As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

Li Xian stared at the words "Come back tomorrow" on his phone screen and thought for three seconds.

Then he slowly got up from the sofa and began to make plans.

My sister is away for two days and will be back tomorrow.

As is customary, she would definitely say, "Brother, I've worked so hard these past two days, hurry up and make me something delicious."

Although Li Xian really wanted to reply, "What does your hard work have to do with me?"

But considering my sister's big, watery eyes and the accusing expression that might pop out at any moment: "Brother, don't you love me anymore?"...

"Alright."

He sighed. "Make a big meal."

A grand meal requires ingredients.

Li Xian shuffled into the kitchen in her slippers, opened the refrigerator—it was empty, except for a few eggs and half a bottle of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce.

"I need to go buy groceries."

He muttered to himself, went back to his room to change into clothes he could wear outside (still the same gray hoodie and sweatpants), and grabbed his wallet and keys.

As he went downstairs, he glanced at the time on his phone: 3:30 p.m.

There should still be fresh vegetables at the market at this time, and... if you go later, you might be able to find some bargains before they close up shop.

Li Xian's calculations were working smoothly.

It's a 15-minute walk from home to the nearest farmers' market.

Li Xian strolled along leisurely, hands in his pockets, his mental shopping list already complete: spare ribs (for sweet and sour dishes), fish (steamed), greens (with minced garlic), tofu (for Mapo Tofu)...

Oh right, I also need to buy some fruit; Li Yu loves strawberries.

The late autumn sun was gentle, and the leaves of the plane trees lining the streets had begun to turn yellow.

There weren't many pedestrians on the road, and occasionally an electric scooter would whiz by, creating a gust of wind.

When he reached the second intersection, Li Xian paused for a moment.

His senses—the supernatural senses that had been in a "half-on" state since his awakening—detected something unusual.

It wasn't the kind of fluctuation that a superhuman might exhibit; he was familiar with it.

It wasn't the fluctuation of a strange beast, although he had only "seen" it once (the little thing in the alley last night).

Rather, it is a... distorted, unstable energy field.

Like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, ripples spread outwards from a certain point.

Ordinary people can't feel it, but Li Xian can "see" it—the thin energy flow in the air has become obviously disordered and concentrated in that direction.

The source is... that old street next to the vegetable market?

Li Xian squinted and looked towards the old street.

On the surface, everything seems normal.

Old residential buildings, narrow streets, a few small shops, and a few elderly people sitting in the doorway basking in the sun.

But in his perception, that area was covered by a very faint, almost transparent "membrane".

Inside the membrane, energy surges violently; outside, all is calm.

"A barrier?"

The word popped into Li Xian's mind.

"Or is it some kind of spatial lockdown?"

He didn't quite understand the technical terms, but the meaning was roughly the same—someone had set up a "quarantine zone" in that area, so that nothing could get out and no one outside could get in.

What are they doing inside?

Fighting? Training? Or...?

Li Xian hesitated for three seconds.

His first reaction was: take a detour. Whatever they're doing inside is none of my business; buying groceries is the priority.

But his feet didn't move.

His senses told him that the energy fluctuations inside that "membrane"... weren't quite right.

It was too violent, too chaotic, and... it carried a distinct "malice" and "hunger".

It was very similar to the little beast he sensed in the alley last night, but at least a hundred times stronger.

"Grade B?"

Li Xian thought uncertainly.

"Still Grade A?"

No matter the level, it's not a good thing.

Moreover, that "membrane"... was trembling.

Although it was very slight, it was indeed trembling.

It felt like something was frantically ramming inside, trying to break free.

Li Xian looked around.

There's a small shop at the entrance of the old street, and the proprietress is tidying up the shelves.

Across the street is a barbershop, and the barber is shaving an old man's head.

Further away, several children were playing shuttlecock in an open space.

Ordinary people. They're all just ordinary people.

If that thing inside really bursts out...

Li Xian's eyebrows furrowed.

He is not a saint, really not.

His life motto is "If you can lie down, don't sit; if you can mind your own business, don't look at it."

But given the current situation...

"Tsk."

He smacked his lips.

"trouble."

The market is right behind the old street; if you take a detour, it will take an extra ten minutes.

If we don't take a detour... we have to go through that "membrane".

Or, wait until the battle inside is over?

Li Xian decided to wait.

He walked to the entrance of the convenience store and pretended to look at the goods.

In fact, he had already activated all his senses and was monitoring the movements of that "membrane".

"Young man, what would you like to buy?"

The proprietress asked warmly.

