“Don’t be scared, Junjun, dad is here.” The criminal police captain comforted the child according to Director Xiao’s instructions. He wanted to ensure that You and Cen’s actions wouldn’t be hampered by the child’s fear. 

The little boy Junjun saw his dad on the shore and instantly began to wail loudly. “Dad! Dad!” 

“Don’t let him move,” Director Xiao ordered. “At a time like this, the best thing he can do for the two of them is not to move.” 

The criminal police captain had weathered the elements, but seeing that his own son had become a hostage, he couldn’t keep from trembling all over. His forehead was covered in sweat, but he had to endure his fear and call across the distance to his son, “Junjun, do you remember playing the ‘wooden man’ game with dad? Dad called ‘1, 2, 3,’ and you closed your eyes and didn’t move until I touched you. If you win, I’ll take you out for hamburgers, fried chicken, and fries!” 

Fortunately the criminal police captain’s son was a sturdy child. While he didn’t understand, he knew that his dad was prompting him. Crying, Junjun said, “I also want to drink coke.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll get everything! Don’t move, I’m going to count. 1, 2, 3, wooden man!” the criminal police captain called in the steadiest voice he could manage. 

The little boy obediently closed his eyes. His tears kept flowing, but he wasn’t moving. 

Seeing that the work of comforting was done, You Zhengping, standing on the shore, jumped up and strode towards the center of the lake over the water. 

At this moment, the whole park was encircled by the Protection Organization. The criminal police captain was the only one not aware of the circumstances. He saw the ordinarily sloppy and indolent You Zhengping walking on water like a martial arts master in a TV drama, stepping on the surface of the lake as though it were level ground. His eyes opened wide in shock, but at the same time he felt a sliver of hope. 

No matter what kind of people You Zhengping and Cen Xiao were, if they possessed this kind of power, his Junjun would definitely be all right. 

At the moment You Zhengping stepped out onto the water, the phone Director Xiao was holding rang. This wasn’t Director Xiao’s phone. It had been left behind at the time of the explosion by the Destroyer who said he had passed 192 levels (provisional form of address Destroyer 192). He had stolen someone’s phone and was using it to keep in long-distance contact with the Protection Organization. 

The Protection Organization was using high-tech means to locate Destroyer 192, but a phone with the System app on it had strong disruptive abilities. They had no way to locate it. This made the Destroyers secure in the knowledge of their own safety. 

Director Xiao picked up the phone, and the altered voice came through the speaker. “Ah, I already gave you a choice, and you still want to save him. Well, don’t blame me for being rude.” 

As he spoke, the little sunshade cap on the boy’s head exploded with a bang! 

You Zhengping, still racing towards the center of the lake, couldn’t get there immediately, but he stayed calm. When he had heard the phone ringing, he had already started to act. 

His spatial ability had gone through many years of training. He could deploy three spaces that could hold a person. 

Among them, there was a space that You Zhengping maintained constantly. Inside were hidden heat weapons, high-voltage stun guns, and some different types of energy, which made him into a walking weapons cache who could support his teammates at any time; no matter where or when, he could instantly transition into battle mode. Precisely because of this ability, You Zhengping had to maintain mental steadiness. At the least slip, the energy and weapons stored in the space would be released and harm the surroundings. 

Before, You Zhengping had gone through all kinds of extreme sports and special training without being able to control his emotions, and Director Xiao had been prepared to abandon the walking weapons cache plan. Everyone hoped that You Zhengping could control this ability, but if he really couldn’t, while they regretted it, they had to put a stop to the plan. 

Yu Hua’s unexpected appearance had let You Zhengping smoothly control his ability. This was the reason that the Protection Organization was willing to protect Yu Hua even if it meant making him a prisoner, and why they couldn’t let the two of them break up. He was too important to You Zhengping. 

You Zhengping’s second space was mostly used to catch enemies (he had used it when dealing with Zhen Li) and conceal teammates for stealth activities. He didn’t normally use this space, only releasing it during battles. The second space could move not more than a hundred meters away from You Zhengping; past a hundred meters, it would open automatically. 

The third space was the one he had figured out the use of on his own during the fight with Yuan Luori. When You Zhengping had seen Yu Hua “injured” on the ground, he had wanted to go up into the sky to fight a battle to the death with Yuan Luori, who had been floating on a poison bubble. To go up, You Zhengping had flattened the space that could only hold one person into a transparent flight of steps for him to put his feet on, creating a stairway to the heavens. 

