When his husband hugged him, You Zhengping felt a chill spread from his waist to his limbs. A wild animal’s instinct told You Zhengping that something was wrong. 

Why would he feel such a sense of crisis? 

He had always trusted his sixth sense. In actual combat exercises, this sort of feeling had many times helped You Zhengping discover traps and escape being blown sky high. He quickly used his brain, wildly glancing all around out of the corner of his eye, and finally saw Lian Yufan openly wearing those light gray pants. 

When he heard Yu Hua invite Lian Yufan to eat, You Zhengping immediately hiccuped, forced a smile, and shook his head, refusing. “There’s no need, is there? We don’t know each other very well…” 

“What do you mean, we don’t know each other well?” Yu Hua said, smiling. “You’re my family member, you and Cen Xiao have been best friends for years, Cen Xiao knows my boss, and Director Lian is a new staff member who came over on purpose to take care of things for Cen Xiao and President Zhen. Our connections are clear. We can sit down to a late night snack together to get closer. It can count as team building for our new company. Right, President Zhen?” 

“Right, right!” When the great master spoke, Zhen Li didn’t care not to follow his lead. He nodded in agreement and said to Lian Yufan, “Director Lian, thank you for taking the trouble to come. Let’s go eat.” 

“Why don’t we call Director Yuan, too? Does he know about Director Lian?” Yu Hua took out his phone, pretending he was asking a casual question. 

“Well… Director Yuan…does he…know?” How would Zhen Li know whether Lian Yufan had mentioned this to Yuan Luori? He quickly shot a glance at Lian Yufan, deliberately avoiding You Zhengping and Cen Xiao’s gazes. As far as Zhen Li knew, You and Cen were ordinary people! 

Lian Yufan, however, calmly said, “I’ve heard President Zhen mention this Director Yuan, but I’ve never seen him.” 

What he meant was that Yuan Luori had no idea about any new employee. Zhen Li said, “If you didn’t reach out to him, then he doesn’t know. After all, I haven’t mentioned it.” 

“Then I’ll call him.” Yu Hua quickly dialed the number, not giving anyone a chance to stop him. 

Yuan Luori’s phone was currently in the hands of a specialist. His System had been deleted by the black-cloaked man. To determine the truth of this, the Protection Organization was performing a comprehensive analysis of it. 

“His phone is off,” Yu Hua said, hanging up. “It seem that we won’t be able to invite Director Yuan tonight. Let’s do it another time if there’s a chance.” 

Lian Yufan deliberated stood closer to Yu Hua, stepping forward with the stained pant leg. He extended a hand towards him. “Director Yu, we’ll be colleagues from now on.” 

You Zhengping saw his movement and was so scared his heart nearly stopped beating. In a flash, he appeared in front of Yu Hua, taking Yu Hua’s place in shaking Lian Yufan’s hand, saying, “I’m Yu Hua’s husband. You’ll be working together at the same company now, so I’d like you to look after him.” 

As he spoke, You Zhengping avoided the others’ gazes, wildly throwing looks at Lian Yufan, blinking so hard he was about to go cross-eyed, mouthing the word “pants.” 

Yu Hua saw You Zhengping scramble to shake hands with Director Lian first. With a faint warm smile, he said, “My husband is very concerned about me. It’s a little embarrassing.” 

Lian Yufan threw off You Zhengping’s hand, ignored his looks, pushed him aside, and took another step towards Yu Hua. It was as if he was scared Yu Hua wouldn’t see the pants. 

You Zhengping, having been pushed aside: “…” 

If he had the chance, he was definitely going to break Lian Yufan’s legs! 

Cen Xiao, who had worked with You Zhengping for many years, grasped his meaning. He said, “Eating a late night snack together is a great idea, but I have to change out of this uniform. When I’m not on duty, I can’t wear the uniform to dining, karaoke, or dancing establishments. Could you all come with me while I change?” 

His civilian clothes were at the police station, and he had to return the police-issue motor scooter. During this process, many things could be done. 

Cen Xiao went on ahead on his motor scooter, and Yu Hua and You Zhengping took Zhen Li and Lian Yufan. You Zhengping would sit in the passenger’s seat, and the other two in the back. 

You Zhengping quickly ran to the side of the car and opened the driver’s side door for Yu Hua. 

Yu Hua looked at his husband and got into the driver’s seat. 

You Zhengping quickly opened the door to the backseat, invited Zhen Li to get in, then pushed Lian Yufan inside, simultaneously saying in his politest voice, “Please get in, Director Lian.” 

