Chapter 39 – The Chosen One

“How many departments are there in total?”

Cheng Li didn’t dare to look at him. “…Five.”

“So that includes your own investigation department?” Jian Xie paused. “Are you on some kind of social stability mission?”

“…” That hurts.

Cheng Li mustered up the courage to glance at Jian Xie, only to find that he did not show the worried expression he had imagined, which took him by surprise.

After all, there were five departments…!

Not one, but five.

Although the Supernatural Management Bureau experienced some issues, overall, every investigator within the organization was worthy of caution.

After all, there were a variety of props available, which meant that each of them possessed unpredictable abilities. Not to mention the Weapons Department, which specialized in producing props. The people there were extremely self-righteous, making it difficult to ensure that they won’t harbor biases against Jian Xie.

“Actually, it’s not really a surprise.” Seeing the other party’s gaze fall on him, Jian Xie remained completely calm. “You told me before that investigators work in pairs, but I’ve only ever seen you acting alone, whether on missions or in other situations.”

“In short, you don’t have a partner.”

Cheng Li: “…”

He searched his memory for anything related to this, only to find that it was just something he had casually mentioned before Fu Huanyu appeared.

So the fact that he was a lonely king revealed his specially hidden popularity problem at that time….

“But I worked with Yu Jinghe once before.” He tried to struggle.

Jian Xie glanced at him. “He hates you.”

…That’s true.

Cheng Li believed that life had smoothed out his rough edges, turning him into a competent office worker, but now it seemed that he couldn’t escape the things he did in the past.

“Alright,” Cheng Li said in frustration, and took out a stack of documents from the car, saying, “You can sign these documents before the autumn recruitment.”

The cover was plain and unremarkable. Rather than catching the eye, it looked like it was picked up somewhere. The logo was very similar to that of a certain Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Jian Xie took it and began to flip through it.

It wasn’t a long article. He skimmed through it in a few minutes, quickly grasping its main points.

1. Due to the special nature of the Supernatural Management Bureau, confidentiality must be maintained throughout the entire autumn recruitment process.
2. There is a risk of death, so please act within your capabilities.
3. The Bureau has purchase a special accident insurance, rest assured.

“The Bureau has always been very considerate.” Cheng Li saw that he had turned back to the first page and hurriedly said, “No need to worry about the funeral arrangements.”

“…” That’s just a little too thoughtful.

After he finished signing, Cheng Li carefully put away the documents and said slowly, “This year’s practical combat… Have you heard of ‘jungling’?”

“Jungling” was a term that was almost ubiquitous in today’s gaming culture.

Compared to other traditional three-lane minion pushing positions, junglers basically monopolized the economic resources in the jungle, commonly known as “farming jungle monsters.”

Although it was the same word, Jian Xie felt that it probably didn’t mean the same thing. After all, one was just a game, while the other was a life-threatening reality. However, Cheng Li took a deep breath and continued speaking, revealing that there was a certain similarity between the two.

“I heard that the locations of the eighteen districts were decided by drawing lots. Subsequently, within a day, scores were to be calculated based on three factors: the number of monsters killed, their levels, and the duration of combat. The final grade is then determined… the term used is jungling assessment.”

In the past, one merely had to touch the instrument with their hand to complete the test. It wasn’t as complicated as it was now.

At this point, Cheng Li’s mouth twitched. He couldn’t help but feel that this was like sending a bunch of newbies to do the work of interns.

No subsidies, no wages, just getting an early taste of working life.

“After the evaluation, you can apply for the department you want with your grade, or you can wait for them to come to you.”

However, the chances of the latter happening were very slim, unless one was an A-level or higher, they would not receive an invitation via email.

Cheng Li originally entered the Bureau with an A-level rating. Two departments sent him invitations ahead of time, urging him to choose a department and start work. This was considered a remarkable achievement. If he mentioned it in the casual chat forum, he would be ridiculed for being pretentious because 90% of people didn’t even receive an email.

There may be three departments with the Special A-level category, but he was not sure.

Although it was currently the highest ranked investigators could have, the five departments have different preferences, and no one has ever been able to satisfy them all at the same time.

Although Jian Xie was unfathomable in his eyes, Cheng Li silently thought that, just to be safe, he must not draw one of the first three—no, the first five zones, because the other party had never systematically encountered monster hunting before, and even if he was very strong, it was hard to say how he would fare in actual combat.

Compared to Cheng Li’s indecision, Jian Xie had other things on his mind.

“It’s just like the game.”

The Eighteen Districts were like the wilderness in a game, and even the meaning of “wild monsters” fits. No wonder they used the term “escape game” to describe the Eighteen Layers of Hell, because essentially, even if one entered the real world, some words from the game could still explain activity and behavior.

【Why are you so quick to jump to conclusions,】Qin Zhuo’s voice was slightly playful, 【you assume it’s the game that has incorporated reality, rather than reality merging into the game?】

This sentence stunned Jian Xie.

【Just kidding.】 It curled his lips lazily and said, 【I just think they really lack observation and imagination when it comes to the reality around them.】

What a nasty character.

