My bizarre resurgence: My price is the ability to trade everything.

Chapter 4 Bizarre Response from the General Administration

That afternoon, Lin Xiaofan did not go home.

He followed Su Mingyue to the school's counseling room—not for counseling, of course, but because Su Mingyue knew a teacher there who was said to "have some research on paranormal phenomena."

"Professor Li used to study folklore, but later switched to psychological counseling," Su Mingyue explained as they walked. "He posted some articles on the forum about strange rules, which I've read, and the analysis was quite professional."

"Forum? What forum?"

"There's a semi-underground online forum called 'Ghost Stories Bar,' full of people interested in paranormal events," Su Mingyue said. "I occasionally check it out, but I never thought I'd actually use it this time."

Lin Xiaofan nodded, but felt a little uneasy.

It sounds unreliable for someone to entrust their fate to an "expert" on a forum. But now, he's desperate.

After the rules were finalized the next day, that cold, mechanical voice never appeared again. But the gray hair at his temples, and the occasional flash of the number "[7 years consumed]" in his mind, reminded him that it was all real.

He has already paid the price of seven years of his life.

The remaining six days could be even more dangerous each day.

The counseling room was on the third floor of the student activity center. When the two entered, a man in his forties wearing black-rimmed glasses was tidying up the bookshelves.

"Teacher Li," Su Mingyue greeted.

The man turned around, saw Su Mingyue, and smiled: "Mingyue, what brings you here? And who is this?"

"This is my classmate, Lin Xiaofan," Su Mingyue introduced. "Teacher Li, we have something we'd like to ask you."

Teacher Li glanced at Lin Xiaofan, then at Su Mingyue's serious expression, seemingly realizing something. He gestured to the sofa beside him: "Have a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No need, thank you," Lin Xiaofan said.

After the three sat down, Su Mingyue showed Teacher Li a photo of Zhang Hao's notes. Teacher Li frowned as she looked at them.

"The taboo rule of the number 7 is bizarre," he muttered to himself. "I have indeed seen similar records in the literature before."

"Really?" Lin Xiaofan's eyes lit up. "Is there a way to break this?"

Teacher Li put down her phone and looked at Lin Xiaofan: "First, I need to confirm one thing—you've already been dragged into this, haven't you?"

Lin Xiaofan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

He briefly recounted his experience of receiving the phone call yesterday and completing the second day's rules today. However, he didn't mention the "cost balance"—he himself hadn't figured it out yet and didn't want to tell others casually.

After listening, Teacher Li remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened. In Jiangcheng in November, it gets dark early; it was only four o'clock in the afternoon when dusk had already fallen.

"According to ancient records, once a rule-based anomaly is triggered, there is almost no way to break it," Teacher Li finally spoke. "Because it's not a ghost, not a curse, but a 'rule.' Like the laws of physics, you can't violate them, you can only obey them."

Lin Xiaofan's heart sank.

"However," Teacher Li changed the subject, "rules also have loopholes. For example, they usually have 'exemption conditions'—people who meet certain specific conditions can be unaffected by the rules."

What are the exemption conditions?

"Each rule is different," Teacher Li said. "Some require specific birth dates and times, some require special destiny patterns, and some require a certain ability to 'transfer costs'."

Cost transfer.

These four words stirred something in Lin Xiaofan's heart.

His "cost balance" is simply a way to transfer costs, isn't it?

"Teacher Li, do you know about the 'cost balance'?" he asked tentatively.

Teacher Li's expression suddenly changed.

"Where did you hear that word?"

"I saw it online," Lin Xiaofan lied.

Teacher Li stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly said, "The Balance of Costs is a legendary ability. The possessor can 'borrow' the power of the world's rules, but must pay a corresponding price. For example, transferring damage requires consuming lifespan; altering cause and effect requires sacrificing memories."

"What does it have to do with rule-based anomalies?"

"According to records, the cost balance itself is a rule," said Teacher Li. "And a more advanced rule at that. Theoretically, its owner could use it to combat other rule-based anomalies, but..."

"But what?"

"But the price will be extremely high." Teacher Li's voice was very low. "Every time it is used, it is 'borrowing' from the world. The more you borrow, the more you have to repay. In the end, you may even lose your 'existence' itself."

Lin Xiaofan felt a chill run down his back.

He recalled the numbers in his mind: [7 years consumed].

Is that proof of the loan?

"Teacher Li, if someone gets caught up in the taboo of the number 7 and awakens the ability of the Balance of Costs, what should they do?" Lin Xiaofan asked.

