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

Chapter 8 Night Raven Clues

I barely slept that night.

Don't trust anyone.

The sentence Zhang Hao wrote in his notebook is like a thorn stuck in my heart.

Don't trust anyone.

Zhang Hao was a test subject of Night Raven, and the copper coins he came into contact with were "experimental props" scattered by Night Raven.

Now, Chen Xuan gave me a copper coin, and Su Mingyue is helping me analyze the rules—could they also be members of Night Raven?

Or... are they using me?

I turned over and looked out the window at the sky gradually turning white.

Oh shit.

think too much.

But Zhang Hao's death was too suspicious. He had clearly completed his seven-day mission, yet he was murdered in the early hours of the eighth day. Who made that 7-minute and 07-second phone call?

And then there's that saying, "Don't trust anyone"...

Was he warning future generations, or did he discover something before he died?

I rubbed my eyes and got up to wash up.

Anyway, I have to survive until tomorrow.

Fourth day.

At nine o'clock in the morning, I arrived at the headquarters on time.

Despite being called the "Headquarters," it's really just a renovated old office building. From the outside, it looks no different from any other company. But as soon as I entered, I sensed a strange atmosphere.

There was no one at the front desk.

The corridor was empty, with only the echoing sound of footsteps.

Following the instructions Chen Xuan gave me yesterday, I went to a room on the third floor.

The sign on the door reads: Data Analysis Room.

I knocked on the door.

"Come in," Su Mingyue's voice came from inside.

Pushing open the door, I saw Su Mingyue sitting in front of a computer, the screen filled with dense data and charts.

"You're here quite early," she said without looking up. "Please have a seat, I'll be right there."

I sat down on the chair next to me and looked around the room.

The room wasn't large, but it was filled with things. The walls were covered with various photos and documents, connected by red lines. In the very center was a map of Jiangcheng, marked with many red dots.

"What are those?" I asked, pointing to the map.

Su Mingyue followed my gaze.

"The locations of the strange incidents that have occurred in Jiangcheng over the past five years," she said. "Red indicates those that have been resolved, and blue indicates those still under surveillance."

I counted them, and there were dozens of red and blue dots in total.

"So many?"

"This is only what's on record," Su Mingyue said. "There are many more that haven't been discovered or have been covered up."

Looking at those densely packed dots, I felt an indescribable sense of oppression.

It turns out that this world is much more dangerous than I imagined.

"Look at this," Su Mingyue suddenly pointed to the screen, "I found some things."

I leaned closer to take a look.

The screen displays a phone number.

"Is this Zhang Hao's 7-minute and 07-second phone call?" I asked.

"Yes." Su Mingyue nodded. "The number was encrypted, but I used some special methods to trace the signal source."

"Where?"

"North of the city," Su Mingyue said, "an abandoned warehouse."

Abandoned warehouse in the north of the city...

I suddenly remembered something.

"I remember Zhang Hao mentioning before that he had worked odd jobs in a warehouse."

Which warehouse?

"I don't know." I shook my head. "He just said it casually, I didn't pay attention."

Su Mingyue frowned and her fingers flew across the keyboard.

"Let me check all the registered abandoned warehouses in Jiangcheng..."

A few seconds later, a list popped up on the screen.

"There are 17 in total," Su Mingyue said. "If you include some that weren't registered, there might be more than twenty."

More than twenty...

If we search for them one by one, I don't know how long it would take.

"Are there any other clues?" I asked.

"Yes." Su Mingyue opened another page. "I analyzed Zhang Hao's phone call records. In the week before his death, he frequently contacted a number."

A new number appeared on the screen.

"Who owns this number?" I asked.

"It's not a valid number," Su Mingyue said. "But what's interesting is the location of this number..."

She paused.

"It's Jiangcheng University."

My heart skipped a beat.

Jiangcheng University.

Isn't that my and Zhang Hao's alma mater?

"You mean..." I said slowly, "that mysterious phone call came from the school?"

"It's not certain yet," Su Mingyue said, "but it's very likely."

She turned around and looked at me.

"Lin Xiaofan, I have a question for you."

"What's the problem?"

"Before he died, did Zhang Hao mention anyone other than you?"

I thought about it.

"Yes," I said. "He mentioned a guy called 'Old Wang.' He said he could introduce him to part-time jobs."

