I created a foundation

Yotsuya Kenko was struck by lightning and froze in place.

Yin-Yang eyes! This was the secret she hid the deepest, never told anyone, and even herself she dared not face it! It was the root of all her pain and fear over the past few years!

And now, this secret was revealed so casually and succinctly by a man who claimed to be an "expert" and whom I met for the first time today.

At this moment, she felt that she was completely naked in front of this man, without any secrets at all.

However, strangely enough, besides the shock and fear of being completely seen through, a sense of relief of being understood quietly arose in her heart, which she herself had not even noticed...

It turns out that someone understands.

It turns out that everything I experienced was not an illusion or a mental illness, but real.

This feeling made the high wall of vigilance and suspicion in her heart loosen a little.

Lin Qing keenly caught the fleeting change in her eyes and knew that the time was almost right. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a serious and solemn expression, and his tone became more serious.

"Do you think that as long as you pretend not to see them and ignore them, you will be safe?"

His words, like a heavy hammer, struck Yotsuya Miko's heart hard, shattering the fragile set of survival rules she had always relied on.

"You're wrong." Lin Qing's voice was firm and piercing with cold cruelty. "Your physique is like a beacon in the darkness, attracting more and more dangerous creatures. Your disregard is nothing but a cowardly provocation, which will only make them more aggressive."

"Today, this little babbling character on the subway," he said with a contemptuous tone, commenting on the monster that nearly broke her down, "I'm afraid that in the future, I'm afraid I won't even be worthy of carrying your shoes."

These words completely broke down Yotsuya Miko's last psychological defense.

She recalled the "things" she had seen over the past few years, and they had indeed become increasingly clear, increasingly terrifying, and increasingly aggressive. Lin Qing's words were undoubtedly correct, but she had been deceiving herself.

And the man in front of her was the first and only person she had met who could "solve" them.

He is hope.

He is... the only lifeline.

Looking at the girl's shaky and tearful appearance, Lin Qing knew that the time was ripe.

He stopped pressuring her, turned around and walked forward, his back to her, leaving behind only a long, unclear silhouette under the streetlight.

His voice drifted over calmly with the night wind, yet it carried an unquestionable magic.

"Your physique requires proper guidance and protection."

The voice was not loud, but it was like a warm current that injected into Yotsuya Miko's cold and desperate heart.

Guidance... and shelter?

She raised her head and looked at the figure walking away with tears in her eyes.

"Come with me," Lin Qing's voice came from the front. He didn't look back, but seemed to be certain that she would follow him. "Here, I have your only solution."

Chapter 0003: Don't be afraid, sign a contract and you will be safe

Yotsuya Miko didn't know how she followed Lin Qing out of the platform.

Her legs felt heavy as if they were filled with lead, and every step felt like treading on cotton, hollow and unreal. The streets were deserted late at night, only the streetlights stretched and shortened their shadows, crisscrossing on the cold ground. She didn't dare get too close, fearing anger from this mysterious man; nor did she dare to move too far, fearing the gazes lurking in the darkness would consume her.

She could only maintain a delicate distance, neither too far nor too close, like a satellite caught by invisible gravity, spinning around him involuntarily. Her mind was a mess, with countless questions colliding, but she didn't dare to speak.

Where does this man want to take her?

After walking through several quiet streets, Lin Qing finally stopped in front of a seemingly unremarkable commercial and residential building. This building was so ordinary that it blended in with the surrounding environment and would not attract the slightest attention in any neighborhood.

Lin Qing skillfully took out the key and opened a door on the ground floor.

Behind the door was not the kind of home environment that Yotsuya Miko had imagined.

A mingled smell of new furniture and paint hit me. What greeted me was an unusually spacious, almost empty, office. Several brand-new desks and chairs were neatly arranged, not a speck of dust on them. The walls were painted a brilliant white, and on one of them hung a large, equally pristine whiteboard.

Aside from the two of them, there was no other living being in the entire space. This desolate emptiness, far from reassuring Yotsuya Miko, instead evoked a more inexplicable chill within her, a sense of some grand scheme looming. This place was like a newly constructed stage, waiting for the actors to take the stage.

Lin Qing seemed oblivious to her awkwardness. He walked straight to the executive chair at the back and sat down casually. The chair made a soft, leathery rustle. He rested his elbows on the table, fingers interlaced, and with a calm, examining, emotionless gaze, he examined Yotsuya Miko, who stood stiffly at the door, unsure of where to put her hands and feet.

At that moment, Yotsuya Miko had an illusion. She wasn't a victim who had just been rescued from a monster, but a nervous job seeker. And Lin Qing before her was the final interviewer who held the power of life and death over her.

"sit."

Lin Qing pointed to the chair opposite him. His voice was calm, but it carried an irresistible sense of command.

Yotsuya Kenko hesitated for a moment, but still took small steps over and sat down stiffly on the edge of the chair, with his back straight and his hands tightly placed on his knees.

Lin Qing ignored her nervousness, leaned back on the wide chair, and went straight to the point.

"My firm's full name is 'Anomalous Phenomenon Consulting Firm,'" he said in a declarative tone, as if reciting a line he'd memorized by heart. "We are dedicated to researching, processing, controlling, and, when necessary... containing all kinds of 'anomalies' that pose a threat to public safety."

He deliberately emphasized the word "shelter" and observed Yotsuya Miko's reaction with sharp eyes.

"Now, on behalf of the firm, I formally propose to you a 'containment' plan."