This space could only make a ladder two meters long, but while You Zhengping was in physical contact with it, he could constantly change its position and shape. When he had walked from the lowest to the highest step, he could raise the space, the highest step under his foot becoming the lowest. Cycling it like this, he could ascend to the sky. 

This seemed to be an unscientific, irrational cycling of a natural resource, but in reality, as long as there was enough power to support it, it could be realized. 

You Zhengping walking freely on the water as though it were level ground was also a use of the third space. This was a space that could change shape and remain invisible. 

The instant the phone rang, You Zhengping was still over fifty meters away from the little boy. No matter what, he couldn’t get there before the bomb went off. But when he heard the phone, You Zhengping made a movement as though he were throwing air. 

Of course what he was throwing wasn’t air; it was the second space, which held Cen Xiao. 

Special ability users could absorb energy from the outside world; their instantaneous force far surpassed the average person’s. Tossing a grown man at the speed of throwing a shot put wasn’t a problem. 

At the same time that the cap exploded, Cen Xiao had flown to the air above the boy’s head. He didn’t know what was happening outside the space, but Cen Xiao trusted You Zhengping. 

What they had settled on beforehand was that no matter what, if You Zhengping opened the space, that was the moment for Cen Xiao to control the fire and heat from the explosion while protecting the little boy! 

Cen Xiao was dizzy from flying through the air, but that didn’t impact his ability to grab the little boy beneath him when the space opened. The little boy, after his father’s comforting, didn’t struggle or move around, letting Cen Xiao grab him precisely. 

In the chaos, Cen Xiao wasn’t sure where the explosion was, so he used his thoughts to tightly lock down the thermal energy and fire around him. No matter where the fire was, Cen Xiao had to immediately fling it under the nearby water! 

The fire created by the cap exploding was used by Cen Xiao. He held the little boy tightly in his arms, and the cap only exploded when it had been flung three to four meters under the water by the fire. The underwater impact overturned the little boat, and Cen Xiao and the little boy both fell into the water. 

“Huh?” There was some astonishment in the voice over the phone. “Truly worthy of the world that destroyed countless levelers, your abilities are strong, but…is it safe underwater? The radius of my bomb is fifty meters. With such a frightening impact, can you be totally certain of protecting the little boy?” 

After falling in the water, Cen Xiao tore the glass bottle off the little boy and threw it at the water. You Zhengping arrived on time, caught the glass bottle, and used the second space that had just held Cen Xiao to collect the shining bottle that was just about to explode. 

All weapons in You Zhengping’s spaces would be reduced to a tenth of their power. The radius of the explosion was reduced from fifty meters to five. With You Zhengping’s abilities, he could definitely withstand an assault like this. 

But he did have to suffer some internal injury. 

During the explosion, the vibration frequency of the second space was different from the air around it. You could clearly see a clear space the size of a coffin shaking violently, and You Zhengping, on the surface of the water, was using his own energy to compress the might of the explosion inside the space. It amounted to him bearing the entire five-meter radius explosion by himself. 

The shaking continued for a minute before ending. You Zhengping coughed up a mouthful of blood. He couldn’t maintain the third space and fell into the water. 

Cen Xiao held the little boy with one arm and with the other hoisted You Zhengping over his shoulder, swimming at full force towards the surface of the water. The boat had overturned and couldn’t be used again. It all depended on Cen Xiao now. 

“Huh?” Destroyer 192 was once again astonished. “I was starting to take you seriously, but do you know what? In my game space, everything is a weapon.” 

As he spoke, one of the goldfish kept in the lake swam up alongside Cen Xiao and touched Cen Xiao’s waist with its mouth. The goldfish blew up like a balloon. 

Cen Xiao was very sensitive towards fire power. He felt something was wrong when the goldfish approached and quickly wrapped it up in a fireball. But they were in the water, and Cen Xiao’s power was extremely inhibited by the water. His reaction was fast enough, but the weakened flames couldn’t entirely block the force of the goldfish, which was like a small-scale bomb. A fist-sized chuck of flesh was blown up out of the left side of his waist. 

Fresh blood spilled out, attracting more goldfish. Enduring the sharp pain, Cen Xiao looked and saw that they were already surrounded by hundreds of goldfish. 

“Wake up.” Cen Xiao raised the little boy to his shoulder so the child wouldn’t choke and freed up a hand to pat You Zhengping’s face. “Hold on a bit, work with me.” 

