Chapter 23: Shocking News! (4)

Tonight marked a minor eruption of anomalies and specters. A surge of unresolved cases would surface by dawn, yet the investigators remained preoccupied with those ghosts whose activities had already been pinpointed, oblivious to the emergence of these new entities.

Beijing, Investigator Headquarters

Wu Zui had safely exited the magnetism room, and the researcher provided him with something resembling only a sword hilt. He called it a Magnetism Blade, capable of amplifying and solidifying the magnetic energy released from the human body, thus enabling it to be wielded as a weapon. As for other specialized tools to combat ghosts, there was no inventory today, since existing stock had been allocated to the extermination of those whose activity routes were already established.

Wu Zui scoffed at this—he was a practitioner of martial arts, not swordplay. He couldn’t handle blades or swords, save for the crude act of hacking away without the slightest skill. Regarding magnetism, Wu Zui sensed it resided at his brow, stimulated by the devices in the magnetism room. Now, he could channel it through the Magnetism Blade, though by his reckoning, it would last for roughly ten strikes before his energy was depleted.

He hoped he wouldn’t encounter any specters too soon. It wasn’t a matter of fear—he simply wished his equipment was fully supplied before facing such threats.

“Master, what are you thinking about?” Xiao Ke’ai, having left her mother’s side, approached Wu Zui with curiosity, a lollipop clamped between her lips.

“Nothing much. Go keep your aunt company. Your uncle is inside undergoing awakening; she must be worried,” Wu Zui glanced at the anxious Ji Yi Yi and spoke to Xiao Ke’ai.

“I just asked you, didn’t I? Since my parents’ foreheads aren’t dark, they must be fine!” Although Xiao Ke’ai was concerned, she placed her faith in Wu Zui’s words.

She truly believed in his ability to read faces. Otherwise, how would he have known during the Peaceful District home invasion that every bakery worker was a drug dealer? His old teammates never doubted him, suggesting such things had happened more than once.

Wu Zui fell silent.

Soon, Xiao An Guo emerged from the magnetism room, once again proving Wu Zui wasn’t guessing. Other investigators began lining up to enter the room. In a gamble between life and death, nothing brings more joy than knowing you are destined to win.

“Rest for today. Tomorrow, you’ll be briefed on the current applications of magnetism and the associated weaponry. According to the research institute, after awakening magnetism, you’ll have some resistance to specter possession. Still, caution is necessary. For anomalies, you’ll be given gilded weapons sufficient to deal with one-star threats,” Xiao An Guo said, escorting Xiao Ke’ai and Ji Yi Yi to a temporary residence.

According to the researcher, the headquarters’ basement was lined with protective layers of gold and magnetism, forming a safehouse. No electronics were permitted inside, effectively barring ghosts and ensuring safety.

After settling Xiao Ke’ai and her mother, Wu Zui prepared to leave. He intended to witness the ghost purging firsthand or seek further information on the apparitions.

“Come with me,” Xiao An Guo intervened, stopping him.

He led Wu Zui to a conference room, closed the door, and asked, “Is your art of face reading inherited from a master? Can you recommend someone?”

Wu Zui was stunned—his ability was innate, not learned! An inherited school? One lie always breeds a hundred more.

“I have no master; I simply read books and gain occasional insight on my own,” Wu Zui replied, striving to patch the story. If he claimed a master, questions about their name, residence, family, and more would expose him.

“Exceptional talent, self-taught,” Xiao An Guo nodded, though his disbelief was evident.

“If you stay here and assist in screening investigators for magnetism awakening, what do you think?” Xiao An Guo spoke conversationally, without command.

“I’d rather go out. These ghosts grow stronger with every strange weather event; who knows when their danger level might exceed two stars? I want to see if there’s a way to increase my magnetism,” Wu Zui shook his head, refusing. Staying here was no different than prison. Besides, if ghosts ever ceased to fear gold weapons and magnetism, he wouldn’t want to be left ignorant.

Xiao An Guo frowned.

