CHAPTER 21-25

Chapter 21 – The Collector (2)

It didn't matter when the injury occurred. After confirming the owner was still alive, Xu Gao grabbed Jiang Yujin and chased after the dark figure towards the door.

The streets were empty at this time, with only the streetlights on both sides still shining. Some streetlights were broken and yet to be repaired, enveloping the surroundings in darkness.

The figure dashed around the street corner, with Xu Gao pulling Jiang Yujin to keep up.

A yawn had barely escaped when Jiang Yujin was pulled away. His eyes half-opened, dazed as he ran along the road, the alcohol swirling in his stomach, and sleepiness churning in his mind. He turned to look at Xu Gao, wincing, "Chasing after it is your business, why bring me along?"

Xu Gao shifted his gaze, "It's eerie at night. Don't you feel safer with someone around?"

Jiang Yujin: ?

What nonsense was this big guy talking about?

In any case, Xu Gao refused to let go, determined not to let his companion for the night leave.

After a brief negotiation, with the other party promising to help pay for tonight's drinks, Jiang Yujin took the initiative and started running.

Some people, even when drunk, never forget to take advantage, as if they've ingrained such behavior into their instincts.

The evening breeze helped clear the mind a bit. Sobriety often made reality even more painful. What was supposed to be a hard-earned night off ended abruptly due to the sudden appearance of something unknown. Xu Gao ran with a heart full of frustration and anger.

The ordinary citizen Jiang Yujin struggled to keep up. Despite the evening breeze, his eyes remained half-opened, upper and lower eyelids in a close, affectionate relationship.

Despite being injured, the dark figure's speed was much faster than theirs. Xu Gao could initially see the figure at the end of the street, but eventually, even half of the shadow became invisible.

Jiang Yujin slowed down, half-heartedly gesturing, "Lost him. Let's go back."

Xu Gao wasn't deterred by his half-heartedness. He turned on his phone's flashlight and began searching for bloodstains on the ground.

Though the dark figure had run off after being injured, the bloodstains remained. Every so often, there were traces of blood, quite fresh and still distinguishable.

Failing to dismiss the person beside him, Jiang Yujin sighed with regret.

They followed the bloodstains, witnessing the gradual change in the streetscape. The tall buildings faded into the distant background, replaced by shorter buildings, cracks appearing on the roads, and the streetlights gradually diminishing into dimness.

They had reached the old city district.

Xu Gao continued shining the flashlight, carefully scanning the ground for bloodstains while Jiang Yujin walked idly, observing the old residential buildings on both sides and noticing the equally dilapidated storefronts below.

The trail of blood led to what seemed like an abandoned storefront. Xu Gao searched the surroundings but found no fresh bloodstains, prompting him to stop in front of the storefront.

Compared to the neighboring shops, this place appeared more rundown. The rolling shutter was rusty, and weeds had grown in the cracks on the ground, unkempt yet thriving.

There was a hole on one side of the shutter, surrounded by clusters of fine hair. The opening was neither too big nor too small, just enough for a bent adult to squeeze through.

After running such a long distance post-drinking, Jiang Yujin's body, weakened by alcohol, couldn't stand anymore. He stopped and squatted by the roadside, showing no intention of entering.

Glancing at the dark hole, Xu Gao's hand holding the phone trembled. "You're coming in with me."

Facing Jiang Yujin's unspoken resistance, he defended himself, "You know I was just a junior clerk before."

The first time they met, this person used to pretend to be professional and composed. Now, there was no pretense, almost wearing this non-professional identity with pride.

After mentioning the money for drinks again, Jiang Yujin leaned on his waist and stood up.

Both entered the storefront.

The light from the phone's flashlight flickered as Jiang Yujin glanced around.

It appeared to have been a restaurant before, with tables on either side revealing rusted metal underneath the peeled-off paint. Behind them was the kitchen, with tiles falling off the walls.

There was nothing unusual around the dining area, so Xu Gao slowly made his way towards the kitchen.

The kitchen had been cleared out, but some items remained, like a pot with its bottom missing and dirty towels overgrown with moss-like plants.

In front of the storage room on the kitchen's side, dark red bloodstains were concealed by dust, accompanied by faint sounds from inside.

The phone was passed to Jiang Yujin as Xu Gao silently loaded a round into his gun, taking the lead into the storage room.

As he stepped into the room, the light from the phone's flashlight inexplicably vanished behind him. An object lunged at him with a speed he couldn't react to, almost coming face to face before stopping abruptly.

Xu Gao turned his head and saw Jiang Yujin standing to the side, drooping eyelids holding the phone with the flashlight on and grasping… a clump of prickly something. The prickly thing was struggling in the air, its hind legs wet with blood.

His horrified expression froze on his face, the sound building in his throat halted midway, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Finally snapping out of it, he awkwardly holstered his gun and reached for the object Jiang Yujin was holding, looking utterly bewildered. "What's this?"

Jiang Yujin shook his head, returned the phone, and said, "I don't know, never seen it."

This was a Collector, the most common creature in the game. They had the ability to move through different instances, had a liking for shiny things, were fragile, with an attack that could be considered negligible. Their only two abilities were speed and the capacity to momentarily darken their surroundings, aiding in collecting desired items.

Bending down, Xu Gao examined the wound on the creature's hind leg.

The wound was peculiar. It was a thin, small cut, smaller than a knife mark, seemingly unnatural and puzzling as to what could have caused it.

With one hand holding the unidentified prickly creature, Xu Gao directed the flashlight into the storage room, finding it unexpectedly full. The light dazzled the eyes.

Unlike the outside, this place seemed oddly tidy, packed with items that gleamed under the light, from diamond rings to silver blocks resembling human bones, blood-stained daggers, and other unidentifiable, eerie objects.

The bottle of liquor that had been in the pub owner's possession was also here, raising Jiang Yujin's eyebrow in surprise.

So, this creature had barged in for the bottle of alcohol.

Jiang Yujin scanned the area and noticed a smooth, transparent, circular stone that looked like a glass block. His eyebrows raised slightly. He was about to bend down, but then Xu Gao glanced over, so he halted his movement, casually approached, and nonchalantly stepped on it.

The glass shattered into pieces.

Xu Gao took a quick look and then averted his gaze, making a call to inform the authorities about handling the scene and its contents. He didn't notice any commotion here.

…

Chen Jing finished dealing with his affairs and headed to the pub at night, expecting it to be closed. Surprisingly, the lights were still on, and there were inexplicable bloodstains outside. Upon pushing the door open, he found the owner sitting at a table.

Before he could speak, the owner glanced over, initially taken aback and then recognized him. "You're from the Jiang family, aren't you?"

There had been a few instances where Jiang Yujin had been heavily intoxicated in the pub, and it was he who came to take him home, making the owner familiar with his face.

Listening to the owner's brief account of tonight's events, Chen Jing's expression changed. Without inquiring about the alcohol, he swiftly dashed outside.

Following the bloodstains to the old city district, he found the usually quiet area bustling. Several cars with flashing red and blue lights were parked by the roadside, attracting the attention of residents who had come downstairs in the late hours to watch.

Facing the inquiries from the residents, those aware of the situation only mentioned the apprehension of a thief and the ongoing process of handling the stolen items, vehemently avoiding any mention of "strange species."

Relieved that it didn't involve anything abnormal, the residents relaxed.

Across the street, Chen Jing found Jiang Yujin observing the removal of dirty items from the scene.

Jiang Yujin squatted on the roadside, watching as they carried things out. Someone came out holding the shattered glass, asking Xu Gao if they still needed it. The rolling shutter was raised, and Xu Gao, managing at the entrance, glanced over and gestured, "Discard…"

He paused momentarily, then added, "Keep… keep everything. It'll all be handled by the forensics team."

The people sorting the items then tossed the shards into a bag labeled "Miscellaneous."

—The view was blocked by two legs.

Jiang Yujin looked up to meet Chen Jing's gaze. After a moment, Chen Jing sighed in relief and said, "It's late, time to go back."

He briefly explained why he had come there, prompting Jiang Yujin to stand up.

Chen Jing finally noticed that the person was actually carrying a bottle of liquor in his arms. The bottle had a unique design, reflecting light in all directions, looking utterly dazzling.

Upon catching the gaze directed at him, Jiang Yujin immediately defended himself, "This isn't for me; I'll give it back to the boss later."

Chen Jing remained skeptical of his words.

Jiang Yujin expressed sadness and regret over Chen Jing's distrust.

He did return the alcohol to the boss this time, but the boss, being generous, handed it back to him. The owner had originally intended to share the bottle with him and Xu Gao, but with the social animal Xu, laboring late into the night, he was left to drink it alone.

Jiang Yujin sat by the counter, happily pouring himself a drink. Chen Jing took the opportunity to pull the boss aside and inquired about the discontinued liquor from the small distillery.

"I've got some."

The owner nodded in response to Chen Jing's query. Then, turning around, he gestured not far behind and said, "Over there."

He was referring to the bottle in the hands of the ordinary citizen Jiang.

As Chen Jing looked over, he witnessed a swift, effortless twist of the bottle cap with a slight "pop," performed by Jiang Yujin. The motion was smooth and natural, devoid of any hesitation.

Noticing Chen Jing's gaze, Jiang Yujin turned his head, swaying the glass inquiringly. "Care for a drink?"

The owner interjected sensibly, "Minors aren't allowed to drink."

Jiang Yujin chuckled, propping his chin. "Is that so?"

The owner joined in the laughter, the two of them enjoying themselves, while the underage person fell into silence.

Eventually, the underage person had to assist the thoroughly intoxicated adult in walking back.

