Chapter 32 – The Unknown Department
That same night, a blogger named “Waterborn” posted an article criticizing Lin Jiu for eating a giant lobster and even tagged him directly.
Lin Jiu had been gaining a lot of attention online recently. Whether good or bad, any mention of his name attracted interest.
This blogger, “Waterborn,” wrote a long post listing various ways giant lobsters found around the world were handled. Abroad, they were sent to aquariums or released back into the wild. Only Lin Jiu had turned such a rare, large lobster into a meal. Judging by the size of its claws, this lobster weighed over 15 kilograms, enough to rank among the world’s largest. It would take at least a hundred years to grow to such a size.
After surviving so many years and escaping capture time and time again, it couldn’t escape Lin Jiu’s hands in the end.
“Waterborn” called on the public not to become accomplices to the cruel slaughter of rare aquatic creatures and urged Lin Jiu to donate such rare lobsters to an aquarium instead of using them as a way to make money.
As soon as this post went up, it gained widespread attention.
Whether “Waterborn” was trying to ride on Lin Jiu’s popularity or truly cared about rare marine life, their goal was achieved, and the comment section blew up in the middle of the night.
“Do we even need to talk about Lin Jiu’s character? Selfish and cold-blooded, low moral standards—hasn’t that always been his style?”
“Lin Jiu: What’s the big deal about eating a giant lobster? Ignoring people in need is my specialty :)”
“Here we go again. Same old story, same familiar face, coming back to bash Lin Jiu.”
“I’m fuming just watching this drama. Can the haters give it a rest? Did Lin Jiu kill your entire family or dig up your ancestors’ graves? Why do you keep attacking him? Or are you just brain-dead fans of some rival who can’t stand seeing him succeed, so you bash him every day?”
“Looks like the comment above nailed it :)”
“Anti-fans: Finally, a stage for us to dance on, thanks to ‘Waterborn’!”
“Such a huge lobster is indeed rare, and it’s a shame to eat it.”
“What kind of holier-than-thou person are you? If you caught a giant lobster yourself, you wouldn’t have the heart to eat it? You’d probably sell it, happily counting the money, then wrap yourself in a halo of virtue, calling it a donation to an aquarium.”
“This post is clearly just trying to leech off Boss Lin while pretending to be righteous, turning the target of this leeching into a villain. If you’re so righteous, how much money have you donated to protect marine life? Talking doesn’t cost a dime, huh? I suggest we all ignore this person and move on.”
***
Because of the situation with Si Xu, Lin Jiu had a rare sleepless night. On a whim, he logged into Weibo, intending to clear up some old work-related posts. He would still need Weibo in the future. If he had to go buy stock again, he could just announce it there so elderly customers wouldn’t show up and find the shop closed.
While scrolling through a bunch of mentions, Lin Jiu noticed “Waterborn.” He glanced at Waterborn’s Weibo page, replied with a disinterested comment, and then dropped the matter.
Lin Jiu deleted all his work-related Weibo posts since debuting, as if doing so would really separate him from that world. After cleaning up his profile, he logged off immediately without lingering for even a second.
Unbeknownst to him, his latest Weibo post had already caused an explosion in the comment section.
Lin Jiu: “I have too many giant lobsters at home. Which one do you want me to send you? @Waterborn”
The comment section was filled with laughter.
“Did my boy just unlock the ‘sarcasm’ skill? I’m so relieved; now I don’t have to worry about him getting bullied!”
“Where’s the sweet and polite Lin Jiu from before? This new version is spicy, and I love it!”
“Can you all be a little kinder? Am I the only one cringing for ‘Waterborn’? Look at what Lin Jiu said! Where’s the ‘rare’ and ‘precious’ now? I can never take those words seriously again.”
“Surprised? Didn’t expect it, did you? Thought you could slander my boy just because he left Weibo, huh? How’s your face feeling, @Waterborn?”
“@Waterborn, since you’re so good at talking, keep going! You’re the only one who could force Boss Lin back online!”
“Boss, don’t leave, I’ve got more to say—*Erkang hand gesture*.”
“Boss Lin: Hold that thought!”
***
The giant lobster controversy hadn’t blown over yet. Lin Jiu, as usual, dragged a large cooler to the shop. Apart from the regular diners, reporters were also gathered outside, and when Lin Jiu appeared, a reporter hurried over, followed closely by a cameraman.
