Volume One: The Awakening of the Dragon Soul Chapter 31: Sister

"Ta-ta-ta—"

Mo Xing heard the synchronized footsteps and turned his head to see a line of soldier-like men running over. Their movements were sharp, and their voices rang out loudly in unison.

"Reporting, sir! Target located! Awaiting orders!" the lead soldier shouted.

Mo Xing thought to himself, This feels perfectly natural. If they were dressed in dashing camouflage uniforms, I’d believe I was witnessing a military parade!

Out from the crowd strode a towering figure, nearly 1.9 meters tall, wearing a black military cap. The gaze behind his sunglasses was piercing as lightning, and the muscles beneath his clothes were clearly defined. With an air of authority, the burly man swept his eyes over the scene, his lips barely moving.

"Arrest the suspect on the ground," he said sternly.

"Yes, sir!" the other soldiers replied, quickly moving to surround Li Qingchi.

He walked over to Mo Xing and Chairman Zhang, removing his sunglasses to reveal a stern face that broke into a polite smile.

"Chairman Zhang, it’s been a long time!" he greeted, extending his hand.

"Captain Huo, it’s been a while," Chairman Zhang replied, shaking his hand.

"And you, young man, may I have your name?" he asked, reaching out his other hand.

"Ah… My name is Mo Xing. Hello!" Mo Xing quickly stepped forward to shake his hand.

"Mo Xing… That name sounds familiar." Captain Huo frowned for a moment, then his eyes lit up with realization. "Ah, I remember now! You’re that campus sensation, aren’t you? I’ve heard so much about you!"

"Uh…" Mo Xing was momentarily speechless. Am I really that famous now?

"He played a critical role in today’s operation. He helped us resolve the crisis," Chairman Zhang said.

"Is that so! Your reputation is well deserved!" Captain Huo grasped Mo Xing’s hand in both of his, his face radiating the respect reserved for a hero.

"Not at all," Mo Xing replied, thinking to himself that he hadn’t done anything particularly impressive. Yet here he was, praised by two big shots! Chairman Zhang defeated Li Qingchi, Captain Huo led his team to capture the other suspects, and he himself was just a freshman who stumbled into the lab by accident! He simply happened to restore the key fragment to its original form! How could he accept such accolades? Would they present him with a red banner next, emblazoned with words like "Champion of Justice, Defender of the People"?

"Move along!"

At a soldier’s shout, Mo Xing snapped out of his thoughts and saw Li Qingchi being escorted away by several soldiers, a look of dejection on his face.

"Please allow me to say a few words," Li Qingchi said with a wry smile, head bowed.

"Don’t waste time! Move it!" a soldier barked.

"Let him speak," Chairman Zhang interjected.

"Go ahead," Captain Huo said, granting permission after Chairman Zhang’s intervention.

"Chairman Zhang, I’ve always wondered how you, a sophomore, became president of the student council. Now I understand. It’s not just your strength and outstanding leadership, but also your sharp mind. You truly are the best choice for student council president!"

Mo Xing looked at Chairman Zhang in surprise. So this remarkable person was the president of the student council! No wonder everyone called him Chairman. He’d thought it was just some club president—only now did he realize the truth!

"Thank you for your kind words," Chairman Zhang replied, his expression devoid of pride or joy.

"And you, Mo Xing, you’re truly a rare talent. From being rated zero in your ability test, to your spectacular turnaround in the freshman trials, and finally, restoring the key."

"I’m not that impressive. It was just a fluke," Mo Xing explained.

"I had planned to torment you slowly with those mutated bugs, but I overlooked one thing." Li Qingchi shook his head. "I didn’t expect Chairman Zhang to intervene and save you."

"You had a chance to kill me earlier. Why did you spare my life?" Mo Xing asked.

"Because, in that moment, I hesitated," Li Qingchi sighed. "I suddenly thought of my sister."

"Your sister?" Mo Xing asked, puzzled. What did his sister have to do with this?

"Mo Xing, you have many fans. My sister is one of them. She’s been talking about you non-stop these past few days—how amazing you are, how you always bring hope to others." Li Qingchi smiled. "She even likes to read the newspaper to me, recounting your exploits."

"I see," Mo Xing said after a pause, surprised to learn that Li Qingchi’s sister was a fan of his.

"On Friday afternoon, I went to watch your combat training class. You really are exceptional. I wanted to invite you to join the singers’ team, so my sister could see you every time she visited the band." Li Qingchi gave a bitter smile. "I just wanted to help my sister fulfill her dream of meeting her idol."

"Unfortunately, you joined the Dark Order and got involved in making illicit drugs. That dream shattered," Captain Huo interjected.

"Like a bubble—beautiful but fragile. One touch, and it’s gone," Chairman Zhang said.

"How poetic," Li Qingchi replied with a wry smile. "Enough talk. Take me where I belong."

Mo Xing glanced at him. Li Qingchi must mean a place like a prison cell.

The soldiers led Li Qingchi away. Chairman Zhang and Mo Xing helped the gravely injured Mian Hua to her feet, with Captain Huo lending a hand. Together, they made their way to the entrance of the Armament Tower.

Outside, Mo Xing saw numerous horse-drawn carriages fitted with lanterns, engines rumbling—these must be the “police cars” of this world! Soldiers bustled about—some stood atop platforms giving orders, others ran with tools in hand, and some were setting up barricades and sealing off the area.

When he’d arrived, the place had been deserted; now it was cordoned off as a crime scene.

Rain fell lightly from the night sky. Mo Xing and Chairman Zhang settled Mian Hua in a carriage, ready to head to the university hospital. Captain Huo bid them farewell and hurried off to assist the other soldiers.

What an extraordinary day, Mo Xing thought. So much had happened: the theory exam in class, the solo and team matches in the arena, visiting Shiyan in the hospital, and helping resolve a case in the Armament Tower.

Tap, tap—

Mo Xing snapped back to reality and saw that the carriage beside him had already set off. Li Qingchi was locked in a cage. According to Captain Huo, the cage was specially made to restrain the power of the Dragon God, so there was no fear of Li Qingchi escaping. Moreover, a dozen highly trained soldiers were escorting the carriage.

"Mo Xing, please sign your name," Chairman Zhang said, patting him on the shoulder.

"What… what’s this?" Mo Xing asked, seeing the folder Chairman Zhang handed him.

"The mission dossier and confirmation form. Read through it, sign your name, and submit it to the school. You’ll receive academic credits and a scholarship," Chairman Zhang explained.

"I see…" Mo Xing took the folder, flipped through a few pages, and caught sight of some key words. Suddenly, his expression changed, pupils dilating with a hint of blue.

"This is the complete file for this A-level mission—the only true copy. It contains information not found in the standard version, including Li Qingchi’s personal details."

Mo Xing fell silent for several seconds, then drew a deep breath, marveling at how small the world was. A few lines in the file seized his attention completely:

"Li Qingchi’s immediate family—"
"Li Xiangcao (sibling)"