Some people, though unable to walk, could still eloquently talk, intermittently recounting an old request for help investigating something.

The story was convoluted, the conclusion explosive.

After a belch, Jiang Yujin's eyelids drooped, and in the end, he concluded, "Guess some things just can't be figured out."

Perhaps struck by the story, Chen Jing remained silent for a while before responding.

His light-colored eyes reflected the light from the street lamps as Jiang Yujin lowered his gaze, yawning once again.

Chapter 22 – This is 001

The search that lasted half the night concluded, and the unidentified strange species were handed over to specialists for containment. All the strange species' collections were thrown to the forensic department.

Not willing to continue the futile work of searching without any leads, Xu Gao, taking advantage of being the first discoverer, stayed back in the forensic department, claiming to assist with the investigation.

He didn't assist much in the investigation, but managed to grab quite a few snacks from the forensic department. In the afternoon, he even encountered Hu Li, who dropped by for afternoon tea at the usual time.

A small portion of valuables, which were considered normal in meaning, taken out from the storage room, had been counted and classified. These seemed to be the strange species' stolen goods from various places and would require a notice to find their rightful owners.

The rest of the unclassified items, whose specific value remained unknown, were left on the table. At a glance, they looked like a pile of rubbish.

Naturally, amidst the chaos, Hu Li grabbed a forensic department's mini cake. Approaching the platform where things were placed, he held a plate and scanned from left to right, stopping near the end.

After placing down the mini cake, he picked up a few shards of glass and asked, "Were these found there as well?"

It was an obvious question, and Xu Gao nodded. One of the forensic personnel sitting nearby remarked, "We've seen these before. It's a piece of glass with a peculiar structure. We'll clear it out later."

Hu Li didn't respond to the mere glass explanation but turned to Xu Gao. "Was this broken from the start?"

The glass shard was an item in the game, a sort of storage medium, randomly generated and not present in all instances. It couldn't be destroyed using in-game tools or abilities; only physical damage could destroy it. It could randomly record images within the instance and be read using special tools.

The retrieved images could be meaningless or contain helpful visuals of previous players escaping from dungeons or scenes of people dying in despair.

Many were searching for this item, unaware that it had been obtained by the Collector.

Xu Gao nodded, "Yeah, I guess so."

It was too small for him to have noticed from the beginning, and he didn't recall ever stepping on it.

Hu Li crouched to piece the shards together and said, "Heard someone was with you last night."

"Him?"

Anticipating the other's thoughts, Xu Gao waved his hand. "It couldn't have been him. He stood by me yesterday and didn't move an inch. At first, he didn't even want to enter that hole."

Hu Li casually inquired and then gathered all the fragments with a piece of cloth. He looked at the forensic personnel and stated, "I'll take this with me. I'll report to your department head later."

*

The next day when Jiang Yujin woke up, it was already noon, and the high schooler had already gone to school.

Blearily, Jiang Yujin got up, washed his face, and with half-closed eyes, went to the kitchen to find some food. He grabbed the breakfast left by the industrious high schooler and finally opened his eyes when he turned on the television.

But just as he was enjoying the TV moment, someone called.

He put the phone on speaker and placed it on the table, watching TV while listening to the phone and not forgetting to eat.

The call was complicated, but in simple terms, a friend of a friend's former neighbor contacted him, saying they urgently needed someone's help.

Thinking about the recent commitments he'd taken and feeling the need for his own time, Jiang Yujin decisively declined.

"Just for a day's work, and you'll get half a month's salary."

Picking up the phone to his ear politely, Jiang Yujin asked, "Where?"

The other person mentioned a location.

Jiang Yujin jotted it down on a piece of paper, feeling oddly familiar with the place name.

That afternoon, the high schooler returned home unusually early, saying, "I won't be coming back tomorrow, going to a classmate's."

Jiang Yujin was an open-minded parent, nodded in agreement, and reminded the other to be polite when visiting others.

Chen Jing nodded.

That evening, the two had dinner together, and the next day, while the high schooler went to school, Jiang Yujin slept until he naturally woke up, then rode his own electric scooter out.

As the scooter went farther, greenery along the roadside increased, and villas started to appear.

The destination was a grand estate, with a wide lawn and a solemn gate exuding an entirely different air of opulence compared to the electric scooter.

There was someone by the gate who opened it upon seeing him.

Jiang Yujin patted the electric scooter in his hand and asked, "Where should I park this?"

So, the electric scooter successfully entered the parking lot and found its own spot among a crowd of luxury cars.

Later on, Jiang Yujin met the supervisor who had contacted him.

Jiang Yujin familiarized himself with the surroundings as the supervisor guided him. The supervisor mentioned, "The old master is having his birthday banquet tonight. Everything was arranged a month ago, but a few people encountered last-minute issues."

He urgently found a few replacements but felt it wasn't enough. He didn't want to casually bring someone in just to fill a gap, so he mentioned it to a friend, who recommended the boss of an office, finally filling the last vacancy.

Observing the bustling lobby, Jiang Yujin sensed the importance people here attached to the evening's banquet.

He valued his salary, so as the supervisor spoke, he received a set of work attire.

The uniform comprised a classic white shirt, black trousers, and a tie, giving a somewhat formal appearance.

While an adult man could dress himself, Jiang Yujin wasn't accustomed to tying a tie. After coming out of the changing room, the supervisor looked at the tie, tied in a manner resembling a red scarf, and fell silent for a moment before offering some help.

With the tie properly secured, the supervisor examined Jiang Yujin for a moment, somewhat surprised. After two seconds of contemplation, he said, "You'll be in charge of receiving the guests then."

With the right pay, Jiang Yujin nodded.

"Just that your expression isn't quite suitable."

His eyelids drooped, seemingly disinterested in everything or equally disdainful of everyone.

The supervisor manually lifted Jiang Yujin's eyelids, but as soon as the hand was withdrawn, the eyelids drooped again, repeating this pattern.

The supervisor sighed, "Well…"

He then suggested, "You'll be responsible for delivering dishes in the kitchen later."

Jiang Yujin had no objections, nodded, and proceeded to the kitchen to familiarize himself with the environment and procedures.

In the kitchen, there was another temporary worker, like him. Upon meeting, they instantly got along. Jiang Yujin warmly referred to him as Zhao Liu. Since there wasn't much for them to do at the moment, they squatted in a corner, chatting.

Zhao Liu mentioned that many VIPs would arrive that night, expressing his initial intention to greet and mingle with them but deciding to stay in the kitchen due to social anxiety.

While listening to Zhao Liu chatter away, Jiang Yujin's eyebrows lifted at the mention of "social anxiety." He was about to respond when suddenly, the ground trembled.

Zhao Liu felt it too and turned to Jiang Yujin, his voice trembling slightly, "That was a tremor just now, right?"

Jiang Yujin nodded, "If I didn't misinterpret the sensation."

The supervisor passed by the door and noticed them both squatting in the corner. He reassured, "Don't worry, there's construction downstairs."

As the supervisor walked away, Zhao Liu leaned in and whispered to Jiang Yujin, "I heard the owner of this estate keeps some strange creature as a pet beneath the manor."

Jiang Yujin responded, "Is that so?"

The kitchen remained busy, time passing swiftly. By the time Jiang Yujin finished a couple of rounds of a Xiaoxiaole in the restroom, he could already see the courtyard lit up with lights and faintly hear the lively atmosphere outside.

Guests were starting to arrive, and the electric scooter in the parking lot was surrounded by numerous luxury cars.

Someone called out to him from behind. Jiang Yujin adjusted his tie slightly and turned, heading back into the kitchen.

*

Special Investigation Unit Headquarters

Vice Captain Hu Li unusually didn't leave work on time, strolling around in his own floral shirt.

Xu Gao helped from the Forensic Department by coming to collect the report Hu Li had promised earlier, only to find him still tinkering with the previously taken glass shards.

"You're just in time."

Noticing Xu Gao coming in, Hu Li gestured and said, "Help me stabilize this piece of glass."

He requested it so casually that Xu Gao approached, put on gloves, and steadied it as directed.

The meticulous act of piecing together a shattered glass fragment seemed completely out of character for Hu Li. Yet, he surprisingly focused on it, successfully reassembling it. Every shard fell back into place except for the cracks that couldn't be repaired.

Struggling to put the glass back together, Hu Li slowly withdrew his hand, then bent over his own desk, rummaging through drawers.

He found another slightly larger circular glass piece.

It was the first time Xu Gao realized that Hu Li had stuffed such an item into his desk. "What's this?"

"It's a medium," Hu Li placed the disc on the table, saying, "You can think of it as a player."

"?"

Xu Gao didn't quite understand, but that didn't stop him from wanting to see what exactly Hu Li was up to.

Hu Li moved the glass shards onto the disc.

Perhaps it truly was a player or maybe not.

Xu Gao watched as the once transparent disc gradually turned black and eventually displayed a dark image.

It seemed like a barren land, yet different from his familiar world. Blood-red sky—though perhaps not, as he preemptively assumed it to be the sky—stretched over an expanse of red and yellow grass that seemed to extend endlessly.

Despite no other elements in the scene, an indescribable sensation seized his breath. Xu Gao's heart raced, an inexplicable sense of panic filling his chest.

Though he was merely watching the images, he felt the suffocating oppression and despair enveloping the space.

Due to the damage, the footage was unstable and erratic, many scenes were blurry or partially lost, lacking coherence. In a blink of an eye, the wilderness revealed a massive, shattered body of a strange species, with jagged black bones protruding from torn skin, twitching slightly.

A vague figure slowly approached from afar, its form indistinct.

