Die, Replay, Repeat -
Chapter 32: The Investigation Bureau's Visit
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Someone was knocking at Fang Xiu's front door.
He could tell that two people were there. He had heard their footsteps as they climbed the stairs.
Peeking through the little peephole, Fang Xiu spotted a guy and a girl in work uniforms.
With zero doubt, he swung the door open, not scared that they might be Specters—because Specters couldn't touch or do anything in the real world unless they were seen. So, they couldn't possibly knock on doors.
Also, anyone coming to his door dressed like that at this time of day was probably from some special organization he had expected.
After he opened the door, Li Wenhao showed his badge and said, "You're Fang Xiu, right? We're from the Global Specter Incident Joint Investigation and Strategic Defense Attack and Logistics Support Bureau. These are our IDs."
Fang Xiu looked at both badges carefully, noting their names.
It made sense that these guys knew where to find Fang Xiu, as there were cameras and spies all over the place now in this country.
What surprised him was the super long name of their bureau. It sounded like a mouthful that might leave some out of breath.
"Come on in."
He motioned for them to enter. As they did, Shen Lingxue and Li Wenhao were trying to get a read on him.
In the same way, Fang Xiu was checking them out, mainly wondering if they could see his "wife."
Just then, his "wife," looking really pleased, maybe because of the visitors, gracefully said, "Hey, honey, we've got visitors?"
But Shen Lingxue and Li Wenhao only looked at Fang Xiu, as if they couldn't see her.
_'Are they not seeing her? Or are they like me, choosing to ignore Specters?'_ Fang Xiu wondered.
Since they were from this official bureau, Fang Xiu thought they probably knew more and had better powers than him, who was just a newbie to the psychic world. If even the two couldn't spot Fang Xiu's "wife," then that meant Fang Xiu was surely special, probably one of a kind. And in that way, maybe seeing a Specter wasn't tied to one's psychic skills.
Still, Fang Xiu wasn't sure. He wanted to find out more.
Meanwhile, Shen Lingxue and Li Wenhao were also studying him.
Their take on Fang Xiu was quite strange: Fang Xiu was super calm. Not the usual attitude of someone who'd met a Specter and lived to tell the tale.
They'd met others who had faced Specters. Most were shaken up, and even if they turned psychic, they were unpredictable. Some ran away from officials like them, while some wanted to know more about Specters.
But none were as calm and collected as Fang Xiu.
Once they settled in the living room, Shen Lingxue said, "You don't look shocked to see us. Did you know about the bureau before?"
Fang Xiu shook his head and replied, "I didn't know, but I figured that in a world with Specters around and no chaos everywhere, someone or something must be keeping things safe."
"You're right," Shen Lingxue said, a bit impressed. "But after seeing a Specter, most people aren't as calm as you to think straight."
"That's right. Our Investigation Bureau looks into Specter troubles. We're the official organization for people with psychic powers. We came today to learn about the Willow Hill Specter Zone and see if you might fit in our team. There are a lot of psychics out there, but only the Investigation Bureau has all the info, power, and items a psychic might need. So, think of this as your chance. Now, can you tell us about Willow Hill's Specter Zone?"
"Wait, before I tell you, can I ask something?" Fang Xiu wondered.
Shen Lingxue's face tightened slightly, "I'm the one with questions here."
Li Wenhao jumped in, "Hold on, Shen. Fang Xiu just saw a Specter. He must be curious. Let's answer him first. Then he can help us better."
Shen Lingxue nodded slightly, showing she was okay with that.
Li Wenhao grinned, "Ask whatever's on your mind, Fang Xiu. You're one of us now. As long as it's not a big secret, shoot."
Fang Xiu looked them over quickly, figuring some things out. He guessed Shen Lingxue had psychic powers, but Li Wenhao didn't. People who had faced a Specter before had a different vibe. He could sense this with his new psychic skills.
_'Is this how the Investigation Bureau works? One person with psychic powers and one without? That's right… Psychics can sometimes act weird because of Specters. Having someone normal around might help keep things balanced._ _Shen Lingxue seems a bit distant and confident. Is that her real self or because of Specters?'_
But Fang Xiu wasn't too worried about that. He wanted to learn about Specters.
"So, first thing first, what exactly are Specters?" Fang Xiu asked.
Li Wenhao gave a small smile, "A lot of people who've been in a Specter Zone ask that. But even our team doesn't really know what Specters are. Where they come from, what they are, or what they want. At least, I don't know the whole story."
Li Wenhao continued, "Specters appear unpredictably and, most times, out of nowhere. What we've noticed is they aim to consume humans, specifically their souls or their spiritual essence. If I were to describe them, they're like distorted souls, each with its own polluting force. They can take many forms. Some look alive with flesh and bones, some seem ghostly, and some are more like materialized ideas or concepts.
"But all of them share a deep hate for humans. They seem to grow stronger by taking human souls. These Specters give off harmful energy, much like how radioactive things do. This energy can hurt a human's spirit, cause negative feelings, and twist the soul.
"If you're a psychic now, it's probably because you've been affected by a Specter."
Fang Xiu nodded thoughtfully, "Then my next question is, how do you rate a psychic's power?"
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