The moment he showed his face, Lin Qi instantly felt at least twenty distant gazes fixed on him.

After he ducked back behind cover, most of the stares vanished.

’I was right!’

The decrease in the number of stares meant the orb of light was indeed meant to test his identity. The person controlling it had confirmed that Lin Qi was not the Liu Clan’s heir.

"Stay hidden! Don’t show your face!"

The Liu Clan bodyguard’s Prosthetic Body was a much higher Level than Lin Qi’s, so of course he wasn’t injured.

When he saw Lin Qi appear at the hole in the wall, he quickly pulled him to a concealed spot.

Lin Qi went along with it and hid in a corner.

’If my guess is right, there won’t be any more action tonight.’

’As for the few still watching, they’re just rubberneckers.’

Lin Qi kept his Spiritual Vision active and continued to survey the area.

The S-Class flying vehicle on the roof had already retreated, apparently having discovered that its unlucky teammates had been completely wiped out.

Other than that, there were no other Mercenaries in his Spiritual Vision.

...

Far in the distance, on the rooftop of a skyscraper covered in neon lights.

A blond man with an afro and a heavyset man were looking toward the Liu’s Heavy Industries high-end employee apartments.

These two were from the T0-level Mercenary Corps, the Holy Relic Legion. They were the ones whose communication devices had been stolen by Lin Qi and King Arthur, codenamed Lion and Fatty.

Both men had eyes fitted with High-Level Prosthetic Bodies, and they had clearly seen the moment Lin Qi revealed his face.

"The Big Business Alliance over in the European Administrative Region sure is willing to spend. They actually brought out the Holy Light."

"Too bad their intel was wrong. That researcher isn’t a Liu Clan heir."

"That’s more like it. The Liu Clan hides its heirs better than the Si Clan does. The source of this intel was shaky from the start. The Asian Big Business Alliance? They’re just for show."

"Yeah, the Big Business Alliance in the Asian Administrative Region is nowhere near as united as the one in the European Administrative Region."

The two chatted idly, but their gazes had already shifted elsewhere.

Now that they had confirmed Lin Qi’s identity, there was no reason to waste any more time on a mere researcher.

Even though the researcher was protected by A-Class Implanter bodyguards from Liu’s Heavy Industries, which suggested he might be important.

But for now, the chaotic focus remained on the heirs of the two major corporations.

"This is a real headache. Our goal is to assassinate the Si Clan heir, so our mission doesn’t actually conflict with theirs. But we went to all this trouble tonight and learned nothing. It’s going to make our job a lot harder."

"Don’t worry. Let’s just wait and see. The people from the European Administrative Region’s Business Alliance are in a bigger hurry than we are."

Lion and Fatty left the rooftop, paying no more mind to what happened next.

Similar scenes were playing out in many places. Anyone who could identify Lin Qi using the Holy Light’s effect was bound to have a powerful backer.

At the very least, they were armed personnel from a major corporation.

...

No new enemies appeared within the range of his Spiritual Vision.

The major powers had already withdrawn. The remaining small Mercenary Corps, who had poor intel, saw that the situation had gone south and began abandoning the mission.

With the Liu Clan having an A-Class Implanter on-site for protection, the mission’s difficulty Level was going through the roof.

The smarter ones among the smaller factions were already starting to curse their luck.

"This mission is a total setup! That thing in the sky just now was related to Extraordinary Items, which means it has to involve Extraordinary Professions."

"The target is a researcher? Bullshit! That first Mercenary Corps wasn’t weak, and they got wiped out in an instant. This target couldn’t be one of the hundred-million-credit heirs of the Si and Liu Families, could he?"

"Let’s get out of here, fast. The Iron Curtain System is extremely sensitive to individual movement paths. If we’re exposed, we’re in deep shit."

All the factions involved scattered to the winds, and soon, Lin Qi no longer felt any eyes on him.

’I’m safe.’

’I’ve successfully made it through tonight’s crisis.’

’Thank God for the [Door]. Otherwise, I definitely would’ve been screwed this time.’

’Once that orb of light hit, any Wizard would have been exposed.’

’Even if I’m not the so-called heir, if my identity as a Wizard was exposed, they would have made me into one.’

’I almost ended up being the stand-in for that pair of unlucky brothers, a substitute Liu Clan heir.’

Recalling the looks on Liu Yue and Liu Heng’s faces on the train, Lin Qi felt a pang of sympathy.

’That’s one hell of a burden to bear, too big and too heavy for any ordinary person.’

’Better to let those two unlucky brothers handle it.’

Lin Qi believed that once he was cleared of suspicion, the Liu Clan would sooner or later throw those two unlucky brothers out as decoys.

The only ones the Liu Clan truly wanted to protect were the two sisters, Liu Xuan and Liu Li.

Still crouching in the corner, Lin Qi reminded himself of the role he needed to play.

’I’m just an ordinary researcher who got the job through connections. When faced with a crisis, I shouldn’t be too assertive.’

Another half hour passed before the A-Class Implanter bodyguard Lin Qi recognized finally spoke to him.

"We’re safe for tonight. You don’t need to worry."

The bodyguards also finally let out a collective sigh of relief.

Although the enemies they had faced directly weren’t strong, the appearance of that strange orb of light meant the situation was far from simple.

They were only able to confirm their safety now because Conductor Liu Xingzhou had given the all-clear.

"Really?" Lin Qi asked, looking skeptical.

The bodyguard knew Lin Qi had gotten his job through connections, so he could only reply patiently, "If you don’t believe me, you can ask Miss Liu."

Lin Qi nodded but didn’t actually try to contact Liu Xuan.

’There’s no need to overdo the act. Bothering Liu Xuan at this hour would be rude.’

"So what should I do now? Am I still living here?"

"I was attacked tonight. Do I still have to go to work tomorrow? Can I get some paid time off?"

Lin Qi peppered the bodyguard with questions, as if trying to demand compensation from the company.

The bodyguard, of course, had no authority to answer. He could only say, "I’ll submit an inquiry for you. Please wait for a reply from the company by email."

Saying to wait for a reply from the company was really just code for ’wait for Liu Xingzhou to handle it’.

After saying that, the bodyguard added reassuringly, "I think the company will probably give you some paid time off. It would relieve some of the security pressure, too."

The bodyguard wanted the time off even more than Lin Qi did.

Given what happened tonight, the pressure of protecting Lin Qi was going to be immense.

Lin Qi didn’t have to wait long for the email. Liu Xingzhou’s decision was swift and decisive.

[An accidental fire and explosion has occurred at the employee apartments. Per a company resolution, affected employees will be issued 10,000 Credit Points as compensation for mental anguish.]

[Following a company inspection, two rooms were found to be damaged. The company has arranged a new apartment for you. Please move to Room 1414 in the same building.]

[Based on the on-site report, you were not injured and are cleared to work. Please report to the office on time. Do not be late.] 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Lin Qi’s eyes widened.

’Is the company spouting bald-faced lies?’

’An accidental fire? An accidental explosion?’

’Do they really think I didn’t see that massive missile manufactured by Liu’s Heavy Industries?’

’Okay, fine. The company doesn’t know I have Spiritual Vision, so I guess I really *shouldn’t* have seen it.’

’But isn’t making me go to work on time a bit much?’

’The company is the reason I was in danger in the first place!’