Hu Li's expression shifted slightly. Xu Gao widened his eyes, trying to get a closer look. At that moment of proximity, the image distorted, rapidly transitioning through several scenes accompanied by brief blackouts. When it reappeared clearly, the once vivid red and yellow grassland was now obscured by heaps of bodies.

Suddenly, a set of eyes from one of the bodies appeared unexpectedly, startling Xu Gao, causing him to step back.

The previously seen figure emerged again in the footage, amidst various strange species, each conservatively estimated to be of high risk in today's terms.

In just a few blinks, the figure in the footage moved at inhuman speed, toppling colossal, grotesque creatures as blood gushed forth.

The figure rose from the pile of bodies, its blurry form oddly frail. Slowly, it walked away.

In the fleeting moment before the figure disappeared from sight, the image became clear.

The winds swept across the wasteland, revealing white hair billowing in the wind, its tips stained crimson—a scene of chilling desolation.

Hu Li said, "This is 001."

Chapter 23.1 – Dinner Party

Until the image disappeared, Xu Gao remained motionless, his pupils trembling, taking a good while to react. When he finally did, he rubbed his arms and only then realized that goosebumps had appeared on his skin at some point.

This was the first time he had gained a shallow understanding of the Game.

Just by seeing a fragmentary image, he was nearly suffocating. It was hard to imagine how the person inside had endured so many years, and it was equally difficult to fathom the strength of those at the forefront of the Game.

He turned to look at Hu Li. Hu Li kept his head down, displaying an indescribable expression—something Xu Gao had never seen before. He asked, "Who is 001?"

Hu Li carefully collected the fragments, with no intention to say much, only stating, "A polite lunatic."

He hadn't seen 001, and the image was incomplete and blurry, but he could still distinctly discern that the person in the image was the other party.

White hair, a strength bordering on brutality.

Before leaving, Xu Gao pondered over the meaning of a polite lunatic.

It wasn't until he reached the forensic department that he remembered something, turned back, grasped the door frame, and shouted, "Don't forget to file the report!"

*

Outside the manor, amidst a fleet of luxury cars, a yellow taxi stood out conspicuously.

Inside, Chen Jing was engrossed in the messages sent by Xiao Pang, while Zhang Xin sat wearing a simple white dress, glancing up at the estate's walls.

They had finally arrived.

The situation had been quite convoluted. Simply put, the boss's wine was drunk by a citizen surnamed Jiang. However, the boss was a loyal fan of Xiaofang, and there was still a whole wall of Xiaofang's wine in the wine cellar. Later, Zhang Xin successfully obtained the wine, using the excuse of buying it for her father, who also liked this type of wine. She managed to get it and received an invitation letter.

Each invitation was for one person, at most with one female companion. Chen Jing and Zhang Xin went inside, leaving Xiao Pang to wander outside the estate.

The taxi left after dropping them at the gate, and Chen Jing and Zhang Xin entered the manor.

Around them, elegance and refinement filled the air. Guests descended the stairs from the second floor for the banquet, receiving applause from others. Though they clapped along, their eyes didn't glance toward the second floor but rather scanned the crowd.

Zhang Xin murmured, "Lu Dongcheng hasn't arrived yet."

Chen Jing nodded.

He hadn't seen the ostentatious second-generation rich kid; apparently, the latter had no interest in the occasion and simply chose not to come.

Guests arrived gradually, nearing the start of the banquet, yet the hosts remained idle, engaged in lively conversations with others, occasionally glancing toward the entrance.

Lu Dongcheng arrived.

He came alone, dressed in a suit, wearing a faint smile on his face, exuding grace and politeness. It was hard to imagine that this was one of the top players in the gaming world.

The elderly man celebrating his birthday approached him, followed by his own pair of children.

Though tall, Lu Dongcheng didn't seem haughty when he lowered his head to speak, radiating an inherent nobility.

As the old man conversed with him, his son interjected, "Mr. Lu, why did you come alone today?"

Before he could finish, the old man shot him a stern look.

Lu Dongcheng's expression remained unchanged; he smiled and replied, "He didn't agree."

…

Meanwhile, Jiang Yujin was still in the kitchen, handling the fish.

He had been waiting for the chef to prepare the meal, so he seized the chance to play a game on his phone. It was a bit regretful that his gaming partner wasn't here; otherwise, he could have shared his ten consecutive victories.

As the chef finished plating the dishes, someone transferred them onto a small cart. Jiang Yujin hid his phone and pushed the cart towards the lobby.

From a distance, he could already hear the sounds of various instruments playing and people chatting.

When he reached the lobby, the noise abruptly intensified. He didn't pay much attention to the crowd, focusing solely on placing his dishes.

Among the crowd, Chen Jing seemed to sense something. Through the thick heads, he immediately spotted someone standing by a table.

The person was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, with tidier hair than usual. Despite the view of their back, Chen Jing could recognize them at a glance.

"…"

Chen Jing couldn't fathom why this person would be here. He instinctively moved forward but then realized he should be at a friend's place right now.

He discreetly moved back into the crowd with Zhang Xin. Looking back, they noticed someone approaching the figure.

It was Lu Dongcheng. He halted his conversation with the old master and walked towards the person who was adjusting the dishes.

Zhang Xin, beside Chen Jing, also noticed the commotion. After identifying the person, her eyes widened slightly. "That's…"

Chen Jing chose to deeply exhale.

With the dishes adjusted, Jiang Yujin completed his task and clapped his hands. As he turned around, he met the gaze of the person behind him.

Lu Dongcheng smiled at him, and Jiang Yujin followed suit. "What a coincidence, Lu Yi Yi."

He wondered why the location seemed so familiar; turns out, it was the place mentioned on the invitation he had previously discarded.

He should have asked for a month's salary in advance.

— It seemed like he had resolved to call this person Lu Yi Yi for the rest of his life.

Lu Dongcheng didn't seem to mind; he didn't correct the other person's way of addressing him.

After exchanging polite greetings with Lu Dongcheng, Jiang Yujin didn't glance back at the person behind him. He turned his attention to the buttered prawns he had just arranged on the table, pondered for a moment, then took a small plate from the side and added some to it, even considerately providing a fork and spoon.

Before Lu Dongcheng could reach out, he took a bite.

The dish was for himself, the utensils were for himself; he was catering to his own preferences.

Noticing the supervisor's silhouette at the door, Jiang Yujin, while still chewing, handed the empty plate to Lu Dongcheng for him to take care of, swiftly slipping away by pushing the small cart.

Fortunately, the supervisor's target wasn't him, and the supervisor seemed too preoccupied to notice him. Wiping his forehead with a reflective surface, the supervisor briskly walked over to the old master, saying something in a low voice.

The old master's expression changed slightly. After a few words of advice, the supervisor nodded and quickly departed.

As Jiang Yujin left, there was no one temporarily beside Lu Yi Yi. Chen Jing stepped forward, while Zhang Xin observed from a distance.

Raising an eyebrow at the person in front of him, Lu Dongcheng waited for Chen Jing to speak.

*

Jiang Yujin, pushing the small cart, returned to the kitchen just as the supervisor arrived. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the supervisor said, "Everyone can take a break for now."

Tonight, for some reason, the ground occasionally trembled. Despite it being due to construction work below, the kitchen staff were quite apprehensive. Upon hearing they could leave, they promptly packed their things and departed.

Jiang Yujin blended into the crowd and left. Midway through, he stopped, muttering about needing the restroom, and turned back.

As he retraced his steps past the kitchen, he noticed that the lock on the door of the supposedly restricted storage room had been removed.

Pretending not to notice the sign that read "Special Storage Room," Jiang Yujin opened the door and stepped inside.

The storage room wasn't quite a storage room; in fact, there was barely any space. Upon entering, there was a staircase.

The staircase was well-made, akin to the lobby, exuding an expensive aura.

There were lights in the staircase—warm yellow, not too bright, but enough to see the way.

Descending—

The staircase spiraled downward, and he walked slowly, hearing another set of echoing footsteps from below.

The staircase was unusually long, almost testing Jiang Yujin's patience. Just before he was about to jump down, he finally saw the end.

Beneath was a vast area resembling a deep basement, much larger and taller than usual. Despite lights on the walls, the space remained quite dim.

At the far end, the supervisor was still slowly moving. Although he had descended quickly down the stairs, he now seemed hesitant and apprehensive.

Just as Jiang Yujin prepared to continue down, he suddenly saw someone appearing in the light, blocking the supervisor's path.

It was Zhao Liu, his inexplicably absent partner from earlier.

Zhao Liu's clothes appeared quite dirty, covered in dust. He pulled out a black ID from his pocket and opened it, saying, "I'm Zhao Liu from the Special Investigation Unit. There are reports of storing strange species here, and the situation seems confirmed."

Suddenly, Jiang Yujin's previously idle partner gained a flashy identity. Jiang Yujin wasn't surprised and found it rather amusing, so he found an excellent vantage point to observe from afar.

Despite his partner being good-looking and eloquent, he still chose to stay hidden in the kitchen due to his social anxiety. Someone who had just arrived as a temporary worker wouldn't typically know about the "strange species" below, clearly not like him, who was just here for work.

He hadn't expected it to be someone from the Special Investigation Unit. It seemed like the situation had become even more exciting.

The supervisor glanced multiple times at the ID Zhao Liu held, his expression changing constantly. In the end, he couldn't manage to utter a word.

There had been a leak of information previously, so when he recruited someone this time, he specifically checked their background, selecting someone known for their tight lips, all to prevent any undercover investigations. Yet, it seemed he hadn't been cautious enough.