Teacher Li fell silent again.

This time, he remained silent for even longer.

"I don't know," he concluded. "Because this situation has never been recorded before. The rule-based anomaly and the cost-balance are two mutually exclusive forces. One requires you to follow the rules, the other requires you to break them."

"That"

"However, I have a suggestion." Teacher Li stood up, took a business card from her drawer, and said, "Go find this person."

Lin Xiaofan accepted the business card.

The above is very simple, with only one line of text:

"Jiangcheng's bizarre response to the General Administration, Deputy Director Chen Xuan."

Below is a phone number.

"Chen Xuan?" Lin Xiaofan murmured the name.

"He's an expert in handling these kinds of incidents for the authorities," Teacher Li said. "If even he can't solve it, then I'm afraid no one in Jiangcheng can help you."

"How should I tell him?"

"Tell him the truth," Teacher Li said. "Tell him everything you've experienced. But remember one thing—don't hide any details. In this kind of event, any detail could be crucial."

Lin Xiaofan nodded and put the business card away.

By the time I left the counseling room, it was completely dark. The streetlights on campus had come on, and in the dim yellow light, students hurried by, rushing to the cafeteria for dinner or to evening self-study sessions.

Everything seemed so peaceful.

But Lin Xiaofan knew that undercurrents were brewing.

"Are you going to call him now?" Su Mingyue asked.

"Hmm." Lin Xiaofan took out her phone, but hesitated for a moment. "But what if he thinks I'm mentally ill?"

"No," Su Mingyue said. "Since Teacher Li recommended him, it means he has encountered similar situations before. Moreover, Zhang Hao's case is currently under the jurisdiction of the police, but if there are supernatural factors involved, it will eventually be transferred to the Bureau of Supernatural Response."

Lin Xiaofan thought about it and felt it made sense.

He walked to a quiet corner and dialed the number on the business card.

The phone rang four times before being answered.

"Feed?" a deep male voice asked.

"Excuse me, are you Deputy Director Chen Xuan?" Lin Xiaofan's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes, that's me. And who are you?"

"My name is Lin Xiaofan, and I'm a student at Jiangzhou University. I got involved in Zhang Hao's case and encountered some strange things."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Chen Xuan asked, "Where are you now?"

"At school, downstairs in the student activity center."

"Stay there and don't move. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

The phone hangs up.

Lin Xiaofan stared at her phone, somewhat dazed.

So decisive?

Without even asking about the specifics, they just said they wanted to come over?

"What did he say?" Su Mingyue asked.

He said he would arrive in twenty minutes.

Su Mingyue nodded: "Then let's wait here."

The two sat down on a bench downstairs. The night wind was cold, and Lin Xiaofan wrapped her coat tighter, but she still felt chilled to the bone.

He checked the time: 4:37 PM.

He calculated that there were about seven hours left until the rules were activated on the third day.

Midnight tonight, or tomorrow morning?

He wasn't sure.

But that sense of urgency was like a knife hanging over my head, ready to fall at any moment.

"Mingyue, thank you," Lin Xiaofan suddenly said.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for believing in me and helping me," Lin Xiaofan said. "If I were alone, I probably would have collapsed long ago."

Su Mingyue laughed: "Don't say that. We're classmates, it's only right that we help each other."

"But most people would think this is crazy."

"Maybe," Su Mingyue said, looking at the streetlights in the distance. "But I've seen much stranger things."

"Something even stranger?"

"Hmm." Su Mingyue didn't go into details, "I'll tell you when I have the chance."

Lin Xiaofan didn't press the matter further.

His mind is a mess right now, and he has no energy to investigate other people's secrets.

Twenty minutes later, a black SUV drove into the campus and stopped in front of the student activity center.

The car door opened, and a middle-aged man wearing a black jacket stepped out.

The man was about forty-five or forty-six years old, tall and straight, with a resolute face and sharp eyes like an eagle. He glanced around, his gaze settling on Lin Xiaofan, and then he walked over.

"Lin Xiaofan?"

"It's me. Are you Director Chen?"

"Chen Xuan." The man extended his hand. "Let's talk in the car; it's not convenient here."

Lin Xiaofan glanced at Su Mingyue.

"Let's go together," Chen Xuan said.

The three of them got into the back seat of the SUV. The car was spacious, with a simple yet professional interior. In the driver's seat was a young female driver who looked to be in her late twenties, with short hair and dressed casually, but her posture showed that she was trained.

The car drove out of the campus.

