“Awooo-awoo.” 

Director Ha lay on the ground. Its back leg twitched twice. It emitted a mournful cry. 

With the blessings of the damp grass and the rain that had still been drizzling when they had just returned, the flames on its body had already been put out. But its fur was scorched, its whole body giving off the smell of burned fur. It had used too much of its strength to run. Its four paws were worn out. It had used up too much strength, making it starved and thirsty. Its belly undulated weakly. From time to time, it stuck out its tongue to lick leftover water droplets from the grass. 

Its whole body hurt. Was this how bad it felt to be burned? It swore that it would never again touch bombs, never. 

“Awooooooo,” it called quietly, hoping someone could help it. 

Yu Hua gently put the tip of his foot onto Director Ha. The scorched fur slowly grew out, and Director Ha’s paws healed. 

Its drooping ears instantly stuck up. It leapt up where it was and wanted to run around happily, but it saw Yu Hua’s gaze, which seemed to be emitting death rays, and it instantly went down on the ground and didn’t get up. 

It opened its mouth, tongue hanging out, entirely playing a dead dog. The only evidence that it was still alive was its fluffy tail, placed on Junjun’s belly, which stuck up from time to time. 

You Zhengping and Yu Hua had no choice but to separate. They couldn’t even bear to take their eyes from each other’s faces; they had been separated for so many, many years. But it had also only been a few minutes. 

The real world had just gone through a great battle. The new complex where Huan Zixu had just bought an apartment had been destroyed and was now a total shambles, and it seemed that there was a crew over there filming Transformers—a giant mechanical skeleton had suddenly appeared inside the complex. There had been a pile-up by the lake on the outskirts. The recently repaired amusement park had grown a mountain. The central park, which was supposed to open tomorrow, had had a once-in-ten-thousand-years snowstorm in the beginning of autumn, freezing the whole park into a glacier and making everyone marvel. 

Fortunately Director Xiao had notified the relevant departments in a timely manner to cut off the Xuyang District’s internet and communications apparatus. Director Xiao wouldn’t have disclosed anything to outsiders, but there were memories in the minds of countless people, and videos recorded on their phones. Even the faces of the ice sculpture auxiliary policemen You Zhengping and Cen Xiao had been photographed.

Of the over three million permanent residents of the Xuyang District, at least fifty to sixty hundred thousand had witnessed these scenes or heard about them. This mess was a large one. Even if Luo Huai could remove their memories, he still couldn’t accomplish such a large workload in a short time. 

And breaking off the internet and communications for the whole district was only a stop-gap. If it lasted over an hour, it would lead to losses for the whole area’s finances, economy, and public safety. In half an hour at most, the internet and communications would have to be restored. 

Even if all the members of Huaxia’s Protection Organization were dispatched, and the government departments of the whole Xuyang District and its surrounding area, the administrative establishment of the public security authorities, the project, and the temporary staff all threw themselves into work after the event, they still would still be far from being able to resolve the problem in a short time. 

“Captain You, Huan Zixu’s special ability has awakened. He can put a mass brainwashing into action. The director has ordered us to take him to a police station to have the internet police department use internet groups to send out red packets as a means to change the ‘impressions’ of all those in the Xuyang District aware of these events. Have you arrived at the estate? Aren’t you the closest? If you’ve found Junjun, then go meet Huan Zixu right away,” Cen Xiao’s voice sounded from the communications device. 

The notice of the assignment shook You Zhengping and Yu Hua awake from the joy of their reunion. You Zhengping had to do his job, and when such a major event had taken place in the Xuyang District, the leaders of Huaxia’s Protection Organization might all assemble there. In the future, there might be half a month to a month in a row of overtime and meetings, maybe…they wouldn’t see each other. 

What could they do? You Zhengping clutched Yu Hua’s hand tightly. He absolutely didn’t want to let go. 

“I…might be very busy, I…” You Zhengping didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t get it out. 

“Why not request me to help you erase everyone’s memories and repair all the damage?” Yu Hua asked. “You know I can do that.” 

