The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile - Chapter 138

Shen Ge’s gaze swept over to Liu Zongrui’s face. A faint, indifferent smile appeared on his own as he exchanged a few polite words, though inwardly, he was filled with disdain.

What league do you think you’re in?
Daring to play games with two heads and four arms?
Are you tired of living, or is your family too large?

However, Shen Ge was somewhat puzzled. If Liu Zongrui was connected to the Twelve Branches, he would certainly know about Shen Ge’s reputation. So what was the point of actively seeking him out now?
A Hongmen Banquet?
But at the Hongmen Banquet, it was Xiang Yu who brought his entire family to host the feast and invite guests. This guy, though, was like Liu Bang bringing a group of civil officials and then inviting Xiang Yu to sit right next to him.

Since when do hunters cheat by dragging the boss right into the middle of the support team?

Of course, complaints in the heart. People like Liu Zongrui were the type who were hell-bent on throwing their lives away—the kind Shen Ge couldn’t even be bothered to pull back from the brink.

Most importantly, even though Liu Zongrui had practically shoved his face right up in Shen Ge’s business, the system still hadn’t given any indication of a threat. That suggested his “X heads and X arms” situation probably wasn’t a significant threat yet.

Then again, there was always the possibility that the system was glitching again.

The system malfunctioned every now and then, and Shen Ge was used to it by now. But he hadn’t consumed any “Traits” recently, and it had been several days since he advanced to Tier 3—it shouldn’t be acting up right now.

“Mr. Shen, let me pour you a drink.” Just then, two pale, voluptuous forms swayed into Shen Ge’s field of vision, abruptly cutting off his train of thought.

Shen Ge frowned slightly and turned to look at the hostess who had leaned in close. The slit in her dress ran nearly up to her waist, and with her deliberately suggestive posture, she put her long, pale legs on full display.

They’re pale, alright. A shame they’re not particularly long or attractive.

Seeing that Shen Ge wasn’t responding, Liu Zongrui shot a meaningful glance, and the two women nearest to Shen Ge immediately positioned themselves on either side of him.

Soft music began to play as the song and dance troupe on stage started their performance. No wonder everyone enjoyed these kinds of establishments—in an atmosphere like this, anyone with slightly weaker self-control might find themselves losing composure on the spot.

Liu Zongrui raised his glass first, addressing Shen Ge with polite small talk. Following his lead, the others in the room toasted Shen Ge while introducing themselves.

There were political heavyweights and business elites among them, but Shen Ge wasn’t interested in any of them. When they offered toasts, he didn’t even bother to pick up his glass. His eyes settled on a balding, bespectacled middle-aged man.

Luo Baoguo, Deputy Section Chief of the Intelligence Command Department at the Rong City Special Measures Division.

Initially, Shen Ge had been curious to see what kind of show these influential figures from Rong City had put together. But the moment he saw Luo Baoguo, he lost all interest in playing along.

A deputy section chief in the Intelligence Department meant that aside from the Level 1 confidential information that only Deng Yuqi had access to regarding Shen Ge, most other information about the division had likely already been “leaked.”

“All of you here are major figures from various sectors. A lowly investigator like me seems a bit out of place. Why don’t we cut to the chase and you tell me exactly why you’ve invited me here today?” Shen Ge picked up an exquisitely crafted wine glass, twirling it in his hand before bringing it to his nose to smell.

Premium Maotai. Tsk tsk, they’re really sparing no expense.

A man in his thirties, wearing metal-framed glasses and looking every bit the refined intellectual, spoke up: “Section Chief Luo has mentioned multiple times that you, Mr. Shen, are the most capable elite investigator at the Special Measures Division. We have no other intentions—we simply wished to make your acquaintance. You can rest assured that whatever is discussed today will remain strictly among those present here. Nothing leaves this room.”

Shen Ge recalled that this man had introduced himself earlier as a senior lawyer from “Rong’an Law Firm.” As the most renowned law firm in Rong City, the fact that he could sit at the same table as these people spoke volumes about his influence.