“Hello, Mr. Lin. I’m a reporter from the A City Lifestyle channel. Could I interview you? Where did you buy such a huge lobster?”
Dragging the cooler behind him, Lin Jiu continued walking forward, cold and indifferent. “No.”
The reporter: “…”
The reporter’s smile became a little stiff. “Could we at least take a look at the rumored giant lobster? So far, no lobster of this size has been found in our country. I’m sure our audience would love to see it.”
Lin Jiu: “No.”
The reporter: “…”
The cameraman: “…”
The reporter, slightly embarrassed, reminded him, “Mr. Lin, we’re live right now. Could you please cooperate a little?”
Finally, Lin Jiu looked at the camera. “Live?”
The reporter nodded repeatedly. “Yes, live.”
“I didn’t agree to be on your livestream, nor am I obligated to cooperate with your interview. Next time, please ask me first if I’m willing to participate. Thank you.” Lin Jiu pushed the camera aside, walked into the shop, and closed the door, leaving the reporter and cameraman outside.
The diners who had witnessed the whole thing: “…”
The reporter and cameraman looked awkward. The reporter turned to the camera, awkwardly but politely smiling as they tried to smooth things over.
“It seems we caught Mr. Lin at a busy time. Perhaps we’ll get another chance to interview him. For now, we’ll interview some of the local residents and see how Lin Jiu’s Demon Fish shop has impacted Old Street.”
Only after they left did the diners finally relax.
“That was so awkward it made me want to dig a hole. Boss Lin is really fierce. He’ll roast you even in front of the camera.”
“Isn’t he a celebrity? Isn’t he afraid of ruining his public image or attracting haters?”
“I think Boss Lin did nothing wrong. Whether it’s an interview or a livestream, they didn’t get his permission first. If he wanted to return to the celebrity world, he wouldn’t have opened a shop in the first place.”
“Honestly, I’m curious about how big that lobster really is.”
“You could order just one claw, and you’d probably get a good idea.”
“Uh, no thanks. I’ll just imagine it…”
***
For two days straight, neither Si Xu nor Jiang Ge showed up at the shop.
Lin Jiu found himself distracted. He wondered if Si Xu was upset over the green plum wine incident and had stopped coming because of it.
Si Xu’s body seemed to need the nutrients from the magical ingredients. This situation couldn’t continue.
After thinking it over, Lin Jiu decided to call Jiang Ge. If Si Xu really couldn’t make it to the shop, maybe… maybe Lin Jiu could allow him a special privilege and pack the food to go.
However, Jiang Ge’s phone was out of service.
Finding this strange, Lin Jiu tried calling twice more, but both times it was out of service.
What’s going on?
Lin Jiu couldn’t figure it out, deciding to try again later in the evening.
***
Meanwhile, Si Xu was also looking for Jiang Ge.
Lately, Si Xu had been busy with work, and it wasn’t until after finishing the next day that he thought to call Jiang Ge to ask if he wanted to go to the Demon Fish shop together. However, Jiang Ge’s phone was out of service.
Jiang Ge had been Si Xu’s shadow since they were kids. If he went even a day without calling or hanging around Si Xu, something wasn’t right—unless he was traveling for food, in which case he’d inform Si Xu ahead of time and try to bring him along. But losing contact like this was nearly unheard of.
Thinking calmly, Si Xu realized that Jiang Ge hadn’t been in touch for two days now, and he couldn’t get through to him either.
What kind of situation would result in a phone being out of service?
Si Xu’s first thought was that it had something to do with Jiang Ge’s abilities. He called his father, but his father’s phone was turned off. Rushing home, Si Xu learned that his father was on a business trip and wouldn’t be back for a few days.
If Jiang Ge had really been secretly taken away because of his abilities, as Si Xu suspected, he probably wouldn’t be in danger in the short term. But if too much time passed, anything could happen.
Aside from Si Xu and Jiang Ge themselves, the only other person who knew about Jiang Ge’s abilities was Si Qi Nian, and he had only heard about it from Si Xu—he hadn’t seen it firsthand. Both Si Xu and Jiang Ge had undergone medical examinations, and nothing unusual was found. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so free…
Wait, no, there was one more person who had personally experienced Jiang Ge’s abilities.
