“Just one more time and we can finish.” Mu Ran propped his chin in his hands, lying prone on the large bed of the hotel suite. He tilted his head, smiling as he teased the young man beside him. “We’ve done so many experiments, but that was the first time we’ve been surrounded by so many people. Well? How did it feel?”
The young man, who was actually the System, replied, “Completely incomprehensible...”
His slender frame was buried deep within the soft sofa. Hearing the question, he slowly raised his head and pointed to his eyes. “I detected that the lady’s heart rate spiked sharply every time she made eye contact with me. The reinforcements she brought also avoided looking at me again after our first glance. Hmm... how strange. Is this appearance not suitable for me?”
He murmured dejectedly, “Oh dear... I actually quite like this look. It seems I’ll have to exclude one of my favorite candidates when applying for a body in the future.”
“Hmm? No way. I think it suits you perfectly—mysterious and handsome.” Mu Ran skillfully smoothed his ruffled feathers, adding a word of comfort, “After all, that was the script for this experiment...”
Perhaps because the mechanical sensation of being fresh off the factory line hadn't fully faded, the most striking thing about the System in this youth’s shell wasn't his handsome features, but his inorganic gaze, which was heavy with a sense of the inhuman.
Combined with the lines they had discussed while drafting the script... he was the perfect image of a villainous boss. It was no wonder he received looks of fear or indignation during every experiment, though the performance effect was excellent.
“One experiment left. Overall, the balance of good and evil in this world is quite normal.” Feeling the bed dip slightly beside him, Mu Ran didn't turn his head. He expertly stuffed a pillow into the gap and continued his thoughts. “The proportion of positive feedback is relatively large. It should be a small world derived from a work with quite a bit of positive energy... right?”
“If everything goes smoothly, we’ll start the experiment tomorrow afternoon, and we can probably return to headquarters by evening!”
...
As they say, do not speak carelessly, and do not set "flags."
Mu Ran was currently sitting inside a car that looked very expensive. Opposite him sat a woman with a gentle aura and a steady, mature middle-aged man. The lady gazed at him with tender pity, while the man nodded at him with an encouraging look.
Under the baptism of their gazes, Mu Ran felt like he was about to suffocate.
*Ah... I mean, I’m already very experienced at being comforted... but why was I whisked away directly this time!?*
*And where is the System? Where did you guys put my System!?*
*Why hasn't the experiment been judged as finished? Why hasn't time stopped yet!?*
***
Two hours ago.
“Captain Zuo, did you hear that?”
On a rare day without a mission, two people out for a stroll suddenly heard a conversation that sounded off. Bai Yu set down her shopping bags and cast a discreet glance in a certain direction.
Zuo Xiu, who had been wandering aimlessly out of boredom, retracted his drifting consciousness and focused on distinguishing the tangled voices around them.
Words like “harm,” “crime,” and “genius” drifted into Zuo Xiu’s ears, their sensitivity doubled after being infused with psionic energy. His brow, which had been relaxed due to the date, furrowed.
He pulled a pair of black gloves from his pocket, put them on unhurriedly, and exchanged a look with Bai Yu.
“Alright, get ready for some unscheduled overtime.”
***
On the other side, the System and Mu Ran were extremely perplexed.
While maintaining the rhythm of their outward performance, they questioned each other through their internal mental channel.
【Mu Ran: Have you spotted the target selected this time?】
【System: Something’s wrong... I’ve observed three sets of eyes watching us. Could the selected target have called in non-field companions so quickly?】
Once an experiment began, only the selected passerby could hear the conversation between Mu Ran and the System, which was shielded from others. Simultaneously, the target would ignore the irrationality of other people on the scene "seeing nothing." However, if they called in partners who weren't originally present—like Ms. Su had—those partners could share the target's perception.
The black-haired youth frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with cold condensation.
【System: I can confirm one is a middle-aged man in a suit to the front right. The other two seem very vigilant; I can't determine their positions for now.】
“But I don’t want to commit a crime... I don’t want to hurt anyone either...”
