“Besides, with my high tier of awakening power, if I set up a sign and stand on Border Street, you wouldn’t believe it, but at least 50 teams would try to recruit me within a day.”

“Then I’d have money, have booze, and a different girlfriend every day, never repeating each month.”

“While you can only go and have close contact with the worms in the soil.”

The Sheriff clenched his teeth, his gaze wavering.

He had already cursed that foolish nephew a hundred times in his heart.

This nephew of mine!

Of all people to provoke, he went and provoked an awakening high tier Blood Code Carrier!

Extraordinary Beings of this level require the Anti-Violence Fourth Section to be called in.

And he himself was just an ordinary public security officer…

The position’s publicly-funded extraordinary transformation benefits would take a few more years of service to get.

He thought this time he’d just clean up a couple of small punks, enjoy himself, and establish a bold and mighty image in his nephew’s mind.

But now, he could end up losing his life!

If it were due to duty, the family would at least get compensation and lifelong preferential subsidies, and he’d posthumously earn the title of public security hero.

But right now, it wasn’t official duty!

He was settling a personal score…

The worst part is he hasn’t succeeded, and might get counter-killed on the spot…

If word of such a disgraceful incident gets out, instead of helping with the aftermath, the superiors might cut him from the Public Security Bureau.

Thinking of the dire consequences, the Sheriff’s hands shook as he held the gun, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

As an all-achievement player, Su Mo was well-versed in the ecology of Dawn Realm’s various fields.

Don’t be fooled by the Sheriff’s outward arrogance, bossing Border people around, often pulling out his gun for a set of “New Moon Iaido.”

The Sheriff was still a person, merely wearing a uniform, and had every normal human weakness.

There might indeed be sheriffs who stood firm and determined to fight evil forces to the end, but this one certainly wasn’t.

Judging by the shoulder patch’s rank, he most likely didn’t even have extraordinary powers; anyone with the courage to go hard against an adversary would have already shot, seeing death as home.

Aiming a gun at someone else, yet too scared to pull the trigger, only emphasized his current panic.

Of course, Su Mo didn’t really intend to kill this Sheriff.

No matter how ineffective, the Public Security Bureau was New Moon City’s official armed force.

Openly murdering a sheriff would undoubtedly be declaring war on the authorities.

Su Mo was no raider rooted in the Border, he was a mercenary with his base in New Moon City, and couldn’t afford to plant such a big landmine for himself.

Even if there really was no one around, unforeseen threats like high-altitude drones couldn’t be ruled out; killing an official operative carried too great a risk, he couldn’t just recklessly charge in.

His earlier words were merely psychological warfare, aimed to intimidate the Sheriff and break this deadlock.

Now that the intimidation had worked, and the tough talk was done, he should offer the other party a way out.

Su Mo withdrew his bone claws, brushed off the Sheriff’s shoulder patch, and said pointedly: “Your rank, basic salary plus various subsidies, is only eight to nine thousand a month.”

“You’re nearing fifty, stuck at the grassroots level even at this age; it’s obvious you’ve long checked out, right?”

“Since you’ve checked out, why bother holding a grudge against me now? How about this, let me point you in the right direction.”

“Call your nephew and say my friend and I were badly beaten by you, begging on our knees, letting him really vent his anger.”

“Then you can go home, cuddle your wife and kids, watch a movie, sleep well, head to work on time, have tea, browse short videos in the office, just leisurely go through the day. Isn’t that a nice little life?”

This Sheriff was smart enough to understand Su Mo’s implication, knowing he was offering him a way out.

But what little dignity he had as a man kept him silent, standing there.

Then, Su Mo deployed his tried-and-true strategy for dealing with Sheriffs.

He pulled out his wallet, casually drew over twenty 1000 currency notes, smilingly slapped them onto the Sheriff’s hand.

“A few thousand salary a month, why risk your life?”

Looking at the more than twenty thousand currency presented, the Sheriff squinted slightly, his expression growing profound.

Su Mo helped him grip the money, raised an eyebrow.

The Sheriff glanced around again, confirming no surveillance or third-party witnesses.

A moment later, he pocketed the currency, stowed his gun, freed Dongdong, and left without a word.