Si Xu decided to wait outside the Demon Fish shop that evening to confront someone.
After dark, Si Xu wandered around the alley near the shop and locked eyes with someone in the shadows.
Zhou Mu, who had been keeping watch from another alley: “…”
Why is this guy everywhere?
Zhou Mu turned to leave, but Si Xu called out, “Can we talk?”
Zhou Mu gave a half-hearted smile, “I don’t think so. We have nothing to talk about.”
Si Xu: “How about we talk about ‘superpowers’?”
Zhou Mu: “…”
Zhou Mu chuckled, “You a sci-fi fan?”
Si Xu, not in the mood for riddles, said, “Where is Jiang Ge?”
“Who? Don’t know him.” Zhou Mu habitually reached for a cigarette and held it between his lips without lighting it.
Si Xu said, “I have abilities too.”
Zhou Mu froze mid-motion, his hand still holding the cigarette.
With a quick motion, Si Xu grabbed the cigarette from Zhou Mu’s mouth.
Zhou Mu: “…”
Zhou Mu: “…Damn!”
Zhou Mu paced around, rubbing his buzz cut. “You guys… one after another…”
Suddenly, Zhou Mu realized he had walked into a trap.
He started to think that the guy in front of him was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, willing to expose his own secret just to extract information.
Si Xu tilted his head slightly, “Let’s go. Take me to him.”
“Wait here,” Zhou Mu said, walking a few steps away to make a phone call.
He didn’t go far, not worried that Si Xu could overhear him.
“One person… I saw it with my own eyes… Telekinesis… Yes, okay, I’ll bring him over now.”
Zhou Mu came back and said, “Let’s go.”
Si Xu walked out of the alley but hesitated. “Wait for me.”
He headed towards the Demon Fish shop. Just as he was about to pull the door open, it was opened from the inside.
The two men stared at each other, both surprised.
Lin Jiu had come out to retrieve the chalkboard and hadn’t expected to see Si Xu outside.
Seeing that Si Xu was still willing to come by, Lin Jiu felt relieved. “Go on inside. I’ll be right there after I grab this.”
“No, I’ve got something to do. I was just about to leave and wanted to let you know that I probably won’t have time to come by for meals for a while.” Si Xu wasn’t sure why he felt the need to tell Lin Jiu this.
Just like he wasn’t sure if Lin Jiu’s concern for him was as a fan for a celebrity or simply Lin Jiu’s concern for Si Xu.
Lin Jiu froze for a moment, then hesitated.
Si Xu didn’t wait for him to respond, “…I’m going now.”
“Wait,” Lin Jiu called out. “Hold on a second.”
Lin Jiu went back into the shop and returned quickly, holding a small, flat, round metal flask, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.
He had bought it that afternoon, thinking that if Si Xu didn’t have time to come by for meals, a daily sip of the green plum wine would provide enough nutrition to equal a meal. The food was hard to transport, but the wine was easy to carry and convenient.
He hadn’t expected to need it so soon.
“If my food can help with your eating issues, the green plum wine will work even better. One sip a day gives you the same nutrition as a full meal. There’s more than three servings in here, so be careful when you drink.”
Si Xu took the flask, still warm from Lin Jiu’s hand. “You’re trusting me with this much?”
Lin Jiu had come to a conclusion—everyone here was an adult, capable of making their own decisions. People know that overdosing on sleeping pills can be fatal, but no one guards medicine cabinets like they’re stopping a thief from taking too many.
“This wine can be deadly if you drink too much. Your limit is probably three glasses, but someone else’s might be two or even one, so be cautious and stop if you start feeling unwell.”
“Moderation is healthy; excess is fatal. That’s why I haven’t let you drink it before.”
Si Xu had already guessed that. Otherwise, Lin Jiu wouldn’t have been so adamant. Plus, Si Xu knew his own body—his limit was indeed three glasses.
“Thanks, I won’t take any risks,” Si Xu said, not wanting to waste Lin Jiu’s kindness.
Lin Jiu breathed a sigh of relief, still a bit anxious about giving the flask away. Since Si Xu had said he wouldn’t push it, Lin Jiu hoped he meant it.
“How much? I’ll pay you,” Si Xu said, taking out his phone to transfer money.