On the other side, Cheng Li choked off on his speech. “Jian Xie… are you still listening to me?”

He gripped the steering wheel and fell into deep thought. Was he really that long-winded and boring when he spoke?

Upon hearing this, Jian Xie snapped out of his daze and decided to ignore Qin Zhuo from now on.

Otherwise, it would be a bit like winning an inch, wanting a mile for the other.

It always liked to distract him with other words when he was fully focused, as if It was dissatisfied with anything that briefly took his attention away. Just like now, taking advantage of Cheng Li’s unawareness, a wisp of black mist swirled around his fingertips, as if trying to pull his fingers.

He took his eyes off his fingers and said to Cheng Li, “Sorry. I was thinking about something else just now. Could you repeat that?”

“It’s okay.” Although he had already said it once, Cheng Li still chose his words carefully. “I mean, you know, investigators can only kill monsters with props. Although I didn’t know how you did it last time… I still have to tell you this.”

Jian Xie nodded.

“Before joining the Management Bureau, there will be no props.” Cheng Li showed a subtle expression, “So I don’t know what the Weapons Department will do this year.”

Every investigator’s weapon was registered. If it was a consumable item, like the freeze bullets hanging from his waist, he has to apply for a replacement after use. Therefore, he couldn’t provide any assistance to Jian Xie in advance.

“This doesn’t matter.” Jian Xie shook his head.

If Cheng Li hadn’t suddenly brought it up, he would have completely forgotten this point in the formula book.

Although the other party showed no expression, it was precisely this that gave Cheng Li the feeling that he was being shown off to.

Suddenly, Cheng Li: “….”

Come to think of it, it really wasn’t a big deal for this high school student.

At first, Jian Xie thought Cheng Li was driving to his house so he could go home and pick up some things he needed, but after squinting his eyes for a moment, he noticed that the road was getting more and more crowded with people, and he could see that they were approaching the city center.

Cheng Li noticed that his eyebrows were creasing and immediately explained, “I want to buy something.”

Oh.

Soon the car stopped in front of a shopping mall. Cheng Li got out and instructed Jian Xie to be careful of strangers and not to talk to anyone until he returned, treating Jian Xie as if he were a child who didn’t know any better. Only after Jian Xie nodded in agreement did Cheng Li leave, looking back three times as he walked away.

Seeing that he wouldn’t be back anytime soon, Jian Xie sat alone in the car for a while, then turned around and reached into the backpack on the back seat, took out Wu Qinghe’s cell phone from the bottom and did something he had wanted to do for a long time—

Browse forums.

Sure enough, he still wanted to know a little bit.

After he lost consciousness, Qin Zhuo temporarily took control of his body, which meant he became unaware of the subsequent events.

After turning on the phone, the browser appeared in the center of the screen, allowing Jian Xie to quickly access the internal network of the management bureau.

Before this, Jian Xie had only seen the mission allocation section and had not yet come across the casual chat section. However, before clicking on it, some internal hot posts popped up outside the section. The long titles caught his attention, causing him to pause and glance at them.

[Special A-level intelligence scoop! Have you heard? Someone saw that big shot checking out some newcomer’s profile during the battle. Could it be…?]

[Anyone want to take a bet? This year’s strongest candidate is definitely the one recommended by the Weapons Department. The rules were changed because of him. I bet ten dollars on him in advance.]

[We know that exactly 101 people have registered for this year’s autumn recruitment. Are we seamlessly connecting with the talent pool….]

“…” Jian Xie.

This unconventional style doesn’t seem to fit with the image of an investigator who has to face death head-on. It was probably because people could chat anonymously on the forums, and with the pressure of their jobs, most of them probably feel like they could die at any moment, so they just let themselves go…

Jian Xie’s gaze moved downward, and when he saw the title of the fourth hot post, his fingers paused, and he felt a strange sensation, as if he had stumbled upon something scandalous that involved himself.

[It is said that Cheng Li is recommending new talent for the first time this year. What do you think? I’m just waiting to see how it plays out.]

Hmm…

His name was actually used in the headline. His popularity might be even worse than he thought…

After hesitating for a moment, Jian Xie still didn’t click on it. He knew that it would probably be full of mockery towards Cheng Li and malicious speculation about him.

Although he didn’t care about other people’s opinions, he wasn’t particularly interested in looking at them either.

He swiped down on his phone, about to look at something else.

Suddenly, completely out of the blue, Jian Xie felt a light touch on the side of his neck. Since it was the most sensitive part of his body, he felt an electric shock throughout his entire body. His elbow shot up and hit the seat with a loud bang, causing him to curl up in the passenger seat. The reaction was more violent than any he had ever had.

He looked like a boiled shrimp, his entire face and exposed skin flushed red. He reached out to cover his neck, pulled up his jacket, and huddled inside his clothes.

“Don’t touch me here,” Jian Xie said in a low voice.

【……】

He had touched this spot many times himself, but he had never felt this strange sensation after someone else touched it. It made him feel extremely uncomfortable, as if a few soft feathers had landed on his skin, causing an indescribable, extremely secret itch.