"Uh... give me a bottle of water."

Li Xian pointed casually.

Pay, unscrew the cap, and drink slowly.

Time passed second by second.

The battle inside the membrane is becoming increasingly fierce.

Li Xian could "see" the energy fluctuations of seven or eight people inside, all of whom were quite strong, at least C-level, and there were two B-level people as well.

They are besieging a larger, more violent energy source—it must be that monster.

But the situation is not good.

The energy of the alien beasts is steadily increasing, while the energy of the superhumans is being rapidly depleted.

Two people are already injured, and the energy fluctuations have become disordered.

Worst of all, the tremors of the "membrane" became increasingly noticeable.

"I can't hold on much longer."

Li Xian made his own judgment.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out at the entrance of the old street.

Several elderly people who had been sunbathing stood up and looked into the depths of the old street with a puzzled expression.

What was that sound?

An old man said.

"A rumbling sound, like thunder?"

"Is the ground shaking?"

Another old lady looked down at the ground.

Ordinary people began to notice something was wrong.

Although the membrane isolates most of the energy and sound, some of the intense vibrations and low-frequency sound waves still leak out.

If this continues, either the monster will break through the membrane and run out to hurt people.

Either the Bureau of Supernatural Abilities will be forced to lift the blockade, exposing the battle to ordinary people—neither outcome is a good one.

Li Xian put down the water bottle.

He knew he had to do something.

But he didn't want to reveal his identity.

His sister is a superhuman, and so is Chen Zhe, but neither of them told him, which means that this identity is risky and troublesome.

He has only been awakened for two days and knows nothing. If he exposes himself rashly, who knows what will happen?

It must be hidden.

How to hide it?

Li Xian looked around.

The convenience store had a variety of small items hanging on the walls: keychains, nail clippers, cheap toys... and masks.

The leftover Sun Wukong masks from Children's Day, plastic ones, five yuan each.

Li Xian stared at the mask for two seconds.

Then, he went into the convenience store.

"Boss lady,"

He said, "I bought that mask."

"Oh, young man, you like this?"

The proprietress smiled and took it down.

"Did you buy this for the child?"

"……Um."

Li Xian lied without batting an eye.

Pay and get the mask.

He walked to the alley behind the convenience store, made sure no one was around, and put the mask on his face.

It has a plastic feel, is not breathable, restricts visibility, and has a cheap paint smell.

"It'll have to do."

Li Xian sighed.

How do we get in now?

Walking straight in is definitely not an option.

The membrane has a blocking effect.

Violent destruction? That would be too much of a commotion.

He thought for a moment, then reached out and aimed at the "membrane".

[Consciousness Segmentation], optimized version.

He didn't intend to destroy the entire "membrane," as that would immediately alert the people inside.

All he needs to do is... cut a slit.

A slit just big enough for him to pass through, and it must be able to close quickly after being cut, leaving no trace.

Silver filaments extend from the fingertips, so fine they are almost invisible, and float lightly "attach" to the surface of the "film".

Li Xian closed his eyes and concentrated.

He "senses" the structure of that "membrane"—not a physical entity, but a network woven from energy, precise and complex, yet containing tiny gaps and nodes.

found it.

A thin thread is gently drawn.

Like a scalpel cutting through the skin, precise and clean.

A gap about 1.5 meters long and 30 centimeters wide appeared on the membrane, with neat edges and no energy leakage.

Li Xian turned sideways and squeezed inside.

The moment he fully entered, the filament retracted, and the gap closed silently.

The whole process took less than two seconds.

Inside the membrane is another world.

The first thing you notice is the sound—deafening roars, crashes, and explosions of energy.

Then came the scene: the once old but tidy street was now a mess. The ground was cracked, the walls were covered with fissures, and the roofs of several old houses had been half torn off.

Seven or eight people dressed in matching dark blue combat uniforms are attacking a... monster.

The creature was over three meters tall and resembled an enlarged version of a lizard, but its body was covered in dark red scales, and it had sharp bone spurs on its back and a hammer-shaped bony structure at the end of its tail.

One of its eyes was bleeding, clearly indicating an injury, but this only fueled its ferocity.

B-grade alien beast, "Earth-Splitter Lizard".

The name automatically popped into Li Xian's mind—it was another piece of knowledge that came with [All-Encompassing Power].

At this moment, the Earth-Splittering Lizard is frantically crashing into the surrounding energy barrier (the inner layer of that "membrane"), causing the barrier to shake violently with each impact.

"Hold on! Don't let it break through the blockade!"