You Zhengping naturally said, “It’s Protector work.”

However powerful Yu Hua was, the Protection Organization still didn’t want to depend on the black-cloaked man, didn’t want to appeal to him for help. Earlier, even during the Destroyers’ five-sided pincer attack, the Protection Organization would have been able to hold out until support arrived and defeat the Destroyers. It was just that if Yu Hua hadn’t stepped in, more ordinary people would have been harmed, so the Protection Organization was very grateful to the black-cloaked man, willing to give him a certain level of trust, but they wouldn’t insist on him doing the follow-up work. 

This world’s Protectors were like their world’s law. They made exchanges and arrangements. They were independent and wouldn’t rely too much on a strong power, wouldn’t place all their hopes onto a single person, wouldn’t set aside their dignity to ask for his aid. But faced with goodwill and assistance, they wouldn’t obstinately reject it. They wouldn’t let emotions affect their decisions and refuse help, leading to harm to ordinary people. Even more than that, they wouldn’t burn their bridges by responding to kindness with enmity. 

They would severely punish the Destroyers encroaching upon their world. And because Zhen Li and the others had helped them, they had also accepted Zhen Li as a Protector. 

They were neither servile nor overbearing—that’s about the sort of group they were. 

“Even if you won’t ask me, I’m still going to help out.” Yu Hua extended two fingers. “First, doing this will decrease your workload, so your overtime will finish sooner and you’ll come home. Second…” 

He took out his phone and pulled up the record of the last message Huan Zixu had sent. He had told Yu Hua that the advertising company would send the advertising fees and percentage from their last livestream promotions in three months. 

It was normal in business for people to get behind on their payments, though Yu Hua had contacted the advertising company afterwards and learned that the funds would be deposited into their account in three days. 

Three days, three months… Huan Zixu’s skills at deceiving his superiors and subordinates was truly powerful. 

Yu Hua looked at the collapsed complex and smiled coldly. Such nice buildings. It was such a pity they had collapsed. 

“Don’t force yourself,” You Zhengping said. “We can take care of it.” 

Yu Hua stroked his head. “I never force myself.” 

During the days that were placid as water, waiting for Xiao You to come home from work had also been a sort of pleasure. 

Of course, waiting was dull. Oppressing the employees a little could be counted as finding joy in sorrows. 

Before coming to this world, Yu Hua had once again sealed the System, though he had gone to fifteen years later in the timeline. At this time, he had already unsealed 50%, plenty to establish new rules. 

The “rule writer” began to write in midair—

Supplemental Rule 1, Because the “common people” suffered no damage during the “conflict,” this will be seen as the “conflict” having no impact on the “common people.” Apart from injury, impact also includes perceptions, memories, and changes to the objective world (material losses caused by the “conflict” as well as visual and audio recordings) related to all elements of the “conflict.” 

Supplemental Rule 2, “Soldiers” harboring ill-intent will be deprived of their weapons after battle. 

Supplemental Rule 3, After the battle, the “common people” will be able to look directly at the “Tyrant.” 

The three rules spread through the Xuyang District following Yu Hua’s power. They melded with the rules Yu Hua had set down before and quickly changed the world. 

The collapsed new buildings incessantly restored themselves. The installations in the amusements park that had grown a small mountain returned to their places. The highway by the lake in the outskirts returned to its former condition; the overturned cars were as good as new. In the central park, the snow and ice melted and ran into the enlarged manmade lake. 

The video and audio recordings on people’s phone were deleted by a certain mysterious power, and all the ordinary people in the Xuyang District had a second of blankness. 

A second later, drivers stuck in traffic at intersections pressed on their horns, sticking their heads out windows and cursing. “Isn’t it just a rainbow after the rain has stopped? Is it worth getting out and taking pictures? Do you understand traffic regulations? You’re stopped at a red light!” 

All the people standing by the road filming were completely confused. They looked at the time on theirs phones and were instantly astonished. What was this? Had they been looking at a rainbow for an entire half hour? Were they crazy? They still had so many things to do! 

