"'Approaching Science' hasn't replied to your private message yet?"
The atmosphere of work suddenly became more intense during the meal.
"No reply," Nie Yu said. "I bet his private inbox is already full."
This morning, I checked the Science Club's private message box but received no reply. However, her private messages are definitely visible, as the administrator has pinned permission for private messages.
This is mainly because Zhan Yan is still at work. He really wants to check out the Chao Fan Forum, but his login is via the 'bystander mode' system, where his view is entirely dominated by information streams. The forum interface floats in the middle, unlike when you're looking at an electronic screen where you can still focus on your surroundings—kind of like a hologram.
He decided against logging into the news agency's forum for security reasons. Instead, he planned to log in at night in his room, where he could casually browse gossip threads and collect keywords. His goal was to level up early and unlock more skills. With the weekend off tomorrow, he figured he'd make the most of today to grind a few more!
A user complained that the navigation route on the 'unethical map' led them to a sewage ditch, forcing them to wade across. The map claimed it would re-examine the route, but all recorded navigation paths had already been used by people.
The tiger-headed sea eagle, having forgotten its migration route after a prolonged absence, flew straight through the map navigation system. The AI then recorded its remarkable new path.
Zhan Yan: Pfft.
What can we do? It is a first-class protected animal.
...
Jian Yan found time to check out the latest gossip about the production crew.
In the end, Ling Yuteng couldn't resist going to the film set that afternoon.
He's not good at acting or acting with integrity, but he has a keen eye for spotting roles that attract fans. That's how he rose to fame—by relying on his poor acting skills (he couldn't even recite lines) and his decent looks.
Though Xia Yuexian is a tough woman to deal with, her TV dramas are consistently high-quality. The internet has long circulated the saying, 'Mingtang Productions guarantees top-notch quality.'
It is easier for a fine drama to bring a classic character, and an unforgettable classic character is self-evident to the actor.
Ling Yuteng, a star known for his role in Mingtang Film & TV's classic productions, recently faced backlash after starring alone in a historical drama that received harsh reviews. Now, he desperately needs a role to maintain his popularity and traffic. While the character's premise is solid, its limited screen time is a major drawback. Playing such minor roles is considered a career drag for him, and fans assumed he joined the cast as a guest star. Yet now, even a slight increase in his screen time has him whining...
After waiting all morning without any news, Ling Yuteng couldn't hold back any longer and went to the production team. There he found the crew already working hard on filming his character.
Ling Yuteng was shocked.
How dare they replace him without a word?! He's backed by investors!
After the shock, Ling Yu let go of his anger. He saw a figure in his costume walking toward him with large strides.
He wants to see who dares to take his place!
The crew never expected a sudden intruder to appear, and in a moment of carelessness, they actually let him through.
Ling Yuteng raised his chin high. "You..."
Jian Yun-kai turned his head. Ling Yu-teng was shocked by the face.
Jian Yunkai shot him a glance and said flatly, "Out."
"Alright, alright." Ling Yuteng quickly withdrew.
Director Liu rubbed his face in frustration, sighing at the assistant director: "Look at him just now when he drove Ling Yuteng away—what a commanding presence! Why does he turn into some AI puppet when it's time to deliver lines?"
After leaving the film set, Ling Yuteng suddenly realized.
"No! How did I get out?"
He came to discuss this role with the production team!
The assistant was silent.
Who knew you'd suddenly come out like you had lost your mind? Anyway, they don't let people in anymore.
Yan Zhen was completely satisfied after finishing her father's steamy romance story.
Congratulations on successfully slacking off with pay for another day.
Tsk. Zhan Yan turned off the social media feed, returned home after work, warmed up the braised pork, steamed a pot of rice, drizzled it with rich braising sauce, and added some crisp, refreshing side dishes packed from the supermarket.
Ah! Life...
While Yan was cooking up a hearty meal for his brother and sister, he was about to head back to his room to join the Super Forum when his mother called again.
Yan Yan, could you pack some baozi and braised pork in a lunchbox for me tomorrow? I need to send it to my sister Luo Luo at the company. She's on a business trip too, so she'll bring it to me.
"Good." Zhan Yan agreed.
Luo Luo, whose full name is Luo Luo Luo, works as an assistant at her mother's company. Whenever Zhan Yan visits the office to deliver items or assist with tasks, she always works closely with Luo Luo.
Zhan Yan asked again, "Mom, when will you come back?"
"I don't know." Ji Yueming sighed.
Besides the 'teenager's resentment 'at hand, the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance also possesses a demonic deity-type growth anomaly. They must now discuss cooperation. Though the specifics of the discussion weren't her responsibility, she needed to examine the anomaly in the Alliance's possession.
Luo Luoluo, who works as her company's assistant, is actually part of the Abnormal Affairs Bureau. With her around, she can always find excuses to get Yan Yan to bring home-cooked meals.
"I'll just pretend more," said Zhan Yan.
Yanyan is so sweet! Mom will kiss you!
After hanging up, Zhan Yan rubbed his reddened ear tips and started searching for the family's largest insulated box.
The Unusual Transaction Management Unit.
Ji Yueming hung up the phone, feeling quite regretful.