A middle-aged man who appeared to be the captain roared, his hands on the ground, clearly maintaining the barrier.

The other team members were attacking:

Some launched energy blasts, some manipulated metal fragments to create a storm of blades, and some tried to entangle the metal with vines...

However, the effect was limited.

The scales of the Earthshaker are extremely defensive, and energy blasts can only leave scorch marks on them.

With a flick of its tail, it can sweep away a large number of attackers.

"Captain! We're almost out of energy!"

"A young team member shouted, his face pale."

"Hang in there a little longer! Reinforcements are on their way!"

The captain gritted his teeth.

But Li Xian could tell that they wouldn't be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

The Earthshaker charged up again, and the bone spurs on its back began to glow red—a sign that it was about to unleash a powerful attack.

"Everyone back off!"

The captain's expression changed drastically.

But it was too late.

The Earth-Splitter Lizard opened its mouth, and a dark red beam of energy shot out, heading straight for the weakest point of the barrier.

The barrier... cracked.

Although it was just a small crack, it was rapidly expanding.

"It's over..."

The captain closed his eyes in despair.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the crack.

Wearing a Sun Wukong mask, a gray hoodie and sweatpants, and carrying a plastic bag from the market—filled with freshly bought scallions, ginger and garlic.

Li Xian.

He raised his right hand.

Gently tap the crack in the barrier that was about to completely break.

[Consciousness Segmentation], Micro-management Version.

The silver filaments instantly wove into a finer, more resilient net, which adhered to the crack and then quickly "stitched" it shut.

The crack stopped widening and began to slowly heal.

The energy beams of the Earthshaker struck the new net, scattering like they hit an invisible wall.

Everyone was stunned.

Including the Earthshaker.

It tilted its head and stared at the suddenly appearing "Sun Wukong" with its intact eye.

It seems impossible to figure out where this thing came from.

Li Xian turned around and faced the Earth-Splitting Lizard.

He was actually a little nervous—his first real battle, and his opponent was a B-level alien beast. Wasn't that a bit too big of a leap?

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released.

"that……"

He spoke, his voice muffled by the mask.

"Could you... be quiet? I need to go buy groceries."

The entire room fell silent.

Even the Earth-Splittering Lizard froze for a second.

Then it realized what was happening and became enraged—this strange human dared to talk to it like that?!

"roar--!!!"

The Earth-Splittering Lizard abandoned its attack on the barrier and turned to pounce on Li Xian.

Its enormous claws slam down with a whooshing sound, enough to flatten a car into a discus.

Li Xian didn't move.

He didn't even try to dodge.

He simply raised his left hand and gently "cut" at the claw that the Earthshaker slapped down.

[Consciousness Segmentation], In-Depth Version.

It's not about cutting the flesh, but about cutting the "power-generating structure".

The Earthshaker felt its claws suddenly lose their strength.

It wasn't that it was blocked, but rather that the connection between muscles, bones, and nerves was "severed" in that instant.

Its claws fell limply to the ground, raising only a little dust.

It was bewildered.

Li Xian took the opportunity to examine the strange beast.

It's pretty ugly, the scales are a bad color, and it even has a hammer on its tail... It has terrible taste.

"How about this?"

He spoke earnestly to the Earth-Splitter Lizard.

"Lie down and don't move. Let me cut you a few times, then I'll leave. You can go back to sleep, okay?"

The Earthshaker doesn't understand human speech, but it can sense the casual attitude of "I'm discussing with you what to have for dinner."

This is an insult! A blatant insult!

It flew into a rage and opened its mouth to unleash another beam of energy.

Li Xian sighed.

"Negotiations broke down."

He stretched out his hands, his fingers spread wide.

【Consciousness Severing】 + 【Flame Heart Control】, combined application.

Silver threads and pure white flames emerged simultaneously, weaving together into a giant net that completely enveloped the Earth-Splitter Lizard.

The fine threads are responsible for cutting through the scales for defense, while the flames are responsible for burning the flesh.

It wasn't brutal destruction, but rather... a precise surgical procedure.

The lizard tried to struggle, but found itself unable to move—the thin threads had severed the connections between all its major muscle groups.

It wanted to roar, but its throat was sealed by flames, and it could not make a sound.

It could only watch helplessly as the net slowly tightened.

Watching its scales peel off one by one.

Watching flesh and blood carbonize under high temperatures...

The process was quick, but painful.

Five seconds later, the Earthshaker collapsed to the ground.

It wasn't death, but rather... being "dismembered" into dozens of uniformly sized pieces of flesh.

