Remove all restrictions and transform into a bizarre girl.

Xu Xue's flashlight beam stopped on the dark, still-dampened marks at the bottom of the empty shell, and her pupils contracted slightly.

She crouched down and touched the dark liquid with her fingertips very lightly; the feel of it, similar to snot, was disgusting.

Chen Xuxue stood up, wiped the snot from her fingertips on the rock wall, and said, "They must have just left. Probably right when we split the rock wall."

Xu Xue also squatted down to take a look, her expression changing slightly: "Then it should still be nearby."

Chen Nian didn't speak, and the beam of her flashlight quickly swept across the entire platform.

Apart from the seven or eight shriveled cocoons and scattered black debris, she saw no obvious exit or passage. But when she turned the beam of light toward the top of the platform, she saw something unusual.

There is a darker area on the top of the rock wall that is different in color from the surrounding area. It is about half a meter square and has a very fine crack around the edge, like a closed secret door.

"Up there." Chen Nian pointed to that area.

Xu Xue looked in the direction she pointed and shone her flashlight on it. The outline of the dark area became clearer under the strong light.

She took out the detector and scanned it. The reading on the screen jumped twice, showing a weak residual energy value, which was much higher than the surrounding rocks.

"It definitely came from here; the data there is different from other places."

"Chase!"

Chen Nian quickly assessed the situation. The hidden door was about three meters above the ground, but it was impossible for Chen Nian to get rid of it.

She controlled the ice vines and plunged them directly in that direction.

Then they used the ice vines to build a staircase and climbed to the top of the rock wall in just a few steps.

The place that had been mysteriously drilled through was now extremely fragile; a mere touch of force could easily break the rock wall apart.

Inside, a small opening, barely large enough for one person to pass through, was visible. A stream of air rushed out of the opening, carrying a colder and drier atmosphere than inside the mine, like a wind tunnel leading to the surface.

Chen Nian led Xu Xue upwards, and after climbing for a long time, they were able to see the dim sky outside.

After the two of them went out through the crack one after the other, they finally stood on real, open ground.

The dim moonlight shone on the desolate mining area, illuminating the outlines of rubble and withered grass.

Chen Nian stood beside the exit of the crack, looking around. She saw no moving objects, no dark red light, and no pulsating sounds.

The entire mining area was as quiet as a still painting in the night, with only the wind blowing across the ground, making a soft rustling sound as the dry grass blades fell.

"They ran away," Chen Nian said, her tone carrying a hint of resentment in her calm.

Xu Xue stood beside her, glanced around, and then gently shook her head: "It left those empty shells there, took all the energy with it, leaving not a trace. This isn't escape, it's a transfer."

Chen Nian paused for two seconds, then tightened her backpack strap and walked towards the parking lot: "Let's get back to base first. The information in the notebook is more important than chasing a lost clue."

Xu Xue followed beside her, and the two walked back along the gravel road at the edge of the mining area under the moonlight.

The footsteps sounded particularly clear in the empty night, and occasionally the wind carried the calls of an unknown bird from afar.

The SUV was still parked in the same spot, its body gleaming a cold, silvery-gray in the moonlight.

Chen Nian opened the passenger door and got in, the door closing with a dull thud.

Xu Xue started the engine, and the headlights came on, illuminating a section of the road ahead.

The off-road vehicle drove away from the mining area in the direction it had come from. The ruins behind it grew smaller and smaller in the night, eventually disappearing from the rearview mirror and being completely swallowed by the darkness.

The car was quiet for a while, with only the low hum of the engine and the slight sound of the air conditioning blowing.

Chen Nian leaned back in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the road illuminated by the headlights. She didn't look at Xu Xue, but broke the silence by speaking: "Um, since we didn't take care of the weirdo, we should still pay for it, right?"

Hearing Chen Nian's words, Xu Xue almost slammed on the brakes, but in the end she didn't. Instead, she replied, "Of course I'll pay. The task I gave you isn't to kill or capture this monster, but just to help me investigate. Actually, this is the first time I've encountered such a monster. My data might be more useful than killing it."

"That's good." Chen Nian nodded in satisfaction.

It would be a huge rip-off if they didn't pay.

When the SUV entered the base gate, the guard in the booth glanced at the license plate and let it pass.

The car drove slowly along the main road of the base. The streetlights on both sides illuminated the road, and occasionally a few pedestrians walked across the sidewalk, carrying shopping bags or walking dogs, strolling leisurely in the night.

These images appear exceptionally vivid and real after being exposed to the darkness and confinement of the mine.

Xu Xue parked the car in the parking lot behind the Bureau of Strange Things and turned off the engine.

The two sat quietly in the car for a few seconds, listening to the soft hum of the engine cooling down.

Xu Xue looked at Chen Nian, who hadn't gotten out of the car yet, and said, "Get a good rest tonight, the money will be in your account tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll be going now."

Chen Nian nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt, and opened the car door. The night breeze blew in from outside the parking lot, carrying the dry yet gentle scent unique to the base at night.

She stood outside the car, bent down and glanced into the window: "Senior, you should get some rest too. Remember to call me next time something like this happens."

Hearing Chen Nian's words, Xu Xue's heart skipped a beat.

She sensed that Chen Nian's words had a hidden meaning; it wasn't just about him taking her to make money, but also had another layer of meaning.

Although she wasn't that kind of person, in her daze, it seemed...

what……

After Chen Nian had been gone for a long time, she started the engine again and drove the car into the bureau's underground parking garage.

Upon returning to school, Chen Nian did not drive directly back to her dormitory. Instead, she parked her car and walked around the campus.

The campus was quiet at night. There was no one on the playground, only the streetlights casting warm yellow halos on the empty track.

Chen Nian walked along the tree-lined path, her footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

He landed a big order as soon as he got back, and maybe he can gather all the gray coins Fang Anya needs at the 996 base.

Yes, the future looks promising!

She continued walking, pushed open the dormitory building door, went upstairs, and returned to her room.

The three girls were already asleep.

Chen Nian stood in the middle, looking at the three girls beside her, and scratched her head. They really weren't on guard at all; even with the door opening so loudly, not one of them woke up.

Should we let them experience what it means to be wicked?

Forget it, I'll just protect them myself from now on.

……