His tone was extremely formal and professional, as if he were announcing a business partnership involving tens of billions of dollars. The seriousness of his words made Yotsuya Miko hold her breath, forcing her chaotic brain to start working, listening carefully to every word.

"The plan is very simple." Lin Qing's fingertips tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound. "You, Yotsuya Miko, will be 'registered in name only' with me and become 'asset' number 002 under the name of this firm..."

He seemed to think that the word "assets" was too cold, so he paused and changed to a gentler term.

"...or, 'protected subject.'"

"In exchange," he leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Yotsuya Miko. An invisible sense of oppression washed over him. "I, and the firm behind me, will provide you with the highest level of security. From the moment you agree, all the 'abnormal' troubles you've experienced in the past and will face in the future will be resolved by us. Completely and permanently."

Solve...all...unusual troubles?

These words, like a magical spell, struck Yotsuya Miko's heart hard.

For a young girl who had been haunted by horrors for years, living in fear and disguise every day, the allure of these words was deadly. It meant she could return to the sunlight, laugh like a normal person, and no longer live in constant fear, afraid that if she spoke one more word to a classmate, she would see some hideous monster lurking behind them.

Her heart was shaken violently. The balance of reason had begun to tilt irreversibly towards Lin Qing.

However, her sanity was still struggling.

Why?

Why should she trust him? It all sounded too smooth, like a scam tailor-made for a desperate girl like her. Agency? Asylum? Sanctuary? These words all sounded so suspicious. What if… what if he himself was even more terrifying than those evil spirits?

Yotsuya Miko's face was shrouded in uncertainty. Hope and doubt battled furiously within her, forcing her lips to purse tightly, unable to offer an immediate response. Her silence was her final act of defense.

"I know what you're worried about."

Lin Qing smiled, a smile filled with the confidence of someone who saw through everything, as if the struggle between her inner self and her own desires was nothing more than a pre-scripted stage play. He stopped pressing her with words and calmly opened the drawer beside him.

He took out a notebook from the drawer.

It was a notebook with an extremely simple style and a black hard cover, about the size of an A5 paper, without any trademarks or unnecessary decorations, and the edges looked a little worn for unknown reasons.

Under Yotsuya Miko's bewildered and puzzled gaze, Lin Qing flipped open his notebook to a fresh page. He picked up a fountain pen from the table, uncapped it, and the tip of the pen left a line of clear and fluent handwriting on the white paper.

He wrote very slowly, and every stroke seemed to carry some strange rhythm.

Yotsuya Miko believes that Lin Qing's proposed 'containment' plan is absolutely safe and offers immense, immeasurable benefits to both parties. Immediately agreeing and joining his firm is the most correct, wisest, and only option at this time.

After finishing, Lin Qing casually closed the notebook, as if completing a trivial task, and then threw it on the corner of the table. He looked at Yotsuya Miko again, with that gentle smile still on his face.

And at the moment he put pen to paper.

At the moment when the period was drawn.

Yotsuya Miko felt that her world had been turned upside down once again.

The stubborn suspicion, deep-rooted fear, and layers of vigilance built up out of self-protection instinct in her eyes were like ice and snow illuminated by the sun, melting and fading away at an incredible speed, disappearing without a trace.

What replaced it was an unprecedented sense of absolute trust that came from the deepest part of the soul and was as deep as a brand.

An unreserved and absolute dependence on the man in front of her named Lin Qing.

She looked at Lin Qing's handsome face, and in just a second, her eyes changed from wariness and suspicion to clarity, determination, and even a hint of fanatical admiration. It was as if he was not a stranger she had just met, but the only savior she had been searching for for sixteen years, the natural guide in her life.

why?

Why did I hesitate just now?

A trace of confusion flashed through her mind, which even she herself could not understand.

Joining Mr. Lin's firm and accepting his protection—isn't this the natural, obvious thing to do? It's a no-brainer! For a tortured me, this is the only, most perfect salvation! What was I doubting just now? I'm completely crazy!

This thought was so strong and so "correct" that she instantly attributed all her previous doubts and vigilance to her own "stupidity" and "cowardice".

She stood up suddenly from her chair, even knocking the chair behind her over in such haste. But she didn't care. She bowed deeply, almost ninety degrees, to Lin Qing, who was sitting comfortably in the boss's chair, and said loudly in a tone full of excitement, apology, and sincerity:

"Mr. Lin, I understand! I'm very sorry.

I apologize for my previous ignorance and hesitation! Please let me join! I am willing to do anything for you!

At the same time, in Lin Qing's mind, the cold, mechanical system prompt sound, with a final tone declaring victory, sounded clearly.

[The contract has been established and cognitive coverage is complete.]

[Containment No. 002 - Yotsuya Miko's Yin-Yang Eyes, successfully contained.]

Chapter 0004: Reward S-level talent! I can become infinitely stronger!

In the midst of Yotsuya Miko's excited and sincere oath, the real world in front of Lin Qing seemed to be stripped of its color, and his consciousness instantly sank into an endless void.

The cold, emotionless mechanical prompt sound, like the law at the beginning of creation, echoed majestically in the depths of his mind.

[Detection: "Subject No. 002 - Yotsuya Miko's Yin-Yang Eyes" has been successfully captured. The contract has been signed and the capture reward has begun to be distributed...]

[Reward determination in progress...]

[Potential rating of the contained object: S-level (possesses the potential to grow into a high-dimensional observation node).]