Shen Ge shot a glance at Luo Baoguo and said with a smile, “Section Chief Luo, as the deputy section chief of the Intelligence Department at the Rong City Special Measures Division, just how much information passes through your hands daily? If I remember correctly, your department was still working on information security protocols just last week? It seems you were so busy training your subordinates that you forgot to brush up on your own skills? Tsk tsk, no wonder you’ve been stuck with that ‘deputy’ title for almost five years now.”

The moment these words left Shen Ge’s mouth, Luo Baoguo’s expression shifted dramatically.

This wasn’t just adding insult to injury—it was digging up a grave and whipping the corpse.

Luo Baoguo had been transferred from headquarters five years ago as a deputy section chief. He had assumed that after putting in five years of service and waiting for the section chief to step down, he would naturally be promoted. Instead, he was passed over for an externally appointed section chief.

Moreover, until six months ago, the Special Measures Division had largely been in a “standby” state. Within the various government departments of the nation, the Special Measures Division was considered bottom-tier. Luo Baoguo had spent considerable money and effort trying to transfer out, all to no avail.

Then, unexpectedly, the frequency of paranormal incidents began to rise steadily over the past six months. Two months ago, the existence of the paranormal was fully exposed to the public.

The Special Measures Division’s status skyrocketed, becoming the “number one department” almost overnight. His position as deputy section chief suddenly gained significant prestige.

Influential figures who had previously been impossible to meet were now inviting him to dinners. After a few drinks at these banquets, he tended to become loose-lipped. That was how he ended up “selling” information about Shen Ge, the division’s most capable member.

With his sudden rise in status, Luo Baoguo clearly couldn’t resist the temptation. His ambitions grew, and he began leveraging his position within the Special Measures Division to act as a “middleman.”

“Ah, Mr. Shen, there’s no need to be so distant. In this life, having one more friend means having one more ally. There’s no challenge in this world that can’t be overcome with a little mutual help, right?” someone said with a laugh.

As soon as these words were spoken, others quickly chimed in with sayings like “At home, rely on family; abroad, rely on friends,” and “Society is a melting pot—no one can succeed alone.”

In essence, they wanted Shen Ge to join their “big family.”

Although others echoed the sentiment, Luo Baoguo, well aware of Shen Ge’s standing within the Special Measures Division, didn’t dare to provoke him outright. He hurriedly explained, “Investigator Shen, please rest assured. As a member of the Intelligence Department, I know exactly what should and shouldn’t be said. As for your matters, it was Young Master Liu who expressed a desire to meet the most talented individual in our division. Seeing his sincerity, I agreed to arrange this dinner as an introduction.”

“You’ve seen his sincerity, but where’s my share of sincerity?” Shen Ge raised an eyebrow and asked.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongrui’s eyebrows also lifted slightly. The hostess who had been attentively watching him immediately understood. With a coquettish murmur, she swayed and leaned into Shen Ge’s arms, casting a seductive, misty-eyed gaze his way.

“Mr. Shen~”

Shen Ge expressionlessly glanced at the hostess and asked coolly, “Miss, do you have osteoporosis? Is that why you’re still working in your condition?”

“…”

The hostess hesitated between mentally labeling him “weird” or “a straight-up blockhead” before ultimately settling on the former. Only someone not quite right in the head would say something like that, right?
What a waste of a handsome face.

She sighed inwardly. Still, she was a professional—she’d taken the money, so she had to deliver. She decided to press closer, lean in, and make more physical contact.

Shen Ge didn’t even look at the woman beside him. His gaze swept over everyone at the table before finally settling on Luo Baoguo. With a faint, ambiguous smile, he said, “Is this how you test officials? At most, this is a 3000-a-night quality. What kind of official would fail a test like this? Besides, Section Chief Luo is here—surely you know my preferences?”

Luo Baoguo was taken aback for a moment before a look of understanding dawned on his face. “I understand, I understand! ‘Jade legs, slender and fair, reflecting the moon’s brilliance; their charm surpasses even the most beautiful sunset.’ Of course I know Investigator Shen’s preferences!”

“…”

Was this guy transferred from some self-media outlet?
So eloquent?

