The alarms continued blaring throughout the research facility.

"What is going on with the alarms?"

"Did another rift open in Belium?"

"Shen Jue, why exactly did you call us here today? If this turns into a disaster-class breach, I am leaving immediately."

Hidden above the sleek boardroom ceiling vents, Wenzhi silently lowered himself to observe the people gathered below.

Blood stained part of his sleeve from earlier gunfights, but the injury wasn’t severe enough to slow him down.

He was surprised nobody in the room had attempted to leave yet.

Then again, they probably assumed the Espers would handle everything for them like always.

That arrogance made this easier.

Inside the boardroom sat seven people.

Wenzhi recognized Shen Jue. Doctor Xie Yiheng. Doctor Ruixin. And several senior board members connected to the CEA administration.

"Everyone, please calm down," Shen Jue said smoothly, maintaining a composed expression despite the alarms. "We should begin the meeting immediately. The others who failed to arrive can simply be updated later."

Wenzhi narrowed his eyes and adjusted his grip around the gun in his hand.

Shen Jue spoke again. "Our Disaster-class Esper, Shao Xinyuan, alongside his Guide, Lin Wenzhi, has officially been claimed by the Old Blood faction."

The entire room stiffened.

Interesting.

Wenzhi decided to wait and listen a little longer.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Doctor Xie Yiheng demanded sharply. "Shao Xinyuan belongs to the CEA. And the Guide was reported dead."

"He’s alive," Shen Jue replied grimly. "We were misled by several Espers and Guides involved in the operation, including Shao Xinyuan and Jiang Zhaohe."

His expression darkened as he rose to his feet. "Commander Jiang Zhaohe has already escaped containment despite us holding her Guide. Two of our highest-ranking Espers are now outside our control."

Doctor Ruixin let out a soft, disbelieving laugh.

The entire room turned toward her.

Even Wenzhi paused above the vent, his brows lifting in curiosity.

"Doctor Ruixin," one of the older board members hissed at her, "is there something amusing about this situation?"

His wrinkled face twisted with irritation. "We are supposed to keep the Espers under control so they can protect humanity from the rifts and monsters. Our entire structure is beginning to collapse and you’re laughing?"

"Shao Xinyuan is a time bomb," another person said coldly. "We cannot let the other factions take him."

"I can’t believe this. Jiang Zhaohe...." the woman added sharply as she rose from her seat. "I need to contact the president."

Wenzhi’s finger tightened around the trigger.

But before she could move, Doctor Ruixin spoke again.

"For nearly a decade, Shao Xinyuan has been confined, monitored, experimented on, and treated like a living weapon instead of a human being."

The room fell silent.

"Yes, we made breakthroughs because of him. But every researcher assigned to his project eventually reached the same conclusion. Perfect isolation."

Her eyes turned toward Shen Jue. "I requested permission two years ago to transition him into normal Esper integration programs instead of prolonged isolation. Doctor Bai rejected it."

A bitter laugh escaped her. "No one here wanted rehabilitation. You wanted obedience."

Several expressions in the room shifted uncomfortably.

Shen Jue’s expression hardened. "Doctor. We are not here to talk about that."

Ruixin rose slowly to her feet. "I have been saying it. These Espers and Guides are not machines. They are not weapons."

She looked around the room. "They are people. Dangerous people, yes. Powerful people, yes. But they still need freedom. Meaning. Stability. Human connection."

Her voice sharpened. "So don’t stand there pretending any of this is surprising."

She gestured toward everyone in the room. "This situation exists because people like you created it."

A harsh silence filled the boardroom.

Even Doctor Xie Yiheng’s face turned cold.

Ruixin adjusted her coat calmly. "I was actually interested in seeing how Lin Wenzhi would affect Shao Xinyuan."

A faint smile crossed her lips. "I think he’s done a remarkable job."

Wenzhi froze above the vent.

"I am discussing faction wars and institutional collapse," Shen Jue snapped furiously, "Not your idealistic theories, Doctor Ruixin!"

Ruixin scoffed again. "Bullshit faction wars caused by one Esper and one Guide. Okay then."

She reached up calmly, removed her ID badge, and tossed it onto the table. "Since Shao Xinyuan is gone, I’m out."

Wenzhi watched her carefully from above, an amused smile curling his lips. "Oh."

Doctor Ruixin was much younger than he expected. Around twenty-eight at most. She was gifted too.

In the original novel, she had only been mentioned briefly before dying accidentally during one of Xinyuan’s unstable episodes.

She was one of the few researchers genuinely invested in improving Esper lives rather than weaponizing them.

Though admittedly, she was still strange. A little too fascinated with Xinyuan.

But compared to Bai Qinian? Practically sane.

Wenzhi tilted his head. His gun shifted subtly toward Ruixin as she began walking toward the exit.

"You cannot simply resign," one of the board members barked. "You are one of our best researchers!"

"Let her go," Doctor Xie Yiheng said coldly.

Wenzhi lowered the gun.

The door clicked shut behind Ruixin.

Doctor Xie Yiheng looked toward Shen Jue. "Why exactly did you call this meeting?"

Shen Jue folded his hands behind his back. "Because there is news." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

His expression remained unreadable. "The Old Blood faction intends to use Shao Xinyuan for something. Something related to stopping the Red Zone expansion and monster evolution."

"How is that even possible?" Doctor Xie demanded.

Shen Jue sighed. "This meeting would have been easier if everyone invited had actually arrived."

His gaze swept across the room slowly. "But the higher brass has already made a decision. Everyone present here is no longer useful."

Several expressions changed instantly.

"Doctor Ruixin resigned," Shen Jue continued calmly, "but she’ll be dealt with eventually. Just like everyone else who was supposed to attend this meeting."

"What?" One of the board members asked in disbelief.

"Our main project has officially gone rogue." Shen Jue smiled. "So now we move onto the future projects instead."