctor Li said matter-of-factly. "Though it sounds similar, there’s a fundamental difference between psychiatric patients and prison inmates. For example—"
Doctor Li suddenly paused, thinking for a moment. "For example… you have a TV."
Lin Qiye: …
"And you’re wearing patient clothes, not prisoner uniforms like them," Doctor Li added.
"What’s the difference?"
"There definitely is," Doctor Li nodded. "Patient clothes look better than prisoner uniforms."
"…" Lin Qiye rubbed his forehead.
"Anything else you want? Feel free to ask. After all, you’re a patient specially looked after by Commander Ye. As long as it’s reasonable, we’ll do our best to accommodate," Doctor Li said after a moment. "How about I get you a Switch? Or a PS5?"
Lin Qiye’s mouth twitched slightly. "I still think a year is too long."
"Do you have any urgent matters to attend to?" Doctor Li asked.
Lin Qiye froze.
Right… he no longer had anything he *had* to do. Cangnan was gone. Team 136 had fallen apart. His family was gone. Where could he go even if he left?
He… was completely alone now.
"No…" Lin Qiye said hoarsely.
"Then rest well here. I’ve got to get back to work." Doctor Li turned and walked toward the door. "Someone will come by later to renovate your room. If you need anything, just ring the bell. There’s always someone on duty at the research facility."
*Thud.*
Doctor Li closed the door. In the white room, only Lin Qiye remained, sitting there with his eyes closed in resignation.
…
Shangjing City, Night Watch Headquarters.
Several figures in dark red cloaks sat in a conference room, their expressions grave as they discussed something seriously.
"Commander Ye, any news about the gods of Great Xia lately?" a senior Night Watch member asked.
Ye Fan, seated at the front, shook his head. "None. Ever since Yang Jian appeared a year ago, there’s been no further news about the gods of Great Xia. Yang Jian himself has vanished without a trace. It’s as if they’ve all disappeared."
"Strange… The gods of Great Xia have finally revealed themselves, only to vanish again. Are they going to disappear for another century like before?"
"Perhaps they simply don’t want to interact with us," a senior official beside Ye Fan said slowly.
"Zuo Qing, care to elaborate?"
The man named Zuo Qing spoke again. "Yang Jian’s appearance confirmed our speculation that the gods of Great Xia do exist. So why haven’t they appeared once in the past hundred years? Two possibilities: either they’re trapped in some kind of predicament and can’t appear, or they’re deliberately avoiding our detection, keeping us on the edge of crisis to force rapid growth.
Think about it—if Great Xia had divine protection a hundred years ago, would we have Night Watch today? Would we have five Human Apex fighters capable of battling gods?"
Another senior member spoke slowly. "You’re saying… they’re training us?"
"Very likely," Zuo Qing nodded. "They don’t want us to grow dependent, so they’ve deliberately hidden their presence. Only in true crises will they intervene.
There’s an old saying—children from poor families mature early…"
"Deputy Commander Zuo, I don’t think that proverb quite fits here…" One of the officials’ mouths twitched.
"You get the idea," Zuo Qing shrugged.
"Another important matter," an elderly senior said gravely. "Over the past year, the number of mysterious incidents across the country has increased again, and their strength is growing. Ordinary teams stationed in cities can barely handle them.
With just the current special teams, we’re clearly short-handed."
"Indeed," Zuo Qing nodded. "Captain Xia Simeng of the [Phoenix] squad has called me over twenty times this month, complaining that we’re overworking them, that we’re inhumane, and that they’re ready to revolt and take over…"
"Haha, Captain Xia is as lively as ever…"
"But the overloading of special teams is a real issue. And recently, many divine kingdoms within the Mist seem to be making moves. Without a team to fulfill the role of Special Team 005, we’ll be at a severe disadvantage," another senior nodded. "Perhaps it’s urgent that we reestablish the fifth special team."
"Reforming a special team is easier said than done," someone shook their head. "And do we even have a candidate for captain?"
The conference room fell silent.
The captain is the soul of a special team. Without a reliable candidate, how could they even begin to reform the squad?
"Sigh… Though Night Watch has no shortage of young talents, someone capable of leading a special team needs more than just talent… Such people are far too rare," one senior sighed.
Just then, a voice spoke up.
"Perhaps I have a candidate."
Everyone froze and turned to look. Ye Fan swept his gaze across the room and said calmly:
"What do you think of Lin Qiye?"