【Mu Ran: Should we ramp it up? Use that backup plan you thought of before to flush those two out?】
Mu Ran proposed in his mind while reciting his lines.
【System: Oh... that one. Sure! let’s try it.】
The youth seemed to lose his patience for persuasion in an instant. He roughly grabbed the stray hairs near the boy’s ear and pulled his head toward him. Looking at the boy’s eyes, which grew moist from pain almost instantly, he paused for a moment before breaking into a smile. With a spine-chilling tenderness, he whispered, “Oh dear, did I hurt you?”
Even being treated like this, not a hint of fear colored the depths of the boy’s eyes. He merely blinked away the tears caused by the pain and asked earnestly, “Did I make you unhappy?”
“No... how could you?” The youth slowly let go and stood up, stretching his body lazily like some large predator. He extended a hand toward the boy huddled in his shadow. “Forget it, since it’s your first time... being an accomplice is barely acceptable.”
He looked around fastidiously, his gaze stopping on a little girl with twin tails standing outside a cake shop window. He then turned back to the boy with a gentle smile. “What do you think of her?”
Bai Yu, waiting for her chance in the corner, felt her pupils contract in shock. She hurriedly checked the integrity of the invisible barriers around them.
She had clearly used a mental suggestion to guide all the elderly and children away from here, and Captain Zuo had set up a barrier that allowed exit but no entry. When did this girl run in?
No, ignore that for now. Bai Yu pushed aside her doubts and lightly tapped the bracelet on her wrist.
At that exact moment, the youth, who had been facing away from her, suddenly turned around. A pair of pitch-black pupils locked onto her.
A chill ran through Bai Yu. Her overly sensitive perception as an ability user made her feel, for a fleeting second, as if she were being stared down by some cold-blooded creature.
*This feeling... this is definitely more than just "unscheduled overtime." Captain Zuo, whatever you do, don't let your guard down.*
Bai Yu rolled her eyes and glared back, looking for all the world like a scatterbrained, non-threatening ordinary person.
The System retracted his gaze, feeling somewhat puzzled.
【Mu Ran: Hey, hey, you paused too long. One more line.】
The sensation of a sudden tightening on his hand brought the System back to his senses. He continued with the script: “Isn't she exactly like that good friend of yours?”
The little girl seemed to have grown tired of looking at the cakes and happily headed toward the next shop—gradually closing the distance between her and the youth.
The youth also pried away the boy’s hand, which was gripping him tightly, and watched with composed interest as the girl walked toward him.
The distance was closing...
Just as they were one shopfront apart, the girl was suddenly scooped up by a thick, sturdy arm.
“You little ancestor, stop running around.”
Mu Ran, who had split his consciousness to control the girl’s shell: ???
He struggled with all his might, flopping around like a fish out of water for a long time to no avail. Turning his head, he only saw a thin chin with light stubble.
“Mister, put me down!” *How can this person carry someone like they're lugging a cat? Oh my god, I'm choking, cough cough.*
Zuo Xiu spun 360 degrees on the spot before setting the girl down. He patted the back of her head where her twin tails were tied and said, as if shooing a kitten or puppy, “Go on, go hide behind any adult you can find.”
Before Mu Ran could react, he was pulled away by a middle-aged man in a suit and shielded completely.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Zuo Xiu raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had thought everyone present had been deluded by this guy’s strange ability. He hadn't expected there to be a fish that slipped through the net.
“Be good, child. There’s a bad man up ahead, don't go over there...” The middle-aged man nagged the seemingly dazed little girl. He had been listening for a long time, hesitating over whether to step in. But now that someone else had stood up, he didn't want to worry about the consequences anymore.
Mu Ran was utterly bewildered. Then, from the little girl’s perspective, he saw something even more confusing.
