Chapter Fifteen: The Panic Incident
The Yellow Emperor spoke, “That’s precisely why I’ve called you all here! After all, the Underworld has been drifting further and further from the Heavenly Court’s control. At this rate, they’ll soon be strong enough to stand as our equals. Once he returns, the world is bound to descend into chaos once more.”
The Grand Elder nodded, “Indeed. Besides, to launch an assault on the Netherworld now would only leave us all exhausted and vulnerable. It would give those with ulterior motives their perfect chance.”
The Yellow Emperor continued, “Therefore, we can only send someone to eliminate the threat before it grows.”
The great powers debated fiercely—who should be sent, how many should go. Though they maintained a calm facade, undercurrents of rivalry surged beneath. Meanwhile, Wang Zixuan, caught in the heart of this storm, remained oblivious. At the moment, she was preoccupied with more mundane but no less troublesome matters.
East Avenue was a bustling pedestrian street. Just moments ago, someone had fallen from a tall building. As the crowd began to gather, a speeding private car crashed straight into the fallen person. Amid the panic, no one noticed that not a single drop of blood was left on the ground. Just as a few bold bystanders reached for their phones to call the police, the figure on the ground began to twitch. Then, with a sudden jolt, he sprang upright as if nothing had happened, sending the already tense crowd into utter chaos.
The Joint Investigation Center issued an alert: “At Supermarket No. 444, on Jingdong Avenue in City M, there’s been a suicide attempt at Chaotian Gate. Suspected unnatural entities are disturbing public order. All relevant personnel, please respond immediately.”
Wang Zixuan felt utterly exasperated. Her team was stretched thinner than ever.
She called out, “Xiaotian, grab your gear. We’re moving out.”
A small, wiry young man responded with a crisp “Yes!” and dashed to the storeroom, grabbing equipment suited to him before following Wang Zixuan to the car.
They sped through the city, reaching the scene in less than five minutes. It was on the rooftop of a twenty-one-story building. There, on a metal frame beneath a giant magnifying glass, lay an all-too-familiar figure, wrapped in aluminum foil like a dumpling. Wang Zixuan’s temper flared; with a burst of energy, she dashed over and delivered a thorough beating.
She scolded him between punches, “I told you not to cause me trouble! Always looking for something to stir up!”
The man wailed and howled, and by the time Wang Zixuan’s anger subsided, the foil had long since disappeared. The poor fellow, battered and bruised, feebly waved his hand.
Wang Zixuan ordered, “Clean this up.”
With that, she headed downstairs. Halfway down, she thought she heard someone call out to her. She turned and glared; the person who had tried to get up was so terrified by her gaze that he fainted on the spot.
Xiaotian snapped a pair of special delivery handcuffs onto the man’s wrists. Once he was secured, Xiaotian called the center. “Information Department? Initiate memory modification. Radius: ten miles from my current location. Time window: 2:00 p.m. to 2:25 p.m.”
After hanging up, Xiaotian tossed a small black sphere down the stairwell. The device released bursts of music at varying frequencies; once it reached the ground, the music stopped and the sphere buried itself in the earth. No one would ever find a trace. Anyone who had heard the music would have their memories of the incident consciously rewritten—no one would recall anything strange.
They brought the detainee back to Supermarket No. 444, where employees and customers immediately recognized the man in cuffs.
A customer called out, “Old Wang, back again with another delivery?”
Old Wang smiled and nodded, “That’s right.”
The customer laughed, “How many times has it been now? Did you try a new trick this time?”
Old Wang was just about to reply when Wang Zixuan grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to the registration desk. After snapping a photo with a small placard, signing him in, and collecting the necessary documents, Wang Zixuan gave him a swift kick, sending him sprawling into the interrogation room.