Chapter Twenty-Two: Swift Rescue
Building 11, 6th floor of Kangchun Garden Community—a fire had just broken out inside.
A middle-aged man, holding a child by the hand, thanked the young officer before him, saying, "Officer Chen, we’re deeply grateful for your help in putting out the fire."
Chen Shi wiped the dust from his face with a wet towel. "It’s nothing. Next time, pay close attention to fire safety at home, especially cigarette butts."
Chen Shi, a recent graduate of the police academy, code-named Pathfinder, belonged to the Daywalkers’ Baihe District branch, holding the rank of squad leader and acting as the district’s primary official. Although his eyes betrayed a hint of seasoned weariness and his speech carried a touch of slyness, he was true to his name—utterly sincere.
Lately, because of the calamity known as "Black Rain," he had been patrolling the area.
Ding-ding-ding!
That ring… it was the special phone. The faint smile on Chen Shi’s face vanished, replaced by a poker-faced seriousness as he stepped toward the window.
On the other end, Elder Yu’s stern voice came through: "The Umbrella Bearer has arrived in Baihe District. Their target is two rare-talent newcomers. One Nightwalker has already been marked. The situation is dire; information and coordinates have been sent, other support is en route, move quickly."
"Understood."
The Umbrella Bearer—Chen Shi clenched his teeth. This was an emergency, a matter of utmost urgency. Rescue had to begin immediately.
The Umbrella Bearer was one of the Daywalkers’ most wanted in Baihe, a notorious member of the Saint Calamity Society, known as one of the most radical "Newcomers’ Friends." Their actions were cruel and bold; records showed three incidents where they stuffed rookie players into steel suitcases and smuggled them abroad.
The situation was tense. Worldwide, there were only about ten thousand Worldwalkers; they were exceedingly rare, and each one was invaluable.
He could not let the Umbrella Bearer succeed again!
At that moment, the old man and the child were still watching Chen Shi.
Sixth floor… Chen Shi smiled faintly and addressed them, "Could you both please turn around?"
Though puzzled, the pair complied.
The instant they turned, Chen Shi leaned back by the window, plunging directly from the seventh floor.
As he fell freely through the air, a blazing fire umbrella materialized in his hand. He opened it, reducing the impact of his landing.
Splash!
As he hit the ground, sending water flying, a fiery Doberman bounded from the bushes. Man and dog raced at breakneck speed toward the target’s coordinates.
As fast as possible—the target wasn’t far!
Five kilometers, four, three…
One kilometer…
Chen Shi sniffed. Amidst the heavy rain, a pungent scent of blood reached his keen nose.
"Trouble—the scent of blood."
The strong metallic tang indicated severe bleeding. The Nightwalker must have resisted, and the Umbrella Bearer had broken their limbs!
Damn that Umbrella Bearer. Chen Shi quickened his pace, sprinting toward the source of the blood.
Faster, faster—he couldn’t let the villain succeed!
Faster—
Fifty meters!
He was there!
I’ll save you!
To rescue the hostage in the shortest possible time, Chen Shi prepared his spell in advance. Flames gathered at his fingertips, ready to unleash a fireball.
Then, he froze, baffled.
"???"
"What’s going on?"
He saw the two-meter-tall Friend of Newcomers, the Umbrella Bearer, furiously attacking a flock of black ravens in impotent rage.
Beside him stood the newcomer, Dawn, whose eyes glinted with a hunter’s chill, bloodied dagger twitching in his grip.
What was happening? Had something been reversed?
Something was off… Pathfinder Chen Shi checked his phone, confirming the two photos again.
The kidnapper was the towering, fierce criminal, the Umbrella Bearer, who had carried out ten rookie abductions for the Saint Calamity Society—a top wanted fugitive.
The protection target was the newly initiated Worldwalker, pure rookie Dawn: black-haired, male, a recent university graduate.
Why did it seem the kidnapper was the one needing backup, not the hostage?