The supervisor moved his lips several times, finally managing to squeeze out two words, "Impossible!"

His voice even quivered at the end, sounding oddly high-pitched.

"…" Zhao Liu fell silent for a moment, choosing not to argue further. He said, "The chains have been loosened considerably and need reinforcement as soon as possible."

The supervisor refused to acknowledge it and tried to push Zhao Liu out. Zhao Liu wanted the supervisor to see the loosened chains, and the two began to push each other.

The situation was becoming increasingly intense. Jiang Yujin watched with great interest, adjusting his position to find the best view. However, in the process, he made a slightly exaggerated movement, catching the attention of the two grappling individuals.

Suddenly, someone else appeared out of nowhere, startling the supervisor, who asked, "How did you get down here?"

"Oh," Jiang Yujin ruffled his hair, saying, "I came to find the restroom."

Glancing around, he added dramatically, "There doesn't seem to be one here."

His headache intensified, the supervisor still contemplating how to get the two individuals to leave, and the ground started trembling once again.

What they had felt up above was trembling. Until they came down and truly stood in this place, they could distinctly hear the muffled impact of something hitting the ground and the rattling of chains, one after another, as if about to break free at any moment.

Zhao Liu's expression changed, saying, "The sound is even louder than when I arrived."

The supervisor was also afraid, but he persisted, still insisting that there was nothing here.

"Snap."

A sound much fainter than the impact echoed.

A very subtle sound, and both who were previously arguing fell silent.

It sounded like the sound of a metal block embedded in the ground being lifted and dropped.

After a brief silence, there was no time to call for reinforcement. Zhao Liu swiftly ran into the room, while the supervisor hesitated for a moment before finally choosing to follow.

Jiang Yujin didn't run like the others, slowly lagging behind.

On one side of the basement were iron railings, and on the other side was the room. The room was large, almost a replica of the main hall's area, lit but dimly.

Under the dim light, the undulating body inside could be seen, the skin unexpectedly gleaming. From a conventional aesthetic perspective, the captured strange species inside could be considered beautiful. There were also enormous bone wings not yet unfolded, appearing more delicate in contrast to the other strange species in the game.

Its limbs were all restrained by chains, visibly oozing blood. The chains were originally tightly secured to the ground, but now there was one visibly broken, with a section of the ground lifted. Likely due to the previous action requiring a lot of effort, it now lay quietly on the ground, breathing lightly, as if preparing for the next struggle.

The supervisor couldn't come up with excuses anymore, watching the chains being snapped, and hurriedly tried to make a call on his phone. His hand trembled, and the phone fell directly to the ground. He hurriedly bent down to pick it up.

In the moment he bent down, a roar erupted behind him. Afraid to continue picking up the phone, he scrambled away on all fours. When he turned his head, he discovered a scratch on the ground where he had just been.

It turned out the creature's claws had quietly extended without anyone noticing, just enough to reach through the gap in the railing to the outside.

Without a doubt, the supervisor could confirm that if that claw had come down just now, he would have lost half his head.

This time, he didn't hesitate at all. He chose to stand behind Zhao Liu and said, "Didn't they say the Special Investigation Unit members all came back from that game? You should have a way to fix the iron chains inside."

To be frank, this was completely asking for the impossible. The chains couldn't be fixed, and Zhao Liu had no intention of fixing them. Instead, he pulled out a uniquely shaped gun from his pocket.

Jiang Yujin slightly raised his eyes.

He slowly approached the supervisor and quietly asked, "Where did you buy the pants for these uniforms?" It was remarkable how much it could hold.

The supervisor: "…"

The supervisor didn't have time to deal with him. When the supervisor saw Zhao Liu raise the gun, he instantly lunged forward, preventing him from attacking whatever was inside.

Zhao Liu easily dodged the supervisor, aiming his gun.

Faced with the dark barrel, the massive body inside the iron railing began to move again, its enormous bone wings spreading open, wildly circling the room, crashing into walls, causing the chains to rattle loudly.

Another chain started to teeter.

Jiang Yujin whispered in surprise, "It can still fly."

Shooting now might only provoke the creature further, making the situation more complicated. Zhao Liu lowered the gun and turned to look at the supervisor behind him, saying, "Right now, go back immediately and inform everyone upstairs to leave as soon as possible. Also, notify the Special Investigation Unit that this place is very dangerous."

Concerns about the meticulously prepared banquet made the supervisor hesitate again. He glanced at the iron bars and said weakly, "This place has been specially reinforced. It shouldn't be able to get out."

As he spoke, he saw Zhao Liu's fist clenching tighter.

The supervisor quickly turned and ran back.

Jiang Yujin turned to glance at the long, winding staircase but ultimately chose to stay right there. Finding a spot to casually crouch down, he looked up at Zhao Liu.

Regardless of time or place, if someone wanted to chat, citizen Jiang could always find a way. Even though Zhao Liu mentioned the danger and urged him to head upstairs quickly, Jiang Yujin didn't budge. Instead, he expressed envy for the other person being paid double for the job.

"…" Zhao Liu didn't quite understand why someone would chat at a time like this, but he politely responded, saying there was no need to be envious.

Jiang Yujin nodded, glanced once more at the massive creature seemingly settling down behind the railing, and silently took two steps backward.

Then two more steps.

By the time Zhao Liu turned back to look, the other person had already moved a considerable distance away.

The noises from inside the iron railing resumed. Unlike before, the massive body collided with the railing, emitting a sound akin to metal friction, sending shivers down one's spine.

A piece of iron chain snapped, the flying chain hit the iron railing, generating a tremendous noise.

The entire wall where the iron railing stood vibrated, causing dust to shake loose.

Another iron chain broke free.

The last remaining chain couldn't restrain the strange species anymore. It swung its body, seemingly oblivious to pain, and crashed into the wall.

The reinforced wall, touted by the supervisor, began to tremble.

From a considerable distance away, Jiang Yujin asked Zhao Liu, "Don't you guys have handguns?"

Zhao Liu, his gaze fixed on the creature, replied, "Why would we?"

Citizen Jiang, who spent years in front of the television, remarked, "That's how they do it on TV."

The reality was that Zhao Liu didn't have a handgun. Using one might provoke the creature and was not an option. Cut off from the ground, there was no signal for a phone call. For now, they could only wait for the moment the creature emerged and attempt to subdue it.

Chapter 23.2 – Dinner Party

Jiang Yujin watched the strange species circling in the room, then glanced up at the wall above, shifting slightly to the side.

The final chain broke, and the creature burst through the supposedly reinforced wall, thrashing around the space, its head bleeding profusely, its deafening cries echoing.

The walls collapsed around, but Jiang Yujin remained crouched, luckily in a safe zone.

Zhao Liu maneuvered through the debris, attempting to climb onto the creature's back. He glanced at the staircase, realizing that the supervisor probably hadn't informed the Special Investigation Unit at all.

When he withdrew his gaze and saw the person still crouching nearby, he raised his voice from a distance, "Go up and contact the Special Investigation Unit! Tell them to send a team over!"

Only when facing it head-on did he realize the opponent's strength surpassed his estimation, beyond his ability to handle.

In the end, it seemed he had to climb the stairs.

After crouching for another two seconds, Jiang Yujin straightened his back and began the painful ascent.

This commotion was definitely not an easy one to join.

Slowly retracing his steps, he finally returned to his original position. Jiang Yujin reached for the door, but it wouldn't budge—it was locked.

It seemed the supervisor not only failed to inform the Special Investigation Unit but also decided to keep him and Zhao Liu together to perish here.

Rather than trying to force the door open, now within signal range, Jiang Yujin stood by the door and picked up his phone.

After hesitating on the dialing screen for a while, he peeked out and asked Zhao Liu, "What was the number for your Special Investigation Unit again?"

Still holding onto the enormous bone wing, Zhao Liu loudly recited a string of numbers.

Jiang Yujin made the call.

The Special Investigation Unit answered promptly, and their response team was already on their way.

The team was en route, but downstairs, Zhao Liu couldn't hold on any longer. There was no more time to wait.

The creature swatted a person into the debris, unfurling its bone wings as it spiraled upwards. It grazed past Jiang Yujin, sending his slightly longer hair fluttering to the side.

The proximity was so close that he could even see where the creature's bone wings connected to its body, resembling newly grown tender flesh, a light red color, starkly different from the surrounding black.

Jiang Yujin seemed to recall something.

With a thunderous sound in his ears, the massive creature began ramming against the ceiling above.

Unlike when it was restrained by chains, now free from any constraint after breaking free, each impact caused the entire space to tremble.

Above the ceiling was the kitchen area, and this section of the ceiling was not within the reinforced wall range. After just two hits, the wall began to slowly collapse.

Zhao Liu, who had been amidst the debris downstairs, swiftly ascended the stairs, avoiding the falling ceiling.

For an instant, light poured into the space, and looking up revealed the brightly lit kitchen.

The creature still attempted to ascend, roaring from its mouth, crashing into the wall, causing the entire building to sway.

Faint roars could already be heard, and the vibrations had reached their feet. The supervisor, standing closest to the kitchen in the lobby, felt his heart pound vigorously. He glanced toward where the old master stood, but the latter didn't even cast a glance his way.

Upon emerging from the basement, he had initially sought the old master's approval and discussed halting the banquet. However, the old master was confident in his containment measures and was adamant about not ending the highly profitable event. He instructed the supervisor to close the storage room door and consider how to deal with the Special Investigation Unit member who had already discovered the creature.

The supervisor had no decision-making power and could only comply. But witnessing the scene below, he found it challenging to maintain the same optimistic confidence as the old master. He felt uneasy and realized there might be significant issues when the tremors started.

