He is the leader of the Tantric sect in Chagdu.

The countermeasures bureau remained busy in the afternoon.

The man with long ears stood at the corner of the bathroom, staring blankly at the sink.

"Brother Ye."

A colleague passing by greeted him, and Ye Zhi gave a tired but polite smile, quietly stuffing the cigarette butt hidden between his fingers into the sewer, and casually replied.

"morning."

"Actually, it's getting late..."

The colleague glanced at the time and realized it was already afternoon. He pursed his lips, suppressing a laugh. Considering that this person was usually so absent-minded, he didn't pay much attention to him, made a couple of jokes, and then turned and left.

Yeats wiped his still-damp hands with his uniform trousers, sighed softly, and slightly raised his eyelids to look at himself in front of him.

The man in the mirror looked almost two meters tall, tall and thin but not upright... he seemed to have a slight hunchback, like a crooked, withered pine tree—his face was well-defined, his cheekbones were high, and his dark pupils were deep in his eye sockets.

This kind of appearance often gives people a sense of gloom, but the atmosphere of "decline" and "depression" surrounding Yeats almost destroys this impression...

That carefree, raccoon-like demeanor made him seem like the kind of young person you'd see anywhere in downtown town—a drug addict with a listless, lethargic personality.

"Although he has just recovered from a serious illness... his appearance is simply outrageous."

Yeats splashed cold water on his face again, finally managing to perk up a little, and staggered out.

As a monitoring personnel who stood firm on the front line of the disaster, apart from the agents who were swallowed by the gray matter, the "damage" he suffered was the most severe level... Even in a silent environment, and even with his senses blocked, the violent red tide still almost shattered his vessel.

He almost became a useless person who drooled even after being cured.

However, after lying in the sanatorium for a week, he survived by sheer luck and did not suffer any serious aftereffects.

We're lucky enough; we can't ask for more.

"Sigh..." He sighed softly, feeling that something was wrong with his life.

Yeats had always had a good mindset, even an unusually good one—as a noble fantasy species, an elf, this long-eared man... seemed to have used up all his luck on randomness, which led to his unsuccessful start.

In a mere thirty years, which is only the beginning for an elf's lifespan of over two hundred years, the elves experienced a whole cycle of economic decline from prosperity to ruin, and did not even get to enjoy the last glory of the "golden age".

Relying on racial advantages, he barely managed to get involved in the foundation... As soon as he started working, his career was full of setbacks, and he even faced a massive disaster that almost sank him into the real world.

A complete slacker.

"Thinking about it carefully, it seems like my luck should be turning around..."

Sighing all the way, Yeats returned to the entrance of the monitoring department, lowered his head, and walked in.

"?"

The afternoon is usually a time to slack off, and the monitoring department is usually empty. However, the office layout seems to have changed a bit; apparently... there's an extra workstation.

In the innermost cubicle, Yeats vaguely saw a figure lying on the table, as if taking a nap...

He tilted his head and quickly recognized the person.

Ellen is a wild survivor brought back from the outskirts after the Great Catastrophe. Although she is a newcomer, she is highly regarded by Veltin and seems to have remarkable talent. She has just completed her internship at the Countermeasures Bureau for half a month.

He's already been promoted to a permanent position... isn't that a bit too fast?

But why did I end up in this godforsaken place, the monitoring department...?

"Tsk, you've really fallen into a trap."

Yeats was actually quite familiar with him. After all, few people would dislike a mascot-like guy. In just half a month, Eileen had won the goodwill of many people. He was good-looking, got along well with colleagues of any personality, maintained a proper distance, and was more stable than a dead man. He always looked smiling and lazy, neither currying nor flattering.

Although he didn't integrate into any of the departmental cliques, everyone implicitly accepted his status as the "group's favorite," and when they had nothing to do, they would use him as a "confessional" to pour out their work troubles.

In short, she's a mysterious intern who's very popular.

After recalling the impression Eileen had left on him, Ye Zhi decided to go up and talk to him about his career plans... After all, in the monitoring department, which is a bottomless pit, saving even one person is a good deed.

He took a step forward—

"Buzz..."

A subtle buzzing sound, like the fluttering of wings, suddenly rang in Yeats's ears, faintly appearing as countless threads and ripples in the void...

Perception froze for a moment, as if sinking into an invisible net.

He frowned, but before he could react, the figure who had been slumped over the table suddenly raised its upper body...

A gun, woven from silver threads, was raised from the shadows, its dark muzzle pointing directly at him.

"etc--"

Ye Zhi instantly raised his hands above his head, and Ai Yi, who had just made a move, seemed to have no further action, quickly putting the gun back at his waist as if nothing had happened.

He peeked half his head out from beside the frosted glass, his half-closed eyes making him look like he hadn't woken up yet—"Who is it?"

The sound of flapping wings hovered in his ears, jolting Ai Yi back to full consciousness. He shook his head vigorously, taking five seconds to think about what had just happened, then suddenly clapped his hands, looking annoyed: "Damn it, how did I fall asleep?!"