“No need. You’ve helped me a lot. I can afford to give you one flask. When it’s empty, I’ll refill it for you.”
Si Xu smiled, “Alright, thanks.”
He stowed the flask and walked away.
Zhou Mu kept glancing back until Lin Jiu shut the door and went back inside.
Thinking about it, Zhou Mu decided to probe a bit. “You seem pretty close with the owner of the Demon Fish shop?”
Si Xu shot him a glance, “What do you think?”
“Well, clearly. I mean, I saw you just walk right in without even waiting in line.” Given that Zhou Mu had been spotted twice now, it was obvious to anyone paying attention that he was watching the Demon Fish shop.
“Why are you keeping an eye on the shop?” Si Xu asked.
Zhou Mu thought for a moment. Having seen Si Xu’s abilities firsthand, he was pretty sure Si Xu was on his side.
Still curious, Zhou Mu probed further, “During the year he was missing, did he ever tell you where he went?”
Si Xu tilted his head. “Is that why you’re watching him?”
Zhou Mu smiled, realizing he wouldn’t get any more information. He stopped asking.
Si Xu was taken by Zhou Mu to the largest city park in City A.
The park was vast, with lush greenery, thick trees forming a dense forest-like area. At the center of the park was a large lake, where many people would go boating during holidays.
At first, Si Xu didn’t understand why Zhou Mu had brought him there. Zhou Mu drove through the woods, arriving at a restricted area with a fence and a large closed iron gate guarded by sentries.
That’s when Si Xu realized: hidden within the city park was a secret base.
The SUV passed through the gate into total darkness, the only light coming from the car’s headlights. Zhou Mu parked in front of a building.
In front of the building stood two men in camouflage uniforms, holding rifles. They each had their own gun, meaning they were ready to shoot at any moment if needed.
Zhou Mu showed his ID, passed the inspection, and led Si Xu into the building and into an elevator.
Instead of pressing a floor button, Zhou Mu stepped forward, turned his back to the elevator door, and placed his hand on the metal wall. A square section of the wall slid open, revealing a scanner.
Zhou Mu scanned his pass, verified his fingerprint, and leaned forward for an iris scan. After completing these steps, a metal wall on the right slid open, revealing another elevator.
“Let’s go,” Zhou Mu said, stepping inside first.
Si Xu raised an eyebrow. With so many secret mechanisms, what were they hiding?
The hidden elevator didn’t go up; it went down. There were no floor numbers, so Si Xu didn’t know how deep they were going. He counted silently in his head, and at 10 seconds, the elevator stopped. If each floor took about three seconds, they were now on the third underground level.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a fully enclosed metal corridor. Everything in sight was cold metal and glowing lights, like something out of a sci-fi movie, giving the place a high-tech feel.
Zhou Mu led the way, and Si Xu followed.
After several turns and passing through multiple heavy metal doors, they finally saw people. It was a bit noisy inside.
In the spacious room, a black, square metal chamber stood in the center. Outside the chamber, a group of people gathered. A few people in white lab coats were tending to a bloodied man, while others recorded data.
“…You were only three minutes away from the finish, and you thought you could just push through? If it were that easy, there’d be enhanced humans everywhere by now! You think we’re training you for fun?!” Lu Yu, the team leader, was furious, his face dark with anger. “Xu Qing, dock his basic points!”
The bloodied man, Wen Cheng, heard this and, despite his injuries, tried to sit up, only to be forced back down by the medics.
“Captain, please don’t dock my points…”
“Dock them! Dock them hard! If you’re this reckless, even if we successfully train you, you’ll die once you’re out there!” Lu Yu showed no mercy.
“Captain! Captain, I… cough, cough…” Wen Cheng suddenly started coughing, aggravating his internal injuries. He curled up in pain, coughing up blood.
After the painful coughing fit, Wen Cheng broke down sobbing. “Three minutes! I was only three minutes away! I’ve been stuck on those three minutes for almost half a year. Why is it so hard to push through them?!”
Xu Qing shot a glare at Lu Yu and went over to comfort Wen Cheng.
Lu Yu snorted, turning his head away, and noticed a stranger in a mask.
Zhou Mu, a bit intimidated by Lu Yu, grinned awkwardly, “Captain Lu.”