"Tell me the situation," Chen Xuan said, getting straight to the point.

Lin Xiaofan recounted everything that had happened in the past two days, from receiving Zhang Hao's call to the rules and tasks the next day, to the gray hairs at her temples, and the numbers that flashed through her mind.

But he still didn't mention the "cost balance".

Because he himself didn't know what it was.

After listening, Chen Xuan didn't speak immediately. He took out a tablet, operated it for a few moments, and then handed it to Lin Xiaofan.

"Take a look at this."

A photo is displayed on the tablet.

It was a corpse, sitting at a desk with its hands on the keyboard. The screen displayed the number "77777777777777777".

This was the scene of Zhang Hao's death.

But there's a detail in the corner of the photo that the police haven't released to the public—

To the right of the corpse, there was something.

A very small one, made of copper.

Balance scales.

It was exactly the same as the one Lin Xiaofan had seen in his dream.

"This is..." Lin Xiaofan's hands trembled.

"An ancient ritual artifact, the scales of justice," Chen Xuan said. "Zhang Hao was studying this before he died. He bought this bronze scale from an antique dealer and then began to study the inscriptions on it."

"What does the inscription say?"

"It records an ability—the ability to 'borrow' from the world's rules, transferring harm and altering cause and effect," Chen Xuan said. "But each use requires a corresponding price. The type and amount of the price are determined by the 'scales' themselves."

Lin Xiaofan recalled the seven years of lifespan that had been deducted from his lifespan after he completed the rules for the second day.

Is that the price to pay for the judgment made by the scales?

"Director Chen, are you saying that Zhang Hao died because he used this scale?"

"Not entirely," Chen Xuan said. "Zhang Hao did try to use the scales, but he failed. Or rather, he triggered something more terrifying."

"What is it?"

"Rule-based anomalies," Chen Xuan said. "The cost balance itself is a rule, but it is also a 'key.' If used improperly, it will open the door to other rule-based anomalies."

"Is the number 7 taboo?"

"Yes." Chen Xuan nodded. "At three in the morning, Zhang Hao wrote down seventeen 7s in a row, trying to activate the power of the scales. But he didn't know that this act itself was the condition for triggering the taboo of the number 7."

Lin Xiaofan felt his head buzzing.

Therefore, Zhang Hao did not die from a heart attack, nor from the backlash of the scales.

He died because he triggered the rules himself.

Moreover, this rule spread, involving him, the "key contact," as well.

"What should I do now?" Lin Xiaofan asked. "Is there any possibility of breaking this curse?"

Chen Xuan looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Yes, but it's difficult."

"How do I do it?"

"First, you must accept reality—you've been drawn into a series of bizarre, rule-based events," Chen Xuan said. "This means that from now on, your life will no longer be normal. You will encounter various anomalies, some of which may be fatal."

Lin Xiaofan nodded.

He has already experienced it.

"Secondly, you need to learn how to deal with them," Chen Xuan continued. "While rule-based anomalies are terrifying, they also follow certain patterns. For example, the taboo of the number 7 has a fixed rule: a seven-day cycle with one task each day. If you can complete all seven days' tasks, theoretically you can survive."

"But what's the price?" Lin Xiaofan asked. "I completed the second day's task today, but I lost seven years of my lifespan. If this happens every day, I might just die of old age after seven days."

Chen Xuan's gaze became even more focused.

"Seven years of life? Are you sure it's a price in the form of 'paying for life'?" he pressed.

"Yes, there's a voice in my head saying, '7 years have been consumed,'" Lin Xiaofan answered honestly. "And my temples have turned white too."

Chen Xuan remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly deep in thought.

"This precise lifespan payment is not a typical rule backlash," he finally said. "Rule-based anomalies usually only cause direct death or abnormal states, and rarely are they precise down to a unit of measurement like 'years'."

"What does that mean?"

"This means that the cost you pay is quantified by some kind of 'mechanism'," Chen Xuan said. "And the cost balance is precisely the ability to quantify costs into specific values."

He paused for a moment and looked at Lin Xiaofan.

"I need to give you a test. If my guess is correct, you may have already awakened the ability of the Balance of Costs within you."

"The cost-benefit balance?" Lin Xiaofan was startled, but tried to remain calm on the surface. "You mean the thing Zhang Hao was researching?"

"It's not just about research," Chen Xuan said. "Some people are born with the potential for this ability. Under certain conditions—such as being drawn into rule-based anomalies—this potential can be activated."

"Then how do I control it?"

