0016 Return to Normalcy

Once the trainers were the only ones left in the cabin, the tension that had been building finally broke, and people began to whisper among themselves. The group around Ding Ye shot furious glares at Hou Rui's crew; if they hadn't interfered, things wouldn't have turned out this way. Hou Rui's companions seemed much more at ease, except for Hou Rui himself, who still looked dazed.

"Hey, Hou, are you planning to join the combat team or the infiltration unit?" Jerry, in high spirits, sidled over.

"What's the difference?" Hou Rui managed to summon enough energy to ask.

"The combat team is the organization's mercenary force, mainly responsible for mid- to large-scale operations—teamwork. Infiltration members return home and wait for activation, ready to carry out missions at any time," Jerry explained succinctly.

Once again, the face of that pirate child flashed through Hou Rui's mind. His heart twisted painfully. Forcing himself to endure the wave of emotion, Hou Rui finally answered resolutely, "I want to go home."

"Good luck then, Hou. Too bad you're passing up the chance to make a fortune," Jerry shook his head with a sigh.

After several nights plagued by nightmares, the child's lifeless, hollow eyes haunted Hou Rui's mind. Before he completely broke down, the bearded man reappeared, finally bearing good news. "Those who chose infiltration, come out now. Fishing boats are waiting to take you back to your countries."

Hou Rui gestured briefly to Jerry, then left the submarine with Lux and the burly man. Ding Ye's sharp gaze stabbed into Hou Rui's back, but he ignored it. It wasn't until he climbed out onto the deck and the briny sea breeze hit his face that he felt a spark of vitality return.

Out on the vast sea, several fishing boats flying flags from different countries were working. These would be their means of returning home.

Half an hour later, Hou Rui was aboard a weathered wooden fishing boat. Led by a short man from Shandong, he found his tiny berth. As Hou Rui was about to lie down for a rest, the Shandong man barked, "Don't get comfortable—get to work!"

"Work?" Hou Rui was bewildered.

"Of course! No free rides on this boat. You'll work twelve hours a day. The hold is only half full. Remember, crabs are 7.5 per jin, squid 2.2. The more you process, the more you earn. Keep your own count," the man finished, tossing Hou Rui a fish knife.

So began Hou Rui's grueling days as a laborer on the fishing boat. Setting traps, gutting fish, freezing crabs—every day, he was the one who worked the longest. He was using hard labor to numb himself, and only when he collapsed onto his bunk, utterly exhausted, did the nightmares finally cease.

After ten days, the hold was full, and the boat headed for port. At last, Hou Rui was truly on his way home.

Fourteen days later, at Jinggu Port, the wooden fishing boat passed inspection and docked. The Shandong man, as if by magic, produced a seaman's card for Hou Rui, along with his ten days' wages.

"Here you go! After food and lodging, you have 1,730 left. Remember, once we're ashore, we don't know each other," the man said, turning away without another word.

Hou Rui stood alone at the port gate, clutching his meager pay, unsure what to do next. Suddenly, a fiery red Jeep roared up, skidding sideways until the passenger door was right in front of him.

"Get in!" commanded a stylish middle-aged man whom Hou Rui recognized from a brief encounter before.

Hou Rui, adopting a resigned air, silently opened the door and settled into the passenger seat. The Jeep shot off toward the intercity highway.

"Mongrel, you really surprised me. I didn't expect you'd make it off Zero Island," the man teased lightly as he drove.

"My name isn't Mongrel," Hou Rui retorted.

"Too late. From today on, that's your codename in the organization—Mongrel," the man chuckled, pulling a small shoulder bag from the back seat and tossing it into Hou Rui's lap.

Too weary to argue, Hou Rui opened the bag. Inside were a smartphone, a card, and some documents. Unfolding the papers, he found a fishing boat employment contract, signed by himself.

"What is this?" Hou Rui was confused.

"Since you chose the infiltration unit, you need a plausible reason for your three-month disappearance. That contract is your cover story. The phone is for contact—keep an eye on the group chats. The card holds your first commission: all 150,000 dollars," the man explained simply.

"So you're saying I can go home and live a normal life?" A flicker of hope returned to Hou Rui—maybe he could finally escape this violent world.