This was a physical reaction that even he himself was unaware of. If Qin Zhuo brought it up, he would definitely get angry.

【…The investigator is back.】

Qin Zhuo did not comment on this, but instead said something else in a vague manner, causing Jian Xie to breathe a sigh of relief. 【You don’t want him to see the phone.】

“……”

Jian Xie relaxed his limbs and quickly stuffed his phone into his pocket. He sat up straight in the passenger seat, lowered his gaze slightly, and let his hair fall loosely in front of his eyes. He acted as if nothing had happened, as if everything was an illusion.

Cheng Li opened the car door and saw this scene.

Although he didn’t know why, Jian Xie’s tie seemed slightly looser than before and his jacket was a little messy, but he looked as if nothing had happened.

Without thinking twice, he got into the car and handed the neatly wrapped bag to Jian Xie, motioning for him to take it.

“……”

Seeing this, Jian Xie looked at Cheng Li, a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

“Well, I noticed that there are girls in your school who wear makeup, so this should be allowed to be worn as well.” Cheng Li rubbed his nose, a little embarrassed. “As your recommender, according to tradition, I should give you a watch, a suit, or something like that, but I, um, can’t afford anything very good…”

“So I chose this one.” He motioned for him to open it and take a look.

Jian Xie looked into the bag and found a small box. He took it out and opened it to find a pair of pure black earrings.

There were no fancy decorations, making it appear somewhat plain, but in the sunlight, the surface glowed with a strange, dark red color.

“I noticed you have pierced ears.”

“Thank you.” Jian Xie put it away solemnly and said, “I really like it. I’ll wear it.”

“That’s great!” Cheng Li was delighted.

【……】

He should have been happy that the other was pleased with the gift he gave, but Cheng Li suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if he were being coldly scrutinized.

It was as if he were standing beneath a sharp blade suspended above his head, ready to fall at any moment. As an investigator, his instinct for danger was far more acute than that of the average person, and it was precisely because of this that he realized the error of his actions.

This…

Cheng Li’s mind flashed back to what he had witnessed that night and the terrifying guess he had been mulling over for the past few days…

Cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, and he tactfully changed the subject. “Actually, you don’t have to wear it. It’s just a traditional gift to welcome you to the Management Bureau. After all, we will be colleagues in the future, so it’s only natural that we should care about you.”

Jian Xie said, “… You don’t need to be so nervous.”

This wasn’t a matter of being nervous or not. It was a matter of life and death.

“Ahem.” Cheng Li looked left and right but dared not meet his gaze. He felt as guilty as he could. “Anyway, that’s how it is.”

After saying that, he started driving without saying a word, seemingly determined not to say anything irrelevant.

Staying alive was the priority.

“……”

*

With a screech of the brakes, Cheng Li’s car finally came to a stop at the entrance of Jian Xie residential community.

“Just leave your backpack here for now.” Then tomorrow morning at seven, I’ll pick you up and take you to headquarters.”

This was District 17, which was much safer than other districts and was located in a bustling city. After careful consideration, the headquarters were established here.

This made it easier for him to pick up and drop off Jian Xie.

After Jian Xie got out of the car, Cheng Li rolled down the window and leaned out, “First, draw lots to decide which district you will go to. As for weapons… we’ll see how things go. If the itinerary goes as planned, we will indeed have to leave the city. But you can rest assured that the airfare is covered, so you don’t need to pay for that yourself.”

“What about food, clothing, housing, and transportation?” Jian Xie asked immediately.

This was definitely the most pressing concern for someone with insufficient funds in their bank account.

“……It’s covered.”

Hearing this, Jian Xie felt relieved.

But after taking just a few steps, Jian Xie suddenly remembered something and turned back to look at Cheng Li.

He narrowed his eyes. “Last question, you mentioned ‘jungling.’ If there are too few monsters in that area and they’ve all been defeated, is there such a thing as ‘counter-jungling’?”

Cheng Li, who was startled for a moment: “…”

He has to say, the assumption that there would be too few monsters left to defeat was terrifying.

And counter-jungling…

He was even more shocked.

In the game, there was indeed such a term, which refers to going to the enemy’s jungle to hunt monsters. In this assessment, Jian Xie’s intention became very clear—if the monsters in the area he drew were all defeated, could he continue hunting in other areas?

There were at least hundreds of monsters in each district, and there were only 5-6 investigators distributed across each district. It was impossible to completely resolve the situation.

Moreover, the assessment was only for one day.

Although the high school student in front of him was using hypothetical scenarios, for some reason, his intuition told him that he wasn’t joking and that he might actually be able to do it.

Completely unaware of how shocking his words were, Jian Xie merely raised an eyebrow in slight confusion upon seeing Cheng Li froze in place. “Is that not possible?”

“I-It is.” Cheng Li’s mouth twitched, and he couldn’t help covering his face. “It’s okay, of course it is, but, maybe you should leave some for the others.”

……

For some reason, he had a premonition that a social stability maintenance officer who would be better than himself at uniting the five departments was about to appear…!

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