“Director, that doesn’t really seem like my problem to consider...” Wendy turned her head to look at the crowd of reporters outside the car window, who were still swarming around like flies, snapping photos. “You know, even though I wear the National Security Bureau badge, I’m stuck working in a basement office with no sunlight. Forget bonuses, they won’t even reimburse my bus fare, and my salary is barely a few bucks more than the cleaning lady’s at the bureau. Why bother haggling with us over this? You could make enough in a couple of months at your position to feed me for a year. As the saying goes, ‘live off the mountain if you’re near the mountain, live off the water if you’re near the water.’ Since you called me here today, you should be prepared for this. If you’re really dissatisfied, I can just walk away and never see you again. But you’ll have to deal with those corpses outside yourself...”

“Wait, wait, I was just saying! Mr. Ouyang, there’s no need to get upset, everything’s negotiable!” Seeing his savior about to leave, Director panicked, flustered. “It’s just a few sports... sports cars, right? I’ll get them for you, do you like Ferraris?”

“Now that’s what I call a ‘servant of the people’!” Bennett laughed behind his hand, satisfied, patting Director on the shoulder like he was his own brother. “By the way, is that Audi A6 up front yours?”

“Y-yes, it is, why?” Director’s voice was starting to tremble.

“No need for five sports cars, make it four. After all, I’m forty now, driving something like that would look immature. I’ll just use your car, the keys are inside, right? I saw them just now. I’ll head back to the bureau first and pick out a nicer office. Once you’re done here, come back quickly.” With that, he turned and pushed open the car door. Standing in the sunlight again had never felt so good to Bennett.

“Bandit!” Watching Bennett’s departing figure, Director unconsciously clenched his fists and cursed angrily.

“Right back at you...” Bennett’s reply drifted faintly through the air.

Chapter Two: The Newcomer Reports In

It was still April 1, 2005, but now nearly dusk. On the top floor of the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, a group of officers with epaulets were each carrying cardboard boxes, slowly walking out of their offices. Their heads hung so low they looked like convicts, and their steps were especially heavy.

It was a bit like a company going bankrupt, with pitiful employees being swept out the door...

But then again, if society ever developed to the point where even the police bureau could go bankrupt, the people would probably be cheering and clapping in excitement, wouldn’t they?

Unfortunately, all this was just the daydreams of some imaginative kids. In our world, there are still more bandits than police, and the police aren’t necessarily poorer than the bandits...

At a desk by the window in this office, Bennett was comfortably leaning back in the boss’s chair, spinning around leisurely. The face covered by a white handkerchief seemed to be smiling, right? After all, when people get something that was never meant for them, a smile is the only expression that can describe their state of mind.

And the sunlight streaming through the blinds was so warm. Even someone contemplating suicide would probably pause for a couple of seconds before this beautiful sunset, and only then go through with it.

It was in this atmosphere of mixed joy and sorrow that a group of cheerful, yet unusual people swaggered past the dejected officers and strode into the office.

Leading them was a young man, whose childish, handsome face couldn’t possibly be linked to any age over twenty. He wore a bright blue Korean-style T-shirt, loose army-green skater pants that looked like sacks, and his spiky blond hair stood up like a hedgehog’s. If someone said he was a little punk brought in by the police, people might believe it; if they said he was a government official, the only thing that fit was the silver Dell laptop tucked under his arm. But whether people believed it or not, the golden badge clipped to his belt made it clear he was with the National Security Bureau.

As for the people following behind him, there’s no need for detailed introductions—they were, of course, fellow members of the paranormal investigation unit, here to “rob” the place.

The most distinctive among them, besides the young man, was a burly fellow bringing up the rear. Two meters tall, with a classic inverted-triangle build, he wore only a tight white tank top. His rugged muscles were a favorite among women, but his face, covered in stubble and set in a fierce scowl, made it easy to associate him with the outlaws on wanted posters. What’s more, the armpit hair sticking out from under his arms was even more disgusting than his beard. The officers still packing up couldn’t help but speed up, practically rushing out of the office. The office had well and truly changed its “surname” to “paranormal”...

“Boss, we’ve hit the jackpot this time!” The burly “outlaw” laughed loudly, his booming voice seemingly able to shatter glass.

“Trent, don’t make me say it—you’re so easily satisfied, and this is just the ‘beginning’...” The blond young man in front casually sat on a desk, looking completely at home.

“You damn rat, I’m not as well-off as you. I haven’t had work for three months—if this keeps up, I’ll have to go work the docks as a porter!” At the mention of this, the man called Trent got angry.