"Old Wang?" Su Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "What's his full name?"

"I don't know." I shook my head. "Zhang Hao didn't say."

Su Mingyue was silent for a while, then turned back to the computer.

"Let me check the school's staff list..."

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and the data on the screen scrolled rapidly.

"Jiangcheng University has over three thousand faculty and staff members, and more than two hundred of them have 'Wang' in their names..." she muttered to herself, "plus the possible nickname 'Old Wang'..."

"Could you narrow it down?" I asked. "For example... those who joined in recent years, or those who have had dealings with Zhang Hao?"

"We can give it a try," Su Mingyue said. "Zhang Hao is from the Computer Science department, right?"

"right."

"Then I'll check the Computer Science department..."

Her movements suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Found him." Su Mingyue's voice sounded a little strange. "Three years ago, the Computer Science Department hired a new administrative staff member. His surname was Wang, and his name was Wang Zijian."

Wang Zijian...

I wrote down this name.

Is he still in school?

Su Mingyue checked it out.

"Yes," she said, "and...he's still alive."

Alive.

This means that he might know something about Zhang Hao.

"How do I contact him?" I asked.

"This is a bit troublesome." Su Mingyue frowned. "Wang Zijian is an outer member of Night Raven, and we've been keeping an eye on him for a while. But because he hasn't directly participated in any of the supernatural activities, we haven't taken any action against him."

"A peripheral member of Night Raven?" I was stunned. "Could he be related to Zhang Hao's death?"

"Possibly," Su Mingyue said, "but it's also possible that they're just using Zhang Hao as a job, and it has no direct connection to any strange activities."

I fell into deep thought.

Wang Zijian...Outer perimeter of Night Raven...

The "Old Wang" that Zhang Hao mentioned before his death...

What is the connection between these two things?

"Does Director Chen know about this?" I asked.

"I've already spoken to him," Su Mingyue said. "His advice is to avoid alerting them and continue observing."

Don't alert them...

I'm a little disappointed.

I thought there might be a breakthrough, but in the end we still have to wait.

"Then what should I do?" I asked.

"Wait," Su Mingyue said, "wait for the fourth day's mission."

Day four...

I glanced at my phone; it was 10 a.m.

There are still fourteen hours until midnight.

"Oh, right," Su Mingyue suddenly remembered something, "Director Chen asked me to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"This afternoon, he will teach you something."

"What is that?"

"The Concealing Breath Technique," Su Mingyue said, "is a method to hide one's aura."

Concealing one's presence?

Why learn this?

"Because starting from the fourth day, the rules might actively 'find' you," Su Mingyue said. "Learning the Breath Concealment Technique can reduce the probability of being locked onto by the rules."

Reduce the risk of being locked out...

This sounds important.

What time in the afternoon?

"Two o'clock." Su Mingyue glanced at the time. "You have one hour of free time. Would you like me to show you around headquarters?"

"Okay." I nodded.

For the next hour, Su Mingyue took me on a tour of the various departments of the General Administration.

Reception area, archives, training ground, rest area...

I discovered that the General Administration is much larger than I had imagined.

"How many people are there in total?" I asked.

"There are over thirty full-time employees, and with peripheral staff, there are over a hundred," Su Mingyue said. "But those who can truly handle bizarre incidents number no more than ten."

"Only ten?"

"Do you think strange events are common?" Su Mingyue glanced at me. "Most of the time, it's pretty peaceful here. But when something does happen, it's a big deal."

I nodded to indicate that I understood.

"By the way, what's that over there?" I pointed to an iron gate at the end of the corridor.

That door was different from the others; it was covered with talismans and had an electronic lock.

"That's a solitary confinement cell," Su Mingyue said. "A dangerous and eerie place for holding prisoners."

"May I take a look?"

"No," Su Mingyue shook her head. "I don't have permission to go in. Besides, the things inside... it's best not to look."

Her tone sent a chill down my spine.

"Is it dangerous?"

"What's locked inside is the culprit behind an A-level bizarre incident three years ago," Su Mingyue said. "It almost destroyed half of Jiangcheng."

Half of Jiangcheng...

I instinctively took a step back.

Grade A...

What does that mean?

"Don't worry." Su Mingyue seemed to sense my fear. "That thing is sealed very well. As long as the door isn't opened, everything will be fine."

"What if someone deliberately opened it?"

