# 989
Chapter 990: The Old King and the New King
For a moment, Li Zhenzhen began to wonder if she was the one who was a guest in this courtyard house.
"Shen… Shen Instructor好."
"This isn't the training camp. No need to be so stiff." Shen Qingzhu extinguished his cigarette and smiled at Li Zhenzhen. "Would you like an apple? I'll wash one for you?"
"No need." Li Zhenzhen waved in flustered gratitude, looking around the courtyard with some confusion. "Where's Instructor Lin? Why don't I see him?"
"Qiye? He's in the innermost room with Instructor Yuan, discussing something."
……
Inside the clean wing room.
Lin Qiye sat on the edge of the bed, gently holding Jialan's hand as she slept, and slowly closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh.
"…I understand." Yuan Gang, expression complex, spoke up beside him. "You want her to stay here temporarily."
"Yes." Lin Qiye nodded slightly. "No one knows what fate awaits our squad once the war begins. Bringing her along is too dangerous… Besides, she's only sleeping. I can't exactly put her in a coffin and carry her around.
I've thought about it for a long time. Leaving her here really is the safest option.
I'll leave a caretaker here to look after her. Once the war ends, or when I find a way to wake her up, I'll come back to take her with me."
"No problem." Yuan Gang nodded slightly. "We have plenty of spare rooms here. Not just for her—you all should stay here instead of returning to the training camp these next few days. New Year's is coming soon. More people means more liveliness."
"…Alright then."
Lin Qiye's group had no residence in Shangjing City, only the training camp dorms to stay in temporarily. Now that it was the holiday period, they couldn't be bothered to go back. Since the 006 Squad's station could accommodate them, staying for a few days was certainly an option.
Lin Qiye summoned a golden-haired female caretaker with a wave of his hand, gave her instructions to care for Jialan, then walked out of the room together with Yuan Gang.
"Qiye! Instructor Yuan! Food's ready!"
Baili Pangpang carried plates out from the kitchen. Seeing the two men, he called out.
Everyone took their seats.
"Where's Uncle Shao? Why isn't he here?"
Noticing Shao Pingge's seat was empty, Li Zhenzhen asked in confusion.
Yuan Gang's hand paused mid-motion, chopsticks夹着菜, and after a moment of silence, he said, "He's away on a business trip. He won't be back for a while."
"Oh…"
Li Zhenzhen seemed somewhat disappointed.
The members of the Night Watch Squad all glanced at Lin Qiye, who was埋头吃饭, not speaking.
"To celebrate the Night Watch Squad's complete victory in annihilating Takamagahara—cheers!" Zhang Zhengting stood up from his seat, raising his beer high, and said first.
"Cheers!!"
"……"
After the lively dinner, they drew lots to assign dish-washing duty. Lucky Lin Qiye managed to avoid it through cheating… Oh, through luck. He sat leisurely in the corridor of the courtyard, munching on sunflower seeds.
An Qingyu, bringing Jiang Er along, sat down beside him and grabbed a handful of seeds.
"Qiye, what exactly is going to happen in Shangjing City? You can tell us now, right? Is it related to Shao Pingge?"
"You guessed it?" Lin Qiye said, surprised.
"Let's just say I had an idea." An Qingyu exchanged a glance with Jiang Er and smiled faintly. "When we were in Shangjing City before, I noticed something… The order in Shangjing City is very particular.
Because the population gathered here is too large, the rate at which 'Mysticals' appear is much faster than in other cities. If Squad 006 pursued the strategy of clearing every 'Mystical' as it appeared, the difficulty would be way too high.
So the strategy Shangjing City uses to handle 'Mysticals' isn't 'clearing them out,' but 'deterring' them.
A single absolutely powerful existence sits above Shangjing, like a monarch, suppressing tangible enemies with intangible deterrence. All 'Mysticals' appearing in Shangjing City must obey the order created by this 'King.' Once someone crosses the line, they will be 'slain' by the 'King.' Over time, the 'Mysticals' in Shangjing City will enter a state of total silence.
Achieving victory through inaction,
This is the truth behind Shangjing City's peace and tranquility.
And the White Impermanence, Shao Pingge, is the 'King' who sits above Shangjing City."
"That's right. It's exactly as you said." Lin Qiye nodded.
An Qingyu contemplated for a moment, then still asked the question in her heart:
"But once the war comes, Squad 006 will be disassembled and dispatched to the front lines. Shao Pingge will no longer be able to guard Shangjing City.
Without the 'King' guarding the city, the countless 'Mysticals' in their silent state will inevitably become active again. By then, this flourishing, massive modern metropolis will become a paradise for demons and monsters…
If Shangjing City falls, the consequences would be unimaginable.
What should be done about this?"
Lin Qiye cracked open some seeds, poured the shells onto the plate, and calmly said:
"The 'Mysticals' within Shangjing City are very difficult to completely clear out. So this 'deterrence-based' approach won't change… The only thing that might change is the 'King' who guards this city."
"You mean, after the old King leaves, a new King will come to guard Shangjing?" An Qingyu suddenly understood. "So the major event about to happen in Shangjing City is the transfer of power from the old King to the new one? But how exactly will this be done?
And who is the new King?"
……
Midnight.
The city's lights extinguished bit by bit, leaving only the orange streetlights, like soft ribbons coiled across the earth, quietly radiating their glow.
Atop a pitch-black high-rise building, two figures stood on the rooftop, gazing down at the dim city below. A dark crimson cloak, an old military coat, both swaying gently in the cold night wind.
"What exactly should I do?" Chen Han turned to look at Shao Pingge beside him.
"Establish dominance." Shao Pingge said calmly. "Within this city, countless 'Mysticals' are hidden. Right now, they behave themselves and hide in various places, not daring to act rashly, all because they fear me.
If you want to take my place and deter these 'Mysticals,' you must make them feel absolute fear toward you as well.
And this kind of fear, relying solely on the pressure of realm and strength, is far from enough…"
"I understand." Chen Han's eyes narrowed slightly, speaking in a low voice. "I need to use slaughter to create fear."
"Simple slaughter won't work either." Shao Pingge shook his head. "It's like raising a dog. If you want to teach it that it can't relieve itself indoors, you need to beat it hard every time it does its business at home. Over time, it will understand that home is not a place for that.
Children who make mistakes need to be beaten. Children who behave get candy.
Only this way will they know what they can do and what they cannot do…
Only this way can you establish your own order here."