Homophony

In the duty branch of the fourth squad of the Superpower Duty Bureau in Qipan City,

In front of Pang Shuo was a landline phone with the speaker on. The voice of the director of the Qipan City Superpower Duty Bureau came from the speaker.

"It's fine if you took action without telling me first since we operate on the line between life and death, there's no need to be timid. But you could at least make up a more credible reason!"

Pang Shuo righteously argued: "It is credible! I inferred it based on the facts."

The other end of the phone laughed angrily, then the sound of pages turning, the director of the Superpower Duty Bureau read out word for word: "The informant, Feng An'an, said an extremely handsome man told her she was too skinny but she did not want to gain weight, which was very unreasonable. She suspected a certain flower pot influenced her mind. How could you even accept a case like this? Did a donkey kick your brain?"

"Isn't this very unreasonable? It's obvious there's something wrong with that flower pot."

The other end of the phone was silent for a long time before speaking gently: "Old Pang, why don't you take some time off for now? We maneuver on the line between life and death, there's no need to be afraid of acting. But your reasoning could be more credible."

"Director Guo, what do you mean? I'm serious."

"Oh, right, right, you've worked hard recently. Starting today, take some time off and rest."

Pang Shuo was obtuse but not stupid. He was being openly patronized. He quickly said: "Director Guo, this involves a Class A monster, we can't delay!"

Pang Shuo brought out the Class A monster issue so Director Guo had to listen: "Do you have any evidence?"

"No, I applied to investigate the Fierce Tigers Club."

Director Guo indifferently responded: "No, the Fierce Tigers Club is the largest underground superpower organization in Qipan City. I have to deal with it cautiously."

"They don't even have any high-level superhumans, their gathering is illegal."

"So what? Last time one of them went to provide support, not to mention the numerous times before they've provided assistance. Three Class B superhumans, calculate how many people they could save?"

Pang Shuo anxiously bellowed: "What if they really are raising a Class A monster? Wouldn't more people die?"

"That's why I asked if you have evidence!"

Speaking animatedly, Director Guo was also getting mad.

"Old Pang, get this clear. Acting recklessly without evidence could drive all the superhumans out of Qipan City!"

Pang Shuo went silent. As quick as the duty squad was, they still couldn't compare to superhumans stationed all over the city.

"Got nothing else to say right?"

After reprimanding Pang Shuo Director Guo's anger dissipated. He gave Pang Shuo final warning.

"I don't care what you privately investigate but don't make a scene publicly. I'll cover for you today but remember to give yourself some time off. I'm hanging up."

A light "pa" sound signaled the other side hanging up. The phone gave out the busy tone tutututu.

Pang Shuo irritably kicked his shoes to the side and leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk.

Letting his brain go blank, his suffocating anger also dissipated.

His anger was gone but the issue still needed to be resolved.

Pang Shuo crossed his arms, pondering how to deal with the Fierce Tigers Club situation.

After a while, he dialed the office line: "Get Zhuang Heng to come to my office."

...

At the school gate of Qipan City Senior High School,

Although the teachers didn't monitor them much, staying home meant facing his sullen little brother so Qi Yuan unhesitatingly chose to go to school.

Students who don't want to go to school mostly just want to play around.

The third year teachers don't care anymore. Students could do whatever they want but they still rushed to school every day.

There were peers at school and no parents nagging.

Qi Yuan had just finished classes for the day.

Just as he was specially admitted to Shen City University, his head teacher spread the news.

Happily announcing there was a student from their class admitted to the combat department of Shen City University.

Basking in the envious gazes of his classmates, as soon as school ended, Qi Yuan made a beeline for the exit.

Yet once again he was stopped at the door.

This time it wasn't Xue Shiyun but Lv Cheng.

He was squatting at the door, seamlessly blending in with the school gate security guards. Qi Yuan only noticed him after being blocked.

Xue Shiyun could only find out the rough details about yesterday's incident with the fourth squad.

So Lv Cheng specially came to ask Qi Yuan, hoping to find out exactly what happened.

"How did it go? Did they find anything over there?"

Once they walked somewhere with fewer people, Lv Cheng impatiently asked.

"Nothing. The salon only sold it. The Hibiscus Mask originated from the Fierce Tigers Club but since they're an underground organization with three Class B superhumans, Squad Leader Pang can't forcibly investigate."

After handing it over to the authorities, Qi Yuan stopped keeping tabs. This information was told to him when Zhuang Heng called.

"What do you think, Qi?"

Sir, there must be more to this...

"Maybe the Hibiscus Mask is just a mutant plant with special superpowers. The Superpower Duty Bureau didn't detect anything abnormal about it."

If it was said they were persecuting civilians, ugly incidents defending superhumans could happen. But regarding Class A monsters, the authorities wouldn't harbor private interests.

Qi Yuan believed it wasn't that their authority was insufficient to understand the next step of the plan but rather the issue wasn't serious.

As an unaffiliated wild superhuman he didn't need to worry too much. The world was so big, talented people emerged in large numbers.

What was most important to him right now was publicizing his reputation.

After experiencing Ghost Market, Qi Yuan profoundly realized trumpeting himself was not as good as others trumpeting him.

He hadn't figured out the specifics of how to operate yet.

Livestreaming himself was too prone to screw ups. Many of his affairs couldn't withstand scrutiny.

If he could take advantage of some huge leak...

He could reach the top in one step without needing to consider so much.

After Qi Yuan finished speaking, Lv Cheng didn't say anything more but the frown on the other's face while lost in thought seemed to indicate he was pondering some major event.

So he kept silent as well, after a long period of silence he finally steeled his resolve.

"Qi, were you planning on resolving this alone?"

Seeing Lv Cheng fantasizing again, Qi Yuan remained unruffled, quietly watching what antic he would imagine.

Seeing Qi Yuan's lack of response, Lv Cheng assumed it meant he acquiesced. He said:

"Actually my master sent me to investigate the monster feeding incident so don't worry about implicating me. Just order me to do anything, Lv Cheng will go all out."

Last time Qi Yuan overheard Lv Cheng was sent by his master to carry out a mission but he didn't know the specifics.

Qi Yuan calmly fished for details from him.

"How did your master foresee Qipan City would have someone feeding monsters?"

Just as he was about to demonstrate his capabilities to prove he wasn't useless baggage, upon hearing Qi Yuan's question Lv Cheng honestly answered.

"The city next door, uh...what's that city called again? The one next to our city with the monster feeding incident."

"Gebi City."

Qi Yuan immediately understood and supplemented.

"Right, anyway I forgot the name of that neighboring city."

After reading it, Qi Yuan realized his mistake and explained: "It's called Gebi City. Ge from stop fighting, bi from green."

Lv Cheng was speechless. No wonder he only remembered it was the neighboring city with this whimsical homophone name.

Pun deductions, huge deductions!

"The perpetrator of that case once said his monster was very obedient and didn't eat live humans. It was fed cadavers he conveniently got from his job."

What was the problem with that?

Qi Yuan felt somewhat bewildered.