The apparently unconscious You Zhengping slowly opened his eyes and got a petrol bomb out of his first space. 

You Zhengping didn’t look at his surroundings. He threw the petrol bomb right up into the air and detonated it. When the petrol bomb exploded, it would send a layer of flame shooting in all directions. Cen Xiao could precisely control these flames. Enduring the pain at his waist, he concentrated his mental energy and separated the flames into hundreds of parts, accurately attacking the goldfish in the water around him. 

In order to attack a target in the water, a petrol bomb could include a reactive metal within the napalm. After combining with the water, it would expel hydrogen gas to intensify the combustion and wouldn’t be obstructed by water. 

With this assistance, Cen Xiao, as though he had received divine aid, at once locked on the hundreds of goldfish bombs, firmly controlling the flames and splashes around them. 

Countless little splashes exploded at once. The little boy Junjun closely observed the criminal police captain’s orders, not moving and not opening his eyes. Though he was afraid, he forced himself to bear it. And because of his cooperation, Cen Xiao and You Zhengping were able to put their powers to good use. 

Destroyer 192 said, “Huh? That truly exceeds my expectations. You have some skills. No wonder you were bold enough to refuse my request. But…” 

“No more ‘but’s,” Director Xiao said coldly. “Your so-called game space is the manmade lake, right? Though I don’t know what means you’re using, only the items and living things in the lake will become bombs.” 

Director Xiao raised his hand slightly, and the center of the lake opened. A stream of water wrapped around You Zhengping, Cen Xiao, and the little boy, taking the three of them from the parted water to the shore. 

As soon as they touched the ground, medical personnel immediately came up to treat Cen Xiao and You Zhengping’s injuries. The criminal police captain, meanwhile, hugged the little boy, kissing his son’s face. Now that the calamity was past, he said, “Good Junjun, you can move now. You’ve so brave, dad is proud of you!” 

The little boy opened his eyes. Seeing his dad’s familiar face, he couldn’t hold back. He burst into tears with a howl. As he cried, he said, “I also want ice cream! Wah!” 

“I’ll buy you some, I’ll buy you everything!” The criminal police captain kissed his son’s face again and again. 

“Director, you took your time. I’m in so much pain.” Cen Xiao held his injured and water-logged side, his lips pale from blood loss.

“I was training you, giving you some practice in cooperation.” Director Xiao crouched down and said, “Do you know what a Destroyer is now?” 

“I understand,” You Zhengping said, slowly opening his eyes as he lay on the ground. 

Before, he and Cen Xiao had only heard of Destroyers but had never come in contact with them. They had been trained and thought they were very strong; they weren’t afraid of any enemy. 

But two encounters with Destroyers had made the young Protectors understand that however strong they were, it was still hard to protect everyone. The Protectors’ power had to be ten, a hundred times more stronger than the Destroyers’ to protect this world. 

Having a space that could hold a person wasn’t enough, and being able to control all the flames around you wasn’t enough. You had to be as strong as Director Xiao, who could casually control all the energy within a district to do battle with the Destroyers and their endless combat methods. 

“You weren’t injured for nothing. I already know what type of ability Destroyer 192 has,” Director Xiao comforted his two subordinates. 

Director Xiao could very well have rescued the little boy in the lake. Water was his dominion. So why hadn’t he acted? Because he couldn’t tell what Destroyer 192’s ability was, didn’t know what means he was using to keep the park under observation, didn’t understand how the enemy transformed living and inanimate objects into bombs. 

He could have instantly moved the little boy from the center of the lake to the shore, but he couldn’t have guaranteed that the shore would be safe. He had first had to send the two young Protectors, who seemed weak and lacking in experience. Only by presenting an appearance of weakness could he use the enemy’s attack methods and words to determine his ability and succeed in rescuing the hostage. 

Why did he need to be so cautious? Because life was paramount. A slight slip-up could lose a life. The Protectors had to be fully prepared. 

When the criminal police captain had comforted the little boy, he handed the child over to the medical personnel to be examined. 

Director Xiao said, “Captain Liu, you are one of the country’s police officers, and the superior of several Protectors. Their activities require you to shield them. You may know their identities, but your child can’t. We need to perform a memory wipe on him.” 

