Chapter 66: The Gathering Storm (4)

In the blink of an eye, while Wu Zui was still in a daze, Ming Rou Rou had already come up behind him. Her arms, white as jade, encircled his neck.

“What a treasure you are~ Why don’t you just surrender to me?” she murmured, her chin resting on his shoulder from behind as she spoke, her breath warm against his skin, making his neck tingle.

“We’ve known each other for so long. Don’t start with that routine!” Wu Zui sighed, patting her hands gently.

Somehow, a large syringe had appeared in Ming Rou Rou’s hands. Her fingers traced along his arm, clearly searching for a vein…

“Really! I don’t know what you see in that girl. We might be even in looks, but my figure is far better, isn’t it? If you wanted to draw my blood every two days, or do anything else to me, I’d let you. Why her and not me?” Ming Rou Rou glanced at Xiao Ke’ai, who was slumped in the chair, fast asleep, then released Wu Zui and put the syringe away irritably.

She reckoned that if Xiao Ke’ai could get a vial of Wu Zui’s blood every two days, he’d surely oblige. So why was she the exception? What was she lacking?

Fuming with indignation.

“If you don’t agree, I’m leaving!” Wu Zui tapped his finger on the table, where a bottle of his blood and a small bone-cleaving knife, which could serve as a magnetic weapon, lay.

“Fine, fine! Consider it interest!” Ming Rou Rou conceded, picking up the bottle and examining the knife with curiosity.

“That knife becomes a magnetic weapon when you channel energy into it. Don’t you love playing with scalpels?” Wu Zui remarked, watching her toy with the blade.

“You even remember such a little hobby of mine? I’m so moved~” Ming Rou Rou’s eyes shone as she gazed at him, her voice girlish.

Wu Zui ignored her, leaving Ming Rou Rou visibly disappointed.

Could it be she failed because she relied too much on acting cute?

Ming Rou Rou glanced at Xiao Ke’ai, pondering.

“You look after her for now. I’m off to find Chief Wang!” Wu Zui said, gritting his teeth at the mention of Wang Zhengang. The red evacuation order had listed Wang as the person in charge of Binhai City. What was supposed to be a lateral transfer had turned out to be a stealthy promotion. How could a deputy chief manage both spirit investigators and Awakened? Damn it!

“Yes, yes, go quickly!” Ming Rou Rou nodded eagerly, unable to hide her anticipation.

After Wu Zui left, Ming Rou Rou leaned over Xiao Ke’ai, scrutinizing her.

“Is it a matter of physiology, or psychology?” Ming Rou Rou hadn’t given up on seducing Wu Zui; Xiao Ke’ai’s success gave her hope and a template to replicate.

Maybe she could craft her own success?

Syringe in one hand, her other hand stroking her chin, Ming Rou Rou fell into deep thought.

Wang Zhengang’s Office

At that moment, Wang Zhengang was overwhelmed. Many Awakened had come to demand supplies, some clever enough to block the door to prevent his escape. Spirit investigators were there too; after all, Wang wasn’t an Awakened and couldn’t handle them alone.

Outside the office, Wu Zui tried to push the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He had no time to wait. Channeling blue magnetic energy into his fist, he struck the magnetite door.

With a loud crack, fissures snaked across the door, which then crashed to the floor. This thing might keep ghosts out, but any three-star anomaly could smash it open, let alone Wu Zui with his destructive power—close combat had always been his forte.

Inside, everyone stared in shock as the door collapsed. Who was the madman tearing down an internal door of the Bureau?

Wu Zui entered to find two distinct groups: one side, spirit investigators; the other, civilian Awakened. All had received the red evacuation order and, like Wu Zui, had come for supplies.

“What’s this crowd for? Planning a revolt? Clear out!” Wu Zui barked.

Wang Zhengang, not being Awakened, was powerless to control them. Wu Zui was another matter—if he lost his temper, he’d toss them all out the window. Five stories wouldn’t kill them, but it’d hurt.

“Captain!”

“Boss!”

Those who called him Captain were former members of the Special Detective Squad. The “Boss” was none other than Mao Lie.

“And you are?” Wu Zui eyed Mao Lie with some confusion.

“I’m Mao Lie! The one you elbowed in the chest and made cough blood in the Magnetic Awakening Chamber in Yanjing. After I awakened, I heard you were in Binhai and came over,” Mao Lie replied, rubbing his shaved head without a hint of embarrassment.

Before Wu Zui could respond, the Awakened on the other side erupted first.

“I don’t care if you’re Mao Lie or just a brat! Get out of my way—I want my gear and I’m leaving Binhai!” one of them shouted.

