It was said that there would be some new faces at this gathering—team members who had just returned from their mission.

The First Squad had relatively loose management, and the members rarely had the chance to gather. This event was organized by Fu Zhi, so more people were attending as a courtesy to the newcomers.

Ruan Xing rummaged through his wardrobe for a long time before finally finding an outfit to wear.

Most of his clothes were casual, nothing too formal.

He picked out a white T-shirt and light blue jeans and casually ruffled his hair—it was a bit long, but it didn’t really matter.

In the end, he chose a white T-shirt and light blue jeans. He casually ran a hand through his hair—it was a bit long, but not enough to be bothersome.

With his naturally youthful appearance, this fresh and simple outfit made him look even younger.

Fu Gu: “Wow, you totally look like a high school student.”

Ruan Xing locked his door and booked a carpool ride on his phone.

Aside from the compensation money, he didn’t have much available funds at the moment, so he tried to save money whenever possible.

The car arrived quickly, featuring the classic black-and-white color scheme—almost identical to the one he had hailed outside the hospital last time.

When he opened the door, the driver greeted him with a relaxed tone, “Hello, where are you head—Oh! Hello, sir!”

Ruan Xing glanced up after hearing the familiar voice.

The driver looked at the young man’s dark green eyes in the rearview mirror and smiled ingratiatingly. “We meet again, sir.”

God knows how shocked he was when he saw who the passenger was.

Was the base really that small? It had only been a few days, and this guy was in his car again?

He still remembered that this guy’s balance was insufficient last time. Hopefully, he could afford the ride this time! Why was an Investigation Corps member so broke?

The crow on Ruan Xing’s shoulder narrowed its eyes, emanating a vaguely threatening aura. The driver shuddered.

Forget it. If worse comes to worst, I just won’t charge him.

Ruan Xing recognized the driver as well.

“Just follow the GPS.”

He didn’t see the need to exchange pleasantries with a stranger he had only met once.

“O-okay.”

The driver made a U-turn. Seeing Ruan Xing’s puzzled expression, he explained, “Uh, it’s a carpool. The other passenger is a little farther away.”

Ruan Xing fell silent as he remembered that he had chosen carpooling to save money.

Perhaps to ease the awkward atmosphere, the driver turned on the car radio:

[Channel 44 brings you live updates: Traffic congestion on Riga Street. Drivers, please adjust your routes accordingly. Roads are slippery due to rain, so please pay attention to your speed...]

A light drizzle began to fall. Through the misty veil, neon lights blurred in the distance as they left the city center behind.

The next passenger lived in a relatively remote area, almost at the edge of the inner city. Ruan Xing had no idea how the navigation system paired them up for the same ride.

The car slowed down and stopped. As the door opened, the sound of rain mixed with a string of rapid chatter.

“I know, I know, I’m not late! I’m already on my way. What do you want me to do about the rain? Blow up the sky? Just wait a little longer—what else can you do? Hey, be more understanding! My house is so far away, it takes forever to get there! Alright, enough talk, my ride’s here.”

A young man with pink hair hopped into the car. He took off his headphones, closed his umbrella, and said nonchalantly, “Driver, carpool number 1111—let’s go!”

He looked young, probably just past adulthood. He was dressed fashionably, with at least three metal chains around his neck. His ears were covered in piercings, and his fingers, waist, and wrists were adorned with rings and chains that jingled as he moved.

Ruan Xing shifted slightly to the side, avoiding the moisture clinging to the newcomer.

He hated humid environments.

“Oh? You’re heading to the city center too?” The pink-haired guy seemed naturally sociable and greeted Ruan Xing.

For some reason, Ruan Xing always attracted people like this—Qiao Zhi was one, and now this guy, too.

Fu Gui: “Who the hell are you?!”

Pink Hair laughed as he noticed the crow on Ruan Xing’s shoulder. “Your bird is so cute.”

Ruan Xing: “Thanks.”

Pink Hair didn’t mind the short response and kept rambling, “Ugh, this weather is awful. The moment my vacation starts, it starts raining. I barely had time to do my laundry! And thinking about going back to work on Monday is such a mood killer, don’t you think?”

Ruan Xing felt that, rather than the weather, what really ruined one’s mood was being stuck in a car with this person.

“Man, how long till we get there, driver? My friends are waiting for me—they’re so impatient! Ah, but what can I do? It’s tough being this popular.”

Hair continued chatting, completely indifferent to whether anyone responded. He seemed to be used to carrying conversations on his own.

Fu Gui: [I finally understand how you feel when you say I'm noisy.]

Ruan Xing chuckled.

Fortunately, this was just a car ride. He only had to tolerate it for a little while. Otherwise, he wasn't sure if his patience would last if he had to work with someone like this.

The rain intensified, hitting the car with a rhythmic pitter-patter.

Outside, the world blurred into a misty haze. Streetlights shimmered like melting oil paintings beneath the rain as if their colors were washing into pale grays.

The taxi’s windshield wipers struggled against the rain, faintly screeching as they fought against the downpour.

Beyond the steady drumming of the rain, nothing else could be heard. The usual city noises—pedestrian chatter and car horns—were muffled, swallowed by the storm.

It felt like the only thing left in the world was the sound of rain.

Ruan Xing rolled the window tighter.

The damp air clung to his skin, seeping in like an unwelcome embrace, which left him feeling unsettled.

Pink Hair exchanged a few words with the driver before finally leaning against the window, seemingly exhausted.

The only sound accompanying the rain was the radio.

[Shhh... shhh... Dear listeners, this is a live traffic update... shhh... congestion ahead, please be aware...]

