"No." Zhan Yan refused coldly.
Beijing Agricultural University is right next to Yunjin City, just a few hours by high-speed rail. He booked a ticket for tomorrow morning.
Zhan Yan logged into the Chao Fan forum, aiming to boost the reputation of the 'Approaching Science' account.
His account currently has low credibility. Though he gained instant fame by exploiting the forum's youth mode, his foundation remains too weak for an intelligence provider. Zhan Yan doesn't plan to accumulate experience through small tasks step by step—it's too slow.
He opened the irrigation area.
When it comes to viral trends and credibility, what could possibly rise faster than gossip?
Upon entering the forum, Zhan Yan noticed his earlier post still prominently displayed on the homepage. Since he hadn't replied, all sorts of speculations were swirling below.
Others have also started separate threads to discuss:
{Is there anyone to discuss the identity of approaching science?}
Yan Zhen was curious and went in to take a look.
L:
Several prominent figures have come forward to deny their involvement in the so-called 'Approaching Science' initiative.
The following messages have not been replied to:
@Hacker@ Secretary Ao@ Can't keep up anymore@...
L:
Forget about the hacker—Fang Pai himself said he's been swamped lately.
There are a few others linked to the Abnormal Affairs Administration, the Ten Thousand Demons Alliance, and Chaofushan Mountain that don't even need to be mentioned. If they had official backing, they wouldn't even post on forums—just contact them directly would do.
The forum buzzed with speculation about his identity. Some guessed he was a high-profile figure behind a mask, while others speculated he might be a reclusive figure making a comeback. The buzz was intense because he vanished after posting just one message, which contained nothing but suspicious details. Despite the heated discussions, he never responded, leading many to conclude he was a cold, aloof tycoon.
73L:
No one would guess that science is for newcomers, which is why they can't keep up with those big shots.
75L:
Seriously? How could a total newbie have this ability?
And if it's a newcomer, why did they just pop up once and then vanish?
75L:
Maybe he was recruited by the Abnormal Affairs Bureau after this incident.
The post was silent for a while.
It is very possible!
His posts have drawn attention across all administrative sectors. If Zai Kao Ke Xue were truly capable, it would be no surprise that the Abnormal Affairs Bureau would offer him a lucrative offer to join their ranks.
Since I joined the Abnormal Transaction Management Bureau, I no longer need to show up in public. All I have to do is complete the bureau's tasks.
77L:
Is this considered landing a job? Getting a government position right away. I'm so envious.
80L:
Envious? You really don't know the controlling style of the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs?
81L:
I'm just an ordinary guy, so I'll just check it out. Once I've done my research, I'll quit. I really don't want to keep this damn job anymore. Working at the Abnormal Affairs Bureau to earn a salary and social security benefits is way better than being exploited by capitalists.
Nie Yu is also scanning posts.
The Bureau of Unusual Affairs has indeed attempted to recruit individuals. Regardless of their scientific background or origins, once they agree, the bureau can investigate them. If the investigation confirms no issues, acquiring a capable superhuman would be a welcome addition.
Unfortunately, they rushed into science too hastily. The recruitment posts they sent him later went unanswered, and the guy never made another appearance on the forum.
Deputy Director Ning Xi remarked that this guy seemed to be there just to relay the news of the unnamed anomaly to them.
The post continues.
95L:
Well, getting closer to science makes sense for someone who's had a past misstep, which is why they'd rather not show their head again after that one time.
80L:
Everyone's praising his skills. What other accomplishments does he have besides this one? If he's truly capable, why wouldn't he dare to reply again?
The 'teenage resentment' message he provided was so detailed it was downright bizarre—only if he had fabricated this anomaly would it make sense.
98L:
He may have been taken in already.
All these layers share the same ID: 'Da Tian Shi'.
This was no ordinary suspicion. The 'Approaching Science' account had never provoked anyone before, yet with such malicious intent, Zhan Yan opted to search directly in the gossip mode.
You think anonymity lets you spread maliciousness freely? Ha! You're just being spoiled!
100L "Approaching Science":
The administrator domain is being used to catch people.
Da Tian Shi, whose real name is Wei Weishuo, is a hypnotic superpower.
Two years ago, she was using her superpower to traffick women and children.
Da Tian was flustered and began to berate him for slandering him. But Zhan Yan immediately posted the exact date and location of the crime.
Then the great wetness vanished, never to return.
Nie Yu, who was also browsing the posts, glared fiercely and immediately contacted the bureau to investigate the case and apprehend the suspects.
"Is 'Approaching Science' back?" Nie Ling asked, looking at Nie Yu who had suddenly changed his demeanor.
"Exactly," Nie Yu typed rapidly on the keyboard. "He uncovered a criminal..."
By the time she finished speaking, she had already checked the information provided by Close Science. Most cases had been confirmed, while the few unreported cases might have gone undetected.
Judging by Da Tian's reaction to the wetness, it's highly likely that the closer we get to science, the more likely we are to be right.
This guy's got lightning-fast and spot-on information. Nie Yu messaged him again, but still got no reply. She snapped and closed the app. When she came to arrest him, he didn't even bother to reply to her private message—what a jerk!
This post, which had nearly lost its momentum, quickly regained traction thanks to the emergence of 'Approaching Science'.
Look at the efficiency of this steady, accurate and ruthless move!
Some admire the performance of 'Approaching Science,' while others worry about how he obtained the 'Big Sky Wet' information.
Ignoring their attitudes, Yan Zhan started scouring the comment section for trending posts.
He shouldn't just chase the hype around science; the most efficient approach is to keep riding the wave.