With a flash, a blade of blue magnetic energy sliced past the man’s scalp, carving a wound into the magnetite wall behind him.

Swallowing hard, the man glanced nervously at the wall.

“One more word and I’ll throw you out the window,” Wu Zui warned, fixing him with a glare.

No one thought he’d kill them, but with a six-star anomaly on the way, getting injured now would only lower their odds of survival. No one was foolish enough to risk it.

“Anyone who’s never completed a three-star ghost mission, get out!” Wu Zui ordered.

Three-star ghosts could be tricky, but as for anomalies, with a few golden weapons and proper coordination, they were manageable. Those who hadn’t completed such missions were likely just bodyguards or freeloaders looking to exploit the chaos.

People exchanged uneasy glances. Some spirit investigators left in ones and twos, while most of the Awakened filed out. The true powerhouses among the Awakened were off protecting their wealthy patrons and plotting escape. Only the less capable remained, having come to make a scene when they couldn’t exchange points for weapons. Wu Zui’s madness left them wondering if he’d actually toss them out.

If they ended up injured and empty-handed, they’d really be done for.

“The weapon list—now,” Wu Zui demanded, turning to Wang Zhengang.

Relieved, Wang Zhengang handed over a sheet.

Spirit Confinement Net: Made of magnetite-reinforced steel wire, forms a circular net about three meters in diameter. Can trap ghosts in their incorporeal state; duration depends on the ghost’s strength. Cost: 120 points.

“I’ll take all the spirit nets. You handle distribution for the rest,” Wu Zui said, returning the list.

The Awakened sighed in relief. If Wu Zui had taken all the big weapons—like golden bombs—they’d have confronted him. But since he only wanted spirit nets, which weren’t even guaranteed effective against ghosts, they didn’t mind.

Wang Zhengang brought out several pistol-like devices; their barrels didn’t hold bullets but the nets. A trigger sent out a three-by-three meter net, though retrieving it was time-consuming.

Once he’d collected his gear and bid farewell to his former teammates and Mao Lie, Wu Zui left. The crowd had thinned considerably; he trusted Wang Zhengang to handle it from here.

After Wu Zui left, the office immediately descended into chaos again.

“Give me a golden bomb!”

“I need two sets of magnetic armor!”

“Drill rounds! Are there any drill rounds left?”

…

The office bustled like a marketplace, everyone desperate. At least the spirit investigators who came were only the higher-level ones; the rest were busy organizing the populace to evacuate to Binhai’s northern district and then the neighboring city.

“No more drill rounds! The army took them to breach the quarantine zone! Everybody line up!” Wang Zhengang shouted, exasperated.

…

In the forensics lab

When Wu Zui returned, he was greeted by a scene that left him speechless.

Ming Rou Rou was crouched over Xiao Ke’ai, sniffing her like a puppy, occasionally nodding and jotting things down in her notebook. If Ming Rou Rou weren’t a woman, Wu Zui would have thrown her in a holding cell for sexual harassment.

“What are you doing?” Wu Zui’s sudden appearance made Ming Rou Rou jump.

“Research! There are studies suggesting that people are attracted to one another because their hormone levels are compatible, which prompts the brain to secrete dopamine and foster intimacy…” Ming Rou Rou started rambling.

“Were you born in the year of the dog? You think you can just sniff it out?” Wu Zui eyed her prominent nose suspiciously, as if doubting its very structure. Gauging hormone levels by scent—wasn’t that monstrous?

Tap tap~

Ming Rou Rou tapped her locked suitcase with her pen, casting Wu Zui a sultry look. “Blood samples!” she declared.

“Then why all the sniffing?” Wu Zui demanded, pulling the unconscious Xiao Ke’ai to his side.

“I was trying to figure out what perfume she uses. I’ve been sniffing for ages and still can’t tell!” Ming Rou Rou shrugged, mimicking Wu Zui’s manner, her expression helpless.

Wu Zui was at a loss for words.

He picked up Xiao Ke’ai, grabbed a marker from the table, and left the forensics lab.

Inside the Soaring Dragon One outside the Bureau

Wu Zui laid Xiao Ke’ai in the back seat. Thanks to the spacious interior, she even let out a contented sigh.

He retrieved two briefcases from a hidden compartment and slotted them into grooves on either side of the vehicle.

“Large magnetic devices! Where’d you get these? You can’t exchange points for them,” Ming Rou Rou exclaimed in surprise at the two silver cases.

“They came with the car,” Wu Zui replied, coloring several buttons on the dashboard with the marker as he spoke.

Whoosh—

A rush of red flames filled the interior. Ming Rou Rou hurriedly patted at the spots where the fire touched her, only to realize there was no burning sensation at all; it was as if she were in an illusion.