"..."

Ye Zhi, not quite understanding the situation, slowly lowered his hands from behind his ears and said somewhat awkwardly, "Brother... are you alright?"

"Sorry, sorry, I was a little sleepy just now."

The wet, sticky tear stains on Ai Yi's eyes were very convincing. Ye Zhi stared at her for a long time before finally daring to slowly move forward.

The sound of flapping wings had stopped, and the frozen atmosphere began to flow again—the sensation of stepping into the "web" felt like a phantom.

He stared at Ai's dazed gaze and cautiously asked, "Do you... need to go to the infirmary?"

"Really, it's not necessary." Ai refused with an awkward smile, suppressing the red fluid surging in her abdomen, and slowly let out a sigh of relief. "I'm just experimenting with something."

-The technique I spent the whole morning researching seems to be very useful.

He mentally recalled what he had just gained:

Not long ago, Ai Yi had decided to go to the neighboring dungeon to learn from their experience and collect the criteria and materials for promotion. But since she was going to go to the dungeon, she also had to put improving her hard skills on the agenda.

After Sherlock's sudden intrusion interrupted his therapy session, Ai finally felt a sense of crisis and began to seriously analyze the shortcomings of his current abilities.

The first problem: perception—the principles he currently possesses do not have any obvious enhancement effect, and his perception of danger can only be considered that of an ordinary person who is "slightly more perceptive." He can handle close-range attacks from small fry with ease, but it is not enough against bullets from the shadows or covert assassinations.

Before, with Nie by her side as a safety net, she had no worries. But now Ai Yi is all alone. If she doesn't want to be shot in the dark, she has to find a way on her own.

He thought of the power of the "moth." Although the flapping of a moth's wings was chaotic and disordered, unlike Visir's screech technique which could be used to detect enemies, as a "medium of vibration," Ai could still use the vibration to weave an invisible web for himself... Just as a spider's legs can sense its prey through the vibration of the web, he could also extend the vibration from his body outward, making it a derivative limb for perception.

He spent the morning designing this new "mysterious technique" for himself. Although it cannot yet be considered a complete "skill," it has already shown initial results.

Yeats inadvertently became a guinea pig to test the effectiveness and scope of this ability.

This way, we won't encounter situations where things are only half-finished and then abruptly halted!

As expected of me...

Ai decided to name this ability "Ringing Technique," completely copying Wei Sir's Hissing Technique, showing no respect for copyright.

Now that we have the ability to perceive, what's next...?

Ai glanced at Yeats and was reminded of him—his temperament was just like hers, lazy, with eyes that were always half-closed as if he hadn't woken up yet, and a sluggishness that was not much better than a sloth, making him look like a street urchin.

Salted fish are attracted to each other.

"Brother Ye?"

He quickly called out the man's name, his gaze lingering on the pair of beautiful and elegant long ears. As a fantasy species, elves couldn't possibly be ugly, but this was the first time he had ever seen an elf with such "style".

Ye Zhi also slumped into the sofa without any politeness, half-dead and muttering, "Tsk, you scared me. I thought I had done too many bad things and was going to be shot in the office... Thank you, spare my life."

"I was wrong, I was wrong. I'll treat you to a meal next time."

There was little apology in her tone. Ai knew very well how to deal with a salted fish; being too serious would only make it harder to build rapport.

He casually tossed the "special supply" pack that Sherlock had just given him in front of Yeats and chuckled, "It's a gift for Brother Yeats. We'll be colleagues from now on, so please take good care of me."

"Tsk..." Ye Zhi clicked her tongue, but couldn't muster any more anger at being pointed at at gunpoint. She glanced at the cigarette in her hand, then glared at it. "Good heavens, a premium special edition. Where did it come from? Even I can't get my hands on this kind."

He clicked his tongue in amazement, unable to suppress a smile: "This contains some potent ingredients, purified secret essential oils, which are considered hard currency even within the bureau. Thanks."

That's high-class? That old Sherlock is actually quite sincere.

Ai was still feeling sorry for her cigarettes when Ye Zhi's soft voice came from beside her.

"Why did you think of coming to the monitoring department? This godforsaken place has been letting people out for years, only temporarily transferring a few unlucky guys in to serve their time in jail."

Ye Zhi frowned, her expression turning slightly serious. "Has someone been bullying you? But... you don't seem like the type to be ostracized."

"I did it voluntarily because I thought this place was relatively remote and quiet, and not many people would bother me."

Ai Yi carefully selected a department from among many others before finally choosing one she liked: the monitoring department was a notorious wasteland within the system, with no resources, no management, and no room for advancement. Work here was often jokingly referred to as being in prison, and the department was perpetually at the bottom of the workplace discrimination chain.

But for Ai Yi at this stage, this is a good transition zone—before reaching the first stage, he can't spare the energy for workplace intrigue; all his energy must be devoted to embarking on the grand path.

Such a haven for slacking off, a position where even unauthorized resignations might not be discovered by the HR department for a week, couldn't be more perfect.