They were neatly stacked on the ground, their wounds smooth, with hardly any blood flowing out—the flames had instantly sealed the blood vessels.

The entire hall fell silent once again.

The only sound was the occasional sizzling of the meat as it grilled.

Everyone stared at the mysterious man wearing the Sun Wukong mask, their eyes filled with shock, fear, and... a hint of awe.

Li Xian clapped his hands, as if he had just finished doing housework.

He looked down at the pieces of meat on the ground, thought for a moment, and then bent down to pick up a piece that looked thinner.

"this,"

He said to the captain, who was still in a daze.

"Can I take it? I'm thinking of making braised pork tonight."

team leader:"……"

Team members: "..."

Seeing that they didn't react, Li Xian took it as tacit agreement.

He stuffed the meat chunks into a plastic bag and placed it with scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Then he turned around and walked to the barrier.

Reach out again and cut a slit.

Go out.

The seam closed behind him.

Outside the membrane, the sunlight was just right.

Li Xian took off his mask, stuffed it into his hoodie pocket, and continued walking towards the market.

It was as if nothing had just happened.

Inside the "membrane," the members of the Special Abilities Bureau looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Captain... what was that just now...?"

Don't ask.

The captain took a deep breath.

"Today's events are classified as A-level secret. The report states... the alien beast suddenly went berserk and self-destructed."

"But the meat chunks..."

"I told you the self-destruction wasn't thorough enough!"

"Yes……"

The captain looked at the neatly arranged pieces of meat on the ground, then glanced in the direction Li Xian had left, his expression complex.

Capable of instantly killing B-level alien beasts, and able to freely enter and exit the B-level space-locked area of ​​the headquarters...

Who exactly is this person?

Forget it, I don't want to.

They couldn't possibly fathom the level of a big shot like that.

"Clean up the scene and prepare to evacuate."

The captain gave the order.

The team members got busy.

Li Xian had already arrived at the vegetable market.

He looked at the exotic animal meat in the plastic bag, then at the pork being sold in the market.

"Um……"

He thought about it for a moment.

"Is the meat of a strange beast... edible?"

I think... it should be possible.

My sister won't be back until tomorrow anyway, so I'll try the poison myself tonight.

If he dies from eating it... never mind, he won't die from it. With [Universal Power], he won't be poisoned.

With this optimistic mindset, Li Xian began his pleasant shopping trip.

Spare ribs, fish, green vegetables, tofu, strawberries...

An hour later, he returned home laden with bags and packages.

When I passed by the old street, it had already returned to peace and quiet.

Several workers were repairing the damaged road surface and walls, while neighbors watched and discussed the scene.

"Was there an earthquake just now?"

"It looks like the construction crew has unearthed a gas pipeline..."

"That was terrifying..."

Li Xian listened to these discussions without changing his expression and walked past.

When he got home, he put the things in the kitchen and started by processing the piece of beast meat.

Wash, cut into pieces, blanch, and then braise.

An hour later, the braised alien meat was ready.

It has a bright red color and a fragrant aroma.

Li Xian tasted a piece.

The meat is firm and tastes like beef but is more tender.

The taste... is somewhat like a mixture of chicken and pork, with a faint, matsutake-like aroma.

"not bad."

He commented.

So dinner consisted of braised alien meat with rice and a vegetable soup.

After eating and drinking his fill, he slumped on the sofa and let out a satisfied burp.

The news on TV said that a "construction accident" had occurred in the old town in the afternoon, but no one was injured.

Li Xian smiled and changed the channel.

My sister is coming back tomorrow, I need to think about what to cook to welcome her.

As for what happened this afternoon...

"Forget about it."

He was talking to himself.

"I'm just an ordinary older brother who waits for his younger sister to come home and cook."

Outside the window, the night was deepening.

In one of the encrypted files of the Superpowers Bureau, a new record was added:

[Date: October 28]

Location: Jiangcheng Old Street

[Event: Elimination of the Class B B Beast "Earth-Splitter Lizard"]

[Executor: Unknown (wearing a Sun Wukong mask and a gray hoodie)]

[Note: Suspected newly emerged Class A ability user, with abilities of "precision cutting" and "high-temperature flames," and a...eccentric personality. Observation is advised; avoid contact for now.]

File uploaded, encryption level: top secret.

Meanwhile, the protagonist of the file is lying on the sofa, picking his teeth and thinking:

Should I make the traditional or innovative version of sweet and sour pork ribs tomorrow?

Yes, this is a serious issue.

This is worth serious consideration.