"Training," Chen Xuan said. "Starting today, you'll learn from me how to control the cost balance. What we need to do is not avoid paying costs, but 'optimize' costs—complete the task with the minimum cost."

Lin Xiaofan's eyes lit up.

There is hope.

Although the chances are slim, at least there is hope.

"Director Chen, why are you helping me?" he couldn't help but ask.

Chen Xuan smiled, but there was an indescribable weariness in his smile.

"Because this is my job," he said. "The Special Response Center is the agency that handles these kinds of incidents. And..."

He paused.

"And what?"

"Moreover, I've met people like you before," Chen Xuan said in a low voice. "They possessed special constitutions and were drawn into various supernatural events governed by rules. Some survived, some didn't."

Lin Xiaofan fell silent.

He wanted to ask what happened to those people afterward, but he didn't dare to ask.

The car continued driving and finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous gray building.

The building looked ordinary, like an office building for some government department. But the sign at the entrance clearly stated:

"Jiangcheng's Bizarre Response to the General Administration".

"We've arrived," Chen Xuan said. "Let's get off."

The three got out of the car and went into the building.

The lobby was quiet, with only two uniformed security guards sitting at the front desk. Chen Xuan swiped his work badge and led Lin Xiaofan and Su Mingyue up the elevator.

The elevator has no floor buttons, only a fingerprint reader.

Chen Xuan pressed his fingerprint, and the elevator began to descend.

"Is the headquarters underground?" Lin Xiaofan asked.

"Yes," Chen Xuan said, "because some things are not suitable to be placed on the ground."

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.

Before me was a spacious hall, similar to a hospital's emergency room, but with more advanced equipment. Various monitoring screens on the walls displayed real-time footage of different areas of Jiangcheng. Staff members moved about, some in white coats, others in special operations uniforms; the atmosphere was tense yet orderly.

"This is the operations command center," Chen Xuan explained. "We are responsible for monitoring any unusual energy fluctuations throughout the city. Once we detect any rule-related strange events, we will immediately dispatch an investigation team."

Looking at those screens, Lin Xiaofan felt like he had entered a science fiction movie.

But he knew this wasn't a movie.

This is reality.

His current reality.

"Director Chen." A young female researcher approached, holding a report in her hand. "The preliminary analysis of the Zhang Hao case is complete."

"explain."

"We detected strong residual patterns in Zhang Hao's apartment," the female researcher said. "The energy fluctuations were concentrated on the node of the 'number 7.' And we discovered a strange phenomenon."

"What phenomenon?"

"The rules are spreading," the female researcher said. "Normally, when a rule-related anomaly is triggered, it only affects the person who triggered it. But this time, the rules have spread through some kind of 'medium,' and seven targets have already been identified."

Seven goals.

Key contact person.

Lin Xiaofan was one of them.

"Can you confirm the identities of the other six people?" Chen Xuan asked.

"We're analyzing Zhang Hao's contact list data, but that will take time," the female researcher said. "However, we've discovered a pattern."

She handed the tablet to Chen Xuan.

On the screen is a radar chart with seven dots distributed in different locations.

But two of the points of light are now overlapping.

Right here in this hall.

"This is..." Chen Xuan raised his head and looked at Lin Xiaofan and Su Mingyue.

"Real-time vital signs monitoring," the female researcher said. "These seven dots represent seven people locked in by the rules. Two of them are here with us right now."

Lin Xiaofan was stunned.

two?

He and Su Mingyue?

He suddenly turned his head and looked at the girl next to him.

Su Mingyue looked at him, her eyes showing no surprise, only a calm that she had known all along.

"Mingyue, you..." Lin Xiaofan's voice trembled.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Fan," Su Mingyue said softly, "I didn't tell you that I was also one of the key contacts. Zhang Hao's notes mentioned seven names. You're the seventh, and I'm the sixth."

Lin Xiaofan felt dizzy and disoriented.

He always thought he was the only one who had been dragged into this.

He always thought that Su Mingyue was just helping him.

But it turns out, she was also in danger.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"Because I don't want you to be more scared," Su Mingyue said. "And I want to see first whether Director Chen has any way to save us."

Chen Xuan looked at the two of them and sighed.

"It seems the situation is more complicated than I thought," he said. "It's rare for two people to be involved in the same rule-based bizarre event at the same time. And your physical constitutions seem to be somewhat special."

"special?"

