Chapter 49: Rating S, Code Name: Prophet

Yang Ming: "..."

"Xiao Fang, do you realize how dangerous your words are right now?"

"One hundred spirit coins."

"You!" Yang Ming grew impatient, his expression darkening. " Fang Xiu, you haven't joined the Investigation Bureau yet. Do you think I can't make you...?"

"Two hundred."

"Damn it! Enough already! My monthly salary is only ten spirit coins. You want me to give up twenty months' salary? Then go ahead and say it. I'd rather be beaten to death by Xiaobai than lose twenty months' salary. This is worse than killing me."

"Alright."

Fang Xiu stood up and opened the door to the break room, then took a deep breath and shouted, "Yang..."

"Hey hey... stop it... stop it... we're just joking around, bro, just joking around." Yang Ming was so scared his face went pale, and he quickly pulled Fang Xiu back and closed the break room door.

He then smiled slyly and said, "Brother, Xiu Ge, can we negotiate? Can we just stick to the original price? One hundred spirit coins..."

Fang Xiu took another deep breath: "Yang Ming, give..."

"Ah ah ah... two hundred! I'll give you two hundred!"

In the end, Yang Ming reluctantly took out two hundred spirit coins from his personal savings and handed them to Fang Xiu as hush money.

After giving them, Yang Ming felt utterly dejected, just like the last time he learned of Bai Qi's death during a meeting, sitting alone in the corner smoking.....

....

7:50 PM.

In the small meeting room of the Investigation Bureau, Fang Xiu, Wang Dehai, and Shen Lingxue were sitting at the meeting table chatting idly, while Yang Ming sat in the corner with a sorrowful expression.

"Captain Yang, could you please put out your cigarette?" Shen Lingxue said, covering her delicate nose with her small hand.

Yang Ming lifted his head from the corner and replied, "Lingxue, can you lend me some spirit coins?"

Shen Lingxue grew even more annoyed. "I'm a first-tier senior spirit master and only make five spirit coins a month. You're the captain and make twenty spirit coins a month. You're asking me for money? No way."

Upon hearing that the captain made twenty spirit coins a month, Fang Xiu realized he had been too hasty and decided he would have to extort some money from Yang Ming next time.

"Enough, stop arguing. The call is coming in." Wang Dehai suddenly interrupted.

He then picked up his phone and turned on the speaker.

"Director Wang, today's winning numbers are 1, 12, 17, 18, 26, 27, and 05."

As each number was announced, everyone's eyes focused on the piece of paper on the table.

The numbers written there were clearly 1, 12, 17, 18, 26, 27, 05.

Not a single digit off!

We won!

The scene fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Even Yang Ming, who had been smoking in the corner, had somehow made his way over.

Moments later, Wang Dehai hung up the phone.

Yang Ming excitedly ran over and wrapped his arm around Fang Xiu's shoulder: "Xiu Ge, from today onward, you're my older brother. Help me predict the numbers for the next draw!"

Shen Lingxue pulled out her phone and began checking the numbers for this draw.

Fang Xiu brushed Yang Ming's hand away. He hated people who lacked boundaries.

"Enough, Yang Ming, stop causing trouble. Fang Xiu's ability to predict the future can lead to spiritual instability. It must never be used for such trivial matters!" Wang Dehai scolded.

Yang Ming reluctantly let go, muttering under his breath, "How can this be considered trivial? I'd rather risk spiritual instability than remain poor."

After scolding Yang Ming, Wang Dehai turned to Fang Xiu with a sudden change in expression, smiling kindly and saying, "Fang Xiu, your ability to foresee the future has been confirmed. I officially invite you to join the Investigation Bureau, and the benefits you previously requested will be fully implemented. Additionally, I heard you want Zhao Hao to join the Investigation Bureau as well. No problem, as long as he passes the spiritual contamination test."

Fang Xiu nodded, satisfied with the outcome. It was worth it to have attempted suicide once.

He believed that with the Investigation Bureau's resources, he would be one step closer to revenge.

"Fang Xiu's abilities must be kept absolutely confidential. From now on, his abilities will be publicly described as perception. Xiao Shen, as one of the informed parties and since Fang Xiu has just joined the Investigation Bureau, you will be responsible for guiding him. Now, take him to handle the onboarding procedures."

Shen Lingxue felt reluctant inside, but ultimately did not disobey Wang Dehai's orders.

"Let's go." Saying this, she led Fang Xiu to handle the onboarding procedures.

After the two had left, Wang Dehai suddenly asked, "Yang Ming, what do you think of Fang Xiu?"

Yang Ming slowly extinguished the cigarette in his hand and said seriously, "This man is no ordinary person. He is too calm. Though he is only in his twenties and has only experienced one strange incident, he gives off an aura like an bottomless black hole, as if nothing in this world could stir his emotions.

Additionally, I sense a unique quality about him."

"What kind of unique quality?" Wang Dehai furrowed his brows.

"Indifference to life and death," Yang Ming said solemnly.

"Indifference to life and death?"

"Exactly. I've seen a similar quality in some mercenaries and assassins, but it's not quite the same as Fang Xiu's."

"Where is it different?"

Yang Ming shook his head: "I can't put my finger on it, but I just feel that Fang Xiu seems to have experienced countless deaths. If assassins are not afraid of death, then Fang Xiu gives the impression of being accustomed to death."

"Accustomed to death?" Wang Dehai was startled: "Are you sure you didn't misjudge?"

To everyone's surprise, Yang Ming burst into laughter and returned to his previous carefree demeanor: I'm not a woman; how could I be so accurate? As for you, Director Wang, how do you plan to report Fang Xiu's case to higher-ups?"

Wang Dehai pondered for a moment: "Fang Xiu's relevant information will be classified as top-secret. I will report it to the Investigation Bureau headquarters and recommend listing him in the global Spirit Master Talent Database, rated S, codenamed 'Prophet.'"

"Oh?" Yang Ming seemed somewhat surprised: "Have you thought this through? Regardless of who Fang Xiu is, his abilities are of extremely high value. If you report such a talent, there's a chance the higher-ups will want to take him.

Also, why haven't I been included in the Global Spirit Master Talent Archive, but he can be? And at S-level? There's something fishy here!"

Wang Dehai chose to ignore the latter half of Yang Ming's statement.

"Precisely because Fang Xiu's abilities possess extremely high strategic value, he should be developed on a higher platform. With global anomalous events occurring frequently, I sense that a major shift is imminent. At that time, with Fang Xiu's abilities, if he were to go to headquarters, he would undoubtedly be able to contribute greater value than if he remained in Green Vine City."

"You're so high and mighty, you're so great," Yang Ming retorted.

However, he felt that if Fang Xiu were really transferred to headquarters, it would also be a good thing, at least he wouldn't have to endure his threats and extortion anymore.

"How's the investigation into the Shadow Anomaly going? Was Bai Qi's incident an accident, or was it deliberately orchestrated by someone?"

Upon hearing the term "Shadow Anomaly," a rare look of grim determination flashed across Yang Ming's face.

"Although there's no evidence, I feel it might be deliberate!"