"Oh... a scoundrel." Ye Zhi suddenly realized and sighed softly, "It's alright then, as long as you weren't bullied. In the monitoring department... it doesn't matter if you don't get promoted. At worst, I'll protect you from now on. If anyone bares their teeth at you, just tell me and I'll go and cause them trouble."

"Yay!"

Having more acquaintances at work is always a good thing, Ai cheered, then sat back down at her desk, watching Ye Zhi say goodbye and leave, then glancing sideways slightly...

- It seems like I've latched onto a powerful figure again.

He thought to himself.

From the perspective of insight, the elf's vessel and red liquid, though appearing gloomy and dark at first glance, evoke a sense of pain and threat, even causing one to unconsciously shift their gaze.

Like a rusty dagger, marked with a stain, yet gleaming with coldness, silently pressed against my eyeballs. If I had even the slightest bit of hostility, the situation wouldn't be so harmonious.

What's this... I've discovered another hidden big brother, although this big brother seems a bit unreliable again.

But whatever, my brother said he'd make trouble for anyone who bares their teeth at me from now on, which is great news.

Ai raised her arm above her head and yawned.

My drowsiness has dissipated; it's about time to continue my research.

Next, he pondered the second flaw in his own abilities... his physical body.

He frowned deeply.

The Vibration Technique allows Ai to detect threats earlier, but awareness doesn't mean evasion. If it had been himself instead of Visser that day, even if he made a dodging motion, he didn't think he could outrun a bullet.

In the outskirts, within the territory of Grey Court, he could subdue Sherlock and Veltin with almost no difficulty, thanks to Grey's execution ground. But without the home advantage, the old man could chop him in two from head to toe with a single chop and then burn him to fox charcoal.

The mechanics are sufficient; what's lacking at this stage is numerical data...

While it's not possible to have a physique comparable to a muscular man like Sherlock during the qualifying stage, at least one shouldn't bleed out from a single stab wound or die instantly from a bullet.

There are, quite a few, ways to improve.

The general outline of mysticism records many mystical techniques that can improve physical fitness: for example, the ancient school of "mucus science" emphasizes the balance of the four colors of mucus in the human body and strengthens the body by enhancing the mucus.

However, in this era, mucin science has been phased out—its mystical effects cannot compare to the body enhancement provided by the "forging technique" of the "fire" principle, and it is not as convenient as directly modifying a prosthetic body, making it a complete waste of resources.

As for casting and prosthetic modification, both require application and appointment. In particular, the "casting technique"... the casting method that can be used on the human body is an advanced skill of the Fire Principle, and only disciples of the second stage of the Fire Path have the possibility of mastering it.

Neither of the above two options quite meets Ai's needs, so they are listed as alternatives.

And... alchemy.

Gray's notes contain many rituals related to "flesh enhancement," but unfortunately... while these rituals are not as advanced as "dyeing," Ai's current alchemical skills are not yet sufficient to complete them.

Reckless experimentation could potentially turn you into some kind of chimera, which comes at a high price, so let's not consider it for now.

This leaves very few options.

"Have you forgotten something?"

A light screen appeared before her eyes... After a few seconds of thought, Ai Yi suddenly remembered that her physical body no longer seemed to be naked as before.

He looked at the invisible ring in his hand. Ever since the mistletoe absorbed the secrets of the sacred tree and completed its first transformation, it had completely lost its physical structure. Only when Ai wanted it would a green thing grow around the knuckles and sprout tender shoots.

"The wish of the ring that has been fulfilled: Mistletoe draws near to your red nectar, coexists in your vessel, transforms into the veins that circulate within your spirit, and shares your pain."

"Symbiosis...coexistence."

Ai hesitated for a moment, then lay flat on her back on the floor, silently picked up the Jingmi from her waist, and gently pressed it against her shoulder.

The growing greenery seemed to sense some kind of omen; it sprouted from nothingness, clinging to the rose-red vessel, and spread and grew in the veins beneath his skin.

The next second, Ai pulled the trigger—

The silent bullet pierced his shoulder in an instant, but because he was lying on the ground, it couldn't penetrate from the other side—fresh blood stained with emerald green, mixed with broken plant fragments, seeped from the wound, flowing onto the ground, and then stopped a few seconds later.

"It doesn't hurt much..." Ai's face was a little pale, and she clenched her teeth. Although she was trembling a little, she still managed to move.

He got up from the ground and gently touched the bloody hole in his shoulder—

The wound has healed.

Like veins and pulses, mistletoe grew wildly at the red sap of the wound, stopping the injury from worsening within seconds. Soon, a bullet, tightly wrapped in layers of green roots, was squeezed out of the smooth flesh and fell to the ground with a muffled thud.

"This is... the ritual vessel that has been completed once."

Ai stared blankly at the scene. The green plants that had healed his wounds seemed to grow along his entire body as if they were aware of it. A long and slender branch wrapped around his arm, enveloping him and silently sealing the gun hole, as if preventing the host from harming himself.

This is the coexistence of rings.