Chapter Sixty-Two: Attire (Unveiled)

Chapter Sixty-Two: "Take Off Your Clothes" (Uncensored)

Chen Xiao could also tell that the grudge between Zhu Rong and that Venom woman was anything but trivial. But since Zhu Rong kept silent, he didn’t press the matter, nor did Old Tian seem willing to reveal anything. The day Old Tian and Zhu Rong found him at the hospital, they brought him straight back. Chen Xiao’s injuries were severe, but fortunately, none had reached the bone—just flesh wounds, though both arms had been badly hurt in the explosion, and he’d been battered tumbling down the hillside.

After bringing Chen Xiao back, Old Tian led him directly into the bathroom at the back of the café. The bathtub was already filled with a pale green liquid, its color resembling a heavily diluted bath gel, though its scent was faintly pungent and stinging.

When Chen Xiao asked what this was, Old Tian brushed it off lightly, telling him simply to strip completely and soak himself in it.

It was only later that Chen Xiao learned this was a "biological cell regeneration fluid," meant specifically for treating external injuries. The liquid had an activating effect that stimulated biological cells to repair and regenerate themselves—a high-tech product developed by the Service Society, supposedly based on samples extracted from the blood and cells of a naturally regenerative ability user.

Naturally, the stuff was extremely expensive, and within the Service Society, it was always used inside a sealed, capsule-like pod. But under these rough conditions, they could only pour it into a bathtub...

Chen Xiao soaked in that tub for a full twenty-four hours, until his fingers turned white and pruney, but his wounds were indeed mostly healed!

Immersed in the fluid, he could feel a constant, tingling itch where his skin was injured, and he witnessed, with his own eyes, the gradual closing of muscle wounds and the slow regrowth of torn skin—an experience that was nothing short of miraculous.

Later, Old Tian confided that the "cell repair fluid" they retirees possessed was only a bootleg version procured through connections. The genuine article, used by the Service Society, was far more potent!

"Because it’s so hard to come by, we only ever manage to get a little. So what we have is diluted many times over to make it last. The effect is much weaker because of that. The real thing is at least three times as effective—as badly hurt as you were, you’d have been fully healed in just a few hours."

Only then did Chen Xiao recall that the first time he’d been taken by the Service Society and woke after a night’s unconsciousness, all his wounds had already healed. It must have been with this very fluid.

This time was an unforeseen event, and the old-timers felt thoroughly disgraced. For the three unscrupulous bosses of Dead-End Street, with all their power, to nearly have their client ambushed right under their noses—what a humiliation.

Yet matters only grew more bizarre; who could have foreseen other ability-user organizations brazenly intervening? Moreover, at that banquet, the adversaries had not targeted only Lu Bancheng; they’d tried to entrap all three major kingpins at once.

Looking at it this way, the earlier extortion of Lu Bancheng was no simple matter.

"I just can’t figure it out. With the Black Knight and Qiu Yun’s methods, how could they launch such a brainless extortion attempt? The Black Knight murders and burns at will but has no shortage of money. Even if they meant to extort, their means would not be so mild. Lu Bancheng never paid a cent, and they only tried to scare him—a mere slap on the wrist. If they were acting in their usual style, he’d already be missing limbs."

Sitting in the café, Old Tian held a steaming cup of tea, analyzing the situation carefully.

Chen Xiao sat across from him.

Three days had passed since the incident. In that time, their protection over Lu Bancheng and the others had been tightened. Where once the three unscrupulous bosses took turns keeping watch alone, now Zhu Rong and Gong Gong worked in tandem, while Old Tian served as mobile support.

The impact of the incident was significant. On one hand, the banquet guests were all prominent figures from K City and surrounding areas; exposed to such terror—a bombing and an assassination—how could these elites not be furious? On the other hand, the two who had nearly died, Xu and Lu, were the city’s reigning powers, and the foreigner was an executive of a major European consortium. With such important figures nearly assassinated, there was no way the authorities could take this lightly.

To make matters worse, Second Young Master Xu, in order to conceal Chen Xiao and Zhu Rong’s identities, could only fabricate a story: the attackers had heavy weapons, firearms, and bombs—otherwise, how could they explain the devastation on the terrace?

Thankfully, while there were many witnesses that night, those who saw the scene were all close bodyguards and confidants of the Xu and Lu families. Once the order to keep silent was issued, none dared speak out of turn.

The guests, however, were harder to control. In less than three days, all manner of rumors had begun circulating: tales of supernatural events at the grand banquet, mysterious women who radiated light and fire...

But as no images or videos had surfaced, and there was only hearsay, most found these accounts too fantastic to believe.

Still... there was one person who was utterly convinced—Officer Xu, now involved in the investigation of this major case.

He’d called Chen Xiao, for he knew him better than most and was aware of the unusual things that always seemed to happen around him. Over the phone, Chen Xiao didn’t hide much from this well-informed officer. He confirmed that Officer Xu’s suspicions were correct: ability users had indeed been involved, but he could not say more, and warned him that this matter was beyond the reach of ordinary police. Against ability users, the regular force was powerless.

"My friends and I will protect them. Still, at certain times, we may need your help—sealing off information, for instance. After all, my friends can’t appear in the open."