While Luo Baoguo was speaking, Shen Ge observed the expressions of Liu Zongrui and the others. It was only after Luo Baoguo explicitly mentioned “jade legs” that they seemed to realize what Shen Ge liked. This suggested that Luo Baoguo might have been telling the truth—he hadn’t revealed too much personal information.

After all, Shen Ge hadn’t exactly hidden his relationship with Cheng Shengnan within the Special Measures Division. Figuring out his preferences wasn’t exactly difficult.

If Luo Baoguo had truly sold Shen Ge out completely, the hostesses standing by shouldn’t have just been “busty”—they should have been “long-legged.”

Otherwise, it would have shown a serious lack of sincerity.

After a moment’s thought, Shen Ge had already made a decision.

“Ah—”

Before Luo Baoguo could elaborate on Shen Ge’s preferences, the hostess leaning against Shen Ge let out a startled cry and stiffened.

Shen Ge’s right hand was resting on the table, his left hand idly toying with a small wine glass—both hands were visibly accounted for. Yet the hostess distinctly felt a “hand” sliding up from her ankle, stopping only when it reached between her thighs.

It couldn’t be the man in front of her—could there be something dirty under the table?
Even if the man had such intentions, he couldn’t possibly reach from her ankle all the way up—just how long would his arm need to be?

The hostess, terrified by this thought, jumped up in alarm. Her frightened state made her ample chest tremble, captivating a man seated nearby.

“Tsk tsk, did you really think just being ‘busty’ like you was enough? How shallow!” Shen Ge said disdainfully.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongrui’s well-maintained, cultured smile almost cracked. He barely stopped himself from blurting out, “And you, with your foot fetish, have the nerve to say that?”

Seeing the hostess still glancing nervously under the table, Liu Zongrui frowned and asked displeased, “What’s with all the hysterics? Do you think you can afford to disturb Mr. Shen?”

“I-I’m sorry, I…” The hostess, knowing full well what kind of person Liu Zongrui was, panicked at the thought of the punishment that might await her.

“It’s fine. Let’s get down to business. Now that we’re all acquainted, tell me, what do you want me to do? As long as the price is right, anything can be discussed.” Shen Ge pretended not to care, raising his glass and downing it in one go. In reality, the alcohol was transferred through the rotten flesh on his thumb to the floor beneath his feet before it even reached his mouth.

Shen Ge was leaning back in his chair with his legs stretched out, so the wine ended up near his neighbor’s seat—after all, who wants a puddle of alcohol under their own chair during a meal?

Seeing Shen Ge “playing along,” everyone’s spirits lifted instantly. They encouraged more drinking, more eating, and, for some, more touching.

After several rounds of drinks, Shen Ge and Liu Zongrui were chatting amiably like old friends. Feigning drunkenness, they discussed the Zhanlan case from a couple of days prior. Shen Ge slung an arm around Liu Zongrui’s shoulder, reeking of alcohol (which he had spilled on his clothes), and said, “Young Master Liu, ah, you’re too careless. How could you forget to move your car after having fun at ’12’? Now they’ve traced it back to you! But don’t worry, just fork over thirty or fifty million, and I’ll handle this for you, brother!”

“…”

Damn, with such a righteous opening, I thought you were going to handle it for free. Turns out you want thirty to fifty million?

Though displeased internally, Liu Zongrui maintained a smile on his face. “No problem. I’ll have someone transfer fifty million to you later. Consider it my way of making friends!”

“Bold and decisive!”
“Come, let’s have a drink.”

Lü Xianzhe, the top authority in Rong City, seeing that Shen Ge had drunk enough, also tried to strike up a conversation. He started by discussing Rong City’s development and cooperation with the Special Measures Division before deftly steering the topic toward the “main issue.”

In a roundabout, high-sounding manner, his words conveyed three main points:
First, everyone present knew what case the Special Measures Division was investigating. However, the recent disappearances involved “parasites” of the city—people who were better off dead than alive, wasting resources. There was no need to jeopardize everyone’s interests for their sake.

Second, since the exposure of paranormal incidents, the world had descended into chaos. Only their nation had temporarily managed to curb the worsening situation.