The heavy rain seemed to affect the signal, causing the broadcast to break up. The male announcer's hoarse voice cut in and out, making the listeners drowsy.

[Travel a thousand miles, hear ten thousand stories. Dear listeners, welcome to our storytelling program. I’m your host, Yue Yue.]

Suddenly, the signal improved, and a clear female voice came through the radio. It was a standard broadcast voice—articulate, well-paced, and soothing:

[Today, we have Minmin in our studio. Let's listen to her story together.]

A somewhat nervous voice followed:

[Hello, everyone. I'm Minmin, and today, I'm here to share my story. My husband and I have been married for two years. We are deeply in love and financially stable, but unfortunately, we have not been able to conceive a child. Both my husband's family and my own are worried sick about this. In fact, I came here today with my family's consent, specifically to seek help through this radio station. I am offering a large reward for anyone who can help us conceive—]

When the female voice changed on the broadcast, Ruan Xing's wristband sounded an alarm as its screen instantly turned red.

Fu Gui let out a sharp cry: "Sudden pollution event!"

—

Fu Zhi looked at his watch again. "Still no answer?"

Su Xiaona nodded with a serious look.

Pei Ye clicked his tongue. "Bai Xu's not picking up either?"

Chen Yihang shook his head. "That’s rare."

Bai Xu was the type of person who would chat with a scam caller until they ran out of prepaid minutes. It was practically impossible for him not to pick up.

Fu Zhi’s brows furrowed deeply.

At that moment, a phone call came in with a special priority note. On the other end, a panicked voice shouted:

"Major General! Emergency! A polluted zone has appeared on Chunhua Road in the inner city! The pollution level is rising rapidly!"

Chen Yihang's face changed. "Bai Xu lives near Chunhua Road..."

Su Xiaona pointed at her wristband. "Earlier, Ruan Xing mentioned that his carpool was taking a detour through that area."

Fu Zhi's pupils shrank.

—

Chhhzzz—

The vehicle's engine died.

The driver tried starting it multiple times, but nothing happened—not even the interior lights would turn on. Strangely, the radio, which was powered by the car’s electrical system, continued broadcasting faithfully.

The female voice remained smooth and composed, but it carried an eerie undertone in the current situation.

Silence spread inside the car.

The driver shuddered and couldn't help but ask, "What do we do now?"

Outside, the rain continued pouring relentlessly, drenching everything in sight.

They were trapped within the downpour, like a lone boat lost at sea.

Fu Gui’s chest heaved as he trembled slightly. It was unclear whether it was from tension or fear.

The radio continued its broadcast:

[...Alright, that concludes our protagonist Minmin’s story for today. If any interested listeners would like to contribute to the desperate Minmin, please feel free to reach out. The contact number is 123...

Now, beneath this boundless rain, countless stories are unfolding. Do you have any interesting stories happening around you? Let's connect with our listeners outside and see what’s been happening in their lives today.]

Ruan Xing attempted to use his wristband to contact the outside world, but the signal was blocked by some unknown force. No connection could be made.

He tried again, but suddenly—

Ring ring ring—

Fu Gui nearly jumped out of his skin. "Who?!"

Ruan Xing checked the caller ID. It was from an unknown area, so he hung up without any hesitation.

But the ringing started again. This time, the driver’s wristband and the pink-haired guy’s wristband all started blaring with the same shrill tone—like death bells ringing in unison.

The driver asked nervously, "Are we inside a polluted zone?"

Ruan Xing reached for the back of his waist. "Seems like it."

Ring, ring, ring... ring, ring, ring...

The relentless ringing echoed through the car, jarring in the near-silent world where even their breaths felt too loud.

The driver hesitated. "Should we try to leave?"

He pushed the car door, only to discover that it was mysteriously locked.

[Shhh… shhh… It seems our listeners are a little shy. Let's try connecting again," the female voice from the radio purred, like a cat toying with a mouse. "I hope our dear listeners will pick up the call this time. Otherwise, we’ll keep calling.]

The implied threat sent a shiver down the driver’s spine.

When the ringing started again, he didn't wait for Ruan Xing’s approval—he immediately answered the call.

A gentle, eerie voice came through his wristband:

[Dear listener, welcome to our live call-in segment. Beneath tonight’s rainy sky, what interesting things have happened around you?]

The driver’s voice trembled. "I-I'm a driver. I'm currently taking passengers to the city center. Today's broadcast is... uh... v-very interesting."

The woman’s voice echoed through the radio and the wristband, making her sound even more otherworldly:

[Haha, this driver listener seems to really enjoy our program. I wonder if you’d be interested in becoming a permanent guest on our show?]

A permanent guest? Meaning... trapped in the pollution zone forever, broadcasting endlessly?

The driver felt like crying. He suddenly regretted picking up the call and looked desperately at Ruan Xing.

Ruan Xing said flatly, "Not interested. Get lost."

The female voice faltered as if taken aback by his audacity. Her tone immediately soured.

[My, my, this listener seems quite rude. But shouldn’t I be the one who’s upset?!]

Ruan Xing reached out and hung up without hesitation, unwilling to waste words on whatever that thing was.

The driver was stunned.

Wait, you can just hang up?!

The voice on the broadcast became enraged and started shrieking in frustration. [So rude! Unbelievable! I can’t believe people like you still exist! Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?! How dare you hang up on me! You—]

Bang!

A gunshot rang out, shattering the car’s dashboard into pieces.

The pink-haired guy blew the smoke at the gun's barrel, and the Investigation Corps insignia on the weapon gleamed under the dim light.

He glanced at the destroyed radio and sneered,

"I don’t allow anyone to talk more than me."