Kids grow up so fast. When they were little, they could kiss and hug mom freely, but now they don't like to be coquettish with her.
Both Jinli and Suer are precocious kids who rarely cling to their parents as toddlers. Yet Yanyan stands out—she's the most gentle and obedient, willingly sitting in her mother's arms for dressing, softly calling her 'mama' with her signature curly hair. Now that Yanyan has grown up, she can't be held like she was before, and even a phone kiss makes her blush shyly...
After hanging up the phone, Ji Yueming picked up the report and quickly got back into the right mindset.
They are tracing the origins of the viral phenomenon of "teenagers' resentment" online, seeking to identify why it has become a growth disorder. However, the internet is flooded with information, making it nearly impossible to sort through. Nie Yu first examined the platform rules mentioned in the "Approaching Science" post, and indeed, these rules bear traces of abnormality in their creation.
All the information from 'Approaching Science' is accurate, and he might have additional leads. With his help, the next steps would be much smoother.
Of course, it might also be linked to the 'teenagers' resentment' incident, which he orchestrated to serve certain agendas.
But whatever the case, we must first connect with this mysterious 'Approaching Science'.
So why is he still not online?!
Zhan Yan retrieved the thermal box and tidied it up. He then set aside the small steamed buns and braised pork he planned to bring to his mother the next day, placing them in a separate compartment of the fridge. Returning to the bedroom, he settled into a comfortable position on the bed, closed his eyes, and opened the Chaofan Forum.
Then, I stared blankly at the private message from 99+.
Is the post from yesterday that powerful?
The pinned bar from the 'Admin Domain' private message is bolded and enlarged, complete with a glittering rainbow text effect, as if to make sure no one misses it.
I don't see why the admin likes this flashy style.
—It was actually a misunderstanding. Nie Yu waited all day for him without any news, and every hour he added a prominent effect, until it ended up like this.
Yan Jian opened the private message, which was remarkably concise and clear—unlike the flashy title. He asked if he had any further leads on 'teenagers' grievances.'
Zhan Yan read the private message several times but didn't reply right away. The situation was better than he had expected.
His primary motivation for engaging with the supernatural was to protect his family. However, his "bystander" system lacked combat capabilities, forcing him to rely on external assistance. The Abnormal Affairs Bureau proved an ideal partner—both powerful and aligned with his goals, as they shared the mission to eliminate anomalies and maintain stability. Yet Zhan Yan refused to join, finding their control-oriented approach too rigid and authoritarian.
They are the kind who want to micromanage everything, testing and registering every superpowered individual they catch (even demons and ghosts). The Demon Alliance, however, is entirely different—its members are mostly free-spirited and unregulated, which is one of the key reasons these two organizations clash.
The Abnormal Affairs Bureau operates on the principle: 'Whatever is extraordinary, it's my domain. 'Whether it's individuals or supernatural entities, they must face consequences independently. Take the mermaid who caused exorbitant water charges as an example: after apprehending her, the Bureau handled her disciplinary measures and corrective education entirely on its own, without notifying her clan.
It makes sense that demons are punished when they act on human territory, but humans must also be brought back and punished when they act on demon territory. The Ten Thousand Demon Alliance is not happy about this.
Do you still have any sense of decency or territorial boundaries? Does the whole world belong to you? We haven't even registered those superpowered beings who dare to roam the Undersea Forest, so why do you insist on registering the demons active in human cities?
To make matters worse, after the National First-Class Tiger-headed Sea Eagle Demon was captured by the Abnormal Affairs Bureau, they analyzed its recent diet and revised its feeding regimen to prevent National First from outperforming National Second. They even used threats and bribes to force the demon to wear a wild bird leg band.
This is a bit of a perversion.
Jian Yan couldn't accept it, nor did he want to get entangled in the conflict between the two major organizations. The Abnormal Affairs Bureau didn't need to consider him part of their team or trust him. All Jian Yan needed was their attention to his message. Maintaining a mysterious identity and cooperating amicably was a good approach.
"What kind of clues?" Zhan Yan replied.
The administrator replied quickly: "All you can provide."
"We don't need that much."
"I'll give you a few key clues."
Zhan Yan scoured the gossip threads, compiling the entries about 'teenagers' grievances' from the period before the attack on the Chao Fan Forum, along with the threads from before and after its upgrade from C to B level, and shared them.
It's impossible to send everything. Forget the chaos this anomaly caused when it spread online—just sharing what he knows would give the opposing side enough clues to figure out the' gossiping system.'
This is just right for now, allowing the Abnormal Affairs Bureau to verify his claims while still being uncertain about his actual situation.
The other party received his message and only replied after a while: 'Got any clues about how it came into being?'
"No," Zhan Yan replied quickly.
The timeline he can trace through his 'melon-eating system' is limited. Generally, the more familiar he is with someone or something, the further back he can go. Like himself, he can easily scroll back over a decade. But 'teenagers' grievances 'can only be traced back less than a year, even though it's likely been circulating online for years.
After a brief pause, the administrator responded again, likely verifying the authenticity of the information he provided.
Thank you for the useful tip.
If you encounter advanced exceptions in the future, please notify me.
You can claim reimbursement.
Yan Shen breathed a sigh of relief.
Now they can talk about the garbled text anomaly.