Lu Yu walked up to Si Xu and, tilting his head toward Zhou Mu, asked, “Is this the one you mentioned… the one who can move objects remotely?”
Zhou Mu nodded, “It’s him. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Lu Yu nodded. “Take off your mask.”
Lu Yu stared intently at Si Xu, and Si Xu stared back. The two were about the same height. Lu Yu was muscular and strong, while Si Xu looked slender in comparison. However, Si Xu’s build was well-proportioned, and he stood tall and straight like a pine tree.
Si Xu didn’t argue over the mask and casually took it off.
Several people around them saw his face, and someone immediately recognized him.
“I know him! He’s a famous singer! His name is… Si Xu! Yes, that’s it!”
“I know him too! I love his songs!”
“Hey, why’s a big star here? Did Captain Lu finally soften up and arrange a performance for us?”
“Can I get an autograph?”
Lu Yu silenced them with a glare.
Wen Cheng, who had been calmed down by Xu Qing, wiped his tears and sat up shakily. “Si Xu… Where’s Si Xu?”
He looked up and saw the tall figure of the man. Wen Cheng’s eyes lit up instantly. “Master Si! Can I get your autograph? My sister loves you, and I do too! She’s not here, so I want to get one for her too. Can I get two autographs?”
Si Xu: “…”
Wen Cheng had blood all over his mouth and chin, and his skin was covered in fine wounds, looking like cracked earth with blood seeping out. The medics were still working to stop the bleeding.
Was this really the time to ask for an autograph?
Lu Yu glared at Wen Cheng. “Take him away. Bring him back after he’s treated.”
The medics carried Wen Cheng off, but he kept his eyes fixed on Si Xu, unwilling to miss a single glance.
It wasn’t until the heavy metal doors closed that Wen Cheng’s dog-like gaze was finally cut off.
Lu Yu looked Si Xu up and down. “Your surname is Si? Are you the singer Si Xu?”
Si Xu replied, “That’s me.”
Lu Yu’s expression was complicated. “You’re here to find Jiang Ge, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Where is he?” Si Xu looked around but didn’t see Jiang Ge.
Lu Yu called someone over. “Go get Jiang Ge.”
Jiang Ge was brought over, and when he saw Si Xu, he was pleasantly surprised. “Ah Xu, you’re here too?”
Seeing that Jiang Ge was unharmed, Si Xu asked, “What’s going on with you?”
Jiang Ge scratched his head and looked around guiltily. “Well… I was coming out of Bai Ge Wan and was about to drive when I ran into some thieves on motorcycles. They stole a rich lady’s bag and sped past me. I tried to grab them but missed, so I chased after them. The motorcycle sped up, and I chased with all I had. In the end, I managed to tackle the speeding motorcycle. One of the thieves got knocked out, and I pinned the other one down…”
Si Xu raised an eyebrow. If it was just that, it seemed like a good deed. There was no reason for him to be brought here.
Si Xu asked, “And then?”
“At the time, all I was thinking about was catching the thieves. I must have used my abilities, because while I was pinning down the thief, someone else pinned me down and brought me here.”
Si Xu turned to Lu Yu, “What’s his situation now?”
Lu Yu replied, “His genetic potential has been activated. His speed has been enhanced, and he’s now a true enhanced human. Right now, we have very few enhanced humans. What I mean is, he’s eligible to join us.”
Si Xu glanced at Jiang Ge, “So, are you joining them?”
“Of course not! Their training is brutal, I couldn’t handle it!” Jiang Ge pointed to a black metal room behind him.
“See that small black room? That’s where they train. One wrong move, and you end up covered in cuts. They say it’s to increase RT values. The higher the RT, the stronger the person becomes. They’re using this method to increase their power… You wouldn’t believe it, but do you know what RT stands for? Radiation Time. Can you believe that? They use radiation to enhance their bodies! They know it’s dangerous but still willingly expose themselves to it. It’s crazy!”
Lu Yu defended the black room, “Everything has two sides. This unknown energy radiation disrupts the gene sequence, allowing the unknown energy to penetrate the genes and activate the hidden genetic potential in our DNA. The higher the RT value, the more energy penetrates, and the stronger the genetic potential activated.”