*Why is my main body being protected behind a big sister? I only went idle for a moment.*
Mu Ran immediately returned to the boy’s shell. Hearing the big sister’s gentle comfort and her instruction to hide in the corner, he did so, feeling somewhat at a loss.
*Although the way these "righteous passersby" are acting is a bit strange... as long as the System gets caught, it should be over, right...?*
The System was currently in a standoff with the man in front of him.
He was a little nervous because he realized the aura of the person opposite him was somewhat special.
【System: What do I do? I haven't really rehearsed this plot point. Usually, people don't dare to confront me like this. I'm not very familiar with how to act out this part.】
【Mu Ran: It’s fine! Just give it 180% enthusiasm! I trust your acting!】
【System: Okay, here I go.】
Mu Ran was busy switching between shells. One moment he had to respond to the glances the big sister cast his way, and the next he had to help the nervous middle-aged man express his emotions. For a time, he forgot to pay attention to the situation on the field.
It wasn't until he heard a shout that he realized the youth played by the System had been firmly restrained and slapped with silver handcuffs.
【Mu Ran: How is it? How is it?】
【System: This guy has a really heavy hand. It feels like he has much more strength than an average person.】
【System: Hmm... but the acting was okay, I guess. I feel like I said everything I wanted to say. I think I did a pretty good job (Cat Shyness.jpg).】
It seemed the System had fun acting this time, even using an emoji. Mu Ran was about to close the mental link when he looked at his currently chubby little girl hands and suddenly realized something. He quickly sent another message.
【Mu Ran: By the way, while they aren't paying much attention to this girl shell, let it go offline. Otherwise, it’ll be too much trouble to switch back and forth when I have to give a statement later.】
【System: OK.】
The System had just raised his head to scan the surroundings for the girl when Zuo Xiu heavily pressed his head down. The slightly long bangs on his forehead poked into his eyes, and he shook his head uncomfortably.
“What? Still got something to say?” Zuo Xiu said with a sour face, gesturing for Bai Yu to help him escort the youth to the car. He spoke coldly, “I’m telling you... you’re already this twisted, so stop acting like some psychological mentor. You’ll corrupt your own kid and hurt everyone involved.”
He took a rod-like instrument and scanned the youth’s body from top to bottom. The light beam remained dim, causing him to sneer with a look of "just as I thought."
“I don't know how you confused the perception of these passersby, but I waited half a day and you didn't squeeze out a single ability. What's with all that big talk about hurting people? You’re just a late-stage chunibyo!”
Bai Yu glanced at Zuo Xiu with some surprise. She had only heard part of the conversation between the two earlier before focusing on protecting the civilians. She hadn't expected Zuo Xiu to react so strongly; cold sarcasm wasn't usually his style.
“Heh.” The restrained man merely let out a suppressed laugh from his throat. He followed Zuo Xiu’s force and slowly raised his head, his posture even appearing somewhat submissive. However, his eyes, hidden under his bangs and streaked with red, made Bai Yu feel uneasy.
Those eyes seemed to wander aimlessly without a focal point, but at a certain moment, they suddenly stopped, as if they had locked onto a target.
Even though her logic told her that a commoner like this youth couldn't pull any tricks, Bai Yu still warned uneasily, “I advise you not to...”
“...Found it.” The whisper from the youth’s throat sounded simultaneously with Bai Yu’s voice.
Time seemed to freeze. Everyone’s eyes lost focus for a split second.
The silence was broken by a panicked voice in the distance:
“Child! Child, what’s wrong? Don't scare me, kid!”
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 灵能 | Psionic energy | Spiritual or psychic power used by characters in this setting. |
| 左修 | Zuo Xiu | A captain/team leader of a special unit. |
| 白瑜 | Bai Yu | Zuo Xiu's partner/teammate. |
| 能力者 | Ability user | Individuals with special powers or psionic energy. |
| 中二病 | Chunibyo | "Eighth-grader syndrome"; refers to delusional or grandiose behavior. |
| 壳子 | Shell | A physical body or vessel used by the MC or System. |