"Go home, yes; live a normal life—don't even dream of it. You're now an asset of the organization. Your skills, your life, none of it is yours anymore. If you're called for a mission, you must comply unconditionally. Otherwise, the neurotoxin in your neck will activate, leaving you mute, paralyzed, and in agony for a month before you die," the man said, as if discussing the weather.

Cold sweat seeped across Hou Rui's back as he listened. He looked down at the card in his hand and suddenly asked, "What about you? Aren't you also a puppet, killing at the organization's bidding?"

"I used to be. But now, I'm free," the man answered, tapping the back of his neck.

"What do you mean?"

"In the organization, everything has a price. Ten million dollars buys you chip removal."

"Ten million?" Hou Rui shivered at the number. How many lives must have ended at this man's hands for him to earn so much? Fifty? A hundred?

The Jeep fell silent for a moment. After a while, the man turned onto another highway. "There's a bus stop up ahead. You can catch a ride home there."

"I don't want to go home anymore," Hou Rui said unexpectedly. In just a few minutes, he'd realized he couldn't bring danger to his family and friends. In his current state, always on the brink of violence, he would rather die far from home than in front of those he loved.

With a screech, the Jeep braked hard, tires leaving long black marks on the roadside. The man leaned on the steering wheel, regarding Hou Rui with interest. "So where do you want to go? Remember, your chip is tracked by satellite. Unless you plan to live fifty meters underground or twenty-five meters underwater forever, the organization will always find you."

"I..." Hou Rui glanced out the window. He saw a group of students with backpacks, and suddenly remembered that not long ago, he was just like them—a student. He blurted out, "I want to go back to school. Can the organization arrange that?"

"No problem. But when that's done, your account will be almost empty."

"Fine. I'll go to school."

"Which city? The capital, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Kunming?"

"The capital."

"Haha, Mongrel, fate brings us together—I live there too. We can meet often," the man laughed.

Twenty-four hours later, Hou Rui was in a small hostel beyond the Fifth Ring Road, lost in thought. He had called home to reassure his family, covering the truth with a string of lies about heartbreak, working at sea, and needing time to clear his head. He repeated the same story to his friends. But when he prepared to call Jin Shanshan, he found he didn't know what to say.

After the ordeal of Zero Island and Vietnam, Hou Rui was a different person. The innocence was gone; now, with his life hanging in the balance, romance was the last thing on his mind. Besides, how could he possibly explain everything to Jin Shanshan, who had nearly died at the hands of the same stylish man?

While Hou Rui was still mulling it over, Old Xiao—the stylish man—brought news.

"Here you go: Capital University of Media, Photography major. You can report in tomorrow." He tossed a stack of documents onto the table—admission forms, acceptance letter, student ID, everything in perfect order.

"What's this? Some fake documents? Won't I get arrested if I show up?" Hou Rui eyed the papers skeptically.

"On this land, money talks. It's all genuine—right down to the leave of absence records, both in print and online," Old Xiao replied, not bothering to sit in the cramped hostel.

"Why photography?"

"It'll be useful later. Anyway, I'm leaving the capital for a while. We’ll keep in touch through WeChat," Old Xiao said, departing impatiently.

The next morning, Hou Rui arrived at the university gates empty-handed. He found his student information in the documents, steeled himself, and stepped onto campus.

He asked about the teaching building, found the counselor's office, and after a flurry of activity, stood obediently before his advisor.

"Alright, I understand. You kids really know how to get into trouble! Taking half a month off before classes even start... Good thing the military training isn't over. Go check in, and I'll have the class monitor take you to the dorm," the kindly, grey-haired advisor said, handling the paperwork with practiced efficiency.

Soon, a small, energetic Southerner entered the office. After a brief exchange with the advisor, he turned to Hou Rui with a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you! I didn't even know we had a classmate who hadn't reported in yet. I'm Li Lei, the male class monitor. You must be Hou Rui?"

Looking at Li Lei's cheerful face, Hou Rui felt a pang of emotion. How blissful it was to have never experienced hardship. Forcing a smile, he shook Li Lei's hand. "Yes, I'm Hou Rui. Please look after me, Monitor Li. First, tell me where the dorm is, and is military training almost over?"

"Don't worry. We've got half a month left. I'll help you collect your bedding, assign your dorm, get your uniform, and then..." Li Lei chattered away, dragging Hou Rui along with him.