At two in the afternoon, the lobby of the Lianjiang City National Security Bureau was crowded with over two hundred people, most of whom were young.
Ren Suo stood not far from the entrance, clicking his tongue at the bustling scene, "So many people, transferring to the National Security Bureau... are they here to enlist?"
Li Qingxuan also found it incredible, "Logically, the administrative department shouldn't need this many people, right? But since it's an interview, it's probably one in ten miles, one in a hundred miles."
Ren Suo: "But how were we chosen? We neither interviewed nor applied; it's like it fell from the sky. If Director Ye hadn't called us here, I'd think it was some kind of pyramid scheme."
"Right? Right?"
A sunny-looking young man nearby, hearing Ren Suo's words, agreed enthusiastically, "I had just joined the tax bureau not long ago when suddenly there was news that I could transfer to the National Security Bureau... Could it be because of that rumor?"
"Which rumor?" Ren Suo and Li Qingxuan were startled.
"You don't know?" The young man seemed eager to show off—particularly to impress Li Qingxuan, the young girl—he lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Right, the information online is mostly mixed with truth and fiction, any mildly hot news is immediately suppressed."
"But I have someone in my family who confirmed some of the rumors online are true." The young man gave Li Qingxuan a suggestive eyebrow lift, "My name is Xie Qiansi, nice to meet you."
Li Qingxuan glanced at Ren Suo, and Ren Suo immediately put an arm around Xie Qiansi's shoulder, enthused, "Your name is Qiansi? We must be fated then!"
"What kind of fate?"
"I'm Ren Suo, you're Xie Qiansi, put together, it sounds like 'Lock Qiansi', which means we definitely have a earth-shattering fate ahead of us."
"Is that so?" Xie Qiansi was a bit confused.
Meanwhile, Li Qingxuan, covering her mouth with her hand, giggled, "Nice to meet you, I'm Li Qingxuan. What was that rumor you were talking about?"
As they discussed the rumor, Xie Qiansi perked up, "I can't say much, but have you seen any news about Supernatural Beings these past months?"
Li Qingxuan thought for a moment and nodded, "Two months ago, during the New Year's, it was said that on Flower Street in the west part of town, two people performed both ice and fire acts, manually creating ice and breathing fire on site, without seeming to use any props. It was very popular on social media, everyone said they were genuine Supernatural Beings."
"Breathing fire is simple, but making ice on the spot... no one saw them use saltpeter. But they were only popular for a few days, they disappeared from Flower Street before the year was out. I went there on the first day of the Chinese New Year, and they were gone."
"I remember seeing similar news, but I've forgotten."
Ren Suo said, "Supernatural powers... like that assassin from 'Assassin's Bloody Banquet' a few days ago?"
Xie Qiansi nodded, "I can't prove it exactly, and you might not believe what I say. But 'Assassin's Bloody Banquet' has been substantiated already—the video is still available online, and the Black Thorn Building in the misty city is still under repair. It seems like authorities wanted to suppress it, but..."
He shrugged, "Do you think it is a hacker technology beyond imagination, or a capability from another dimension?"
Li Qingxuan asked, "But what does this have to do with us?"
"It's a big deal," Xie Qiansi explained. "If I'm not mistaken, we're about to join a newly established department in the National Security, the Eighteenth Bureau. And you've already met the people from the Eighteenth Bureau."
Li Qingxuan was somewhat surprised: "Who?"
Ren Suo seemed to understand immediately, "The black body armor during the physical examination?"
"Other departments call them Black Cat." Xie Qiansi chuckled, "We suddenly got this interview opportunity after the physical exam. Clearly, our qualification is derived from the physical exams, but our physical condition is just slightly better than that of an average person."
"What job in the world doesn't look at your intellect, your talents, your physical condition, but rather at some kind of potential inside your body?"
Seeing Ren Suo and Li Qingxuan pondering, Xie Qiansi took out his phone, "Let's add each other on WeChat, it's easier to keep in touch."
After Ren Suo added him as a friend, he was immediately dragged into a group, with a quite interesting group name—
[We Are the Future Successors of the Mysterious Country].
"Got a newcomer?"
"Is she beautiful?"
"Our Young Master Xie has talked her into coming as well," someone remarked.
Xie Qiansi said to Li Qingxuan, "In the system, connections are the most important, even in the National Security Bureau. Even if this interview fails, it doesn't necessarily mean we'll be reassigned to our original positions, because we could potentially be considered 'talented' people. Then, we could exchange resources and mutually benefit..."
"Young Master Xie is truly impressive," Ren Suo replied. "Did you set up this group?"
"Yes!" Xie Qiansi said proudly.
"So, if I start driving crazily in this group, as if I were on a highway, would that be a problem for you?" Ren Suo asked half-jokingly.
Xie Qiansi's face stiffened. "Then I would have no choice but to kick you out..."
"Brother, in the system, connections are most important. Kicking people out like that could easily offend someone," Ren Suo patted his shoulder and said solemnly.
Xie Qiansi rolled his eyes, knowing full well that Ren Suo was just blocking his attempt to flirt and promptly turned to approach another attractive woman.
Li Qingxuan nodded at Ren Suo and smiled, "Thank you."
"Thank me for what." Ren Suo waved his hand dismissively, "I just can't stand show-offs... uh?"
Not far away, Xie Qiansi was introducing himself to an incredibly cute girl with a round face, "I'm Xie Qiansi, do you know the inside story of this interview?"
The cute girl shook her head and whispered, "I don't know... my name is Qiao Muyi..."
The cute girl's soft and mushy demeanor perfectly triggered Xie Qiansi's peacock display desire. Just as he was about to step forward to show off his connections and eloquence, suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from moving further.
The next second, Xie Qiansi saw the guy known as either 'Ren Suo' or 'Lock,' enthusiastically putting his arm around Qiao Muyi's shoulder.
"We must be fated! My name is Ren Suo, and your name is Qiao Muyi, together sounding like Muyi Suo, which proves we must share an incredible destiny," he declared.
Qiao Muyi looked at Ren Suo and blinked, saying nothing.
Xie Qiansi was so annoyed that he clenched his butt cheeks—this guy's pickup line was so damn unoriginal!
Ren Suo continued to smile joyfully until he heard the voice inside his heart say:
"Key detected."
"Key is in an unfamiliar state, beginning acquisition."
"Key formation detected, it will take 9658 seconds to acquire, and contact must be maintained throughout the acquisition process. 9657, 9656, 9655…"
Ren Suo almost spat blood. Over nine thousand seconds, more than two hours, how could he find a reason to keep contact with Qiao Muyi that long!
He had just noticed that Qiao Muyi gave him a thrilling sensation, and Ren Suo immediately knew—this must be another key! He had thought it would probably be impossible to obtain, just like Black Body Armor Qiao Dan.
Though the key on Qiao Muyi was obtainable, the time required was outrageously long, it would be more practical to just knock her out and drag her into a dark room to snatch the key!
At that moment, five buses drove up outside the National Security Bureau, immediately causing a traffic jam. Ren Suo curiously looked over, wondering if the National Security Bureau was going on a trip today.
Several people in black body armor got off the buses, among them was Li Dan, and the one leading them, a rugged-looking man in black body armor, went to the entrance of the bureau and roared:
"Silence! I am You Jilong, the one in charge of your interviews. I'll be calling names now; those called should come out and line up, take out your IDs!"
The lobby on the first floor went quiet, and in that atmosphere, someone in the crowd suddenly asked:
"Will there be a shooting?"