He could sense it, and so could others. Some were already puzzled, looking towards the ground and murmuring among themselves.

The kitchen and the lobby were in two separate buildings, quite a distance apart, connected by a long corridor. The supervisor glanced around and then walked to the window to look in the direction of the kitchen.

"Boom—"

In the instant his gaze met the scene, a four to five-story building started collapsing, sending clouds of dust into the air.

This massive noise, unlike before, was impossible to ignore. Even those in the lobby turned to look. Some were the first to notice, gasping in shock.

They gathered by the window, witnessing the dispersing dust after the collapse of the building.

A massive black creature darted out from the dust, racing erratically in the garden, charging straight ahead. Eyes widened among those spectating, and someone let out a startled scream.

Thankfully, the creature just brushed against the building as it ascended. Some bricks fell, but the windows and walls remained intact.

Lu Dongcheng stood by one side of the window, glancing over. In the light, the figure of the creature became clearer, and he raised an eyebrow.

From the debris, unnoticed by others, emerged a person covered in dirt and bloodstains.

The moment Lu Dongcheng saw the bloodstains, he confirmed that it wasn't Jiang Yujin.

Indeed, it wasn't Jiang Yujin.

"Did you see my 'big kid'?"

A voice came from behind, and Lu Dongcheng turned, seeing Citizen Jiang dusting off his clothes, asking, "He asked you something, right?"

Since the other party had already investigated him, undoubtedly, he had also discovered his adopted 'big kid,' aware of Chen Jing's existence.

"He left after we talked."

He left quite swiftly, as if he was avoiding someone.

With a faint smile at the corners of his eyes, Lu Dongcheng said, "He asked if I knew you and inquired about 001's whereabouts."

The other party seemed good at talking around the subject, not so direct but circling around these two points.

Jiang Yujin asked him, "What did you tell him?"

Lu Dongcheng looked down at the person in front of him and said, "We have a good relationship. 001 stayed in the game."

Jiang Yujin met his gaze, lifting his eyes and smiling, "Everything's good except for the 'good relationship' part. Thanks for that."

Lu Dongcheng remained noncommittal.

The two conversed comfortably in the corner while panic and chaos reigned in the lobby. Some questioned the old master, who had previously promised security measures, about the sudden appearance of the creature.

The creature flew in again, this time with no deviation, heading straight for the building.

People in the hall didn't have time to think about the accusations. They rushed towards the exit, scattering into the courtyard like tiny dots. Some fled towards the parking lot in a panic; the drivers had already fled at the creature's appearance, but the keys were in the cars, accessible for driving.

The supervisor and a group of bodyguards escorted the old master's family towards the parking lot. Sounds of collapsing buildings echoed behind them, and they dared not turn their heads.

The once magnificent estate was reduced to a pile of rubble.

The creature circled in the air, its huge vertical pupils scanning the fleeing crowd, as if searching for something. Spotting the group heading towards the parking lot under protection, it hesitated briefly before swiftly diving.

Its target was crystal clear—it was the old master. It remembered who had locked it away and held a deep grudge. As the colossal figure approached, the bodyguards who had been encircling instantly scattered, dragging the supervisor along.

They were all just working folks, nobody wanted to risk their lives for their jobs.

The old master's children hesitated, attempting to move, only to belatedly realize their legs had gone soft, crumbling to the ground in resignation.

Lu Dongcheng remained still, as did Jiang Yujin. Not far away, Zhao Liu, who had been knocked down, got up, symbolically fired a shot, but the creature didn't even pause or acknowledge him.

The fallen children of the old master lay on the ground, facing upwards, sensing warm liquid spraying onto their faces, necks, and arms. Then, they heard a faint sound nearby, something softly hitting the lawn.

It was two feet that dropped down, staining the surrounding grass crimson upon impact.

Except for the two feet, the rest of the body of the originally standing person disappeared. The pupils of the two people in formal attire dilated, hardly making any sound.

Outside the courtyard walls, red lights lit up, and a uniquely shaped black vehicle appeared, from which several people quickly descended.

The members of the Special Investigation Unit had arrived.

At the other end of the courtyard, Zhao Liu exhaled and shouted from a distance, "There's a weak spot at the base of its wings!"

The Special Investigation Unit rushed in, restraining the creature, and the other people in the yard quickly left the estate.

The creature was subdued without surprise and fell silent on the lawn.

The evening banquet concluded in this manner. Probably no one present would have thought the birthday celebration would turn into a final dinner, causing a scare. After brief questioning by the subsequently arriving police, they quickly departed.

They left, yet the number of people around the estate didn't diminish. In fact, there seemed to be a faint increase, all curious onlookers.

The creature's body had been dealt with, but there was still an investigation to conduct in the estate's underground cellar. There were numerous matters to attend to, and here, late at night, the lights were still on.

Jiang Yujin hadn't left; he was still waiting to ride away on his electric scooter after inspecting the parking lot.

Lu Dongcheng also stayed on the side, glancing sideways at the person who had been continuously staring in the direction of the parking lot, saying, "You should have seen its wings."

Jiang Yujin yawned and nodded casually.

Lu Dongcheng said, "That's the one whose wings you tore off before."

Jiang Yujin remained expressionless.

Without a response, Lu Dongcheng continued, "Logically, its wings shouldn't have grown back."

But now they had, and they seemed identical to before.

Jiang Yujin didn't react much, only saying, "Is that so."

Lu Dongcheng glanced down at him, then diverted his gaze, taking something out of his suit jacket, saying, "I brought you a gift."

Jiang Yujin lowered his head.

He saw an open small velvet box in the other person's hand. Inside the box was a small ring with a diamond on it, catching the light under the lamp.

Lu Dongcheng saw the other party smiling, his eyes slightly curved, and he smiled beautifully.

Jiang Yujin slowly loosened his tie, then swiftly looped it around Lu Dongcheng's neck and gave it a hard tug.

—Chen Jing, who had returned after hearing about the appearance of the creature, witnessed this scene.

Under the dim light, the tall man was forced to bow his head, holding a velvet box tightly in his hand. His neck involuntarily showed strained veins, yet he still wore a smile on his face.

As if aware of his gaze, the person holding the tie turned, eyebrows twitching slightly. The movement of his hands slowed, and as Chen Jing approached, he casually tied the tie, explaining, "I'm helping him with his tie."

He patted Lu Dongcheng's shoulder and said, "Right?"

Lu Dongcheng's neck had reddened from the pressure, and he couldn't articulate words at the moment.

Chen Jing: "…"

Chen Jing looked at the red scarf-like tie around the other's neck and fell silent.

Whether that was the right way to tie a tie or not was another matter; he thought a normal person wouldn't directly put a tie around their neck like that.

…

Finally, the investigation at the parking lot concluded. Jiang Yujin swiftly retrieved his scooter, and Chen Jing conjured a reason to stay by his side as they left.

Jiang Yujin then turned to ask him, "Are you still going to your classmate's house today?"

Chen Jing shook his head, "Not going."

He glanced towards the man still standing nearby and asked, "Do you know him?"

"I do indeed," Jiang Yujin chimed in, "Before you came to the house, back when he had nothing, he used to come around for everything, and I would clean up after him…"

As the high schooler pushed the scooter, the adult man unbuttoned the shirt he had wanted to undo for a while, and the two of them walked farther away.

Meanwhile, Lu Dongcheng, left behind, slowly removed his tie, placing it along with the small velvet box back into his suit jacket.

…

By the time Jiang Yujin and Chen Jing returned home, it was well into the night. They each went to their rooms, bathed, and rested.

The person in the adjacent room had already fallen asleep. Jiang Yujin didn't turn on the light, instead rising to open the window.

The night wind blew in through the window, tousling his hair slightly. He sat by the windowsill, leaning forward to reach for his phone and then played Xiaoxiaole a bit.

The moon outside was bright that night, casting a clear silhouette through the room from the moonlight and shadows.

The next morning.

Jiang Yujin woke up feeling hungry and, contrary to his usual routine, got up early. Finally, he could see the high schooler in the morning.

Jian Yujin, with the groggy eyes of an early riser, mechanically brushed his teeth, each of his hair standing with its own unique style.

The phone in the living room rang, and just after setting down breakfast, the high schooler picked up the phone, saying, "Your phone's ringing."

Jiang Yujin gestured towards the foam in his mouth, then pointed at the phone and the high schooler, making a squeezing motion with his hand and then expanding it.

Chen Jing: "…"

Chen Jing answered the call, putting it on speaker, "Hello."

Jiang Yujin nodded in approval.

"Mr. Jiang, hello, I'm from the property management over here. We're conducting room inspections these days. Would you have time to come by soon?"

It was a call from an unfamiliar property management. Chen Jing glanced at the person still in the bathroom, who nodded.

Chen Jing agreed on a time.

Jiang Yujin rinsed the foam from his mouth, finally picked up the phone, turned off the speaker, and walked toward the dining table to confirm the appointment with the property management.

Once he hung up and picked up his bowl and chopsticks, Chen Jing sat across from him.

Facing each other, Jiang Yujin said, "I lived somewhere else before moving here."

This was the first time Chen Jing had heard him mention his past. Chen Jing's eyes flickered, then he nodded, thought for a moment, and asked, "Today's a day off. Do you need me to come with you?"

Jiang Yujin took a sip of porridge and shook his head, saying he didn't need to.

After finishing breakfast, he left the house.

…

The morning on Huayang Road was not peaceful; the entire available team from the Special Investigation Unit had gathered.

