I Return From Hell

Chapter 145: Chapter 138: Is This Running? The Superiors’ Decision

”Little Tian, you’re too slow.”

”Sis, you’re the one who’s too fast. You’ll get tired before long if you keep running like that. Besides, people who don’t normally exercise can easily injure their knees by suddenly sprinting.”

”Don’t worry, your sister was born with a strong body.”

”Uh.”

Xia Tian froze, wanting to say more, but Xia Yu had already left him a good ten meters behind. And because he had been talking, he was already starting to pant heavily, feeling tired.

This made him wonder: ’Are some people really just born with strong bodies?’

”Little Tian, we haven’t been running long and you’re already tired?”

Wang Quanzhi ran over with long strides. Seeing Xia Tian’s current state, he couldn’t help but grin mischievously. ”Were you watching those ’little videos’ again last night? As someone with experience, let me give you a piece of advice.”

”You should watch less of that stuff. It’s bad for your health.”

Xia Tian choked, almost unable to speak, and quickly stopped.

”What’s wrong?”

”It’s nothing. You go on ahead.”

”Where’s your sister? Didn’t you say she was going for a run too? I’m a pretty professional runner, I could give her some pointers.”

”She’s up ahead. We just separated less than three minutes ago. Why don’t you worry about teaching her after you catch up?”

”Not catch her? There isn’t a girl alive I can’t catch.”

As he spoke, Wang Quanzhi had already picked up his pace, leaving Xia Tian behind.

”Huff.”

Xia Tian ran a few more steps, but he felt absolutely terrible and decided to just stop.

Although his body had recovered significantly with the help of the Soul Spirit Jade, there was still a gap between him and a healthy person. So, he couldn’t overdo his training; he had to know when to stop.

As for Wang Quanzhi, he ran quickly for ten minutes, passing one person after another, but still couldn’t see any sign of Xia Yu. Instead, he heard astonished cries from those around him: ”That girl is here again!”

”Yeah, that’s her! She runs so fast!”

”Daddy, Daddy, that big sister was like she was flying.”

...

Wang Quanzhi knew they were most likely talking about Xia Yu. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. ’If she’s doing something wrong, I can correct it. That’s how I can show my value.’

Running form matters.

Stride frequency, breathing rhythm... all these things have their own techniques.

He was full of knowledge waiting to be imparted to Xia Yu. Gritting his teeth, he sped up again and chased after her.

This pace was much faster than his usual one; he would be exhausted before long.

But he was confident he could catch Xia Yu before he got tired.

「Ten minutes later.」

”HUFF... HUFF... HUFF.”

Wang Quanzhi felt like he was in a hundred-meter sprint, his lungs about to explode, but...

He still hadn’t seen Xia Yu!

Instead, the chatter about Xia Yu around him was constant. To sum it up in one word: Fast!

WHOOSH.

...

Xia Yu had no idea Wang Quanzhi was behind her. Or rather, she wasn’t paying attention to anyone around her at all. She just focused on her own run.

Like a flash of lightning.

Only now did she feel like her body was truly warmed up.

「Another hour passed.」

Drenched in sweat, Xia Yu felt her body reaching its limit. She didn’t keep running. This afternoon, she still had to go to the Internet celebrity hotel to participate in the Mist Event, so she couldn’t engage in overly strenuous exercise.

Before heading home, she planned to buy breakfast.

”Little Yu, Little Tian already bought breakfast for you.”

The stall was run by Aunt Liu and her daughter. They had been selling breakfast at the entrance of the residential complex for years and had a vivid memory of the stunningly beautiful and well-built Xia Yu, as well as the quiet, well-behaved, and handsome Xia Tian.

”Oh? Thank you for letting me know, Aunt Liu.”

Xia Yu nodded and left.

Back home, the time was 7:30 in the morning.

Xia Tian was already gone.

After all, according to him, he was only exempt from the early morning reading session but still had to attend his regular classes, so he couldn’t stay home all day.

After showering, Xia Yu got ready to eat.

The phone rang.

”The nation’s general policy has been decided.”

”For now, we won’t inform the public about the Mist Events. We need to stabilize the foundation of society, avoid mass chaos, and prevent any impact on social productivity.”

”Next, the state will significantly increase the wages of construction workers and the prices of food crops, enforce a national fitness initiative, and find ways to strengthen the willpower of the populace.”

”Large-scale shelters will be built all over the country...”

Zhao Guohui’s voice came from the other end of the line.