Lian Yufan: “…”

When Lian Yufan had taken his seat, he received a message from Cen Xiao: Take it easy, I’m having a new pair of pants sent to the police bureau. Find an excuse to go to the bathroom to change. 

When they reached the police bureau, Lian Yufan cooperatively said, “May I use the restroom?” 

“Of course,” You Zhengping, as an auxiliary police squad captain, quickly said. “I’ll take you.” 

Yu Hua looked at You Zhengping and politely said, “My new colleague is inconveniencing you.” 

“Not at all.” You Zhengping smiled stiffly. 

Lian Yufan got out of the backseat, and You Zhengping followed from the passenger’s seat. Yu Hua, sitting in the driver’s seat, shouldn’t have had an opportunity to notice the pants. 

Yu Hua watched through the front windshield as Cen, Lian, and You went into the police bureau, a thoughtful look on his face. 

Seeing there was no one in the car, Zhen Li quickly said, “Director Yu, Lian Yufan is…” 

“Shh.” Yu Hua put his index finger to his lips, preventing Zhen Li from speaking with his gesture. 

From this movement alone, Zhen Li understood that Yu Hua knew what was going on. He quickly added, “Yuan Luori doesn’t know yet, I can’t get in contact with him, we…” 

As before, Yu Hua prevented Zhen Li from speaking. He opened the driver’s side window and put his arm on it, sticking his head out slightly. There was a faint night breeze blowing. He looked at the sky and said, “It’s so late, and there are still sparrows flying around. Don’t birds have poor eyesight at night?” 

Sparrows? Zhen Li doubtfully looked outside and saw a sparrow flying up to the car and landing on Yu Hua’s arm. Yu Hua stroked the sparrow’s head, took out a “vitamin,” and fed it to the sparrow. The sparrow, which normally wouldn’t have approached a human or taken food from one, obediently ate the medicine. Its eyes wavered, and it fell asleep. 

Yu Hua got out of the car with the sparrow in one hand and opened the trunk. At some point, a birdcage had been placed in the trunk of the car. 

Zhen Li: “!!!” 

The foundation item that Yuan Luori had used to link his vision had been a birdcage. When Yu Hua had removed the power of his System and severed his vision link to the three animals, the birdcage should have turned into a useless basket. The Protection Organization had found a broken birdcage while cleaning up the battlefield and brought it back to the base for research. After confirming that the said birdcage had in fact become a normal basket, they had destroyed it. 

Why would the birdcage be here? Zhen Li got out of the car and looked at it closely. This wasn’t Yuan Luori’s broken birdcage, it was a new one. 

Yu Hua put the sparrow in the birdcage. The sparrow was sleeping peacefully. The instant his hand touched the birdcage, Zhen Li saw a faint energy ball soak into the birdcage. 

Zhen Li understood. The birdcage was like the phone, only a vehicle for the System’s power. The important thing wasn’t the vehicle; it was the power Yu Hua had removed! If Yu Hua could take away Yuan Luori’s vision link ability, then naturally he could also reassign it. 

And now, he had put the sleeping sparrow in the new vision linking birdcage, and he was shutting the trunk! 

Zhen Li’s heart trembled fiercely as the trunk lid came down. Was Yuan Luori…still all right? 

After closing the trunk, Yu Hua handed Zhen Li a piece of paper. This paper was identical to the the public relations script that You Zhengping had given him before, but the writing was different. If Zhen Li burned or tore this paper along with the public relations script one day, no one would suspect the contents of this paper. They would think it was the public relations script. 

But the first sentence written on this paper was: Take the birdcage after we eat. 

Afterwards came Yu Hua’s orders for Zhen Li. He wanted Zhen Li to use the sparrow to send Yuan Luori some information so that Yuan Luori wouldn’t be unprepared and take Lian Yufan for a normal person and speak out of turn. 

Zhen Li memorized the contents and carefully put this paper together with the public relations statement from before, then put them into his pocket. 

They didn’t get back into the car. Yu Hua stood leaning against the car, looking towards the police bureau’s gates, quietly waiting for You Zhengping to come out. There was a hint of gloom in his eyes. 

Zhen Li couldn’t understand the great master’s despondence, but he could see how important You Zhengping was to him. In spite of himself, he asked, “Director Yu, why do you need to go to so much trouble? Really, you could very easily…” 

He didn’t know how to express his idea. Zhen Li thought that Yu Hua was the mighty and unrivaled clearer. With his strength, even the System had to give way to avoid conflict. That being the case, why did Yu Hua had to go to such pains to conceal his identity. In reality, couldn’t he openly work with the Protectors, or even order the Protectors to do things with no problem? 