Instantly, all the people who had to pick their kids up from school, rush to dinner parties, head to work for the night shift, go on a date, go home to cook…all these assorted people returned to their original positions. The whole city began to move. 

Because they had missed half an hour, many people were late and missed appointments. They hurried to fish out their phones and call, but the Xuyang District’s internet hadn’t been connected yet. A whole crowd of people began to curse the internet. 

“You can tell Director Xiao to connect the internet, or else the relevant departments will take the heat for this,” Yu Hua said. 

“Right, right.” You Zhengping nodded repeatedly. 

He had just taken out his communions device when Cen Xiao’s voice came from it again. “Captain You, you don’t need to go meet Huan Zixu. Everything in the Xuyang District is normal. Director Xiao has already notified the relevant departments to connect the internet and the communications signal. Everyone is returning to the base for a meeting. Lian Yufan should be near you. He has a car going back to the base. Go and find him.” 

“No need to notify them.” You Zhengping put down the communications device. “But I still have to go to the meeting. Though the overtime should be short this time. I should be able to go home in two or three days.” 

Yu Hua sighed faintly. As expected, no matter the time, Cen Xiao was always such a noticeable person. Was this an innate special ability of fire type Protectors? 

“As for the business about the black-cloaked man, I…” You Zhengping looked at Yu Hua, soliciting his view. 

Yu Hua said, “I’m only an ordinary entrepreneur and a husband who takes care of domestic chores. As for when the black-cloaked man wants to tell the Protection Organization his identity, that’s up to him to decide.” 

You Zhengping understood what Yu Hua meant. But his phone rang, and he picked up. It was Lian Yufan. 

“Captain You, send me your precise location. I’ll come to pick you up,” Lian Yufan said. 

“No need, you send your location to me, I’ll go meet you.” You Zhengping put down the phone as soon as he finished talking. 

“Go on,” Yu Hua said quietly. 

“Well…I’ll support you, okay?” You Zhengping said and grabbed Yu Hua’s hand, reluctant to leave. 

“Oh?” Yu Hua’s heroic brows drew together slightly.

“Yes! My salary is actually pretty high, and they add a subsidy for going on assignment. My annual salary may not be a million, but it’s several hundred thousand. If I’m demobilized in the future, I can still get my share of a considerable settlement allowance and an 80 square meter… No, I’m of captain rank, I get a residence with an area of 100 square meters,” You Zhengping said somewhat awkwardly. “So my salary is actually pretty high. I have over three million saved. It’s enough to pay back the mortgage early, and there’ll still be income afterwards.” 

“So?” The more Yu Hua heard, the more he thought that the Protection Organization’s remuneration was indeed good.

“So there’s absolutely no need for you to work. I can support you! You can just stay at home and cook for me!” You Zhengping quickly finished saying this, kissed Yu Hua’s face, picked up the unconscious Guan Shaoguang and Junjun, and ran off like a streak of smoke. 

“Aw-aw-aw-awoo!” Seeing You Zhengping carrying Junjun away, Director Ha, who had been playing dead, leapt up and chased after with its leash in its mouth. 

When they passed the estate’s sentry post, the property manager stuck his head out. “Young officer, didn’t I say that Junjun didn’t leave the estate? Hey, where are you taking him? Whose husky is that walking itself? How was it trained?” 

In the estate that had once again taken on an atmosphere of life, Yu Hua lifted the corners of his mouth, then once again became grave. 

What was the good of being supported? 

Well, it did sound nice. 

---

Author's Note

The long unseen little theater—

Yu Hua: Xiao You is working overtime, I’m unhappy, I’ll go torture the employees. 

Yu Hua: Xiao You wants to support me, I’m happy, I’ll go torture the employees. 

Yu Hua: How should I torture the employees? 

Yu Hua looking at the collapsed building: No, this building can’t collapse. If it collapses, I don’t have an excuse. 

Therefore, the collapsed buildings rise up in place. 

Huan Zixu: Did I fucking rescue the new complex’s developers and owners?