Number 022, an extremely dangerous anti-social player who emerged from the Game, adept at disguises, repeatedly used people's sympathy to deceive and murder victims. Captured previously, he escaped from a specially secured facility in the early hours of today, utilizing a hidden special ability. The Special Investigation Unit tracked him until they lost his trail here on Huayang Road. Using surveillance, they confirmed he hadn't left the area and was likely hiding somewhere, initiating a wide-scale search.

There was a possibility that he might have found a way to hide within residential homes. Xu Tonggui was responsible for the inspection of buildings 1 to 3 in the Huayang community.

Residents who had been checked denied letting any strangers into their homes. Xu Tonggui stepped into the final building and continued his floor-by-floor search.

Ascending to the next floor, from the first household to the last, he knocked on the door, receiving no response.

Glancing at the door, similar to the surrounding ones, he lowered his gaze, his hand instinctively moving.

As if having done it countless times before, he reached for the doorknob.

"Beep—Fingerprint recognition successful."

An electronic chime sounded, and the door swung open.

Looking at his hand, then at the door handle, Xu Tonggui eventually stepped into the apartment, and the door closed automatically behind him.

His gray eyes scanned the unfamiliar house.

Unfamiliar decor, an unfamiliar layout, leaving no impression.

As he was about to act, footsteps outside halted at the door.

Followed by the electronic chime from earlier.

"Beep—Fingerprint recognition successful."

In the midst of the electronic tone, Jiang Yujin pushed the door open. The first thing he saw upon entering was the man standing in the hallway, those annoyingly familiar grey eyes.

"…"

Under Xu Tonggui's gaze, the opened door slowly closed once again.

Chapter 24 – Being a hostage for the third time

Jiang Yujin couldn't walk away. Before he could approach the elevator, the closed doors reopened, revealing a tall man standing at the entrance, watching him.

"…"

With the doors closing again, Jiang Yujin and Xu Tonggui returned to sit together on the couch. Today, the latter wasn't wearing a combat uniform but rather casual clothes, reducing the air of intimidation.

"That…" Jiang Yujin attempted to articulate, "Actually, I am your father."

After saying this, he glanced at Xu Tonggui cautiously yet boldly.

"…"

The other person didn't seem to believe him.

"Yes, that's right," Jiang Yujin's expression turned slightly serious. "This is my home, and you're my tenant."

This also incidentally explained why this person could open the door. He seemed to affirm his own words, nodding in agreement.

Xu Tonggui turned to him. "So, the boyfriend is fake."

"Let me correct that, it's an ex-boyfriend," Jiang Yujin clarified. "Yes, it was fake."

After saying this, he paused for a moment, surprised. "You actually believed that?"

Xu Tonggui remained silent.

Jiang Yujin glanced at him, then continued, "Although I don't know why you seem to have forgotten a lot, I can remind you. You've rented this place for several years, occasionally dropping by, and you haven't paid rent."

"Considering inflation and market changes, let me calculate—" He took out his phone, tapped away, and then showed the screen to Xu Tonggui. "It's roughly this amount."

As he contemplated doubling the amount, a knock interrupted them.

Someone outside the door announced, "Maintenance check."

Jiang Yujin stood up to open the door, but Xu Tonggui stopped him and went to open it instead.

Peering over Xu Tonggui's shoulder, Jiang Yujin saw a person outside in blue overalls and a matching hat, their face smiling but with a slight twitch at the corner of their mouth.

Turning to the person beside him, Xu Tonggui asked, "Maintenance check today?"

Jiang Yujin nodded, feeling a twinge in his teeth.

If it weren't for this issue, he wouldn't have spent the better half of the morning here.

Xu Tonggui nodded, then glanced at his phone before stepping aside.

The maintenance worker entered to check the gas and asked for the location of the kitchen.

Only Jiang Yujin knew where the kitchen was, so he led the way, with Xu Tonggui following.

It was evident that this place hadn't been inhabited for a long time, with dust settled on the stove, and the gas already turned off.

While the worker inspected the gas pipes, Xu Tonggui signaled to Jiang Yujin to leave the kitchen.

Exiting the kitchen, the two headed to a room far from the kitchen.

This is the study. There were many books on the shelves, and there were flowers on the windowsill, but they had withered.

After closing the door, Xu Tonggui said directly, "This person might be a fugitive. We're not entirely certain yet. Keep your distance from him."

The initial discordant aspect was the uncontrolled twitching of the person's mouth. 022 concealed their special ability to replicate others' faces. They deceived a prison guard in the early hours, entered the cell, killed the guard, stuffed the body under the sheets, and disguised themselves as the guard to walk out of the prison openly.

However, 022's ability had its flaws. After replicating someone's face, occasional twitches occurred on the facial area, and specialized tools could identify the original form. These tools were limited and all used in checking surveillance areas. The face changed, but the voice didn't. They resorted to the most basic method for voiceprint analysis, which took time but had high accuracy.

Just now, they recorded the person's voice and only needed a specialist for comparison to determine if something was amiss.

Seeing the person in front seemingly attentively listening, Xu Tonggui emphasized once more, "Don't get too close to him."

Jiang Yujin nodded, "Okay, okay."

It could be said that Xu Tonggui's concern wasn't unfounded.

Returning to the kitchen, Jiang Yujin first glanced around and then curiously approached the person squatting on the floor, tinkering with tools.

He seemed professional but appeared unfamiliar with his toolbox, rummaging inside for quite a while without finding anything.

Perhaps he wasn't actually looking for something specific; besides searching, he didn't seem to have anything else to do.

While he searched, Jiang Yujin approached from behind and then squatted beside him, tilting his head to gaze at his face for a long while.

"…"

The maintenance worker's movements slowed suddenly. When he could no longer endure, the person squatting beside him finally withdrew his gaze, then reached out and patted his face, solemnly saying, "Your face looks strangely old."

Maintenance Worker: "…"

Xu Tonggui: "…"

Just as the kitchen fell into silence, a vibrating sound broke the quiet, prompting Xu Tonggui to pick up his phone for a quick glance.

In that split second, the person who had been rummaging through the toolbox swiftly retrieved a flat fruit knife hidden under the box, reaching over towards Jiang Yujin's neck, the blade pointed at the artery, eyes locking onto Xu Tonggui. He said, "You already know who I am, don't you?"

When he had gone upstairs earlier, he had just witnessed this person knocking on the door, inquiring, already aware that this individual was from the Special Investigation Unit.

He hadn't expected that he would coincidentally find this person when seeking a place to hide.

Leaving immediately would certainly raise suspicions. Initially planning to pretend to check and then leave quietly, he hadn't anticipated that the other party would catch on.

Once detected, leaving easily was no longer an option. Fortunately, there was someone else present.

Citizen Jiang was not surprised when he became a hostage for the third time.

After all, this place was still somewhat like his own home, and with fewer knives in the kitchen, it was still detectable.

He turned to look at the person holding the knife, his drooping eyelids lifting unexpectedly. Contrary to expectations, he didn't withdraw but moved closer, maintaining a distance neither too close nor too far, whispering softly near the other person's ear:

"If you want to live, I have no objection. But if the knife gets dirty, you'll die right here."

His tone mirrored the previous one, just lacking the trace of a smile, not forceful, yet strangely enough, it made one's heart skip a beat.

The fruit knife ultimately remained unstained.

022's assessment of Xu Tonggui was still insufficient. Even though he was holding a hostage, it was almost useless. Suddenly, a flash blinded his sight, and a sharp pain shot through his neck. His back pressed against the corner of a counter, it felt like a gash had already been opened in his flesh.

With one kick, the person was sent flying. Xu Tonggui squatted halfway down, taking out specially made handcuffs to restrain the other person's hands. He lowered his gaze and lifted his hand to check the time on his watch:

"Day 6, at 10:56 AM, 022 was captured."

On the other side, Jiang Yujin picked up the fruit knife, casually wiped it clean, then returned it to its original place.

With the mission accomplished, Xu Tonggui had no reason to linger. After informing others, he led 022 towards the exit.

As they reached the entrance hall, his gaze swept across and suddenly caught sight of a photo frame lying askew on a nearby cabinet, his steps faltering.

He paused briefly, then reached out.

Click.

Just before his hand touched the picture frame, a slightly pale hand pressed down on it.

Jiang Yujin pressed the photo frame against the cabinet as if nothing had happened. Before he left, he mentioned what happened at the manor last night and said:

"The interrogation work in your department must be tough. Remember to push for my salary."

Despite the estate's supervisor being taken away for interrogation, his pay still had to be given.

Bringing up money, Jiang Yujin seemed to recall something else and reminded, "Don't forget about the rent."

He wore a smile on his face, making it hard to discern what he meant.

It was always like this.

Xu Tonggui withdrew his gaze and left with 022.

That morning, the police found the real maintenance worker and the prison guard's clothing discarded in the utility room of the Huayang complex. The maintenance worker had been ruthlessly str*ngled, lifeless.

Xu Tonggui handed over 022 to the Special Investigation Unit and the prepared personnel, completing the task. On his way back, passing a partially open office, he noticed a handwritten sign on the door: [Strange Species A060 Handling Team].

He remembered the code given to the strange species yesterday at the estate was [A060].

Recalling Jiang Yujin's instructions before leaving the civilian's residence that morning, he halted, stood at the door for a moment, and finally decided to knock. When the door opened, he saw Zhao Liu seated right there.

As Zhao Liu was called out of the office by the captain, he recalled in his mind everything he might have done to deserve a scolding.

Before Xu Tonggui spoke, he was so nervous that his heart was beating wildly. After the other person spoke, he blurted out, "Pfft."