’This information is quite confidential. Zhao Guohui must have only dared to tell me after getting permission from the state.’

’What is the nation’s goal?’

’A show of goodwill!’

’They hope to deepen their cooperation with me and get more information about the Apocalypse.’

Xia Yu quickly analyzed the situation in her mind, eating her breakfast without a change in expression.

CLICK. ℯℯ𝑙.

After Zhao Guohui finished speaking, he didn’t waste any words and hung up directly.

’No wonder there were twice as many people running today, and noticeably fewer cars on the road.’

’The price of gas has risen again, with 92-octane officially entering the 10-yuan era.’

’Fewer and fewer people are working overtime, so they have more time for recreation and exercise. Everyone’s salary is also getting higher and higher.’

Xia Yu locked her phone, recalling what she had seen during her run this morning.

’Compared to my past life, the nation’s changes in this life are quite significant. Many things have happened earlier and with greater intensity. I guess this is the butterfly effect?’

’I just don’t know what impact this will have on the future.’

’Will the impact be good or bad?’

’Whether it’s good or bad, as long as I’m strong enough, I won’t have to worry about a thing.’

After breakfast, she went downstairs, preparing to head to the Internet celebrity hotel to scout it out in advance and get ready for the Mist Event.

As soon as she got in the car, she glanced at Little Flower in the driver’s seat and a thought suddenly occurred to her: ’These days, Little Flower’s resentment has barely increased. Is it because the national happiness index has gone up so much?’

After all, working less and earning more would indeed significantly reduce everyone’s resentment.

VROOM.

Little Flower was unaware of Xia Yu’s thoughts. He mechanically and skillfully pressed the brake, started the car, put it in drive, released the brake, and stepped on the gas.

...

...

「Meanwhile.」

”HUFF... HUFF... HUFF.”

Wang Quanzhi was panting heavily as he came before Zhao Guohui. ”Chief Zhao, is there another Mist Event to participate in?”

”Why are you drenched in sweat?”

Zhao Guohui frowned and discreetly took a step back—Wang Quanzhi’s body odor was a bit strong. ”Can you even participate in a Mist Event in your condition?”

Wang Quanzhi froze.

He couldn’t very well say he’d gotten like this from chasing a woman, could he?

The key thing was, he hadn’t even caught her. It was too embarrassing.

”Go get some rest.”

”Don’t participate in this morning’s Mist Event.”

Zhao Guohui waved his hand dismissively.

Wang Quanzhi: ”...”

Zhao Guohui paid him no more mind, turning instead to Qian Yihao and Chen Xiao. ”This morning, a total of three Mist Events will erupt. The three of us will each take one.”

”Remember, try your best not to get injured. Otherwise, you probably won’t be able to participate in the three Mist Events this afternoon.”

This time, the six Mist Events that Xia Yu had reported were concentrated in two periods: morning and afternoon.

”Yes, sir!”

”Yes, sir!”

Qian Yihao and Chen Xiao’s expressions grew serious as they nodded in agreement.

However, Qian Yihao didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he lowered his voice and said, ”Chief Zhao, I just received a piece of news. Do you want to hear it?”

Zhao Guohui’s mouth twitched.

”Speak.”

He waved his hand at Wang Quanzhi.

Wang Quanzhi’s mouth twitched, and he excused himself and left.

”There’s a young woman named Ai Cao. Have you heard of her?”

Qian Yihao asked.

Zhao Guohui frowned, shook his head, and asked, ”Who is she?”

Qian Yihao dropped a bombshell: ”This woman participated in the Shunyang City ’Zoo’ incident and refused to join Xie Shaokun’s team.”

”What?!”

Chen Xiao, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Zhao Guohui’s interest was also piqued.

’Anyone Xia Yu is willing to recruit is bound to be a talent,’ he thought.

Sure enough.

Qian Yihao continued, ”She’s a Spiritual Ability User!”

A Spiritual Ability User!

One in ten thousand!

The darlings of the new era!

Zhao Guohui and Chen Xiao both realized that Gao Zhengting had performed a great service this time!

”Like you, Chief Zhao, the higher-ups have already given special approval for this woman to become a member of the Special Investigation Bureau’s Second Group.”

”After a week of intensive training, she’ll be sent out to the field to carry out missions.”

Qian Yihao said, ”Chief Zhao, should we put in a word with the higher-ups? Try to pull this girl over to our side?”

Zhao Guohui immediately picked up his phone.