Saturday, rest day.
"Wake up, you lazy pig!"
"Ah, huh?"
Chi Xiaoyu yanked off Lin Bai's blanket.
"Wait, why are you here?"
'Thank goodness it's already daylight.'
"New recruit, I'm taking you to get your equipment, and then you're coming with me to investigate an anomalous incident!"
"Oh, okay!"
Chi Xiaoyu rode a black motorcycle with Lin Bai holding onto her waist. Hmm, it feels so soft.
"Where are you touching?!"
"Sorry!"
"Touch me again and I'll kick you off."
Chi Xiaoyu's cheeks turned slightly red as she drove Lin Bai to a police station.
"Hey, hey, you're not going to lock me up, are you? I just accidentally touched you once!"
Chi Xiaoyu irritably tapped Lin Bai's head.
"Have you forgotten your job already?"
"That's because you haven't given me an ID yet!"
A young police officer walked over and saluted.
"Captain Chi, good morning."
"Xiao Chen, help him get a work ID."
"Sure, come with me."
Officer Chen pulled Lin Bai into a bathroom.
"Officer Chen, you don't need to pull me along to use the bathroom..."
Lin Bai scratched his head.
Officer Chen walked to the farthest stall in the bathroom.
"What are you waiting for? Come here quickly."
Lin Bai walked over uncertainly. Could this Officer Chen be gay? Eh!
Inside the stall was actually a hidden door. Officer Chen led Lin Bai through it, and inside was an elevator.
"Now this looks legitimate!"
"This is the real Mutation Investigation Bureau. The regular police station is just upstairs..."
The elevator had a total of 10 basement floors. He pressed B1 and swiped his police ID. They arrived at a white-decorated room with glass compartments filled with working staff...
Walking into one compartment.
A middle-aged man with glasses looked at Lin Bai.
"New here?"
"Yes, part of Captain Chi's team."
"Then 5-55 will be your number."
Soon, a work ID was handed to Lin Bai.
"From now on, we're colleagues. Now I'll take you to awaken your ability."
"Awaken ability? We can have superpowers?"
"No, it's awakening your anomaly-controlling ability..."
"Oh."
Officer Chen took Lin Bai back to the elevator and pressed B2.
They arrived in a room full of high-tech equipment. Various machines that Lin Bai couldn't name were running.
There was only one middle-aged woman in the room, casually playing a game.
"Oh, a new person?"
"See what you can tell about him."
The middle-aged woman approached Lin Bai. A blood-red eye opened in her palm. The eye stared at Lin Bai for a while, then the woman spoke.
"Let him try some anomalous artifacts. I can't tell what type of anomaly he's compatible with."
Captain Chen shook his head in disappointment.
"Alright."
"Um, does that mean I failed?"
"Not necessarily. If you were already compatible with an anomaly, we could choose one for you to contract with. But with artifacts, you might not be able to use them."
"Artifacts?"
"Weapons made from anomalous body materials, like Captain Chi's sword..."
He led Lin Bai to B3, which was filled with all kinds of weapons and blades.
"Look, there are so many anomalous artifacts, but people who can truly use them are few and far between. Most people holding them can't perform any better than with ordinary weapons—they can't bring out their effects. So don't have too high expectations..."
Lin Bai picked up a sword.
"What happens when the effects manifest?"
"For example, Captain Chi's sword can be imbued with lightning."
Lin Bai's sword suddenly burst into flames…
"Like this?"
"Holy shit, you got it to work already?"
"Ah, it just caught fire when I held it..."
Lin Bai put down that sword and picked up a crossbow.
The black crossbow was instantly covered in frost...
"Ah, try this one, and this one too..."
Captain Chen kept handing different weapons to Lin Bai. Surprisingly, Lin Bai could use all the anomalous artifacts.
"This is unheard of..."
"Just pick one you like for now. I'll call Captain Chi..."
A series of phone rings sounded. Sitting in her office, Chi Xiaoyu was leisurely drinking coffee.
"What is it?"
"Captain Chi, Lin Bai is simply a genius! He can use all the anomalous artifacts!"
"Really?"
Chi Xiaoyu stood up in surprise and hurried to B3.
Seeing Lin Bai constantly switching between artifacts, Chi Xiaoyu was also shocked.
"Is this for real? All-attribute compatible with anomalous artifacts!"
"Pick one you like. We still need to investigate Datong Middle School..."
"Can I have them all?"
"No, the director will scold us if you take too many. Besides, can you even carry two swords?"
"Uh, it's not impossible..."
Lin Bai picked up two swords—one burst into flames, the other was covered in frost—and struck a pose.
Chi Xiaoyu shook her head and tossed Lin Bai a handgun.
"Just use this. C-grade anomalous artifact. The bullets can immobilize anomalies."
"Oh, fine."
Lin Bai hung the gun at his waist. For now.
○
At Datong Middle School, it was the weekend and students were on break. Through the teachers, they summoned Zhou Zhiqiang.
"Your name is Zhou Zhiqiang?"
"Yes."
"Regarding your desk mate and your two girlfriends jumping off the building, what are your thoughts?"
"Officer, you must believe me, it really has nothing to do with me. I don't know why they jumped off the building. I really didn't do anything to hurt them. But they all jumped from the same spot!"
The boy looked panicked and genuinely frightened...
Chi Xiaoyu looked at the officer beside her. The officer understood and took out a device to scan Zhou Zhiqiang.
"No problem..."
"Alright, you can go now."
Looking at Lin Bai.
"Do you think there's something wrong with him?"
"Hmm? I don't know."
Lin Bai was confused. If you're asking me, I don't know either...
"You're so dense. Think about it—people related to him are all dead, yet he acts like nothing happened. How could there not be a problem?"
Chi Xiaoyu tapped Lin Bai's head.
"Come on, now that they're on break, let's check their dormitories..."
Boys' dormitory
Chi Xiaoyu handed Lin Bai and other officers a device each.
"Each person scan one floor. Keep in touch via walkie-talkie."
"Yes."
Chi Xiaoyu went in first, with Lin Bai following closely.
They opened door after door, and the device showed no change. Just as Lin Bai reached the last door, Chi Xiaoyu added through the walkie-talkie:
"I forgot to tell you, the device shows a green light when it doesn't detect anything, with no change."
"Uh, what if it's a red light that keeps flashing?"
"Then of course it detected something. Wait, how do you know?"
Lin Bai looked at the device in his hand flashing red light continuously.
"Because the one in my hand is flashing faster and faster!"