Su Mingyue remained silent for a while.

"That's why we need more people like you," she said. "The only thing that can fight the supernatural is the supernatural itself."

The only thing that can fight against the supernatural is the supernatural itself.

That sounds contradictory, but I understand what it means.

To deal with rule-based anomalies, we need to use the power of the rules.

And I...

That power just happens to exist.

At 2 p.m., I arrived at the training room on time.

Chen Xuan was already waiting there.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"I'm ready," I said, though I was a little nervous.

"The Concealing Breath Technique isn't a complicated skill," Chen Xuan said. "It has only one core element—concealing the fluctuations of your internal energy (CP)."

"CP fluctuations?"

"Yes. Everyone's body emits a unique aura. To ordinary people, this aura is negligible, almost imperceptible. But to the supernatural, this aura is like a beacon."

I understand.

Like a flashlight in the dark, it attracts moths.

How do I hide it?

"Through your breathing," Chen Xuan said. "Do it with me."

He demonstrated a breathing method: inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds.

"This is the basic breathing technique of the Breath Concentration Mantra," he said. "With continued practice, the body can enter a 'dormant' state, reducing the release of CP."

Four—Seven—Eight...

I practiced with him several times.

"How are you feeling?" Chen Xuan asked.

"It's alright," I said, "but I'm not quite used to it yet."

"You'll get used to it after practicing a few times," Chen Xuan said. "This breathing method can be used anytime. Walking, eating, sleeping... you can use it whenever you feel unsafe."

How long will it last?

"Theoretically, it can be maintained indefinitely," Chen Xuan said. "But for beginners, it's recommended to take a ten-minute break every two hours. Maintaining a state of breath control for extended periods can also put a strain on the body."

I nodded and memorized the breathing technique.

Four—Seven—Eight...

breathe......

"Next, I will teach you the advanced techniques of the Breath Concealment Technique," Chen Xuan said.

"Advanced techniques?"

"Yes." Chen Xuan's expression turned serious. "The basic breathing technique you just used can only conceal your CP fluctuations. But if you encounter a powerful anomaly, concealment alone won't be enough."

"What should we do then?"

"Deception," Chen Xuan said, "Making the eerie creature believe you're an 'ordinary person.'"

"How do you deceive?"

"This..." Chen Xuan hesitated for a moment, "You might not be able to do it at your current stage."

Why?

"Because your CP value is too high," Chen Xuan said. "The lock code 777 is much higher than the average person's. To completely hide it requires much more advanced techniques."

777 ......

That's right.

I almost forgot, I am a special target locked by the rules.

An ordinary person might be able to conceal themselves using the Breath Concealment Technique, but I...

"Wouldn't that make me easy to find?"

"Not exactly," Chen Xuan said. "While rule lockers have a high cost-performance ratio, they also have an advantage—you can 'consume' lock codes by completing tasks."

"Consumption?"

"Yes," Chen Xuan said. "Each time you complete a task, the lock code value will decrease slightly. Once you've completed all seven days' worth of tasks, the lock code will be reset to zero. At that point, you'll be no different from an ordinary person."

It turned out to be the case.

I have seven days left.

In seven days, perhaps I will be able to escape this nightmare.

"Okay," I said. "I'll try my best."

"It's good to work hard," Chen Xuan said, "but you also need to remember to rest. The fourth day's mission starts at midnight tonight."

Day four...

My heart skipped a beat.

"Can I meet Wang Zijian before the mission begins?" I suddenly asked.

Chen Xuan frowned.

Why?

"He was the person Zhang Hao mentioned before he died," I said. "I think... he might know something."

Chen Xuan remained silent for a while.

"No," he said. "It's not the right time yet."

Why?

"Because the Night Ravens have their eyes on you." Chen Xuan's eyes sharpened. "If you proactively seek out Wang Zijian, you'll alert them. The Night Ravens will know you've started investigating Zhang Hao's death, which will make them even more vigilant."

"But......"

"No buts." Chen Xuan interrupted me. "Your current task is to survive until the fourth day. We'll talk about other things later."

I opened my mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back.

Chen Xuan is right.

The most important thing now is to survive.

Other things...

I'll think about it later.

It's 11 p.m.

I sat in my room, staring at my phone screen.

There's one hour left.

Fourth day.

The task details haven't been released yet, but I'm already prepared.