005

She left without leaving any money behind.

Mei watched her leave, wishing she could take back the potion she had given.

With a sigh, Mei resigned herself to the fact that her efforts had been in vain.

...

At night.

The man slowly woke up, rubbing his eyes "Strange... why did I suddenly fall asleep?"

"Where is Vex?"

"She's gone," Mei replied, "And she didn't pay for the coffee, so you should cover it."

"Ah..." The man nodded absentmindedly. "How much?"

"5,000,000."

"What?!"

"Did she chewing your coffee beans, or destroying your cafe?" The man looked baffled.

"She betrayed my sincere feelings."

The man: "..."

"Actually, the reason why I brought her to you is because she likes..."

"That day I..."

"I don't want to hear your story," Mei interrupted, tossing him a piece of paper.

The man glanced at the paper but didn't read it "I... I actually want to say, I got this money, and I exchanged it with my..."

"I originally wanted to introduce Sister Vex to you, but I never thought things would develop like this. Please, respect that we are long-time neighbors, and let me go?"

Huh?

Mei raised her eyebrows a bit. She had been joking, but looking at his reaction...

He really has 5,000,000!

So it looks like I can't let him go.

"If you don't have the money to pay, stay and work for me. When the debt is gone, you can leave."

The man was stunned for a moment "Hey, hey, hey, don't go too far!"

"Your house is right across the street from the police station. You dare threaten and bully me in broad daylight. Be careful before I report you!"

Hearing that, Mei curled her lips and smiled.

She immediately took out a bottle of turbid, metallic-looking potion from her chest.

"Just kidding, don't take it seriously. This is juice, drink it to cool down a little."

"That's fine." The man took the potion and poured it down in one gulp.

But a second later, his body suddenly stiffened, his whole being seeming to grow heavy, and his skin turned silver!

"Aaaah! I..."

The man's eyes widened as he fell directly to the ground, unable to move!

Seeing this, Mei smiled, "So, are you giving me the money or not?"

"Give..."

"Will you work for me?"

"Yes..."

"Good, very obedient."

...

A few days later, Mei drafted two new documents detailing recent experiments:

Number 004 — Queen Bee:

- Appearance alters to a plump, youthful form with skeletal hands capable of growing bee-like stingers.

- Secretes a neurotoxic fluid with three known effects: paralysis, control over paralyzed bodies, and conversion of male organisms into female.

- Additional information will be appended as it becomes available.

Number 005 — The Metallomorph:

- Possesses the ability to transmute skin, muscles, and bones into minerals through contact with minerals or materials.

- Can seamlessly blend into minerals and concrete, enabling the effect of passing through walls.

- Side effects include limb stiffness and slowed movement when fully metalized.

- Requires constant contact with rock or metal for metallization.

- In a preliminary experiment conducted at Mei's cafe, a participant using a silver ring transformed their entire body into silver.

- Potion recipe: Stainless Steel + Marble + Concrete.

Mei secured 760,000 in start-up funds from Lam, temporarily resolving her financial concerns. With an employee hired for the cafe, she felt a sense of security and immersed herself in potion making, unaware of the chaos her creations were causing in the outside world.

...

As night fell, the rain persisted.

On the deserted street, a young man panted heavily, his nerves taut. Despite the bustling crowd around him, he stood alone in the rain, his anxiety palpable.

"To go or not to go..."

"I'm safe here, surrounded by people. That monster wouldn't dare show up with so many witnesses!"

He reassured himself until the streetlights flickered to life.

Intent on passing through, the young man halted abruptly.

Across the street stood a figure shrouded in mystery, clad in a raincoat and sunglasses.

At the sight, the young man's eyes widened in alarm.

"Easy now, take a deep breath," The man said calmly, placing a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder.

The youth's panicked gaze darted around frantically before settling on the man in front of him. He grasped onto the stranger's shirt as if it were his only lifeline.

"Someone's after me, trying to kill me!" He exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.

Furrowing his brow, the man studied the young man's distressed expression "Alright, just calm down. Who's trying to harm you?" He asked, his tone soothing.

The young man pointed shakily in the direction opposite them, but the street was empty, devoid of any threat.

"No... Where did it go?" He muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Hey, take it easy," the man urged gently, his voice steady and reassuring "Just relax and tell me what happened."

The young man clutched his head in desperation "It's... It's Fish-Man. I saw him, his face transformed, scales growing, he was coming for me!"

"Fish-Man?" The man echoed, his expression growing serious "You're saying Fish-Man attacked you?"

"Yes... Fish-Man. You have to believe me, please!" The young man pleaded desperately.

As the man observed the young man closely, his lips parted slightly "Fish-Man, you say? Is he about this tall?" Suddenly, his features contorted, morphing into those of a creature with sharp fangs and a fish-like head.

Terrified, the young man's eyes widened, and then he collapsed unconscious.

The transformed figure reverted back to that of a woman, then shifted into the likeness of Raven.

"Human fragility," Raven mused "I've sorted out your little predicament, 002. When you're available, I'd appreciate an invitation for tea."

...

Beiling City's Police Station buzzed with activity, its officers sporting pronounced dark circles under their eyes from days of relentless work.

"Avee, any breakthroughs?" Queried one officer, his tone heavy with exhaustion.

Avee's brows knitted in frustration. "Fish-Man, and now an invisible killer... The cases are becoming increasingly bizarre. Are we even equipped to handle this?"

A bearded officer ambled over, offering a reassuring pat on Avee's shoulder "Our director is a steadfast materialist. Unless he sees it with his own eyes, he won't buy into these fantastical tales."

Avee sighed, feeling the weight of the situation "What about the proposal for an investigation squad to tackle these supernatural occurrences?"

"Denied," Came the curt response "But chin up, my friend. Let's not wallow in despair. How about a coffee break? The café across the street from the station is top-notch. I've been there once, and I highly recommend it."

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005 - The Metallomorph