Lately, a tense atmosphere of busyness had permeated the Amber City Investigation Bureau.
While the investigation into the human skin monster incident had hit a temporary deadlock, the situation itself was a massive mess, enough to leave every department frazzled.
Verifying numerous reports, screening suspicious individuals through surveillance, following the faint leads on the original owners of the skins, calming public anxiety, responding to inquiries from headquarters and other cities... every task consumed manpower and resources.
The members of the Special Operations Section were no exception. Besides their daily shifts and patrol duties, they were temporarily reassigned to assist the Intelligence Department with peripheral screenings and preliminary examinations of suspected cases. Occasionally, they also responded to emergency calls requiring the presence of transcendents.
Afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting warm patches of light in the Special Operations Section office.
During a rare, brief lunch break, Yue Shi sat at his workstation, eyes closed to rest his mind, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the desk.
Bai Wanyang was slumped ungracefully in his swivel chair, a lollipop dangling from his mouth as he grumbled indistinctly, “Ah~ I'm exhausted. Is this what the life of a corporate slave is like? I feel like all my enthusiasm for work has been drained for a lifetime these past few days. Just hearing the word ‘mission’ gives me a headache.”
He crunched down hard on the lollipop as if he had a grudge against it. “Where do you think that damn human skin monster is hiding? He couldn't have just vanished into thin air, could he?”
The twin sisters, sharing a dessert, glanced at each other. The older sister, Wei Jianxian, lowered her gaze, her tone heavy. “He hasn't vanished. I passed by the Intelligence Department this morning and happened to hear them talking... Apparently, after cross-referencing information, they found that one of the skins belonged to a logistics staff member from the Bureau headquarters.”
“Headquarters?!” Bai Wanyang snapped upright, forgetting to chew his lollipop, his eyes wide. “For real? Someone from headquarters was also...”
This news was clearly shocking. To those in local branches, the Bureau headquarters had always been a symbol of mystery and power. Even if it was just a logistics staff member, the implications were entirely different.
The younger sister, Wei Siqi, nodded. “Final confirmation is still underway, but the probability is extremely high. Headquarters... even if just for the sake of appearances, will never let this slide. Besides, people who work at headquarters usually don't have simple backgrounds. His family and friends probably won't let it go easily either.”
Yue Shi’s finger stopped tapping the desk. He slowly opened his eyes, a faint, imperceptible darkness flashing through his pupils. He didn't speak, just listened quietly.
Bai Wanyang took a sharp breath. “Man, this case just keeps getting deeper! I thought it was just some perverted supernatural that liked peeling skin, but he actually dared to touch someone from headquarters? This human skin monster has some serious guts!”
“Maybe he didn't even know who he was killing; he might just be randomly hunting targets that fit his aesthetic,” Wei Jianxian analyzed. “But that's exactly why it's even scarier. It shows his range of activity and threat level are far beyond our previous estimates.”
“Sigh, truly a season of troubles,” Bai Wanyang slumped back into his chair, staring at the ceiling with a sigh.
The conversation drifted toward the mysterious headquarters.
“Speaking of which, what's headquarters actually like?” Bai Wanyang’s energy returned after a few seconds of listlessness as he asked curiously.
“Information about headquarters on the internet is pitifully scarce, just fragments. Even on the Supernatural Forum, there are only some vague rumors. Some say headquarters isn't even on the ground but built in the sky?”
Wei Jianxian shook her head. “Those rumors are too exaggerated. The location and specific structure of headquarters are among the highest secrets. The bits of information leaked online are likely just the tip of the iceberg headquarters wants people to see, or even deliberate smoke screens. At our level, we don't have the clearance to know much.”
“I heard the internal structure and rules of headquarters are very strange,” Wei Siqi added softly. “Apparently, the flow of time is different in different areas? And some say it contains forbidden supernatural entities powerful enough to destroy the world...”
“It sounds more and more mysterious,” Bai Wanyang clicked his tongue, yet he couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. “Still, it would be great to visit headquarters and see for myself one day.”
“Headquarters holds an exchange competition every spring. Transcendents from local branches can sign up with a recommendation from their director. Ling Xun will ask as a matter of routine if anyone in the bureau wants to participate. Why don't you try next year?” Wei Jianxian suggested.
“Huh? There's such a thing? Have you guys been?” Bai Wanyang asked.
Wei Siqi glanced at him sideways. “We know our limits, so we won't join the chaos. But you, since you're so good at taking a beating, why not take the chance to broaden your horizons?”
Bai Wanyang waved his hands hurriedly. “I only just became a transcendent. I'd just be embarrassing myself. Maybe later.”
“That's a pity,” Wei Jianxian said with a look of regret. “The rewards for the top three are quite generous. The prize money alone exceeds a hundred million, and the champion gets to choose a high-grade supernatural object from the headquarters' collection.”
Bai Wanyang stiffened, his heart skipping a beat.
That's a lot of money...
Wei Jianxian continued, “The champions are usually from headquarters. But last year there was an upset—a transcendent from Rust City nicknamed ‘Mountain Ghost’ crushed the geniuses of headquarters and took the top spot. Little Bai, if you train more, you might become the next dark horse.”
Bai Wanyang nodded blankly, his mind filled with thoughts of money...
As Yue Shi listened to their discussion, he looked out the window at the blue sky. His eyes were deep, and countless dark thoughts quietly sprouted.
The brief lunch break ended, and everyone set aside their idle talk, diving back into the endless pile of work.
...
Late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.
Yue Shi had just fallen into a light sleep when he was woken by his phone vibrating frantically on the nightstand. He saw several emergency assembly orders from Ling Xun.
He frowned, a flash of annoyance at being disturbed crossing his eyes. He got up slowly, took off his pajamas, and changed into a crisp black trench coat.
On his way out, he ran into Bai Wanyang next door, who was yawning and rubbing his eyes. His hair was as messy as a bird's nest, and he was grumbling, “What's going on? In the middle of the night...”
The two quickly arrived at the assembly point. Several black official vehicles of the Investigation Bureau had already started, their engines emitting a low roar.
Ling Xun stood by a car, his expression exceptionally grave in the night. Seeing Yue Shi and Bai Wanyang, he said concisely, “We received a report. Multiple skinless corpses were found in the cold storage of a food processing plant in the west. The situation is serious. You two, take a team to the scene immediately for investigation. Someone will brief you on the other details on the way.”
Rate on N.U.
