Chapter 2

As soon as the words were spoken, a rumbling sound erupted, and the ground suddenly began to move

According to the results of the 2010 Sixth National Population Census (internal data from the Bureau of Special Control), approximately one in two hundred thousand individuals belongs to the category of "special abilities individuals," some of whom are born with such abilities while others develop them later in life

After walking approximately 500 meters inside, the two individuals returned to the surface and entered a dense forest

Wait! You haven't told me where the elevator is... Sigh!" Xuanji, holding an electronic cigarette, watched as Director Xiao was swept away like a tornado, and helplessly sighed, "This little temper of hers.

I know that you still ... ...

Xuanji's raised hand hung stiffly in front of her chest, stunned by the grandeur of the welcoming event

"People... are truly remarkable, aren't they?" Xuanji gently stroked the ring's surface with her fingertip, her gaze sweeping over the crack, and she frowned again, "But what exactly do you want to tell me?"

Oh, my mother said that it is difficult to find a partner without a formal position

Why are there such individuals? According to the official data from the General Administration, contemporary intelligent beings have mixed non-human blood during the process of evolution, retaining some special genes. However, this theory cannot be verified, as the abilities of those with special powers vary greatly and are almost all isolated cases, making it difficult to obtain sufficient sample data

"Stop the nonsense. After I settle you down, I still have to go to Director Huang's meeting. Do you think everyone is like you, with nothing to do, idling away the day? Hurry up!" Director Xiao, whose full name is Xiao Zheng, wore his uniform impeccably. His sharp features and clean, stern facial lines exuded a sense of meticulous rigor. He cast a cold glance at his companion, ascended the steps, walked through the staff passage of the scenic area, and entered the backyard of the small temple at the mountain top, marked with a 'No Entry for Tourists' sign.

As for the folklore, it becomes much more interesting—legend has it that in ancient times, the human race and the demon race were embroiled in a century-long war, filled with generations of blood feuds. At that time, the half-demons, born of the mixed blood between humans and demons, were rejected by both races, left unloved by their fathers and mothers, struggling to survive in the cracks of society. A portion of these half-demons, having no other options, sought refuge under the command of Emperor Qi Wu. Utilizing their strength, the Emperor defeated the demon king and, in accordance with his promise, established the "Qingping Division" to provide them with a place to belong, which is the predecessor of the Anomaly Control Bureau.

Xuanji: "... ..."

Xiao Zheng was so enraged that smoke seemed to emanate from his seven orifices, and he turned around and left

The ground in the forest resembled a large conveyor belt, carrying two people through the maze-like thick fog, brushing past countless plants, transporting them to an unknown world. Just as Xuanji was about to be dazzled by the swaying trees, the ground came to a halt, and Xiao Zheng said: "We have arrived"

This ring is said to be a sacred object of their clan, having been in his possession for ten years without incident. However, just recently, the surface of the ring suddenly cracked for no apparent reason

Before he could knock on the door, a loud "Aow" echoed from the office. Suddenly, the office door swung open with a bang, revealing a group of men, women, and children dressed as if they were from the underworld, all standing in a row at the entrance, collectively displaying eight gleaming white teeth. With a flurry of applause, a middle-aged woman with curly hair shouted, "One, two!" The rest of the group clapped their hands and chorused, "Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome! Welcome to the new leader, joining our big family!"

"Before I arrived, they deceived me by saying that the aftermath department was a marginal group, insignificant, only eating and not working. Yet, before I even reported, I was assigned a task." Xuan Ji dragged his legs and lazily turned to walk towards the office area, preparing to get acquainted with his future subordinates, while casually replying to Director Xiao with a voice message, "Big pig's trotter"

"Rest assured, I won't let you sleep in a bridge tunnel," Xiao Zheng said, pulling out his vibrating phone from his pocket. He glanced at the incoming call, hung up without answering, and continued, "Old Song from the security department has called me eight hundred times. Are you sure you want to go to the aftermath department? Do you know what the aftermath department does?"

"Who said they lived a free and unrestrained life?" Xiao Zheng turned back and threw him a work card, "Layer 996, you can go up by yourself"

Speed

After two autumn rains, most of the red leaves on the hillside have fallen. In the evening, there are few visitors; apart from the lonely evening drum in the small temple at the top of the mountain, only the sound of the wind remains.

"I love freedom, but I love the household registration and position in Yong'an even more." Xuanji caught the new work ID, and below the photo was his name and title—"Xuanji, Aftercare Department, Action Leader"—he kissed the work ID, "Hey, does this mean I can be considered a cadre, and can I buy a house in Yong'an?"

Here, the distance from the ground is nearly 6 kilometers, the outdoor temperature is approximately minus 20 degrees, and all the windows are welded shut. Xuanji glanced at the scene outside; the clouds and mist swirled, and the protective array of the building shimmered with a vibrant light, appearing indistinctly amidst the clouds and mist, utterly unlike the human world

He gently touched his left index finger, and to his surprise, there was an invisible ring on it, which only appeared upon contact. The ring featured a blood-red stone, completely devoid of any impurities, but unfortunately, there was a crack in the middle, causing the gem to appear dull and lifeless.

This is the legendary "Anomaly Control Bureau". It is one of the mysterious "relevant departments" responsible for identifying, monitoring, and handling various supernatural events. Incidents such as "vampire bats entering the country", "unidentified whirlpools appearing in urban rivers", and "three-headed monster incidents", among others, all fall under their jurisdiction

Finally, at the farewell dinner for the retiring director this year, the old director invited him to drink, and then, in collaboration with his successor, Director Huang, set a trap for him. Shen Jie lost the bet and had no choice but to accept the "reconciliation" from the Foreign Control Bureau. Although Xiao Zheng always felt that he had deliberately lost.

