Scarlet Descent-Chapter 15 - The Mindset of a Subordinate

Since Wei Wei had brought Ye Feifei along, he naturally had to take her back. However, it was clear that Ye Feifei was in low spirits. Occasionally, she would glance at Wei Wei with a hint of resentment—as if an underachiever were looking at a top student with envy and reluctance.

It wasn’t until they reached the Jeep that she mustered the courage to say, “Brother Wei, can you take me with you to investigate?”

“Hmm?” Wei Wei was surprised and chuckled, “Aren’t you going to patrol the streets?”

“I’m sick of patrolling!” Ye Feifei’s face fell. “They act like I don’t know—I don’t even have the authority to patrol! Wandering around all day with nothing to do. The traffic cops stare at me now, suspecting I’m trying to steal batteries...”

Wei Wei found this amusing but didn’t respond directly.

“Brother Wei, please take me with you,” Ye Feifei pleaded. “I don’t understand what the captain is thinking. We’re short-handed right now. That worker is still missing, and the child’s life is in danger. Every minute counts. Shouldn’t we focus all our efforts on rescuing the child? I want to help, but he’s making me patrol the streets...”

“Taking you…” Wei Wei paused, glancing at Ye Feifei’s frustrated yet still lovely face in the rearview mirror. He tested the waters with a question: “Are you upset with the captain?”

Ye Feifei puffed her cheeks. “No.”

Wei Wei smiled. “Good. As subordinates, we need to understand our leader’s intentions.”

Ye Feifei blinked. “Huh?”

“The captain approaches problems differently from us,” Wei Wei patiently explained. “As the head of Scrap Iron City’s supernatural law enforcement, his first priority when encountering a potential demon infection is to assess the event’s type and severity. For example, does the presence of an infected person indicate a spreading demonic cult or even a dangerous demonic force field?”

“Based on this protocol, the captain sent people to the guard office not just to track the suspect but to advise on containment to prevent large-scale attacks. Sending others to the mine ensures there aren’t more cultists there...”

“As for the child…” Wei Wei’s lips tightened briefly. “Of course, the child matters. If the child were right in front of the captain, he’d do everything to save them. But in supernatural incident protocols, determining the event’s nature takes precedence over individual rescues. Or rather, no single person’s priority outweighs the event itself.”

“...”

Ye Feifei was stunned. She understood the logic but struggled to accept it.

“We’re not police, military, or even true administrators,” Wei Wei sighed. “Sometimes, it’s not about whether we want to act but whether we can. To many, granting us more power is seen as reckless—unchecked superhumans are scarier than Class-1 hazards.”

“Then…” Ye Feifei slumped. “Are we just abandoning the child?”

“Of course not,” Wei Wei turned, a hint of approval in his eyes. “What I described is the captain’s perspective—his duty. But we’re subordinates. While they handle larger threats, why can’t we focus on saving the child?”

“...”

Ye Feifei’s face lit up with sudden hope. “I was envious earlier,” she admitted. “You joined later but got assigned important tasks...”

“We’re the same,” Wei Wei laughed. “The captain doesn’t fully trust me yet—or it’s just newbie protocol. He gave me routine questioning, but the guards have already covered that. What new clues can we find?”

“...”

Ye Feifei’s mindset shifted. She realized that although Wei Wei faced the same constraints, he remained unbothered—so patient and insightful about leadership. Is this what “mindset” means?

...

“Since that’s the case…” Though not fully grasping Wei Wei’s analysis, Ye Feifei’s trust in him soared. She slid into the passenger seat, buckling up while suppressing excitement. “How do we start?”

“Investigate,” Wei Wei started the engine. “From the beginning.”

“But we know nothing!”

“We can deduce clues,” Wei Wei said. “As I told the captain, there are two possibilities: either the suspect had existing dark tendencies or he’s demon-infected.”

“The former would’ve been uncovered by now. If it’s the latter, we need to determine if he accidentally encountered demonic forces or is actively performing a ritual to gain demonic favors...”

Ye Feifei tensed. “Which do you think it is?”

“Likely not a ritual,” Wei Wei shook his head. “Demonic rituals require strict precision—every step must mirror ancient texts for even a slim chance of success. His 'specimens' are crude: nails through chests, no preservation, no refinement. It’s haphazard, not ritualistic.”

“Then why didn’t you say this earlier?”

“The captain was... showcasing his expertise,” Wei Wei raised an eyebrow. “Correcting him would’ve embarrassed him.”

“...”

Ye Feifei froze, realizing why she’d never been trusted with major tasks. After a pause, she asked, “What next?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you,” Wei Wei looked at her. “You’ve been here longer. Do you know if Scrap Iron City has any former Twelve Gods clergy—especially Death God priests, nuns, or officials who left after the cult was banned?”

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

Ye Feifei frowned, deep in thought. “Actually... there might be...”