Erased

Lin Xiao stepped inside Li Jing's office, finding her engrossed in paperwork. He took a seat and asked, "What are we doing today?"

Li Jing glanced up, offering a brief smile. "Wait a minute. I just need to finish some paperwork, and then we'll go somewhere."

After a few moments, she completed her task, got up, and led him outside.

She was dressed in casual work clothes rather than her usual military attire.

Lin Xiao followed her through the base until they reached a rooftop overlooking the training grounds where soldiers were busy with their drills.

Li Jing walked to the railing and gestured to the soldiers below. "Look at them,"

She began, her voice carrying a mix of admiration and sadness. "They are normal humans, but all of them know about superpower users. They practice every day because they believe that if they work hard enough for the association, they will be able to become superpower users too."

Lin Xiao was taken aback. He watched the soldiers, a sense of unease growing within him. "But that's not true, is it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Li Jing shook her head. "No, it's not. What they don't know is that their memories have been altered by order of the association president. They are made to believe this lie to keep them motivated."

Lin Xiao's eyes widened in shock. "Brainwashed? But why? Why would you do that to them?"

Li Jing turned to him, her expression serious. "Not me. I didn't do it. I'm not strong enough to alter memories on such a large scale, even with the amplifier."

She paused, her gaze distant as she recalled something. "You know, Lin Xiao, I'm not the only one with memory alteration abilities. There are others far more powerful. Some can change the memories of an entire city without any equipment."

Lin Xiao remembered the room with the helmet—the amplifier—and how it enhanced abilities. The implications of what Li Jing was saying started to sink in. "But why support it? Why brainwash them?"

Li Jing sighed, looking back at the soldiers. "Because we need them. We need soldiers who are dedicated and willing to fight for our cause and our country. If they knew the truth and also knew the true destructive power of superpower users, many would lose hope or refuse to fight,"

Lin Xiao felt a mix of anger and sadness.

The soldiers below were living a lie, their hopes manipulated for the sake of the association. "But isn't there another way? A way to motivate them without lies?"

Li Jing shook her head slowly. "In an ideal world, maybe. But in the world we live in, we have to make difficult choices. This is one of them. The association believes that it's necessary for the greater good."

Lin Xiao looked at the soldiers again, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts.

Lin Xiao pushed his conflicting thoughts aside, focusing on his curiosity about the powerful superpower users capable of altering memories on a large scale.

He turned to Li Jing, his interest piqued. "So, who are these superpower users that can alter the memories of an entire city?"

Li Jing leaned against the railing, her expression thoughtful. "In the capital city's Cleaning Bureau, there are many individuals with the ability to alter memories, even if their powers are different from ours. They're very strong. My teacher, who is technically also your grand teacher, once told me that if you become powerful enough, you can open a domain."

"What's a domain?" Lin Xiao asked because he had just unlocked a domain.

"A domain," Li Jing explained, "is an area where your powers are significantly amplified. For example, there's a firepower user whose domain is the size of a city. Within that domain, he can create a sea of fire, you can imagine the destructive power of that user."

Lin Xiao's eyes widened at the thought. "A sea of fire? That's crazy."

Li Jing nodded. "Yes, it is. Domains amplify your abilities to an extraordinary degree. In your case, with memory manipulation, a domain could allow you to alter memories on a massive scale, far beyond what you can do now."

Lin Xiao absorbed this information, realizing the potential of his abilities. He had unlocked his domain recently, and though it was only 100 meters wide, he could already see how powerful it could become.

Li Jing continued, "Even if normal humans decided to rebel or attempt to eliminate superpower users, they wouldn't be able to succeed. The gap in power is just too vast. Superpower users with domains have an overwhelming advantage."

Lin Xiao felt a mixture of awe and responsibility.

He was beginning to understand the true potential of his abilities and the power dynamics within their world. "So, these superpower users in the Cleaning Bureau, they're the ones maintaining control?"

Li Jing shook her head. "No, the Cleaning Bureau is just a cog in a much larger wheel. As the name suggests, the Cleaning Bureau is responsible for cleaning up the messes left by other superpower users."

Lin Xiao frowned. "Cleaning up messes? What kind of messes?"

Li Jing paused, a somber expression on her face. "Do you remember Xiantai City?"

Lin Xiao shook his head, confusion evident. "No, I don't know any city by that name."

Li Jing sighed. "That's because the memory was likely erased. Xiantai City was once a very popular city. However, one day, two superpower users with domains decided to fight there. The entire city was massacred. The Cleaning Bureau used their powers to make people forget that the city ever existed to hide the presence of superhumans."

Lin Xiao's eyes widened in shock. "An entire city... erased from memory?"

Li Jing nodded. "Yes. The Cleaning Bureau's role is to handle such incidents, ensuring that the general public remains unaware of the existence of superpower users. We're just the cleaners, nothing more. The true control lies with the Supernatural Association, which oversees and maintains control over the country."

Lin Xiao felt a shiver run down his spine. The thought of such power, the ability to erase an entire city from existence, was both terrifying and sobering. "So, the Supernatural Association is the real power behind everything?"

"Exactly," Li Jing confirmed. "They maintain the balance and control, ensuring that superpower users do not expose their abilities to the world in a way that could lead to chaos."

Lin Xiao was silent for a moment, processing this new information. The world he thought he knew was much more complex and dangerous than he had ever imagined.

Li Jing suddenly reached into her pocket and handed Lin Xiao a badge. It was shaped like a star and had "Cleaning Bureau" etched across it, with his name engraved on the back.

"You are now part of the Supernatural Association's Cleaning Bureau," she said. "All your paperwork is done. As long as you do everything by the books—well, you can break a few rules as long as nobody sees it—you'll be fine."

Lin Xiao took the badge, feeling its weight in his hand. "I'll do my best," 

Li Jing nodded. "I believe you will. Now, let's discuss your training and missions."

They walked back to her office, where she outlined his new duties. "As a member of the Cleaning Bureau, you'll be tasked with various missions to maintain the secrecy of superpower users and clean up any messes they leave behind. You'll also undergo regular training to enhance your abilities and ensure you can handle any situation that arises."

Lin Xiao listened intently, absorbing every detail. "What kind of missions are we talking about?"

Li Jing leaned back in her chair, considering. "It can range from altering memories of witnesses, neutralizing rogue superpower users, to handling disasters caused by superhuman conflicts. You'll be paired with me first, but eventually, you'll be expected to handle missions on your own. I'll make sure you get easier missions cause you are my student and also a minor."

"Understood," Lin Xiao said, mentally preparing himself.

"One more thing," Li Jing added, her tone serious. "Never forget the importance of discretion. The existence of our kind must remain a secret. If the public were to find out, it could lead to widespread panic and chaos. Your role is crucial in preventing that. Let nobody know, not even your family."