Since Si Xu had helped find someone before using his photographic memory, he had suspected this. Maybe the sci-fi movies from Country M weren’t entirely fiction. Superhumans and super-soldiers might exist. The peaceful world didn’t need them, but if there came a day when they had to step forward, the world might no longer be peaceful.
“He hasn’t joined you yet, so can he leave?” Si Xu asked Lu Yu.
Lu Yu sighed, “Of course, but that’s up to him.”
Si Xu looked at Jiang Ge in confusion. “You don’t want to leave?”
“It’s not that.” Jiang Ge looked bitter. “I signed a confidentiality agreement. I can’t reveal anything about this place, and I’m not allowed to use my speed ability outside. If I do, I’ll face legal consequences…”
Jiang Ge added helplessly, “You know I can’t control this ability myself. Sometimes, when I get too excited or start running, I accidentally use it. To prevent any accidents, Captain Lu and his team are willing to teach me how to control it. Once I’ve learned, I’ll leave.”
Si Xu’s expression turned slightly amused. “How’s the training going?”
Jiang Ge looked pleased. “I’ve made a lot of progress! Out of ten attempts, I can control it one or two times now.”
Lu Yu asked, “I heard your ability is telekinesis? Do you want to test your RT value?”
Si Xu asked, “Has Jiang Ge tested his?”
“He did, but we couldn’t get a reading,” Lu Yu said regretfully.
Jiang Ge looked embarrassed. “It was too painful. I couldn’t hold out until the limit, so there was no RT value displayed.”
Si Xu glanced at the small black room, deep in thought. “I’ll give it a try.”
Lu Yu had been waiting for this. “Zhou Mu, take him to change into a training suit.”
Zhou Mu responded, “Yes!”
Si Xu followed Zhou Mu and changed into a black training uniform. He stored his clothes in a locker and took out a small flask given to him by Lin Jiu, placing it in the chest pocket of his uniform.
When Si Xu returned, Lu Yu was still standing there. Noticing the bulging pocket, he asked, “What’s in there?”
Si Xu patted it. “A flask.”
Lu Yu glanced at Zhou Mu, “Didn’t you tell him he couldn’t bring anything in?”
“I did, but I want to bring it in,” Si Xu said.
Lu Yu chuckled. “Let’s hope that when you come out, it’s still just alcohol.”
Jiang Ge, concerned, said, “If you can’t hold on, come out immediately. Don’t push yourself.”
Si Xu replied with a simple “Got it” and walked into the black metal room.
The moment he entered, he was greeted by blinding white light.
The room was empty except for a few people sitting on the floor, all wearing the same black training uniforms.
“Hey, hello, superstar. I know you. Your singing is great. I’m Yang Qingyue. Nice to meet you here,” said a pale-faced man, stretching out a trembling hand toward Si Xu.
Si Xu reached out and shook his hand, almost triggering his cleanliness obsession as Yang Qingyue’s palm was drenched in sweat.
Yang Qingyue apologized awkwardly, “Sorry, I’m almost at my limit…”
“Beep! Beep! Beep!”
A piercing alarm sounded.
In front of Yang Qingyue, on the white, porcelain-like floor, a bright red timer appeared: 00:28:13, flashing continuously.
Yang Qingyue, drenched in sweat and as pale as a ghost, struggled to stand. A tall, thin man came over to help him up, escorting him to the door and opening the heavy metal door. Someone outside took over, and the tall man returned to his seat, silent.
Si Xu found a spot to sit down. Next to him was a chubby young man whose eyes lit up when he saw Si Xu. He eagerly started a conversation.
“Hello, superstar! My name is Lin Han, and I’m a potential enhanced human.”
Si Xu replied, “Nice to meet you.”
Lin Han was excited. “Did you just join us?”
Si Xu answered, “Not exactly.”
Lin Han looked surprised. “Are you here to test your RT value, like Jiang Ge?”
“Mm,” Si Xu responded.
Lin Han looked envious. “Are you already an enhanced human? What’s your ability?”
Si Xu thought for a moment. “Telekinesis?”
“You guys are amazing! Jiang Ge has super speed, and you have telekinesis. When will I finally become a full-fledged enhanced human?” Lin Han pouted, his round face puffing up with envy.
“What level is a ‘potential enhanced human’?” Si Xu still wasn’t clear on these ranks.