But everyone knew whether this suppression was temporary or permanent.

The “using the paranormal to counter the paranormal” system exposed that human technology was helpless against the paranormal. With the frequency of paranormal events increasing, the world’s descent into apocalypse was only a matter of time.

The government was already considering systems to separate humans from “other organisms,” building shelters or centralizing the rearing of animals.

Centralized rearing was similar to the previous laws criminalizing animal abuse and strengthening pet ownership regulations—both were stopgap measures that didn’t address the root cause.

With the exposure of the paranormal, the authorities were now implementing a blanket ban on keeping pets, with penalties nearly as severe as those for violation of the old one-child policy.

In short, without resolving the root cause of the paranormal, all the government’s current efforts were merely delaying the collapse of order.

The third point Lü Xianzhe raised, and the one of greatest concern to everyone at the banquet, was the establishment of “shelters.”

According to Lü Xianzhe, the government planned to create “cities within cities, urban centers within urban centers” within major cities, eliminating all organisms capable of mutation to build cities inhabited solely by humans.

The shelter pilot program would be launched in several first-tier cities. Rong City naturally qualified. Reading between the lines, Lü Xianzhe wanted to be the absolute ruler of this “city within a city,” wielding unchecked power.

And the qualifications to enter the “city within a city” would also be controlled by him.

At this point, Lü Xianzhe raised his glass in a toast to Shen Ge. “There’s an old saying in our nation: ‘Those who understand the times are true heroes.’ Only by recognizing the trends of the era and conforming to the situation can one live freely. Investigator Shen, you’ve worked hard for the country and its people. Surely you also want a better life for yourself, right? I can guarantee that within the city within a city, you can have anything you desire! Power, money, women—everything will be at your fingertips!”

Inspired by Lü Xianzhe’s words, the others raised their glasses, their emotions stirred. It was as if the “city within a city” had already been established, and they were the ones standing atop the pyramid, looking down upon the world.

Shen Ge sighed inwardly. These people really thought he was unaware of the “city within a city” plan. In fact, Deng Yuqi had informed him about the government’s intention to create such a plan half a month ago, after returning from a meeting at headquarters.

The Special Measures Division was now the nation’s “number one department.” Deng Yuqi’s status and authority in reality already surpassed that of Lü Xianzhe, the “top leader.”

It was precisely because Lü Xianzhe realized this that he wanted to win over Deng Yuqi’s right-hand man first.

But despite all his calculations, he never expected that the “city within a city” plan, just discussed at the meeting, would be vetoed by headquarters that very afternoon.

Without the Special Measures Division’s approval, even if every other department agreed, it would be useless. After all, these shelters were meant to protect against the paranormal. Who could guarantee that paranormal incidents would absolutely not occur within them?

If they did occur, the Special Measures Division would ultimately be responsible for handling them.

The reason for the Special Measures Division’s firm veto was simple: first, the paranormal situation hadn’t deteriorated to that extent yet; second, the establishment of “cities within cities” would inevitably trigger class conflict.

Most importantly, in previous years, other countries, jealous of their nation’s progress, had secretly engaged in numerous divisive tactics. Having worked hard to overcome those obstacles, the government wasn’t about to create new divisions themselves.

However, while some were wholeheartedly dedicated to the nation and its people, others, like Lü Xianzhe, ultimately succumbed to the temptations of power and money. They began scheming to push forward their “local emperor” plans.

And to build a “city within a city,” money was essential. When money was involved, it was inevitable to cross paths with families like the Lius.

With the Twelve Branches pulling strings behind the scenes, “12” was successfully established.

Of course, this was all Shen Ge’s “speculation.” Lü Xianzhe’s words had been twisted into eighteen curves—he naturally wouldn’t state these matters explicitly.

As for why they were trying to win over Shen Ge specifically, it was simple: the incident with Zhang Yaozuo led Liu Zongrui to mistakenly believe that Shen Ge was also fond of money.

Coupled with his willingness to stand up for a woman, liking money and women made him easy to manipulate!

Liu Zongrui had even prepared several backup plans. But before he could even finish deploying his tactics of coercion and temptation, Shen Ge had already nodded along, playing his part perfectly.