“Because I’m only an ordinary person,” Yu Hua answered. 

He had spent fifteen years in this world as an ordinary person without powers or items. Relying only on the body and intelligence of an ordinary person, he had studied, worked, married, bought an apartment, lived a commonplace but peaceful life. He had gone to sleep every day with no need to worry that someone might try to kill him while he slept. When he opened his eyes, there was no need to worry about whether he could survive the next world. 

He lived steadily and practically. The System’s assignments, the arrival of the levelers, for Yu Hua, these were temporary deviations of his peaceful life from its orbit. When he had eliminated the levelers threatening this world, gotten rid of the System, his powers would vanish. Then Yu Hua would once again be an ordinary person, and the Protectors would retire, each finding new work. Everything would return to its original orbit, just like before. 

If anyone knew his identity, even when the dust settled, he might still be unable to return to his original orbit, losing the tranquility of the last fifteen years. 

In the same way, if he knew You Zhengping’s identity, he would inevitably have dealings with the Protection Organization and perhaps protect them. That way, he could also lose his original life. 

He was an ordinary person. He could only be an ordinary person. He had to be an ordinary person. 

Yu Hua opened his palm, then tightly closed it, as if using all his strength to grasp his sole obsession. 

—

As soon as they came into the restroom, You Zhengping pushed Lian Yufan against a wall and angrily said, “Why did you keep those pants? Why didn’t you throw away something that could expose your identity like this? Even if you had a reason for keeping them, you still shouldn’t wear them at random!” 

“I deliberately threw them in among my clothes,” Lian Yufan said sternly in the face of You Zhengping’s fury. “I wanted to make myself choose these pants to wear at random, so I might wear them any time.” 

“What are you counting on? Counting on them to reveal your identity?” You Zhengping said. 

“Yes!” Lian Yufan said firmly. “I’m counting of the fact that they can reveal my identity at any time, reveal that I was the Protector at the amusement park that day!” 

Cen Xiao stood to one side with his arms crossed. He was calmer than the lovesick You Zhengping. Pulling Captain You away, he said to Lian Yufan, “Why do you have to run that risk?”

“Because there’s still a Destroyer out there whose identity we don’t know, hiding in some unknown place!” Lian Yufan said. “That day in the amusement park, everyone saw how powerful the black-cloaked man was. Ask yourselves, if we faced him head-on, would we be able to stand up to him for a single battle?” 

The two of them were silent. Cen Xiao thought about it for a while, then said, “If we understand him ahead of time and set traps, concentrate our forces, we may have hope.” 

Lian Yufan said, “You say we need to understand him, but right now he’s in hiding and we’re out in the open. I can’t relax this way. So I kept these pants, which can clearly identity me. As soon as someone notices there’s something wrong with these pants and thinks that I may be a Protector, then he might be the black-cloaked man.” 

“You want to use yourself as bait? That’s dangerous,” Cen Xiao said. 

“I know it’s dangerous, but if I can make him slip up, I believe it’s worth it,” Lian Yufan said firmly. 

“I accept your explanation, but why did you keep flashing those pants around in front of Yu Hua just now?” You Zhengping said, clenching his teeth. “He’s so attentive, he’ll definitely recognize those as my pants. Are you trying to bring about a crisis in my household?” 

You Zhengping couldn’t tell his comrade in arms that his husband had lately been indulging in revenge dramas about wives tearing apart their husbands and he was afraid these pants would bring about a murder case. 

“It’s precisely because he’s attentive that I made him look,” Lian Yufan said. “The investigation is over, but I’ve still been unable to let go of my suspicions of Yu Hua. Today really was a coincidence, but I was using my movements to attract his notice just now, and if he doesn’t notice, then there’s a problem!” 

“You’re pretty persistent. So why did you agree to change pants?” Cen Xiao held back You Zhengping, who was angry enough to start throwing punches. 

After putting on the new black pants, Lian Yufan said, “Because the difference in color is very obvious. If he doesn’t mention it after coming home, then he’s hiding something.” 

He left, wearing the new pants, and Cen Xiao took You Zhengping after him. 

“I know what he’s doing is very disturbing for you,” Cen Xiao said, consoling, “but there’s some sense in it. Why don’t we cooperate with him and try one more time?” 