Xiao Zheng said without turning his head: "Then you can forget about ever getting out of the fog."

Xuanji let out a sound of exclamation: "If I had known there was such an office environment, I would have joyfully accepted the organization's invitation long ago. Why didn't you mention it earlier!"

The vast majority of individuals with special abilities, without training, are actually quite similar to ordinary people; at most, they may have slightly sharper hearing and vision, and a more acute intuition, allowing them to set up a stall or read feng shui, for instance

It is known that the external personnel of the security department are responsible for confronting various monsters and demons, while our aftermath department is tasked with providing support and encouragement, handling various post-incident matters, including collecting bodies, dispelling rumors, compensating, and promoting the values of science.

After just finishing a stroll through the night market, Xuanji, wearing flip-flops, passed by and sat down to watch for a while. She enjoyed eating two pounds of crayfish and, after finishing, casually set a fire and prepared a dish of braised bat. She even singed half of Captain Xiao's eyebrow, thus forging an inextricable bond with the Anomaly Control Bureau.

Xuanji belongs to ... No, it used to belong to this kind of "unstable factor"

The corridor on the 996th floor is very quiet, with a conference room and activity area at one end and an office area at the other end

Speak in plain language

The entrance hall resembles an airport, with ten sections labeled from "A" to "J" from left to right, though it is unclear what services are provided, as there are queues everywhere. In the center of the hall stands a withered tree, with a trunk diameter of about one hundred meters, surrounded by withered vines that penetrate a ceiling that seems to stretch endlessly. The visual effect is so striking that it almost imparts a sense of divinity.

Director Xiao, your ideological awareness needs to be improved. Revolutionary work does not distinguish between high and low status. Without the hard work of us in the logistics department, how could you exert influence outside?" Xuanji interrupted him, "Moreover, among your security department's field personnel, eight out of ten have had conflicts with me. If I go in, wouldn't that be like a sheep entering a tiger's den?

Of course, this is merely a far-fetched interpretation of legends, as the "Qingping Division" had already disappeared during the Yuan Dynasty. The Bureau of Special Control was established only after the founding of the nation for public safety, and there is no connection whatsoever.

In the backyard, there is a well. Turning counterclockwise three times around the wellhead, the adjacent bluestone tiles slowly part to reveal a tunnel wide enough for a single person to pass through. The steps are impeccably clean, and small lights are hung on the walls on both sides, providing ample illumination without being harsh on the eyes

Old Xiao is not just like a tornado; even his WeChat messages leave people breathless. He is truly a talent

I apologize for the disturbance, I knocked on the wrong door. He turned around and left, preparing to go downstairs to the security department to inquire if they were still hiring

As the thick fog dissipated, Xuan Ji squinted her eyes and looked up at the magnificent building before her. After a while, she slowly exhaled a puff of mint-scented white smoke and exclaimed, "What a spectacle!"

At that moment, he received a message from Xiao Zheng on his phone, with a continuous buzzing sound of three notifications.

Here we come

The weather had already turned quite cool, yet as they ascended the mountain, Xuanji was still drenched in sweat—Old Xiao ahead was walking too quickly, his feet seemed to be rolling like two wheels of fire.

The newly appointed Director Xuan inquired about the location of the elevator and ascended alone to the 996th floor

At that time, Director Xiao was still an intern in the field. On one occasion, he accompanied his team to apprehend a group of illegally entering vampire bats. Due to his lack of experience, he was trapped in a cold storage room by the bats and nearly froze into a popsicle

Xuanji was caught off guard and had to lean back slightly to steady himself. He whistled and asked, "What will happen if the verification fails?"

It is one of the responsibilities of the Anomaly Control Bureau to prevent a small number of exceptionally gifted individuals from becoming factors of social instability

Quickly get acquainted with the people in your department, as there will be an urgent task shortly

I said, Director Xiao, can we pretend to be a bit more elegant? Let me also enjoy the beautiful scenery of your esteemed mountain peak!" Xuanji took out an electronic cigarette from her pocket, inserted it into her mouth, and mumbled, "I am afraid you might not step properly and end up doing the splits on the spot.

As Xuanji's foot just stepped into the forest, a thick fog suddenly arose around, and visibility quickly dropped to less than one meter. Then, a beam of white light shot out from the woods, sweeping over the two individuals, and a faint sound was heard in the forest, followed by a mechanical voice saying: "Identity verification passed, please watch your step"

Have you found the place

Before them stood a towering building that reached into the clouds, flanked by two rows of guards standing in perfect formation. Beneath the national emblem at the main entrance hung a sign reading "General Administration of Abnormal Phenomena and Special Species Management and Control." The ground was paved with white Han marble bricks, upon which a lively golden dragon was depicted. As the two entered, the golden dragon on the floor suddenly came to life, the stone bricks trembled slightly, and then a distant and solemn dragon's roar echoed. The golden scales on the dragon shimmered as it majestically and gracefully swam away from beneath their feet, clearing the way.

Xuanji's resume appears quite clean—hailing from a small third-tier city, coming from a moderately well-off family, having attended university in Yong'an, and remaining in the same job after graduation. He shows little ambition in his work, is somewhat generous despite being financially constrained, has a group of close friends, is single, and lives paycheck to paycheck

No more can be found out.

Yong'an City Suburbs, Xishan Nature Reserve

"The weasel has entered the chicken coop," Xiao Zheng scoffed, then immediately composed himself and asked, "Why did you suddenly relent and agree to join the Anomaly Control Bureau?"

This mysterious folk expert is disorganized and undisciplined, and his conduct is rather erratic; sometimes he offers help, while at other times he causes more trouble. The entire security department of the Anomaly Control Bureau has a love-hate relationship with him

Xuanji: "I observe the celestial phenomena at night ... ... "