Chapter 28: An Enigmatic Future

"Um, Jonathan, you see, with the expulsion of that Mind Flayer avatar, we really couldn’t help at all. The lab tunnel still isn’t closed—what if more monsters invade in the future?" Dustin, Lucas, and Mike approached, Dustin fidgeting nervously, clearly hesitant to speak his mind.

"What do you mean? Just say it—no need to beat around the bush," Lin Xiao replied as he stowed away the Interstellar Destruction Axe, already suspecting what the three wanted. They were probably after extraordinary powers of their own.

Sure enough, Dustin summoned his courage and said, "We want to learn powers like yours. Is there any way we could follow you, become your apprentices?"

Before Lin Xiao could answer, Chief Hopper hurried over to intervene. "Hey, what are you kids up to? It’s better not to mess with powers like that. The monster’s dead, the town is peaceful again—just focus on school and let us handle the rest, okay?"

As the chief of police, Hopper had no desire to see the town thrown into chaos by kids wielding supernatural abilities.

Lin Xiao echoed this with a cough. "You need a special gift for that. Honestly, I don’t think you have it. Just like Chief Hopper said, focus on your studies. We’ll protect you."

He had no choice but to turn them down—extraordinary power wasn’t something just anyone could wield. Even if his system had potions or equipment to exchange, his source energy was already stretched thin. There was simply nothing extra to spare for them right now.

Perhaps when he reached level ten and had enough power to protect himself, he could consider gathering some gear and potions to raise their strength. For now, though, his priority was to grow stronger himself. The only exception was Eleven, whose potential made any investment worthwhile.

The trio wilted like plants struck by frost. Eleven stepped forward and took Mike’s hand, signaling that she would protect him and keep him safe.

"Alright, that’s enough for today. Remember, this stays secret. Now, everyone, head home. If you’re not back soon, your parents will start to worry," Chief Hopper instructed. The group had no choice but to disperse. Eleven was about to leave too, but Hopper stopped her.

Back inside, Joyce was tending to Will. The electric heater and floodlights were off, and the fire in the stove had died down. The house was gradually returning to its usual temperature.

"By the way, Joyce, your house burned down and you don’t have anywhere to stay right now. This place belonged to my grandfather—why don’t you stay here until your new home is ready?" Chief Hopper offered. Joyce looked up and gazed at him deeply.

In the original story, these two endured many hardships before finally coming together. Later, Hopper disappeared while trying to close the portal again, his fate unknown. But with the plot now changed and after saving Will, perhaps their relationship would blossom sooner.

"Thank you so much, Jim. If not for you, we really would have had nowhere to sleep tonight," Joyce said gratefully. Lin Xiao felt a bit awkward—the fire had been quite a blaze, destroying not only the monster but their home as well.

"It’s nothing. I’ll go handle the aftermath today. By the way, the little girl will stay with you for now, Joyce. Take care of her while I figure out her situation," Hopper said, gesturing toward Eleven. In the original series, Hopper eventually adopted her; now, it seemed she might become both Hopper’s daughter and Lin Xiao’s sister.

A sudden thought struck Lin Xiao: If Hopper married Joyce, and Eleven became his sister, this familial bond would make it much easier to trust her with power and bring her along for leveling up—no need to worry about betrayal. A win-win, truly.

It looked like he ought to play matchmaker for Joyce and Chief Hopper, bringing them together as soon as possible. "My adorable little sister, get ready for some brotherly guidance," he thought, though he quickly admonished himself to be serious. He wasn’t that twisted—just a bit excited.

After Hopper drove off, Eleven sat quietly by herself, fiddling with her staff, while Lin Xiao and Joyce discussed rebuilding the house. They had insurance, but the payout would only cover a cheap secondhand place, not a new home.

"Mom, don’t worry about it. I’ll handle the house. Since it was my fault the place burned down, I’ll get you a new one. I won’t let you and Will end up on the street," Lin Xiao promised. With his current abilities, earning money wouldn’t be a problem once things calmed down—he was confident in that.

That evening, Hopper brought news that specialists had taken over the lab, investigating the accident. They might be called to the station to assist with the inquiry and likely sign some confidentiality agreements.

Lin Xiao had no objections; the incident had been too big to sweep under the rug. The lab had lost many people—proper procedures had to be followed.

In the days that followed, Lin Xiao and his friends were summoned to the police station. The state had sent officials to handle the matter. Each had to sign a confidentiality agreement forbidding them to discuss what had happened at the lab.

Eleven’s situation was troublesome, but she’d worn a wig when they entered the lab and again for her police interview, at Hopper’s insistence. This was enough to slip past the investigators.

Meanwhile, the lab sent another representative—Dr. Sam Owens, a gentle soul whom Lin Xiao knew well. Unlike Dr. Brenner’s ruthless methods, Owens was a far better leader, making future dealings much easier.

One thing was certain: the interdimensional portal remained open. The Mind Flayer’s avatar was destroyed, but the main body still existed and would certainly return for revenge. With its avatar gone, the third season was now missing its final boss. The story’s direction had veered into uncharted territory, beyond what Lin Xiao knew.

From now on, the plot would be entirely different. No one could predict what would happen next.

Even so, Lin Xiao felt no fear. As long as he grew strong enough, he could protect himself and those he cared for, no matter how wild the future might become.

After Will awoke and recovered, Hawkins returned to its peaceful routine and the friends went back to school. Joyce persuaded Lin Xiao to return as well, and so school life resumed.

During this time, more and more strangers appeared in Hawkins, wandering the streets and lurking in the dark woods—many loitered near the lab, clearly up to something.

Chief Hopper visited Will a few times and mentioned over dinner that crime in town was spiking—fights were breaking out everywhere and the police force was stretched thin.

Lin Xiao sensed it keenly: this was the calm before the storm. Something beyond his expectations was about to unfold in Hawkins.

This time, he’d lost his clairvoyant advantage. The only thing he could truly rely on was the game system.

The future was growing more and more unpredictable.