{Does anyone know what's going on with Mount Chaofu?}
As they ascended Mount Chofu, Zhan Yan recalled this was the underworld's domain, where the Demon King Wan Yan resided—among the architects behind the forum.
In past incidents, both the Abnormal Affairs Bureau and the Ten Thousand Demons Alliance had intervened, but Chaofushan remained completely silent—a detail that piqued Zhan Yan's interest.
He clicked on the post, but before he could even read it, his brother Zhan Jinli had already returned.
Zhan Yan added the post to favorites and left the forum.
"Bro, why are you back so late?" Zhan Yan typed the message. "My sister called saying she's staying at the studio tonight and won't be coming back."
Jian Jinli usually leaves home early, and his cake shop rarely sees customers—there are no regulars. The best-selling items are the yogurt fruit salad and the cream fruit tower, as they don't require adding sugar.
Jian Jinli replied, "I've got a new cake idea."
Zhan Yan:...Oh.
Bro, have you eaten yet? Shall I get you some hot buns?
Jian Jinli: "No, I'm having cake."
To some extent, his brother was also quite intimidating. He could eat the cake he made himself without batting an eye, even finding it delicious.
Jian Jinli came back to the room in the shadow.
He certainly didn't come home late because of experimenting with a new cake recipe.
Over the past two days, Zhan Jinli had been investigating the Hungry Ghost case. He retraced the route based on the ghost's recollections, but found no clues. The ghost now appeared perfectly normal, though he could no longer recall the nature of the anomaly—only an unbearable hunger remained. To ensure safety, Zhan Jinli kept the ghost close at all times.
But his unusually late return tonight wasn't because of that. It was mainly because those little rascals came to him again to cry.
In the room, Zhan Jinli opened the tin candy box in his pocket, and six ghosts rolled out with a gurgling sound. One was a hungry ghost, and the other five were little ghosts in red, yellow, white, green, and black.
"Your Majesty..." the little devils cried.
Jian Jinli said, "You guys can stay with me for now."
The Abnormal Transaction Management Bureau inexplicably went into overdrive, launching a sweeping operation to eliminate anomalies and document all supernatural entities within Yunjin City.
This is a problem.
Jian Jinli had renounced his ghostly identity, determined to live a normal life in the mortal world. If the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs discovered these little ghosts, he might be dragged into the investigation too.
"We lost all our land, woe woe woe..."
We're still dreaming of conquering the world for the Great King...
"We have not yet started our business when the road collapsed..."
"Shh." Zhan Jin said with a blank expression. "If my family finds out, I'll make sure you all die right now."
The little ones were quiet.
Jian Jinli opened Chaofan Forum with a headache. After his reincarnation, he had largely stopped using this platform, but now all his former connections in Chaofan were severed. To find out why the Abnormal Affairs Administration had suddenly gone mad, he had no choice but to check the forum for clues.
He logged into his previous account:
The administrator would never keep a cat.
Isn't Yunjin City the territory of the Chongming Demon King? Why is the Abnormal Affairs Bureau suddenly intervening so aggressively? Are they planning to wage war against the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance?
Not at all. The Abnormal Transaction Management Bureau has only reached an agreement with the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance.
Zhan Yunkai dissed people and was satisfied, and completed the negotiation in the afternoon with great time efficiency.
To investigate the mysterious anomaly, Yunjin City and its surrounding areas must enforce martial law, with the first priority being to eliminate all anomalies.
The matter has been entrusted to the Celestial Master's team, and the matter will be cleared tonight.
Since speed is everything, there's no need to hide too much," Ji Yueming said, fastening his lightning-patterned mask. His fingers interlocked, instantly spreading streaks of lightning across his palm.
The next morning, shortly after Zhan Yan finished washing up, he received a call from Zhen Hua, the news agency's director.' Zhan Yan, how are you today? If you're free, could you come work overtime at the agency?'
Yan said, "Hmm, I'm planning to go back to school today. I've already booked the train ticket."
Zhen Hua: "Is your school assignment urgent? If not, can we postpone it? I'll reimburse your travel expenses, triple your overtime pay, and grant you a week of paid leave after wrapping up these tasks—take it whenever you're free."
"Not so much," Yan said.
Let Tian Youcheng learn English for a few more days!
Yan Yan rushed to the news agency with excitement. While overtime pay and paid leave were secondary concerns, the sudden surge in activity clearly meant there was something juicy to report!
When he entered the newsroom, Zhen Hua hurriedly handed him a pile of bizarre reports, instructing him to craft them into scientifically sound news articles.
Zhan Yan scanned the scene quickly. Good grief! It was all from last night's incident in Yunjin City!
He turned on the gossip mode.
Congratulations! You have earned a chance to accumulate merit.
Zhan Yan:...
What the hell! Search Yunjin City!
Last night, the 'Celestial Master' led a team to address anomalies in Yunjin City and neighboring areas, claiming they had a great time.
The cleanup team was devastated, saying, 'Logistics are just as vital as life itself!'
The Abnormal Transaction Management Department must have intervened, likely due to the garbled error message he provided. What a lightning-fast response! The message arrived on Friday night, and by Saturday night, they'd already completed a full-scale cleanup of abnormal transactions within the city.
While casually gossiping, Yan Jian fabricated news and didn't forget to message his dorm leader Duan Hong: "I've got something to do today, so I won't be returning to school."
Beijing Agricultural University.
Duan Hong looked up at Gu Jiancheng and said, "Uh... Zhan Yan said he wouldn't come."
He asked carefully, "Did you make an appointment?"
Gu Jiancheng was holding his phone and looked sad.
Is this what happened when he didn't tell Zhan Yan and sneaked off?