Soon, a notification of a bank transfer appeared on Shen Ge’s phone.

“Fifty million.”

He, in turn, was very cooperative in sharing “secrets” about the Special Measures Division. Though just how much of it was true and how much was false, even Deputy Section Chief Luo Baoguo couldn’t be sure.

The meal was extremely “harmonious.” Shen Ge was plied with alcohol until he was utterly drunk and was helped to a luxurious hotel suite by two beautiful, long-legged women.

“Mr. Shen, would you like to take a bath first, or rest directly?” one of them asked.

Shen Ge raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, “How do you usually play?”

“However Mr. Shen wants to play, of course,” the two women said in unison, their seductive gazes seemingly capable of melting Shen Ge.

Shen Ge smiled, turned to the taller woman on his left, and said, “Kneel down and tie up your hair.”

“Hmm, Mr. Shen, you’re so naughty. But I like naughty men.” The woman giggled coquettishly, obediently kneeling down. With one hand gathering her hair, the other rested on Shen Ge’s waist, slowly sliding downward.

Before the two women could proceed further, over a dozen tentacles visibly emerged from Shen Ge’s body.

“You said I could play however I wanted.”
“How about some ‘tentacle’ play?”

“…”

The woman who had just knelt down took one look at the black, slimy, flesh-and-mud-aggregate tentacle that had suddenly grown from Shen Ge’s leg. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.

“Ah—”
“Ah!!!”

The other woman screamed and ran for the door, but before she could take two steps, a tentacle wrapped around her neck and threw her back onto the bed, where she also fainted from fright.

“Tsk, so easily scared.” Shen Ge reached down and felt around the waist of the woman who had fainted on the floor, pulling out two packets of powder and a thumb-sized syringe.

Then, Shen Ge walked over to the bed and found listening devices hidden in the other woman’s hair and clothes. “Tsk, seems I picked the wrong one to tell to kneel.”

Shen Ge walked around the room, having Little Seven conduct a scan. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single pinhole camera, which genuinely surprised him.

Call them “insincere”? The money and women were provided.
Call them “sincere”? Drugs, needles, poison—all prepared.

What exactly were they trying to do?
Shen Ge examined the small bottle and syringe. He had a feeling these weren’t ordinary knockout drugs or aphrodisiacs, so he pocketed them to take back to the division for testing.

Shen Ge had sent a message to Deng Yuqi when he arrived at the hotel that afternoon. Although the signal in the private room was jammed, it didn’t affect Little Seven’s recording capabilities.

After leaving the private room, Shen Ge had Little Seven transmit the latest information to Deng Yuqi. Upon receiving it, she immediately began investigating each individual involved, preparing to uproot this entire corrupt network in one sweep.

Earlier this month, when the police reported the series of disappearances to the Special Measures Division, the division initially suspected paranormal activity—that some hard-to-detect entity was silently consuming the missing people in Rong City. Shen Ge had even spent several days patrolling the city as a result.

Then, two days ago, while pursuing the Twelve Branches, Lin Yin accidentally uncovered issues with Zhanlan. Shen Ge, through a twist of fate, exposed “12” and found the source of the problem.

Following this lead deeper, what they discovered nearly made Deng Yuqi flip the table in anger.

The paranormal had been exposed, the situation was deteriorating, and no one knew when the “apocalypse” would truly arrive. The world was in a panic, and the Special Measures Division was working around the clock. Yet, some people were secretly “breeding” paranormal entities, using them for profit and amusement.

They thought the scenes in zombie movies where those in power, under collapsed order, amused themselves by locking people and zombies in cages were just cinematic effects. Who knew reality could be more absurd!
The apocalypse hadn’t even arrived, and people were already playing such games!

Deng Yuqi was determined to eradicate these parasites root and branch. Upon receiving Shen Ge’s message, she immediately began deploying and investigating.

Liu Zongrui was tailed by Special Measures Division agents the moment he left the hotel, followed all the way to his villa at Lahu Shui Cheng.