Struggling to hold back a smile, he made sure to convey the urgency of pushing for the salary. He bid farewell to the captain, who still appeared calm and cool.

Right after leaving the office, Captain Xu happened to spot both Xu Gao, burdened with a stack of documents, now turned into a laborer, and Hu Li, casually strolling by in a flowery shirt.

Despite wearing a distressed expression, Xu Gao's eyes lit up upon seeing him. Instantly, he recalled the image in the glass shard that he had been wanting to mention but never found the chance. He hinted at it, glancing toward Hu Li.

As soon as Hu Li donned his flowery shirt, he seemed to lose all semblance of work mode. By the time Xu Gao glanced at him, Hu Li had already begun browsing where to have lunch that afternoon. Upon hearing Xu Gao's words, he casually waved his hand with nonchalance. "That piece was too damaged. It didn't work after the first use."

After a while of searching, he finally found a place he wanted to go, hid his phone, and left.

Unable to share fresh gossip, Xu Gao could only nod regretfully, clutching the pile of documents and heading to the office.

Midway, he was called again. Turning, he saw Captain Xu approaching with a phone in hand.

"…"

After a brief conversation, exchanging Jiang Yujin's contact details, Xu Gao left with the pile of documents as if walking on air. He felt elated.

He couldn't even think of what he, the most stable captain who never took the initiative to communicate with anyone, was thinking about right now.

The truth proved that Captain Xu was a doer who achieved significant things quietly

Once the other maintenance workers finished checking the gas, Jiang Yujin rode his electric scooter home. Collapsing onto his bed, he picked up his phone and noticed a friend request with a meticulous note: "Xu Tonggui," accompanied by the default software avatar.

Raising an eyebrow, he got to fetch a can of chilled beer from the kitchen fridge, and agreed to the request.

The high schooler, who rarely stayed at home on the weekend, was preparing lunch when he saw him return and immediately reach for a beer. Frowning, the high schooler said, "We're about to eat."

Jiang Yujin mumbled an indistinct response while gulping down the alcohol.

The friend request was accepted, and a transfer was promptly received.

Jiang Yujin glanced at his phone while eating. He couldn't recall the random numbers he had hastily tapped earlier today, but the transferred amount seemed close to what he had mentioned.

He tapped it casually, and the man actually remembered it and actually gave it to him.

"Jingzi," Jiang Yujin looked up at the high schooler quietly eating across from him, and with a serious tone, said, "In the future, be more cautious in everything. Don't be deceived by bad people."

He added, "Especially because we don't have much money in our household."

Chen Jing: "…"

Chen Jing: "Okay."

The meal, paired with chilled beer, made for an especially enjoyable time.

The high schooler, who initially struggled with various adjustments when coming here, had evolved into a proficient cook of home-cooked dishes—a commendable improvement.

It was a rare day where both individuals stayed home.

The next morning, Chen Jing mentioned having plans with friends, while Jiang Yujin woke up at noon, heading downstairs to chat with the barber shop owner, sneaking in some free snacks and drinks.

The news about the detainee 022 escaping and then getting captured again surfaced in the news yesterday. This person's ability to elude capture for half a day, only to be caught and endure unnecessary trouble, now made their face known nationwide. It was truly a matter of gaining unwanted attention.

This news, rather than merely reporting an event, seemed to subtly warn certain individuals.

The game collapsed, and the dangerous factors that came back were not only the strange species, but also the people inside. Criminals like 022, who belonged to the category of those preferring to operate alone, were part of the challenge. But more broadly, there were also people who preferred operating in groups, cooperating with each other, making them even harder to handle.

The shop had a couple of customers, two middle-aged women who joined in watching the television. Afterward, one of them frowned and remarked, "Why are there so many dangerous people?"

Jiang Yujin nodded in agreement, "Indeed."

The barber shop owner said nothing.

An aunt said: "Fortunately, no one here has returned from that place, otherwise we would be worried to death every day."

Jiang Yujin agreed: "Indeed, these people are really scary!"

This person seems to have silently placed himself among the ranks of ordinary people.

The barber shop owner remained silent, casting a strange and faintly disdainful glance at him.

Chapter 25 – Team Progress (4/4)

After discussing the news on TV, two aunties began gossiping about the happenings in the neighborhood. Jiang Yujin, eager to listen in, leaned closer, but his attempt to eavesdrop got him in trouble with his former boss, who gave him a knock on the head for disrupting work.

He slowly moved back to his original position.

As they talked about local affairs, one of the aunties slapped her thigh and said, "I remember now, isn't there an unfinished building near our area? I heard from Xiao Su on the third floor that when she took a shortcut past there one evening, she thought she saw someone inside the building."

The other auntie's heart skipped a beat, sending shivers down her spine.

Jiang Yujin listened intently but felt like he was missing something. Without turning back, he waved to the barber shop owner and said, "Bring me some melon seeds."

"…"

Jiang Yujin ended up being thrown out of the shop by the owner, who had clenched fists.

The shop's door was soundproof; standing outside, Jiang Yujin couldn't hear what was being said inside. He still wanted to listen to the gossip but, after some contemplation, decided to buy a pack of cigarettes to bribe the boss and get back in.

The convenience store was tucked around the corner of the street, surrounded by shops that were open and closed intermittently. Eventually, it was the only one still open, while the other shops remained shut.

Approaching the store's entrance, he noticed that things seemed different inside than usual.

The most noticeable change was the cashier enthusiastically raising their hand and not putting it down.

As Jiang Yujin approached, the automatic doors opened. Looking at the cashier, he said while walking, "Pack of cigarettes."

He paused, struggling to think, and added, "The slightly more expensive ones."

The convenience store was eerily quiet. The cashier didn't respond, their eyes fixed on one spot, and the only sound was the welcoming music that played when the motion-sensor door opened.

Following the cashier's gaze, Jiang Yujin saw a person wearing a hat and a mask standing not too far away, holding a gun pointed at the cashier.

The gun didn't look conventional; it had a unique design with dark red lines that seemed to move and emit a faint light.

It was evidently a convenience store robbery in progress.

Temporarily diverting attention from the cigarettes, Jiang Yujin seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere. He turned his toe and walked toward the robber holding the gun.

As he got closer, the person with the hat and mask instantly aimed the gun at him and warned in a low, threatening voice, "Don't come any closer."

But Jiang Yujin did come closer. He leaned in to take a better look at the gun and then asked the robber, "Do you know what this is?"

The robber hesitated, then stubbornly replied, "Of course, I do."

Jiang Yujin, curious, probed further, "Where did you get it from?"

Cashier: "…"

These two suddenly began a conversation, and he felt his raised hand growing sore.

The person in the hat and mask, gripping the gun tighter, didn't respond to Jiang Yujin's question.

Jiang Yujin put his hand on the robber's shoulder and said, "Why are you being so standoffish?"

The robber attempted to move but felt an odd sensation near his neck. Lowering his head, he saw a small, knife-like object that appeared out of nowhere, slender and pointed, touching his skin. It seemed like it could pierce through his neck with just a little force.

His raised arm inexplicably began to numb, making it difficult to apply strength. The gun he was holding started slipping, eventually caught by a slightly pale hand.

Jiang Yujin took the gun and glanced at it before turning to the cashier, who still had his hand raised. "This is a toy gun," he said.

Though it didn't quite look like one, the sincerity in Jiang Yujin's expression made the cashier uncertain, so he cautiously lowered his hand.

The man with the hat was then escorted out of the convenience store by the person who had intervened.

After leaving the store, Jiang Yujin led the man into a narrow alley where there were no surveillance cameras. He glanced at the gun and casually remarked, "You're using this thing just to rob a convenience store? How pathetic."

Feeling inexplicably offended, the man hesitated to speak or make any unnecessary movements.

Jiang Yujin lowered his head again and asked, "Where did you get this from?"

Feeling the overwhelming threat, the man hesitated before admitting, "It was… given to me by someone else."

Jiang Yujin patiently persisted, "Who gave it to you?"

The man mentioned it was from their boss.

Jiang Yujin chuckled, "Could you take me to meet him?"

The man seemed polite, albeit with something still pressing against his neck.

The man with the hat could only lead the way. They walked together, arm in arm, looking inconspicuous on the street.

During their walk, Jiang Yujin casually inquired, and with the man's life still in his hands, he revealed everything he knew.

He worked under a boss, responsible for gathering information on strange species and players, occasionally scavenging for supplies when they were scarce. The gun was also provided by the boss. However, this attempt to gather supplies ended up with him being threatened.

As the man continued, Jiang Yujin realized, "You're essentially a cult."

The man choked on his words.

Crossing several streets, the crowd dwindled, signaling a potentially risky area. Jiang Yujin yawned, questioning how much longer until they arrived.

Noon was indeed the time for a nap, not for being in such a place.

Not remembering that he had risen from bed at noon, Citizen Jiang was solely fixated on the idea of a nap.

The man with the hat admitted they had about a third of the distance left.

Approaching the last stretch, a worn-out building covered in green fabric, standing on an empty lot, came into view. Rusty steel frames surrounded the building, and the gray walls were weathered, covered in green moss-like growths.

The man's gaze fixated on this building, clearly their destination.

"So, it was your group that appeared in the middle of the night."

Jiang Yujin glanced at the man, his expression hard to decipher. "Don't you think you'll get moldy in these conditions?"

The man chose not to respond.

Not expecting a reply, Jiang Yujin proceeded towards the building.

Upon entering, covered by the green fabric, the light dimmed instantly, the air seemingly dampened.

The ground floor held household waste and other items, looking relatively new, evidence of past habitation.

