Commendation Conference

Pitch black.

In the empty living room, Lu Linyuan sat on the sofa, his back to the wavy-haired, statuesque woman.

“Mengyuan, you’re here.”

The open, high-quality mahogany door was the only source of light.

The external light stretched Shen Mengyuan’s already long shadow even further.

“Don’t call me that, it’s disgusting!”

Shen Mengyuan suppressed her emotions, letting out a cold snort.

Her eyes, filled with a chilling coldness, were fixed on the man who had his back to her, who refused to turn and look at her even now.

“Pei Shoucang’s death… you planned it.” The man’s weary voice sounded powerless.

“So what if I did!?”

Shen Mengyuan sneered.

“He deserved to die! To actually say… to say that I shouldn’t keep living in the past, to tell me to forget about all that…”

“Hahahaha! Hilarious, so hilarious. If even I hesitate to mention her, who, who else will…”

As she spoke, tears welled in her eyes, but in stark contrast, the smile on her lips was utterly crazed.

Lu Linyuan sighed and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“In the past, it was all my fault.”

A cold wind howled in his ear, and suddenly, a fair hand shot out, seizing his neck in a tight grip.

“Fault? Is a simple apology enough? Xiao Ran, Mom… their deaths…”

“It’s all because of you!”

Shen Mengyuan’s hands tightened without a moment’s hesitation!

But Lu Linyuan remained seated on the sofa, completely unmoved.

Only at extremely close range could one see that the skin all over Lu Linyuan’s body was faintly transforming into fine, snake-like scales, arranged in distinct layers.

“Mengyuan, give me a little more time.”

“After a while, I will…”

“Atone for my sins.”

Lu Linyuan’s tone was tinged with melancholy.

Shen Mengyuan stared at the man, her face ugly.

This man, who even now, refused to turn around and look at her!

For so long, she hadn’t even been able to gather a shred of evidence that he was a Variant.

Even if she knew Lu Linyuan was a Variant, what could she do? No one would believe her if she told them.

It was laughable.

Even she, his daughter, had to be searched before entering Lu Linyuan’s home.

Shen Mengyuan’s expression was icy.

Without another word, she turned and strode away.

On the brown leather sofa, Lu Linyuan sat with his eyes closed, his index finger tapping a rhythm on the armrest.

After a long moment, he shook his head and opened his eyes.

His green, vertical pupils flashed for an instant before quickly reverting to human ones.

“Hah…”

He rose from the sofa with some effort, walked slowly to the door, and closed it.

He felt more comfortable in the darkness.

Lu Linyuan was agitated.

Recently, even he could feel his own desires becoming uncontrollable.

It seemed that long-term use of the inhibitor had resulted in a resistance.

He felt he might not be able to hold on for much longer.

He had to find a suitable successor.

Ping Chengcheng’s face flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed the idea.

That girl was a Variant, just like him, and even faced the risk of losing control.

Entrusting the base to her was not reliable.

And a position like the General Commander of S City Base…

The girl was probably not suitable for it.

Time was running short…

Lu Linyuan knew very well that few of his subordinates possessed leadership qualities.

Most of them were greedy for power, simple-minded, or completely indifferent to everything, lost in their own worlds.

What, what should he do?

People bustled on the streets.

The development of S City Base was going quite well.

From the current perspective, it could be said to be on par with global standards, possibly even at the forefront worldwide.

At the very least, everyone could eat their fill, something unthinkable in other bases, but S City Base had achieved it.

The girl walked with a slightly awkward gait.

“Sister, it hurts a little…”

Seeing her sister’s sickly expression, Song Ning hurried over to support her.

She felt a pang of guilt.

The young woman squatted down in front of the girl.

“Come on, Chengcheng, I’ll carry you.”

They were on their way to the base’s awards ceremony.

A special car was supposed to pick them up, but Ping Chengcheng had suggested they take a walk around the neighborhood first.

As people on the street saw Ping Chengcheng, their faces lit up with surprise and admiration.

The News Department had been tirelessly promoting the girl, and there was hardly a survivor in S City who didn’t know her.

For a survivor base… such publicity was a highly cost-effective way to boost the survivors’ morale and motivation to live, which would in turn have a positive impact on the overall development of the base.

Before long, the car to pick them up arrived, and Zheng Zhiyi came along as well.

It could be said that everyone present at the time was indispensable in killing the Chimera.

Fifteen minutes later, inside the S City Base Command Tower auditorium.

Lu Linyuan sat on the stage, his eyes scanning everyone in the hall.

Ping Chengcheng held Song Ning’s hand and quietly opened the auditorium door.

She had originally intended to find a seat in the back row discreetly, but unfortunately, it seemed everyone else had already arrived, and only Ping Chengcheng’s group had just shown up.

In an instant, almost every eye in the room turned towards them, and the entire auditorium immediately broke into whispers.

The combat personnel all looked at the girl with excitement.

Everyone who had participated in the operation was keenly aware of the girl’s power, and no one admired her more than they did.

When Ye Yin saw Ping Chengcheng, he even stood up in excitement, but then he quickly suppressed his expression and forced a smile.

“Well, well, the operation’s General Commander has finally arrived, eh?”

“This awards ceremony has been waiting for you for a long time.”

The girl shrugged.

“Oh? Is that so? Well, thank you very much, Deputy General Commander.”

Her voice was devoid of emotion, but her face wore a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Lu Linyuan shook his head with a faint smile.

This girl… honestly, before they set off, he had been worried that she and Ye Yin would clash.

Looking at them now, it seemed his worries had been unfounded.

“Alright, silence.”

Lu Linyuan adjusted the microphone, and his unquestionable tone quickly silenced everyone.

“Will the operation’s General Commander, Miss Ping, please take her seat as soon as possible.”

She then pulled Song Ning by the arm and sat down cheerfully in the last row.

“Miss Ping, please sit in the first row. That is your seat.”

Lu Linyuan pointed, a dark expression on his face, to an empty seat in the front row, next to Ye Yin.

Ye Yin looked at Ping Chengcheng with schadenfreude.

The girl was a little unhappy.

“How come there’s only one seat?”

She wanted to sit with her sister!

“The seats in the first row are for the department heads and team leaders who participated in this operation. Therefore, there is only one left,” Lu Linyuan explained.

Ping Chengcheng said, “Oh.”

“In that case, Sister, will you sit in that seat with me, okay?”

The girl looked at Song Ning with pleading eyes.

But Song Ning hesitated.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

After all, this was a formal occasion, and it really wasn’t appropriate.

“Sister… just listen to me!”

As she said this, the girl turned to look at Lu Linyuan.

“I want to sit with my sister!”

Lu Linyuan sat on the stage with a blank expression, saying nothing.

Everyone in the auditorium, including Ye Yin, held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

What was wrong with the General Commander? Was he angry?

But what happened next made everyone’s jaw drop.

“No problem. In that case… you two can sit together.”

What!?

Ye Yin’s eyes widened, and his mouth hung open.

He looked at Lu Linyuan, then back in disbelief at the girl who was now cheerfully pulling Song Ning to their seat.

The girl sat on Song Ning’s lap, nestled in her embrace, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

No way.

Ye Yin was in turmoil.

In his memory, Lu Linyuan would never agree to such a request. Why…