"That's right," Chen Xuan said. "Under normal circumstances, the vital signs of people locked by the rules would continue to decline. But your data is very stable. Especially Lin Xiaofan, your life energy is even more vigorous than that of ordinary people."

Lin Xiaofan remembered the number [Current Lifespan: ? ? ?].

Could it be that his total lifespan was longer than that of an average person?

So being detained for seven years didn't have much of an impact?

he does not know.

"Director Chen, what's the most important thing right now?" Su Mingyue asked.

"Training," Chen Xuan said. "Starting tonight, both of you will undergo training. Lin Xiaofan will learn to control the cost balance, and Mingyue, you're good at data analysis, right?"

"right."

"Then you'll be responsible for analyzing the patterns in the rules," Chen Xuan said. "We need to make all the preparations before the rules are activated on the third day."

"When will the rules for the third day be activated?" Lin Xiaofan asked.

"According to the usual pattern, it should be 7 a.m. tomorrow," Chen Xuan said. "But the rules may change, so we need to be prepared at any time."

He checked the time; it was exactly 7 p.m.

"There are still twelve hours left," he said. "Time is tight. But it's better than nothing."

Lin Xiaofan nodded.

Although the road ahead is difficult, at least he is not alone anymore.

He has Su Mingyue.

There was Chen Xuan.

There is a whole bizarre response from the General Administration.

Perhaps he really can survive these seven days.

Maybe.

Chen Xuan led the two to the training room.

It was a large room filled with all sorts of strange devices. Some looked like medical instruments, others like fitness equipment, but all showed obvious signs of modification.

"Have a seat," Chen Xuan said, pointing to two chairs in the center of the room.

Lin Xiaofan and Su Mingyue sat down.

"First, I'm going to give you a simple test," Chen Xuan said. "To check your physical condition and the activation level of the cost balance."

He took out two bracelets and had the two of them put them on.

The bracelet was very light, like a regular fitness tracker. But after putting it on, Lin Xiaofan felt a faint electric current travel from his wrist to his whole body.

Then, data began to appear on the screen in front of him.

[Subject to testing: Lin Xiaofan]

Age: 22

Life Energy Intensity: B+

[Rule affinity: A-]

[Cost Balance Activation Status: Activated (Beginner)]

Current loan amount: 7-year lifespan

Overall Rating: High Potential

Lin Xiaofan looked at the data and was somewhat bewildered.

B+, A-, Potential Level

What do these mean?

"Your life energy is about 30% stronger than that of an average person," Chen Xuan explained. "This means your base lifespan is relatively high. Your rule affinity of A- indicates that you have a strong ability to perceive and adapt to rule-based anomalies."

He pointed to the line on the screen that read, "[Balance of Cost Activation Status: Activated (Basic)]".

"It seems my guess was right," Chen Xuan said. "The Balance of Costs has indeed awakened within you, and it has already reached its initial stage. This explains why you can pay the precise cost of your lifespan—the Balance of Costs quantifies the cost."

"So how can I improve?"

"Use it," Chen Xuan said. "Only in the process of actually dealing with rule-based anomalies will the balance of costs grow. But every use will come at a price."

"And what about the bright moon?"

Chen Xuan switched to Su Mingyue's test data.

[Subject to testing: Su Mingyue]

Age: 22

Life Energy Intensity: C+

[Rule affinity: B]

[Special Ability: Logical Deduction (Not Activated)]

Overall Rating: Observation Level

"Mingyue has strong logical thinking skills, which is very useful in dealing with rule-based bizarre events," Chen Xuan said. "But her physical condition is relatively ordinary, and she needs more protection."

Su Mingyue nodded without saying anything.

But Lin Xiaofan noticed a resolute light in her eyes.

She is not afraid.

Or rather, she was afraid, but she chose to face it.

This made Lin Xiaofan feel ashamed.

He's always been a coward, always wanting to run away from problems. But Su Mingyue, a girl, is much braver than him.

"From today onwards, you will be temporary investigators for the Bureau of Unusual Responses," Chen Xuan said. "I will teach you the basics, but the real training will begin with real combat."

"In real combat?"

"That's right." Chen Xuan looked at the two of them. "Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock, the rules for the third day will be activated. That will be your first real battle."

Lin Xiaofan felt her heart skip a beat.

tomorrow.

Only twelve hours left.

Is he ready?

he does not know.

But he knew he had to try.

In order to survive.

To prevent that tuft of white hair from turning into a full head of silver.

In order to prevent a seven-year lifespan from becoming seventy years.

In order not to become the next Zhang Hao.

"I'm ready," he said.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.