As Jiang Yujin surveyed the interior, the man let out a primal shout: "Help!"

Jiang Yujin glanced at him, somewhat surprised.

After such a long journey, the man still possessed such vigor.

Perhaps triggered by this primal cry, shadows flickered on the stairs leading to the basement, followed by several people rushing out, all wielding identical guns.

Seeing familiar faces, the man with the hat finally eased up a bit. About to say something, he saw the other person pulling out the same gun that had been taken from him.

Jiang Yujin kindly turned his head towards him and said, "This is how you should use it."

The man with the hat, looking at the other person holding the gun, didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

In an instant, the solidified cement splattered and the ground caved in, and a few of the people at the stairway didn't even have time to react before they plummeted straight down.

The man watched as reinforced steel snapped and concrete layers were pierced, his eyes widening.

He seemed to understand the meaning behind the earlier comment, 'Using this thing just to rob a convenience store? How pathetic.'

After firing a shot, Jiang Yujin was about to casually discard the gun when suddenly something occurred to him. He spun the gun in his hand before ultimately putting it back in his pocket.

A pained cry echoed from the massive hole the gunshot created. The man with the hat, now completely silent, couldn't bring himself to speak at all. It wasn't until he saw a man jumping out of the staircase that he unconsciously shouted "Brother" with hope in his eyes.

The man addressed as "brother" had tattoos covering his arms, holding a gun in his hand.

"Bang—"

The tattooed man held an ordinary gun. After the gunshot, the man with the hat acquired a hole in his forehead and fell back limply, a glint still lingering in his eyes.

The tattooed man reloaded, firing several more shots at the hole he created, showing no emotion. "Useless, can't even stop a single person."

The cries from the hole ceased.

After killing several people in the pit, he looked up at Jiang Yujin, who had been quietly standing on the side, raising the gun in his hand once again.

Bullets flew out, only to be caught steadily by his hand.

Jiang Yujin held the bullet and flipped it out effortlessly, like flipping a coin.

The man holding the gun had his shoulder blade pierced, he lowered his head, witnessing an inexplicable hole in his body, blood beginning to flow.

"This time, you'll lead."

The person across the hole chuckled. "Something useful."

In the blink of an eye, the person who was originally at a distance suddenly appeared beside him, an odd sensation creeping up his neck.

Reacting swiftly, the tattooed man tried to free himself, but he was restrained.

Jiang Yujin kicked the gun that had fallen from the person who fell in the hole, presenting it to the tattooed man. "Take me to the person who made this."

The tattooed man, more experienced than the man with the hat, managed to keep his composure, not answering Jiang Yujin's question but instead asking, "Who are you?"

With a faint click, Jiang Yujin deftly removed the magazine from the gun the tattooed man held, taking out a bullet.

This time, the bullet aimed for the heart.

A drop of sweat trickled down his face as the tattooed man said, "I'll take you."

Jiang Yujin reloaded the bullet into the magazine. "Let's go then."

This road was quite long, passing through the urban and suburban areas, finally entering deep into the mountains. However, because there was the company of Xiaoxiaole, it was still a relatively pleasant journey.

In the deep mountains, the signal was weak, Xiaoxiaole couldn't be played, and the phone battery was dangerously low. Jiang Yujin had to stash the phone away and started to appreciate the natural scenery.

Honestly, within the deep forest of the mountains, there wasn't much scenery to admire. He resorted to turning around and chatting with the people around him.

After a short distance, he found out that the organization was called [Zero], which meant an existence beyond all players. The place they were going to was the branch of the organization, and the person they were looking for was also a member of it.

Jiang Yujin, with drooping eyelids, raised an eyebrow slightly and remarked, "You guys seem quite energetic every single day." It was surprising how they still had the energy for all these things.

Faced with such a comment, the tattooed man twitched at the corner of his mouth and chose to remain silent.

It wasn't until they turned halfway around a small mountain that a dilapidated wooden house appeared, and the tattooed man led him inside.

With wounds untreated, the person's condition wasn't good; his complexion had notably paled. He pointed at a red-carved wardrobe, saying, "Just open this wardrobe door."

Jiang Yujin didn't move, so the tattooed man, enduring the pain in his arm, eventually opened the wardrobe door.

Behind the wardrobe door, there was a metal door.

On it was an obvious password input machine, and the tattooed man entered a series of numbers. The password was correct, and the metal door opened.

The main door automatically slid open to reveal a staircase that seemed to have no end.

Seeing the staircase, Jiang Yujin mentally connected it to the stairs he'd walked in the estate earlier, recalling the feeling of climbing up and down, falling into a slight silence.

Nevertheless, he descended the stairs.

Fortunately, although the staircase seemed long, it didn't take much time to reach the bottom.

Despite being labeled as a branch, there was no one around; all rooms were closed, and a corner led to stairs going deeper.

Jiang Yujin wasn't particularly interested in the organization and didn't feel like exploring around. He asked the person beside him, "Where are the people who make things?"

The tattooed man replied, "At the very bottom."

Thus, Jiang Yujin continued down.

Further down, unlike the brightness of the previous floor, here was dimly lit, or rather, had no lighting at all, just footlights barely illuminating the path.

Without turning on the flashlight on his phone, Jiang Yujin glanced inside and saw huge cages lining both sides of the path, most of them containing creatures.

Monstrous, bizarre, these were strange species. They were all alive, some awake, entirely frantic, colliding within their rooms, but emitting no sound due to some specialized sound-absorbing material.

The species ranged from high to low categories, though the higher ones were scarce, with the majority being ordinary.

While still observing the captive creatures, a faint sound came from behind. Jiang Yujin turned and saw people in special clothing covering their faces crowding both up and downstairs.

Not surprising at all.

The tattooed man's eyes shifted awkwardly while entering the password, his actions not smooth as usual, unlike when entering regular passwords. The branch shouldn't have been this empty.

If guessing correctly, this number person should be something like a password acting as a signal, notifying the insiders of an outsider intrusion upon input. Perhaps to prevent him from escaping before entering, these people waited for him to reach this level before taking action.

Quite clever, but not much.

As if not noticing the people on the stairs, he glanced again at the creatures in the cages and curiously asked the tattooed man beside him, "What do you use these for, sell them?"

The tattooed man didn't answer. The person standing on the stairs lifted a weapon, visibly modified, aiming at him. Their demeanor was entirely different from those encountered at the unfinished building, more trained and disciplined.

Unexpectedly, the tattooed man, who had always teetered on the edge of death, was easily released.

The moment he was freed, the person on the stairs wildly started shooting in Jiang Yujin's original direction, filling the air with smoke.

As the smoke gradually dissipated, others approached with weapons, only to find the person who was supposed to be there had vanished into thin air.

As if suddenly realizing something, the tattooed man reached for the dagger by his side, finding it had disappeared.

In the darkness, a few faint sounds echoed, then suddenly intensified, mixed with the squirming and crawling noises of the creatures, along with deep roars. They looked up to meet the gaze of the enormous, murky vertical pupils.

The intruder who broke into the branch was nowhere to be found, but the creatures appeared in the place where he originally stood.

When screams echoed from upstairs, Jiang Yujin was already heading deeper in.

The deepest part of this small base-like place had only one room, right at the end of the corridor. Compared to the upper floors, this level was noticeably more rudimentary.

Walking through cluttered pathways, he reached the door, politely knocking first.

No response came from inside, so he barged in.

It was a rather small room, unlit except for the blue glow from a large electronic screen occupying an entire wall. The light illuminated a person slouched over the table, surrounded by piled-up food containers, instant noodle boxes, and trash bags strewn about.

Without needing much thought, one could easily guess how this person had been living for the past few days.

Upon seeing the gun in the hands of the man wearing a hat, Jiang Yujin had a faint suspicion, but now, seeing the mess, he was more certain that this was an old acquaintance.

He kicked the person lying asleep on the table directly in the back. "Wake up," he said.

His kick wasn't gentle, and the person on the table made a startled "Ah" sound, instantly jolting awake. He turned his head, blurting out, "Who are you?"

Then he received another kick.

This time, he was fully awake. After carefully examining the person behind him for a few moments, he pondered, focusing on the black hair, then uncertainly uttered, "001?"

Jiang Yujin chuckled.

That's right. The change was quite drastic, no wonder he couldn't recognize him.

He asked: "Where are Yuan Sanshui and the others?"

Jiang Yujin replied, "The boss is probably still cutting someone's hair."

Clearing some trash to make himself a spot, Jiang Yujin sat down, even bothering to charge his phone. He briefly outlined his journey here and then asked, "How did you end up here?"

Once he posed the question, he was mentally prepared for whatever response he might receive.

Shi Bu, ranked twelfth, known by others as the Mobile Armory, was, in reality, not the sharpest tool, appearing clueless both in the Game and real life. After coming out of the Game, he didn't seem to have made the slightest progress. Regardless of the answer, there wouldn't be any surprise.

After such a long time finally encountering a friend, Shi Bu began to lament his miserable experiences:

"After coming out, I initially worked in a laboratory, but it got shut down for inhumane research projects. Then I went to a firearms factory, which got sealed a few days later. Finally, I tried being a waiter, but the restaurant got investigated for using strange species' meat."

"Now, this organization is willing to take me in, providing food and accommodation. I hope it can continue for a long time."

"…By the way," Jiang Yujin asked, "how much is the pay?"

Shi Bu: "Twenty-five hundred a month, working year-round without breaks."

Jiang Yujin was speechless and involuntarily glanced at the now-quiet upper floors.

This branch probably wouldn't last long, in various senses.