What Chen Xiao failed to realize was that he himself was now becoming one of those who "couldn’t see the light of day."

"To deal with Qiu Yun, none of our equipment—helmets, detectors—can be brought along, because they all contain metal parts. We must wear anti-magnetic, anti-pulse suits, but even the magnetic boots are unusable because they have metal. Chen Xiao, you won’t be needed for this action against the Black Knight. After all, you’re only a proxy. Fieldwork isn’t part of your job, and besides..."

"And besides, my abilities won’t be much help, right?" Chen Xiao almost smiled. "Old Tian, if it were anything else, I’d stay home. But... Xu Yifan is my friend. Now it’s his father in danger—I can’t just stand by and watch!"

Old Tian frowned. "You don’t understand the Black Knight! Alice and Qiu Yun are a famous gold-medal team—Alice excels at ambush, her poison attacks are endlessly varied and nearly undetectable. She has a secondary ability, too: basic muscle mimicry. She can quickly alter her face and even her figure, then quietly infiltrate your side, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Qiu Yun, meanwhile, is a master of direct combat. The two complement each other, combining stealth and force. Over the years, they’ve pulled off countless major heists. And... while Qiu Yun isn’t fond of killing, Alice is ruthless."

"All the more reason I can’t just sit on the sidelines," Chen Xiao said, quickly pulling on his protective suit. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm and brooked no argument. "Xiao Xu is my brother—my only brother!"

Yet Old Tian and the others felt no relief. Had it been some small-fry group, facing the Service Society, they would have wisely retreated. In the world of ability users, few dared challenge the Society.

But the Black Knight was no such group—neither Alice nor Qiu Yun were the type to back down. Their first encounter had been a sudden clash; by international custom, both sides should now withdraw, reveal their intentions, and prepare for an all-out battle. Old Tian and his comrades knew: when the Black Knight returned, it would be a devastating confrontation.

Second Young Master Xu had suspended his studies and stayed home. With the attackers targeting both the Xu and Lu families, as his family’s designated successor, he was under heavy guard. Lu Xiaoxiao, too, had been ordered home.

When Chen Xiao arrived at the Xu residence, he did not see Old Master Xu, but the old man already knew everything from his son. Moreover, it seemed he had some knowledge of Old Tian’s group. Before Chen Xiao arrived, he had instructed the household manager to fulfill any request of Chen Xiao’s.

Second Young Master Xu was delighted to see him. "Ha! You’re here at last. I’ve been bored to death stuck at home these days. Now at least I’ll have someone to talk to."

Chen Xiao glanced at the heavily armed bodyguards surrounding Xu, each carrying firearms and radios, looking as tense as if facing a mortal enemy.

He frowned. "This won’t do! Everyone, throw away your guns. In the eyes of our enemy, those guns are nothing but detonators—get rid of them, all of them!"

Throw them away?

The bodyguards stared blankly at this young master’s friend.

Even Xu Yifan was taken aback, looking at Chen Xiao with a hint of hesitation. For ordinary people, guns always provided a sense of security.

But his absolute trust in Chen Xiao quickly decided the matter. "Do as he says. Everyone, drop your guns!"

The bodyguards exchanged uncertain looks, but under the young master’s firm order, they reluctantly discarded their weapons, some casting dissatisfied glances at Chen Xiao.

He ignored their looks, stepped in front of one bodyguard, examined him closely, and then frowned. "Earpiece, radio, belt buckle... tie clip, phone, watch, ring, any and all jewelry and accessories—let me put it this way: none of you may carry anything containing metal! It is strictly forbidden! Do you understand?"

Some of the bodyguards looked unconvinced, but Xu Yifan heard the unprecedented gravity in Chen Xiao’s tone. In all his years, he’d never heard his friend speak so sternly.

"Do exactly as he says!" Xu Yifan now stood by Chen Xiao’s side, his face cold. "From now on, his word is mine. No one is to disobey!"

Chen Xiao sighed. He knew that, as a young man, ordering these seasoned bodyguards about would inevitably provoke dissatisfaction—no, it was certain to.

But he had fought Qiu Yun with his own hands and seen firsthand how terrifying Qiu Yun’s "metal molecule detonation" ability was. Any metal object could be turned into a bomb at his whim. For these bodyguards to confront him with guns—Qiu Yun wouldn’t even have to move; a mere glance and every gun would explode in their hands!

The bodyguards complied.

Only then did Xu Yifan look satisfied, but before he could speak, Chen Xiao turned to him. "You too, Xiao Xu. From now on, not a single metal object on you! I know you have more trinkets than anyone, but for your life’s sake, get rid of everything! Not even a tiny earring!"

With that, he dragged Xu Yifan into a room, slammed the door shut, and faced him with a grave expression. "Take off your clothes."

"...What?"

"Take off your clothes. All of them. For your own safety, I need to make sure you’re not carrying anything that could get you killed!"

Xu Yifan gave a wry smile. "Is that really necessary... I’m not used to being naked in front of another man..."

"Ugh, didn’t we all see each other in the locker room during swimming class? Stop being so coy," Chen Xiao snapped. "Hurry up! If you won’t, I will!"