Chapter 15: Nightfall
As she left, the entire corridor felt vastly different from when she had arrived.
Xingyu happened to overhear a snippet of conversation—
“Xier, can’t you stop holding such grudges against us all the time?” Kunna’s voice carried a hint of helplessness.
“Hmph.” Xier merely let out a cold sneer, her tone emotionless.
Kunna sighed, her voice growing more sincere. “Look, I’m an agent too, so I know just how tough the job is. We really do value both the supernaturals and agents, you know?”
“Say whatever you want,” Xier replied calmly.
“Sigh, you’re something else! At this rate, I’m worried you’ll end up as a Chain-Broken one someday.” Kunna turned to Xier and carefully buttoned up the open trench coat, smoothing the collar with delicate fingers.
“It’s getting late. Better head home soon, Xier, and you too, little one.” Kunna then turned back into the Bureau of Affairs, while Xingyu gazed somewhat blankly at the true night sky outside.
In just a single day, so much had happened.
From inexplicable resurrection in the morning, an arm transformed, an absurd test, to becoming a probationary agent…
The gray badge in her hand caught the dim light of the fading night sun, casting a subdued glow.
No matter from which angle she looked, the inscription on the badge was unmistakably clear, as if those characters were not merely etched on metal but branded directly onto the consciousness of every observer.
According to the notary, this was the only reliable proof of identity for an agent. The badge’s material was extraordinarily special, impossible to forge. Xingyu examined it repeatedly and confirmed it was entirely different from the overseer’s badge she had seen earlier that morning.
By comparison, the overseer’s badge seemed a crude imitation, whereas this agent’s badge was simple and unassuming but exuded the aura of exquisite craftsmanship and absolute reliability.
There was also an “Agent Terminal.”
…Though to Xingyu, it looked like an outdated phone, long since obsolete.
It was bulky, with a pitiably small screen, and a massive solar panel fixed on the back that seemed wildly out of place in this era.
Curious, Xingyu pressed the wake button; the screen flickered before settling on a clock interface, boldly displaying the current time.
“Year Seven of the Seventh Era, 21:47.”
Staring at the small screen and the utterly unfamiliar calendar system, a sudden wistfulness stirred within her. She sighed and pocketed the terminal.
No matter how cumbersome and troublesome it seemed, that did not change the fact that only a select few in this world could possess such a device.
Even now, Xingyu’s phone contacts consisted solely of Xier.
---
“Where do you live?” Xier asked casually. “It’s late; shall I take you home?”
Xingyu hesitated, offering no immediate reply.
At first, her plan had been simply not to return.
Even the overseers seemed unfamiliar with the original Cang Xingyu; it was likely that Qixue was the only person in this world connected to the original.
No matter how close the original had been to Qixue, the current Xingyu felt no attachment to this stranger and had no desire to navigate the subtle dynamics between them…
If she could just get rid of Qixue, no one would suspect that she was a time-traveling usurper.
Death could come at any moment in this world. Even if she didn’t return, Qixue would assume the original had died outside. She could vanish without a trace and live under a new identity.
The recent events had taught her a lesson—she could trust no one completely. Not Qixue, not Xier.
Yet...
A vague worry gnawed at her heart.
What if the original truly had some mysterious identity she was unaware of? Running around with this face might eventually invite trouble.
Even if she ignored those issues now, perhaps one day they would find her on their own.
After weighing her options, Xingyu made her decision.
She confessed honestly to Xier: “I live outside the F Ring, quite far from here, but I want to go back.”
Xier pointed toward the roadside. Not far off at an intersection stood a row of modified small trucks and old sedans. Xingyu immediately understood—these were the “taxis” of this world.
“There aren’t many cars left, and nothing reaches your broken-down place. Want to spend the night at the Raindrop Agency?” Xier kindly suggested.
“I still want to go back.” Xingyu pressed her lips firmly, resolute.
Seeing her determination, Xier said no more and nodded, continuing to ask the drivers one by one.
The night had deepened; the dim street lamps flickered between dilapidated buildings, casting long shadows. Occasionally, a few filthy wild dogs darted across the street, their sharp barks echoing in the still darkness.
There were hardly any proper roads here; not to mention the F Ring, even crossing the entire D Ring was met with repeated refusals from drivers unwilling to take her alone.
After asking around, only a middle-aged man driving a worn-out small truck agreed—but at an outrageous price: 25 new coins.
Xingyu now understood. That was the cost of three meals, enough for an ordinary person in this world to fill their belly and live peacefully for a couple of days.
Before she could speak, Xier sized up the truck and sneered, “You dare ask for that much for this piece of junk?”
The man’s face flushed red, clearly angered by Xier’s words. Gritting his teeth, he retorted, “Curfew’s coming soon! Delivering someone to some backwater place in the D Ring, I’m not even sure I can get back safely myself…”
---
Xier frowned. He did have a point.
She glanced at the dim trinary night sun overhead, then finally pulled out a few small coins. “Fine, that’s the price.”
The man nodded, took the coins, and started the engine. Xier called out to him again, “Don’t mess up. Make sure to get our Raindrop Agency agent there safely… you know?”
Only then did he realize her identity. His face turned pale, and without a word, he nodded repeatedly. Satisfied, Xier turned and watched as Xingyu climbed into the truck’s rear.
“Be careful on the road, move swiftly,” Xier added one last time.
The battered truck jolted forward through the dark streets and soon vanished into the night.
---
Only after Xingyu and Xier had left the Bureau of Affairs did the notaries relax and begin to talk.
“Xier’s luck isn’t bad at all. She actually found such a uniquely gifted supernatural. I’m almost envious. If that kid’s ability can help us, managing the supernaturals would be much easier.”
Chaomu glanced at her. “Don’t anger the Raindrop’s agent; it’ll bring trouble. Our relationship with her isn’t great to begin with. Besides, most supernaturals are now under the Council’s control, right? There aren’t many truly unruly ones left.”
Kunna shrugged. “There are still too few agents reporting directly to the Council like me. After all, most people go through an agency, and not everyone is so obedient.”
No sooner had she spoken than an annoyed look appeared on Chaomu’s face.
“I still feel something’s off. That girl’s ability… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s abnormal,” Jingyi interrupted before they could argue further.
“What? She lied?”
Jingyi shook his head.
“Well, that’s fine then,” Kunna shrugged. “Enough about that. The heretical elements in that simulated world were way too many, right? That’s not something that should appear in an induction test. Little Chaomu, did you fail to filter it properly?”
“How would I know? It’s definitely not my fault.” Chaomu rolled her eyes. “I created the simulated reality by extracting and merging your subconscious. You two should check if you’ve been influenced. You know Raindrop only handles routine cases and has never been affected by the Rift. It can’t be your fault.”
“Though it wasn’t real, that girl remained quite calm seeing that scene,” Jingyi pondered.
“After all, she’s just a fake at the Dodecad level,” Chaomu sneered.
“‘Just’? Only you can say that, Little Chaomu. Not every psychic has your mental resistance… And her ability is at high risk of contamination, right?”
Chaomu impatiently cut them off. “I don’t care about that—anyway, neither of you is allowed to poach people for the Council! Don’t forget, you’re first and foremost members of the Bureau of Affairs!”