If they tried one more time, his household might collapse… You Zhengping couldn’t tell Cen Xiao that Yu Hua was currently in a paranoid state of mind; everyone looked like an adulterer to him. 

Anyway, Lian Yufan had already walked out of the police bureau. He went up to Yu Hua and politely said, “Boss, Director Yu, I’m sorry for making you wait.” 

You and Cen came running over right after him. You Zhengping nervously kept his eyes on Yu Hua, not knowing whether he should hope he noticed the pants or hope he didn’t notice. 

But Yu Hua paid no attention to Lian Yufan. He looked down at his phone and said, “Where are we going to eat? What are we eating?” 

“Let’s eat at a seafood stall!” Zhen Li suggested. “On a summer evening, you should eat seafood and barbecue and drink some iced beer.” 

It was the beginning of June, so even at night it was warm. Eating indoors was in fact kind of stuffy. 

The five of them accepted President Zhen’s proposal and went to a night market’s food stalls, chose one, sat down, and ordered quite a lot of high-calorie food. Of the five of them three were special ability users who weren’t afraid of getting fat, one was Zhen Li with his alternate dimension stomach, and only Yu Hua persisted in not using special abilities to consume food, persisted in relying on his body’s digestion, persisted in using exercise to maintain the physique that fascinated You Zhengping. He was worried about getting fat and couldn’t eat a lot. 

Everyone ordered a pile of skewers and seafood and gorged themselves, while Yu Hua reservedly took a vegetable roll and ate it slowly. The others held up large glasses of beer, but Yu Hua still had to drive and only asked for a cup of plain water. 

“Hey!” Lian Yufan “accidentally” dropped a crayfish on his pants, attracting Yu Hua’s attention. 

Cen Xiao and You Zhengping bent their heads and ate wildly, deliberately not looking at Lian Yufan. Zhen Li gave his new director a napkin and said, “How lucky that the pants are black. You should be able to wash it off.” 

Hearing the word “black,” Yu Hua didn’t comment. He elegantly picked up some roasted enoki mushrooms and put them in his mouth, pretending he hadn’t heard. 

Lian Yufan’s suspicions became even stronger. He said, “Director Yu, are there wipes in your car? I want to try rubbing it off.” 

Yu Hua sighed. He had convinced himself to pretend not to have seen, pretend not to know, but Lian Yufan kept provoking him, and he truly was having a hard time bearing it. 

“I didn’t bring any wipes,” Yu Hua said calmly. “Director Yuan, I remember you were wearing light gray pants before. Why are you wearing black ones now?” 

“What? Oh, that’s right, I’ve just noticed you’ve changed your pants. When did that happen?” Zhen Li asked belatedly, as the only person who wasn’t in the know. 

“Oh, I noticed at the police bureau that there was a stain on my pants, so I borrowed a pair from Officer You,” Lian Yufan said. 

The originally restrained Yu Hua suddenly picked up You Zhengping’s glass of beer and drained it in one gulp. Looking directly at Lian Yufan, he said, “Then he must have borrowed them from Cen Xiao, because those aren’t his pants. I buy all of his clothes, and I didn’t buy those.” 

You Zhengping put down the lamb skewer he had been chewing on and stared blankly at Yu Hua. 

“Oh, I see,” Lian Yufan said, not giving up. “I thought they were Officer You’s. We’re about the same height and build. At the police bureau just now, he said he also has a pair of light gray pants like mine.” 

“Now that is a coincidence.” Yu Hua refilled the glass and gulped down a big mouthful of beer. 

“Stop drinking, your alcohol tolerance isn’t high.” You Zhengping was getting more and more panicked. He took Yu Hua’s hand, keeping him from drinking anymore. 

Yu Hua held You Zhengping’s hand in response. His face was slightly red from the stimulus of the alcohol. With eyes that were slightly hazy from tipsiness, he looked at You Zhengping as though waiting for him to speak. 

“I…” 

You Zhengping was about to speak when he saw Yu Hua kiss the hand he was holding tightly and gently say, “How about I go learn embroidery?” 

You Zhengping: “?”

“I can’t buy you limited edition pants, but when I’ve learned embroidery, I can embroider a different design on all your pants. Each will be unique,” Yu Hua said drunkenly. 

Lian Yufan, Cen Xiao, and Zhen Li: “…” 

They’d had enough! 

---

Author's Note

Lian Yufan: I have a question. Why is it that every time I investigate Yu Hua’s identity, I get force-fed dog food? 

Cen Xiao: Even if you don’t investigate, you still have to eat it. Get used to it.