Rain sat on his bed, his mind still swirling with thoughts of everything he'd learned after returning to his dorm. The one thing that stuck with him was his dream space. He had always thought it was his secret advantage—his "golden finger"—but after talking with Leader Sky, he realized that everyone in this world has a dream space, though they can't enter it the way he can. He wondered if others like him existed, but maybe the knowledge was kept hidden.
Before drifting off to sleep, Rain decided to check how to cultivate to reach the peak of D-rank. He focused his spirit on the BIT, asking how to increase his cultivation. Instantly, he sensed a response. It instructed him to close his eyes, and as he did, a screen appeared in the darkness of his mind, displaying a video.
In the video, a man gathered his energy and began shaping it into the form of a bird. As time passed, the bird became more lifelike, with distinct claws, feathers, and intricate details. If Rain hadn't known the bird was shaped from the man's genetic energy, he might have thought it was real, perched in the man's hand.
Then the man spoke: "When your energy control reaches this level, you'll begin to notice impurities within your genetic energy. Once you identify them, you can remove these impurities and refine your energy. At the same time, you need to exercise your body to increase the genetic energy capacity of your cells."
The video ended, and a screen appeared in Rain's mind with a message: Genetic energy refined: 0.009 percent.
Another message followed: When your genetic energy refinement reaches 10 percent, you will unlock your second genetic lock and break through to Middle D-rank.
Rain absorbed the information, understanding both how far he had to go and the path ahead. He would need to refine his energy and push his body to its limits to grow stronger. Before falling asleep, he instructed the BIT to set an alarm for 6:30 AM, aware that once he entered the dream space, he'd lose track of time. He didn't want to be late on his first day at the police headquarters.
As he drifted off to sleep, he felt the weight of anticipation.
Hours later, Rain woke abruptly, a vibration running through his body. Groggy, he realized it was the BIT waking him up—it was already 6:35 AM. He hurried to the bathroom, quickly getting ready for the day ahead. As he dressed, he wondered how long it would take to reach the police headquarters.
The BIT responded: Four hours by walking at your current speed.
Rain groaned and asked if there was a faster way.
Take the train. It'll only take 20 minutes. The nearest station is five minutes from your current location.
Rain asked the time again as he rushed out of his room: 6:55 AM.
Panic surged through him as he bolted towards the dorm's entrance. On the way, he spotted students heading towards the school, including familiar figures—Cistro and Marco.
"Good morning, Cistro! Marco!" he called as he ran past them.
They turned to respond, but Rain was already out of the gate. "I'll see you tonight!" he shouted over his shoulder, sprinting toward the train station and the start of his new journey.
When he arrived, he saw a train pulling into the station. The BIT informed him that this train was heading toward the police headquarters, so Rain quickly boarded and found a seat by the window. As the train began to move, his thoughts drifted to the dream he had earlier. While sleeping, he had entered the dream space once again, training with his copy. Now, he felt like he had regained half of his combat effectiveness.
Rain gazed out at the passing scenery as the train made its stops. After two stations, he heard the announcement: "Next stop, Sector 12." He didn't rush, knowing the train paused for three minutes at each stop. Since his seat was near the door, he waited until the last moment, then casually stood up, exited the train, and stepped onto the platform.
As soon as he was out, he asked the BIT for directions to the police headquarters. Following the instructions, he began walking. The smell of food soon caught his attention, and his stomach growled in response. He turned toward the scent and spotted a small delivery restaurant called "Fire Chicken Roll." He knew fire chicken was one of the weakest mutated beasts, transformed in a lab into a radiation beast. Its only ability was to spout a tiny flame, barely strong enough to light a candle.
Rain thought about grabbing a bite but realized he might need to save his money. Besides, there was probably a canteen at the police headquarters. Just then, the BIT responded to his unspoken thought, informing him that he had 4,000 credits available. Surprised, Rain asked when he received the credits. The BIT explained that the previous night, he had received 1,000 credits from the city council as a graduation gift and 3,000 credits from the police for joining the Ghost Department.
As Rain processed this, more notifications popped up: congratulatory messages from the school for his graduation, and one from the dorm manager reminding him that he had to vacate the dorm within a week. He was momentarily dumbstruck by the realization that he would need to find a place to live soon. However, the BIT quickly reassured him: the police had also provided him with a flat, which he could use for as long as he was a member of the force. Moreover, his monthly salary would be 5,000 credits, with additional bonuses.