Something was amiss. Chen Shi’s expression contorted, fireball suspended in midair, unable to act.
"......"
Out of professional caution, Chen Shi retreated two steps and called Elder Yu.
"Elder Yu, are you sure you didn’t send the wrong info, maybe mixed up the photos?"
After that incident in the New Sun Game support group, Elder Yu’s mind had suffered, and mistakes had become frequent.
The reply was immediate: "What are you talking about? Are you baiting me? I’m an elder—I wouldn’t mess up critical information. Besides, I wasn’t the only one handling those photos. Get on with it! Those two newcomers are vital to us! It’s urgent!"
"Are you certain?"
"Certain."
Well then… Once Chen Shi was sure, he prepared to carry out the planned "rescue operation" for Nightwalker Dawn.
Wait—where was the Nightwalker?
Chen Shi’s eyes widened as a chill swept from behind.
He, the rescuer, seemed to be threatened by the supposed hostage…
Just now, raindrops splashed up from the ground with no apparent cause—meaning an invisible presence had passed!
Someone was behind him…
Dawn’s Shadowblade dagger pressed against the back of Chen Shi’s head. "Are you his accomplice?"
Chen Shi extinguished the flames, raised his hands, and slowly offered his phone. "No, he’s with the Saint Calamity Society; I’m with the Daywalkers. We’re sworn enemies. Sir Hostage—no, Nightwalker, could you please lower the knife? I mean no harm."
He handed over his phone! Dawn was startled.
Indeed, if the two had been accomplices, the fireball could have struck Dawn at any moment of inattention.
Moreover, the Doberman had not attacked him.
Such an obedient dog… Dawn stowed his Shadowblade. "Understood."
"Phew…"
Are all the newcomers this terrifying now? Chen Shi patted his chest and forced a friendly smile. "I’m with the Daywalkers. Rest assured, we’re here to help you—well, if you need help."
Dawn glanced into the distance, pupils contracting suddenly.
Did the Umbrella Bearer have another trick up his sleeve?
Dawn checked his phone. Under the torment of the ravens, the villain’s health had dropped to 25%, his life flickering like a candle in the wind.
The Pathfinder had arrived… Driven to despair, the Umbrella Bearer pounded the ground furiously. "Damn it, you’ll pay for this!"
His gaze was icy. For his own safety, the mission no longer mattered.
In the pouring rain, aside from the helicopter, a large black raven with red eyes darted through the storm toward the battered Umbrella Bearer. Clutched in its talons was a black phone.
Not his Shadow Raven! Dawn was startled.
The red-eyed raven rasped, handing the phone to the Umbrella Bearer. "Mission… canceled. Run!"
With this monstrous Nightwalker and the Daywalkers’ Pathfinder present, returning with a captive to build a slave force was irrelevant. Survival was all that mattered.
"Thank you, Crow Scarecrow…"
Survive… the Umbrella Bearer croaked. Upon receiving the phone, he decisively summoned two critical escape tools from the present world.
A twisted shadow appeared in his hand, which he slapped hard onto the ground.
"Domain of Shadows!"
The reason so many rookie-snatching missions were assigned to the Umbrella Bearer wasn’t his combat prowess, but his remarkable ability to escape.
Despite his burly, brutish appearance, he excelled at running away.
His Domain of Shadows could generate a cloud of black mist, masking scent, spiritual power, sound, and all traces, while he moved freely within.
Centered on the Umbrella Bearer, dense black fog spread rapidly.
"Thirty years east, thirty years west, brat—one day, we’ll meet again!"
Using the fog to conceal himself, the Umbrella Bearer fled at full speed.
"Tch!"
He’s escaping… Dawn stepped forward. He hadn’t claimed the experience or loot, and didn’t want his prey to slip away.
"You came to help me, right? I’ll flank from the left, you take the right! Don’t touch the black mist."
"!?"
What am I here for again? Chen Shi, caught off guard by the sudden flanking order, felt his mind grind to a halt. He responded automatically, "Received, understood…"