```
After completing the fingerprint comparison and applying for the reward.
The parents of both families noticed it was getting late, so they didn't linger at the police station and wanted to take the two kids home.
While passing by the office door, Lin Zichen, with his exceptional hearing, keenly picked up some of the conversations inside.
They were talking about the Heretic Believers and the giant mutant rats.
"The Rat God Cult has become increasingly active lately, seducing those who are dissatisfied with society and filled with resentment to join them."
"I've heard that members of the Rat God Cult have even infiltrated certain universities to lure those cultural students who can't undergo Genetic Fusion through official channels."
"The Heretic Believer shot dead tonight was once a cultural student at Guangyan University. Because his body did not meet the standards for Genetic Fusion but he longed to become a Genetic Integrator, he was then beguiled by the members of the Rat God Cult."
"What a bunch of rat droppings, those culprits will all be rounded up sooner or later!"
"Rounding up the culprits is useless, it treats the symptoms not the root cause. We need to take down that self-proclaimed Rat King."
"..."
The Rat God Cult?
Lin Zichen was hearing this term for the first time and immediately took out his phone to look it up.
He then learned that it was a heretical sect that worshipped a giant mutant rat as a god.
Their headquarters were in Shanhai City, and most of its members were social outcasts. Their activities had been ramping up over the past few years.
It was suspected that the Rat King wished to evolve into an Advanced-level Creature and needed its followers to collect a vast amount of evolutionary resources for it.
All this was officially disclosed information.
"Worship a rat as a god?"
Lin Zichen shook his head, didn't search any further, and tucked his phone back into his pocket.
He walked out of the police station and went to where their car was parked.
Shen Qinghan, as usual, got into Lin Yansheng's car, wanting to sit in the back seat with Lin Zichen.
Shen Jianye watched this scene unfold and couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Sigh, our daughter seems almost like she belongs to the Lin family."
Xu Meng said with a calm expression, "It's actually a blessing for Han Han to be close with the Lin family. Why are you sighing over it?"
"That's true." Shen Jianye smiled and quickly got into the car with Xu Meng.
In the other car, Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan were chatting off and on.
Most of the conversation consisted of Shen Qinghan talking while Lin Zichen responded.
"Zi Chen, I wonder how Strawberry Teacher is doing now. When I saw her, her neck was bleeding. She should be okay, right?"
"It didn't look too serious. A simple bandage should be enough, she'll be fine."
"Zi Chen, the face of the Heretic Believer that mutated earlier suddenly grew eight eyes. It was really scary."
"Mutation is like that."
Lin Zichen replied casually.
While chatting, Shen Qinghan, who had been talking nonstop, suddenly fell silent. She didn't fiddle with her phone either, just sat there tightly pressing her straight legs together, seamless, with an off-looking expression on her face.
Lin Zichen noticed her odd behavior and subconsciously glanced at her lower half, realizing it was bulging like when she was little.
But he knew it was probably not a diaper anymore, but another type of water-absorbing pad.
Having realized this, he silently turned his head to one side, looking out the car window to avoid making Shen Qinghan uncomfortable.
Shen Qinghan realized that Lin Zichen had noticed and kept her head down with her lips tightly pursed, not saying a word.
Just like that, the car's atmosphere suddenly grew quiet.
Hm?
Suddenly, Lin Zichen's eyes widened.
He saw a fat rat, as big as a cat, zip past from the side of the road and quickly climb into the second floor of the police station through the drain.
How could there be such a huge rat?
Could it be a giant mutant rat?
Lin Zichen's nerves instantly tensed up.
```
But soon, he relaxed, feeling that he was just overthinking it.
This was the south, not the north, where it's quite normal for rats to grow as big as cats; there was nothing strange about it.
"It seems I've been too tense lately; I really need to relax when I get home..."
Lin Zichen thought to himself.
...
After the car arrived home.
Shen Qinghan dropped a "see you tomorrow" and awkwardly got out of the car and left.
Zhang Wanxin was somewhat puzzled, "What's with Han Han today? She usually loves to stick around and chat with you for a while longer, doesn't she? Why was she so quiet in the car just now, and the moment we stopped, she got out and left?"
"She looked really tired just now, probably sleepy and not in the mood to talk," Lin Zichen explained.
Zhang Wanxin nodded and didn't dwell on it.
Soon, the family of three got out of the car and entered the house.
As soon as they entered, Zhang Wanxin solemnly advised Lin Zichen, "Xiao Chen, if you ever encounter something like tonight again, your mom wants you to prioritize your safety. You must know your limits and not act recklessly."
"Mom, I understand, I will," Lin Zichen obediently nodded.
Zhang Wanxin's worry eased slightly when she saw him willing to listen.
Afterward, something occurred to her, and she asked,
"Right, didn't you buy three pounds of Phantom Squid Meat? Where is the meat? I didn't see it in the bike's basket, and you are not carrying it either."
"Mom, don't be mad when I tell you this; when we ran into the Heretic Believer's mutation earlier, Han Han and I rushed out so quickly that I accidentally lost the meat..." Lin Zichen hesitated before speaking.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanxin's eyes widened.
She felt terrible about the loss but restrained herself from showing it in front of Lin Zichen; instead, she consoled him,
"It's okay, if it's lost then it's lost. After all, we encountered a Heretic Believer causing trouble. It's a lucky misfortune that no one was hurt—and not to mention you bravely saved someone else. You are mom's pride."
"While it hasn't been lost for long, why don't I drive there and look along the way?" Lin Yansheng suggested.
Zhang Wanxin immediately objected: "No, it's too dangerous there, especially after the Heretic Believer incident just happened."
"That's true," Lin Yansheng nodded.
Lin Zichen didn't speak, silently thinking to himself that he would have to enter more competitions in the future. Once he had saved enough prize money, he would buy three pounds of Phantom Squid Meat to honor his parents.
...
At the Public Security Office, in the captain's office.
The security team captain, looking at the statement in his hand, couldn't help but laugh.
Shot with a slingshot?
Who uses a slingshot with stones as big as chicken eggs? And can they even shoot them out?
It's undoubtedly thrown by hand!
Does he not realize what I do for a living, thinking he can fool me, a student?
The security team captain lit a cigarette, took a deep drag and exhaled, his thoughts lingering amidst the spreading smoke.
That said, how on earth did a middle school student manage to throw stones with such force?
No, I must check the surveillance footage tomorrow morning to see what happened.
Thinking this, he put the statement back into its dedicated filing box, locked it, and prepared to leave work for home.
Just then, he noticed a large mouse on the windowsill, as big as a cat.
He was a bit surprised, "Where did this mouse come from, and why is it so big?"
The mouse outside the window didn't run away at the sound of his voice and just sat quietly on the windowsill, its eyes staring deeply at the security team captain.
..…