Returning home, Liu Zongrui brought along a hostess with exceptional looks and figure from the banquet.

No sooner had they entered the bedroom than the professionally skilled hostess began undressing Liu Zongrui. They “stumbled” their way into the bathroom for a shower.

While washing Liu Zongrui’s body, the hostess noticed a red “lump” on his neck. Curious, she pressed it and asked, “Young Master Liu, what’s this here?”

Liu Zongrui turned his head, picked up the showerhead, and sprayed the mirror beside them. He looked at the reflection of his neck. The red lump had swollen to the size of a fist.

Liu Zongrui’s expression darkened. He pressed the woman’s head onto his shoulder, whispering into her ear, “Help me clean the wound.”

“Okay,” the woman agreed obediently.

Liu Zongrui’s voice lowered. “With your mouth.”

“Mmm~”

However, no matter how diligently the woman licked, Liu Zongrui felt no sensation from the red lump on his shoulder. Instead, he felt a gnawing, bone-deep pain.

Liu Zongrui frowned. He raised his hand and pressed hard on the woman’s head, his fingers exerting so much force that his joints emitted faint “crack, crack, crack” sounds.

“Mmph mmph, Young Master Liu.”

The woman was nearly suffocating. She had long heard of Liu Zongrui’s “perverse” reputation, but earning hundreds of thousands for one night was far more attractive than a measly few thousand for a quick session.

She wanted the money, but she didn’t want to die here.

Struggling with all her might, her strength was no match for Liu Zongrui’s. In desperation, she opened her mouth and bit down on the disgusting lump. Her teeth broke the skin, and a pungent, foul-smelling pus oozed out.

The nauseating, acrid smell made the woman’s stomach churn. But before she could vomit, the tumor-like pustule elongated completely, transforming into a gaping maw large enough to swallow a head.

The circular mouth formed from the pustule was lined with rings of sharp, white teeth, resembling a lamprey’s mouth. It directly swallowed the woman’ head.

Crunch!!!
Half of the woman’s head was bitten off and swallowed. Blood gushed down her neck, washed into the bathtub by the water, instantly dyeing it red.

“Argh!”

Liu Zongrui groaned in pain, bracing himself against the wall with one hand while holding the woman’s corpse with the other. The gaping maw on his shoulder continued devouring the corpse.

After completely consuming the woman’s head, the lump on Liu Zongrui’s shoulder gradually morphed into a head—the face identical to the woman he had just swallowed.

The woman’s face was expressionless. It glanced at the corpse held by Liu Zongrui, opened its mouth—still filled with lamprey-like rings of teeth—and began frantically devouring the corpse of “itself.”

…

…

Deng Yuqi arrived at the luxurious hotel suite and knocked on the door. Shen Ge opened it, somewhat surprised to see her standing outside. “What brings you here?”

“Lit—ahem. Your AI transmitted data with the location here. I know someone at this hotel, so I brought the team over to investigate, hoping to pry some information from that person… Thought I’d swing by to check, uh… did I come at a bad time?”

Deng Yuqi spoke while walking into the room. But upon seeing the two human “zongzi” tied up with expert-level rope artistry kneeling on the bed, her expression turned peculiar.

The two hostesses had regained consciousness. They were trussed up kneeling on the bed, their own stockings stuffed in their mouths. Seeing Deng Yuqi, they thought their savior had arrived and began struggling frantically, making muffled “mmph mmph” sounds.

Shen Ge said expressionlessly, “Don’t misunderstand. I just thought that since they went through the trouble of preparing drugs and listening devices, it was unlikely there weren’t any pinhole cameras in the room. So I used some minor methods to interrogate them.”

“Your interrogation methods are quite ‘artistic,'” Deng Yuqi said deadpan.

Shen Ge smiled. “You flatter me. I just looked up the techniques on Baidu. Not bad, right?”

“I wasn’t complimenting you.”
“Oh.”
“So, did you find out anything?”

Shen Ge placed the items found on the two women on the table. Sitting on the sofa, he admired his handiwork with the ropes. “I initially thought the drug must be suspicious, but it turns out it’s just ordinary knockout drops. These things weren’t arranged by Liu Zongrui and the others—these two women acted on their own. Probably thought they could score a big payout from a high-profile figure like me by recording something compromising.”