Feeling relieved, Rain smiled to himself. Not only did he have a steady job now, but also a place to live. He quickened his pace toward the chicken roll stand since there were still 20 minutes left before 8:00 AM, and the police station was only five minutes away. He quickly bought two chicken rolls, devoured them, and tossed the wrappers into a nearby trash bin. As he approached the police gate, he spotted Leader Sky, Siobhan, and two others—one woman about Siobhan's age and a man who appeared closer to Sky's, though it was difficult to tell since they were genetic warriors and genetic warriors could make 200 years look like 18.
Seeing him, Sky called out, "Rain, hurry over here!" He jogged toward the group, and Sky immediately said, "Let's move quickly—we've got a case. And next time, share your contact with me so I can notify you to come earlier."
Rain, walking alongside them, asked, "How do I share it?"
Sky extended her palm, "Put your hand over mine and tell the BIT to share contact."
Following her instructions, Rain heard the BIT confirm the contact was shared, and a prompt appeared asking if he wanted to save it. He named the contact "Leader Sky" and saved it.
As Sky picked up her pace, Rain sidled up next to Siobhan with a smile. "Good morning, Siobhan."
"Good morning, Rain," she replied, "and welcome to the team. It's nice to have you here."
"Thanks," Rain said. "I joined mainly because I knew you'd be in the team. A familiar face makes starting a new job easier. So, what's the case about?"
"It's on the factory floor," Siobhan explained. "Goods were stolen from a warehouse."
Rain was puzzled. "Wait, aren't we the Ghost Department? Why are we handling a theft case?"
Before Siobhan could answer, the man in the group chimed in, "It would be ordinary if it were just regular goods, but the stolen item is Iron Wood—produced from a B-rank Tree Hugger Domain. Since it comes from a weird domain, the case falls under our jurisdiction. I'm Damian, by the way."
"Rain," he responded, nodding as they approached the lift heading to the factory floor.
The girl in the group smiled and introduced herself, "I'm Lily."
Rain introduced himself in return, and together they entered the official lift reserved for City officials. Once inside, they were alone. A few moments later, the doors slid open, and Rain stepped out. In front of him was a busy road, cars gliding smoothly by, hovering above the ground on magnetic fields. He followed the others, noticing the ceiling was about three meters above his head, adding to the layered, futuristic atmosphere of the city.
As they reached the side of the road, an SUV—driven by an AI—pulled up smoothly in front of them. They climbed in, and the SUV began to move. Rain watched the cityscape outside the window; it was his first time leaving the 6th floor, and the shift in his surroundings fascinated him.
Sky's voice brought his attention back inside the vehicle. "Damian, fill everyone in on the case."
Damian nodded. "Sure. Our case involves the theft of 500 kilograms of Iron Wood, stored in a warehouse owned by LHC. The factory attached to the warehouse manufactures light hoverboards. They called us because all of the Iron Wood disappeared without a trace."
Lily chimed in, "LHC? Aren't they the company that started with light hoverboards?"
Damian nodded again. "Yes, this factory was the first they set up in the city for that purpose. Now it's grown into something much bigger."
As the SUV came to a stop, Rain thought they had reached their destination, but the vehicle instead began descending in a lift. The walls of the shaft indicated they were moving down to the 7th ground floor. After the lift stopped, the SUV resumed driving.
Sky spoke again, "It must be an inside job. What's the security like at the warehouse?"
Damian explained, "Everything leaving the warehouse is scanned—especially since they sometimes store weird domain materials there."
The SUV fell silent for the remainder of the ride. After a few more minutes, the AI voice announced, "Destination arrived."
Everyone got out of the SUV. Rain looked around, taking in the sight of the two-story factory in front of them. Damian approached the gate and showed his identification to the robot guard. After a brief scan, the gate opened, and they began walking inside.
As they neared the entrance, the front doors slid open, and a man with dirty blond hair in a slick business suit stepped out to greet them. Rain stayed quiet during the ride and intended to remain silent throughout the case. This was his first mission, and he preferred to observe and learn how the team operated, speaking only when absolutely necessary.