Wu Zui was the only one with such ability. If something happened to him, the mortality rate for magnetism awakening would return to twenty percent. When leaving the magnetism room, Xiao An Guo had instructed the researcher to notify him immediately of any failures. Now, after settling Xiao Ke’ai and chatting with Wu Zui, at least ten people should have awakened; with the four of them, that made a minimum of fourteen consecutive successes. Not mere coincidence.

Seeing Xiao An Guo’s expression, Wu Zui knew he didn’t want him to leave. His presence guaranteed success rates for magnetism awakening.

“Actually, face-to-face isn’t necessary. Photos taken at the moment suffice,” Wu Zui calculated that this job was set to fall into his lap, so he might as well choose his working method. He could view photos from outside just as well.

“Really?” Xiao An Guo was skeptical—face reading by photo was unheard of.

“Yes, Minister. Try it with a batch tomorrow,” Wu Zui replied confidently.

“Excellent! Spend the night here. If you prove correct, I’ll reward you handsomely!” Xiao An Guo was delighted. If true, China would soon have a multitude of magnetism awakeners—many who feared death would now be reassured, and their numbers would soar.

He reminded himself to keep this confidential. If other countries learned of Wu Zui, they might try to poach him. Globally, the outbreak of ghosts was rampant; Western nations suffered equally, but their soldiers were far less disciplined than China’s. Hence, their awakeners lagged in numbers.

“Do as you wish, Minister,” Wu Zui cared little for Xiao An Guo’s reward. Power? No, thank you. Having fallen from deputy director, he was wary and disillusioned. Money? Sorry, that path was always closed to him.

Wu Zui’s values were simple: safety, cleanliness, hygiene in daily life. Gourmet delicacies? He could take them or leave them.

He’d rather receive two newly developed gadgets.

In these chaotic times, with ghosts running rampant and the world in turmoil, only strength mattered—Wu Zui understood this well.

Xiao An Guo left the conference room, pondering Wu Zui’s final expression—was it disdain? Did Wu Zui think his reward was beneath him?

“Interesting! Seems I was underestimated,” Xiao An Guo murmured as he departed swiftly.

He had already reviewed Wu Zui’s file—his daughter had apprenticed herself to Wu Zui, so he naturally investigated his background. If she chose an incompetent master, that was one thing; but if he was a treacherous villain, Xiao An Guo would swiftly eliminate the threat.

...

That night, the investigators at headquarters slept soundly—perhaps for the last time. The ring-shaped rainbow over the South China Sea affected many neighboring nations, with China bearing the brunt. The ghost-clearing operation, originally foolproof, was disrupted by celestial phenomena, causing many ghosts to grow stronger and inflicting heavy losses on the investigators.

Moreover, the emergence of new ghosts, though not powerful, expanded the diversity of entities and enriched the bureau’s database. By morning, the world would know of the outbreak; the sheer number and scope of ghosts was far beyond what could be suppressed by controlling public opinion.

China, for its part, had no intention of concealing the truth. The success of magnetism awakeners might make nationwide resistance feasible. With Xiao An Guo’s report on Wu Zui, the process of awakening would proceed even more smoothly.

The next morning, every media outlet exploded.

Reports and posts about monsters attacking humans and vengeful spirits flooded the internet:

“Deformed Humanoids Assault Civilians!”

“Is the Apocalypse Upon Us?”

“Urgent Need for Nuclear Pollution Control!”

Such articles stirred public panic, but soon, state news websites issued clarifications, explaining the ghost phenomenon in detail. They also announced that citizens could undergo magnetism awakening, granting them the power to resist ghosts.

Magnets and gold vanished from the market, their prices soaring tenfold, yet demand still outstripped supply.

At the same time, Wu Zui was summoned by Xiao An Guo to a room where a computer, already booted up, displayed thousands of freshly taken photos.

“Minister, let me be clear: my face reading has a time limit. Even if I confirm someone is safe today, I can’t guarantee their fate won’t change with time. So—can all these people complete their magnetism awakening today?” Wu Zui spoke candidly, unsure how long the mist above their heads would remain as he saw it. It might soon become dangerous, or it might stay safe for a while.