“I guarantee that I will fulfill my mission!” Captain Liu didn’t ask anything. He was a veteran police officer. He knew that his superiors would tell him anything they wanted him to know without him asking, and that he couldn’t ask about what he wasn’t supposed to know. 

“Sir, my child… Will the memory wipe hurt him? He’s so little…” Captain Liu was also a father. He couldn’t help worrying about his son’s health. 

“No, we’ll only temporarily hold his memory. If one day he also becomes a soldier who protects our homes and defends our country, we’ll return his memory,” Director Xiao said, smiling kindly. 

A young man in civilian clothes passed by Director Xiao and came up in front of the little boy. 

When they saw this man, You Zhengping and Cen Xiao, who were lying on stretchers, ignored their pain and simultaneously got up. 

The young man wore a peaked cap. He tipped the cap up and stroked the little boy’s hair, warmly said, “Your name is Junjun?” 

The little boy Junjun looked up, but when he looked at this young man, his vision went blank. He couldn’t see the young man’s face. 

It wasn’t that the young man didn’t have a face, it was that he saw it, but his brain couldn’t receive the information his eyes were sending him, like a TV without a signal or phone with a black screen. He couldn’t distinguish the young man’s face. 

The young man pressed a hand to the little boy’s forehead and gently said, “Go to sleep. When you wake up, you’ll have forgotten everything that happened today. I’ll temporarily keep your memory, and if one day you possess the authority to retrieve it, I’ll personally return it to you.

“I hope that then, you’ll be able to see my face.” 

His hand left the little boy’s forehead. There was a ball of white light in his palm. The young man clenched his fist, and the white light sank into his palm. A tiny star appeared on his wrist. 

The young man pulled at his sleeve. If someone had looked closely at his sleeves, they would have seen that his whole arm was covered in tiny stars. 

“Director Xiao.” The young man saluted. 

“Destroyer 192 has a flamboyant disposition. In the future, he may make trouble in the Xuyang District many times. I’m afraid there will be many people aware of it. For now you’ll stay in the Xuyang District to support You Zhengping’s squad,” Director Xiao said. 

“Yes, sir,” the young man agreed. 

The young man walked up to Captain Liu and pointed at his own wrist. “Your son’s memory. I’ll keep it for now.” 

“You, you…” Captain Liu desperately rubbed his eyes, but he couldn’t see the young man’s appearance. 

“Shh,” the young man said. “There’s no need for you to remember me, so you won’t remember. Just remember this star and what happened.” 

After saying a word to Captain Liu, the young man went over to You Zhengping and poked his forehead, pulling off the nanotech mask. “Did you get hurt? Useless!” 

“Let’s see you try!” You Zhengping got up and said, “Ow! Ow!” 

The impact from the explosion had injured the energy channels of his body. The slightest movement, and he ached all over. 

“Luo Huai! Long time no see!” Cen Xiao happily opened his arms and hugged Luo Huai. “Ow! Ow!” 

The hugging motion affected Cen Xiao’s freshly bandaged waist, hurting so much that he grimaced. 

“What, do you have intermittent memory loss because I beat you two up too many times during training? Did you forget you were injured?” Luo Huai said, smiling. 

“Pooh! I was the one wiping the floor with you. My memory is excellent,” You Zhengping said angrily. 

Luo Huai said, “When your wounds are better, we’ll discuss who was beating up whom. It really has been a long time. Five years, right?” 

“This injury is killing me. Make Lian Yufan hurry up and find Destroyer 192’s location. He’s the best at that,” Cen Xiao said. 

At the mention of Lian Yufan, a trace of solemnity flashed across Luo Huai’s face. Then he resumed his smile and avoided mentioning Lian Yufan. “You two are in a sorry state right now. Hurry up and get treated. I’ll take you.” 

You Zhengping typed on his phone while saying, “Wait, we can’t send messages once we’re back at the base. Let me account for myself first.” 

He didn’t dare to let Yu Hua know he had been injured. He only sent Yu Hua a message saying that he would be working overtime in the evening and wouldn’t come home. Yu Hua, who was at the supermarket planning to make a large meal, slowly put down the pork ribs he was holding. 

If Xiao You wasn’t coming home, then he could just eat something at random to fill up. 

---

Author's Note

Right now, Yu Hua doesn’t know yet that Xiao You isn’t coming home because Destroyer 192 was making trouble. 

Destroyer 192: Just you wait, I’ll be back. 

Yu Hua: What blind idiot is getting in the way of me making dinner for Xiao You?