Sitting back in the patrol car, the Sheriff pulled out his phone and made a call: “Hey nephew, it’s me. Yeah, already settled the score for you.”

“You should’ve seen it, those two punks were beaten by me, begging on their knees. Haha, isn’t your uncle impressive?”

“Alright~ It’s been a while since we had a drink together, let’s meet after work tomorrow. That’s all for now, I need to drive, bye.”

The Sheriff settled into the driver’s seat, turned around and departed.

The patrol car disappeared from their sight, never to appear again.

Su Mo crouched down before Dongdong, gently grasped her hand, and asked softly, “Dongdong, are you alright? Does your hand hurt?”

Dongdong hung her head and mumbled, “Why give him so much money… it’s enough for you to have several more buffet meals…”

Su Mo chuckled helplessly, “Otherwise, what would you do?”

Dongdong threw a punch towards the direction the Sheriff left, adopting a fierce tone: “Get him! Bury him in the ground!”

Su Mo replied, annoyed, “Bury him, then the two of us run back to the Border and spend half a lifetime as fugitives?”

Dongdong secretly peered at Su Mo’s profile, eyes shadowed with hazy moonlight, murmuring softly, “Wouldn’t that be nice too…”

Su Mo shook his head like a rattle: “Not nice at all! Dong, you can’t always be so impulsive, not everything in this world can be solved by violence.”

Dongdong lowered her head, fiddling with her clothes, her voice very soft: “Why didn’t you… run just now?”

Su Mo countered, “Why should I run?”

Dongdong muttered under her breath, “Normal people would’ve run, he’s a Sheriff who doesn’t reason… only a big fool like you would challenge a Sheriff.”

Su Mo patted Dongdong’s little head, smiling gently, “If I ran away, how would I be different from the jerks who betrayed you?”

Warmth surged through Dongdong’s heart like never before, enveloping her heart, and before she knew it, her face was thoroughly flushed.

Although her eyes felt slightly warm, she stubbornly put up a front: “Just to be clear, don’t think this can move me… I long stopped trusting anyone…”

Su Mo employed a strategy of playing hard to get, shaking his head and saying, “I sincerely care for you, but you’re making me really sad. Oh well, let’s part ways then.”

After saying that, he feigned despondency and turned to leave.

“Eh? Eh, wait! I only said I wouldn’t be moved… I didn’t say for you to leave…” Dongdong hurriedly chased after him, tugging firmly on Su Mo’s sleeve.

She bowed her head and rested it against Su Mo’s back, as if fearing to lose something, cautiously saying, “I’ve just been curious… Though we’re not related, only known each other for a few days, you treat me particularly well…”

“I camp out to ambush you, hit you, steal your car, cause you financial losses, create all kinds of trouble for you… Anyone else would’ve cursed me away by now.”

“But you never get angry, always stay with me during my antics. After beating me away, you’d check if I was hurt, bring me things, go to precinct with me when trouble arises, stand up for me when harassed.”

“Even when the Sheriff bullied me, you stepped out to protect me…”

Dongdong looked at Su Mo’s back and her pupils trembled slightly, her voice gentle as a fawn: “Since childhood, aside from Mom, nobody has ever…”

She stammered and halted here.

Su Mo turned his head, asking with a mischievous grin, “Ever what?”

Dongdong looked down, a crimson shade filling her cheeks, mumbling indistinctly: “Never ever um uh ah um…”

Su Mo: “What? I didn’t catch that.”

Dongdong: “Never ever um uh ah um…”

“???” Su Mo sported a puzzled look, leaning his ear closer, “What is it? Speak up, can’t hear.”

Dongdong’s face was red to the extreme.

Redder and she detonated.

She grabbed Su Mo’s ear and shouted: “I said! Since childhood! Besides my mom! No one’s been this good to me! Got it?!?!”

Su Mo’s vision went black from the shout: “Dong, I just didn’t hear clearly, I’m not deaf…”

Dongdong kicked him, her face flushed as she huffed: “Making me say it three times… Might as well deafen you! No use for those ears anyway! Hmph…”

Su Mo rubbed his ears, crouched down to look at her, and revealed a hopeful smile: “Well, since we’ve met and share this bond, what do you say about working with me?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep