Hui Tian Ch30

Chapter 30

The first eater

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“Relax, take a deep breath, deep breath—” Chen Miao encouraged, inducing a trance-like state, “Good, now you’ve forgotten everything you saw just now. Your mind is empty; there’s only the pure blue sky, white clouds, and the melodious sounds of birds and fragrant flowers in the world…”

“—No, I still can’t do it!” Yang Xiaodao complained loudly with an angry look on his face, “How could they just do that in broad daylight and in that way?!”

Chen Miao sympathetically said, “Yeah, the adult world is dirty. Honestly, I saw it last time too, and then I had to do a lot of psychological rebuilding…”

On the huge white sofa in the living room, Shen Zhuo and Bai Sheng sat far apart, each with arms crossed and supporting their foreheads in silence. Their movements were unusually synchronized, but their inner thoughts were completely opposite.

“I caught a little swan that hasn’t even warmed up yet, and it just flew away like that…” Bai Sheng sighed sadly after a while.

Shen Zhuo put his hands down and asked Chen Miao expressionlessly, “Why didn’t you call me first?”

Captain Chen, who had already checked all the nearby milk tea shops near the supervision office, felt quite guilty. In his heart, he thought that, of course, that was because a new milk tea shop had just opened at the intersection, only a five-minute walk away from Bai-ge’s place. At the time of the incident, he was standing at the counter, intending to order a cup of fresh peach fruit slush with cheese. Fortunately, he had a shield and wasn’t entirely without a legitimate reason. He cleared his throat lightly and said, trying to downplay the situation:

“Uh… Senior, I called you once, but you didn’t answer…”

Shen Zhuo felt his pocket and found it empty.

He turned back to look, only to see the phone on the shoe cabinet at the entrance. He had placed it there with the coat when he entered.

“You feel really relaxed with me now, right, Inspector?” Bai Sheng discreetly moved his buttocks a bit toward this side and whispered from the corner of his mouth.

Shen Zhuo moved a little further away from him impassively, asking Chen Miao, “What happened?”

“Oh, it’s like this.” Chen Miao half-covered his ears, not daring to listen to Bai-ge’s provocative words. He took out his phone, unlocked it, and said, “Director Wang suddenly called me, saying there’s a trending video on Weibo. It shows a suspected mental patient exhibiting aggressive behavior at the Shenhai City high-speed rail station. He wanted us to see if it’s related to evolved abilities.”

As he spoke, he opened the video and handed it over. “I’ve sent a few inspectors over, but there are quite a few suspicious points. Take a look.”

The video had already been mostly blocked, but the one Chen Miao had on hand was still relatively intact. The first few seconds showed a lively crowd and a noisy discussion, as if witnessing some unusual event. Then the screen went black for a few seconds before lighting up again, with the cameraperson now at the forefront of the crowd, capturing a corner in front of the high-speed rail station security gate.

A middle-aged man in his forties with a pale face was leaning on the ground, seemingly in a daze, as if sleepwalking, with bloodstains at the corners of his mouth.

The next scene shattered expectations; the man seemed oblivious to everything around him, stiffly bringing his bloodied arm to his mouth—

Then he ruthlessly bit off a large piece of flesh from his own arm and swallowed it whole!

“Aaaaaah! Madman! Crazy!” “Call the police, aaaahhh—”

The crowd scattered, screams filled the air, and the screen violently shook. Through the gaps in the crowd, it was clear to see the middle-aged man huddled in the corner, seemingly oblivious to pain, devouring his own arm and even tearing into his own thigh. Blood splattered, revealing the white bones…

Bai Sheng slapped Yang Xiaodao’s face with a resounding smack and declared without room for doubt, “Bloody and violent, R-rated. Minors are not allowed to watch.”

“?!” Yang Xiaodao, caught off guard, was slapped onto the sofa, and his adolescent self-esteem suffered a serious blow. In disbelief, he struggled, “Are you okay? You’re talking to me about bloody violence? What is this bloody violence to me?”

Turning back, Bai Sheng whispered to Shen Zhuo, “Don’t listen to him talking nonsense. This child has always been shy and timid; he has never seen any fighting or killing. He’s been clean, hygienic, and loves plants and flowers since childhood…”

Film emperor Bai’s acting skills have reached their peak, but unfortunately, Shen Zhuo has developed resistance. Expressionless, he pressed the pause button on the video, saying, “An 11-year-old shy and timid kid won’t experience a ‘home invasion.’ As for the scene, I’m sure it was handled both hygienically and cleanly back then.”

Bai Sheng: “…”

“Alright,” Shen Zhuo rescued the face of the adolescent from the evil clutches of an S-class, gesturing for Yang Xiaodao to sit up. “I hope that in the future, he will cherish not only flowers and plants but also engage in only correct and necessary fights. Otherwise, I’ll personally put a collar on him.”

Yang Xiaodao: “…”

Yang Xiaodao angrily rubbed his reddened nose and looked at the Chief Supervisor of Shenhai City, daring to be angry but not to speak, like a strong little wolf forced to tuck its tail between its legs.

Ignoring him, Shen Zhuo asked Chen Miao, “Where are the doubts in this matter?”

Generally, during a psychotic episode or hallucinogenic poisoning, it wouldn’t turn so bloody. Judging from the video, it indeed might be related to evolved abilities. Chen Miao shrugged, indicating that those who understand, understand.

“Well, Director Wang said there’s currently no trace of hallucinogenic substances in the victim’s blood. He hopes we can find evidence of ability-related crime. However, after the inspectors went to the station for on-site measurements, they found no abnormal energy fluctuations, meaning there’s no sign of using abilities…”

Any use of ability would inevitably leave behind abnormal magnetic field energy fluctuations, just like a crime scene inevitably leaves behind the murderer’s footprints or fingerprints. Therefore, determining whether a criminal act involved evolutionists was primarily done by using instruments to detect the scene.

Of course, abnormal energy fluctuations would slowly dissipate over time, but that usually took several days. It wouldn’t dissipate completely in such a short time.

Could it be that it wasn’t an ability-related crime from the beginning?

“It could also be because the precision of the instruments is not enough.” Shen Zhuo stood up and straightened his clothes. “Has the victim been sent for rescue?”

Chen Miao also stood up, “Second Hospital of Shenhai City. Senior, do you think we should borrow a more advanced and precise instrument from the Central District…”

“No need. I’ll go take a look myself.” Shen Zhuo casually said, “We already have the instrument we need.”

Bai Sheng: “?”

***

One hour later.

The Second Hospital of Shenhai City.

“The victim’s name is Wang Ping, 43 years old, a small stall vendor.” Ding—the elevator door opened, and Director Wang personally led Shen Zhuo and his group out, introducing the situation as they walked, “Although the person didn’t die, the social impact is very bad, mainly because the scene was too bloody… Online rumors are rampant, saying it’s an ability crime, and some even mention a zombie virus…”

Director Wang, a lean little old man in his fifties, was always an enthusiastic internet surfer. Frowning, he gestured with his hand, “In my opinion, it’s nonsense. Even if it’s the T-virus, you still have to follow the basic rules. Where have you heard of a zombie not biting others but biting itself first? It doesn’t fit the principles of virus transmission at all. I’d say it’s probably an ability crime. Don’t you guys have that psychic evolutionist—”

“Mind control type,” Bai Sheng politely interjected.

Director Wang: “Right, right! The kind who can make you succumb with just one glance, obediently handing over all your bank card passwords!”

“Forgive my presumption, but those rumors are all false.” Bai Sheng regretfully said, “Mind Control Evolutionists are few in number and generally low in level. Their limit is probably just bending a spoon out of shape from a distance—though they’re good at emotional guidance. Most of them have been hired by the NBA as cheerleaders, and their income is quite high.”

A certain S-class evolutionist, surnamed Bai, complained about the lack of reimbursement for travel expenses, but deep down, he was filled with joy at being invited by Inspector Shen to go out. He even took the opportunity to dress up. His clothing style never revealed brand names, but the well-cut and exquisite texture outlined a strong and reserved figure. The shirt cuffs were rolled up to the elbows, exposing the sun-kissed muscles of his sturdy forearms, along with a wristwatch with a price tag featuring numerous zeros.

Regardless of his inner personality, he always appeared cheerful and amiable on the outside. His young and handsome face carried a perpetual smile, making him look like an affluent, sport-loving college student at first glance.

Director Wang, somewhat puzzled, scrutinized him for several moments and couldn’t help but ask Shen Zhuo in a low voice, “This new comrade looks unfamiliar. Is he from your supervision office?”

“No.” Shen Zhuo casually flipped through the photos from the scene while saying, “He is Mr. Bai, a civilian volunteer, an S-class evolutionist.”

“!!!” Director Wang’s pupils trembled for a moment, almost thinking he had misheard. “SSSSSSS…”

Bai Sheng was deeply moved. “Just one S; you’re too kind. You’ve worked hard to help me with the coffee.”

Yang Xiaodao, who was expressionless behind them, added, “He just stuttered; no one is going to help you carry coffee.”

Bai Sheng, in disbelief, said, “Ah, really?”

Director Wang: “…”

“Director Wang!” “Director Wang, you’re here!”

In front of the special care ward, several subordinates stood up to greet him. The old man, still in shock, snapped back to reality from the instinctive urge to take out a pen and paper for a signature. “Ah…um…how is the situation?”

“His life is temporarily out of danger, but he still needs restraint. The inspectors from the supervision are already inside.”

Bai Sheng held the hospital door with one hand and looked inside. “Oh,” he exclaimed, “Is this the gentleman?”

On the hospital bed, the man in his forties named Wang Ping was securely bound with restraints. His eyes were wide open, and his expression was vacant. His arms and legs were bitten to the bone and covered with messy and blood-soaked bandages.

His mouth was smeared with his own blood, and what was even more terrifying was that even in such a tightly bound situation, his limbs were still moving rhythmically, trying to bring them to his mouth.

“Supervisor!” “Bai-ge!”

Inside the ward, two inspectors were holding instruments. Seeing them, they turned around and approached. Shen Zhuo put down the stack of scene materials in his hand and asked, “Still unable to detect anything?”

The two inspectors, in unison, shook their heads with expressions of bewilderment. “No trace of energy residue can be detected on the victim’s body. We’ve really tried everything, and there’s no sign of using abilities…”

“Our equipment can’t achieve greater precision. Should we call the Central District and borrow a more advanced detection device?”

Shen Zhuo stopped in his tracks. “No need. I’ve already brought one.”

Inspectors: “?”

In front of everyone’s eyes, Shen Zhuo, calm and composed, turned to Bai Sheng and made a “please” gesture.

“Go ahead, give it a sniff.” 

Everyone: “…”

A strange silence ensued. After a while, Bai Sheng said slowly, “So you mean me when you described that ‘top-of-the-line, high-precision detector’ to Chen Miao on the way here?”

“Some studies suggest that S-class evolutionists have an extremely keen sense of supernatural abilities, with accuracy that even instruments can’t match.” Shen Zhuo said approvingly, “So, yes.”

“Do you know even police dogs have a budget, and I’m just an unpaid civilian volunteer, right?”

“Mentioning money hurts the feelings. We’re all so familiar; don’t say things that hurt feelings.”

“…………”

Bai Sheng took a deep breath, knowing that the boomerang thrown in the supervision office that day was bound to come back sooner or later. So he nodded solemnly and said:

“Well, let’s consider it for the sake of the… relationship between me and Inspector Shen.”

Everyone’s extremely bizarre gazes shifted back and forth between the two, but Shen Zhuo seemed completely immune to such coming out occasions. He didn’t even bother to give any reaction.

It seemed like Wang Ping’s soul had gone to an unknown place, leaving behind only the instinct to devour his own flesh and blood. Bai Sheng stood by the hospital bed, his slender index finger pressing against Wang Ping’s throat, frowning as he observed for a moment.

He didn’t actually use his nose to sniff around, but he closed his eyes, sensing for more than half a minute before opening them again. With the expectant gaze of everyone, he withdrew his hand and shook his head.

“No, there is absolutely no residual energy. It shouldn’t be an ability-related crime.”

The inspectors all breathed a sigh of relief, but Director Wang’s expression involuntarily tensed.

“Perhaps it’s some new type of drug or hallucinogen; it seems this case has nothing to do with the supervision office.” Shen Zhuo returned the scene materials to Director Wang and said, “But before the case is solved, allow the supervision office to assist, just in case.”

Director Wang could only sigh, “Ah, thank you, thank you…”

“Let’s go.” Shen Zhuo turned to Bai Sheng.

Bai Sheng made two sounds of acknowledgment, feeling that something still seemed off. His gaze lingered on the terrifying face of Wang Ping, covered in blood and flesh. Suddenly, his eyes slightly flickered, and he reached out to pick up something from the corner of Wang Ping’s mouth.

It was a short black-brown hair, somewhat resembling animal fur.

Shen Zhuo, who was being surrounded by a group of subordinates reporting, stopped at the door before leaving, turning his head and saying, “Bai Sheng!”

“Yes!”

Mr. S-Class felt that he probably had an instinctive response to Shen Zhuo from the depths of his bones. As soon as he heard Shen Zhuo call his name, an itching sensation arose immediately, and he casually handed the nurse the strand of hair. In haste, he instructed, “Check if this person has some mutated form of rabies.” Then, with a long stride, he crossed the bed rail, cheerfully following Shen Zhuo out of the ward.

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The author has something to say:

Well, as Rong Qi described in the previous chapters, Bai Sheng’s causality weapon can only erase existence, not reverse the timeline (otherwise, he could just go back to before the meteorite landed on Earth and then rush into the Quanshan County Health Center to stab Rong Qi to death, and the story would’ve ended then =v=).

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