Deng Yuqi glanced at the two women on the bed, catching a faint whiff of urine. Looking at the skirts beneath them, it was clear they had genuinely been scared witless.

“How did you interrogate them?” Deng Yuqi asked curiously.

Shen Ge replied, “Oh, I just had Little Seven make an appearance.”

As he spoke, a mass of rotten flesh gathered on Shen Ge’s shoulder, slowly forming a black tentacle that extended toward Deng Yuqi and waved hello.

“…”

Deng Yuqi’s expression instantly turned strange. She couldn’t help asking, “What is this thing? Are you turning into a paranormal entity?”

“Huh? Didn’t you read the report on the new combat armor?” Shen Ge was somewhat surprised.

Deng Yuqi said matter-of-factly, “I’ve applied multiple layers of encryption to your information. Figured if it were ever exposed someday, it’d be better to omit certain details. So I modified the section on your abilities and had Li Xiang avoid archiving research data on your paranormal-energy equipment. I’ve been so busy lately; when would I have time to go to the lab and read equipment reports?”

Deng Yuqi wasn’t lying. Since the number of paranormal corpses had increased, the division’s production speed of paranormal-energy equipment had improved significantly. Therefore, aside from equipment with special abilities or exceptionally high quality, standard-issue gear no longer required her approval.

Coupled with the mess in Rong City waiting for her to clean up after the paranormal exposure, she couldn’t monitor the lab as frequently as before.

Who would have thought that in such a short time, Li Xiang and Shen Ge would come up with a “tentacle” play? Given more time, would the Rong City Special Measures Division become a second “Twelve Branches”?

Deng Yuqi immediately felt that for the prosperity and stability of the Special Measures Division, the rule that Li Xiang and Shen Ge must not be allowed to collaborate must be strictly enforced!

Deng Yuqi had someone take the two rope-art ladies away for further interrogation. Then, she discussed the next steps of the “undercover” plan with Shen Ge, asking him to follow the leads and find out who else these people were colluding with behind the scenes, ideally rooting them all out in one go.

Rong City was clearly in for a “major reshuffle,” thoroughly purging the parasites.

After giving a few more instructions, Deng Yuqi went to seek out her “acquaintance” at the hotel for clues. Shen Ge planned to return to the Special Measures Division to await updates from the team monitoring Liu Zongrui.

But as he walked through the lobby, he saw a young man standing at the front desk staring at him with a “terrified” expression.

Shen Ge stopped and looked at him, about to speak, when the man nervously said, “I, I didn’t… I admit I was wrong last time, but I kept my promise and transferred the money to you. Please, please don’t kill me!”

“?”

Buddy, who are you?
Seeing Shen Ge’s puzzled expression, Zhang Yaozuo was taken aback.

Had this guy already forgotten who he was?
“Ah, I mistook you for someone else. Sorry!” Zhang Yaozuo turned to flee, but Shen Ge reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

“Wait.” Shen Ge called out to him, about to speak. Before he could even apply pressure, there was a thud as Zhang Yaozuo knelt before him.

“Big brother, I was wrong!” His attitude was extremely earnest.

The corner of Shen Ge’s eye twitched. He couldn’t help muttering, “I don’t eat people. Is this necessary?”

Zhang Yaozuo wanted to cry but had no tears. He didn’t want to either, but the memory of Shen Ge dispatching two terrifying paranormal entities with a couple of slaps made his legs disobey him.

“Oh, I remember now. You’re the ‘Money-Scattering Boy’ from the tennis court last time!” Shen Ge said as if a lightbulb had gone off.

Zhang Yaozuo: …Damn it.
You’re the Money-Scattering Boy!

So the guy really hadn’t remembered him. Why did he have to have a brain lapse and run right into the line of fire?

“Don’t rush off. I have something for you,” Shen Ge said with a smile.

But to Zhang Yaozuo, that smile looked exactly like the terrifying grin of a demon he’d seen when Shen Ge was tearing apart paranormal entities at “12”!