The Special Affairs Department office was silent.
"Gone?" Ai Qing, seated in a wheelchair, looked at the sweating man behind the desk. "Two perfectly good people, and you're telling me they're gone?"
"We can't help it. We only captured a few side shots of them through street surveillance, all wearing masks, so it's hard to tell where exactly they came from. As for this photo..." The man glanced at the photo on the desk—a criminal tied to a chair—his headache worsening as he pointed to the areas of the nose and cheekbones. "There are obvious signs of plastic surgery here, and it's recent too. It's probably not going to be easy to find them."
"If everything in the world were easy, peace would have reigned long ago," Ai Qing said, completely unimpressed with such a brainless excuse. She pointed to the plastic bag on the desk containing white powder. "How about this then? Any new leads?"
"Uh..." The man hesitated, looking like he had more to say but couldn't find the words.
"Is that so?" Ai Qing appeared disappointed. "If Xinhai's Power is insufficient, then I can only report it to the Astronomical Society..." But then, if the truth comes out, and something rather unpleasant appears, it would indeed be very unpleasant.
"COUGH. COUGH. COUGH. No, that's not what I meant." The clearly unfortunate scapegoat hurriedly waved his hands, not daring to haggle at all. "It's not that we aren't cooperating. This unconventional hallucinogenic drug mixed with Source Substance is just too common; we simply can't trace its origins."
"Hmm?" Ai Qing frowned.
"The part that affects humans mainly comes from those Source Substances. However, too many Border Relics can produce this stuff, and the composition is too easy to change. Just the varieties that have circulated on the market have several dozen recorded. If we could access the banned drugs database of the Astronomical Society, there might even be tens of thousands."
He continued, "In the end, the abilities of the Sublimators and those products of Hell are just too unpredictable. We really are powerless against this."
The sweating man had already fully admitted defeat.
"If you're not up to the task, why bother holding everyone else back?" Ai Qing withdrew her gaze, filled with disappointment, and prepared to leave. The man sighed in relief.
But just as she was pushing the door open, Ai Qing turned her head back and suddenly asked, "Since there's so much you're powerless against, when you *are* needed, you surely won't decline, right?"
"...Yes, that's correct."
The man behind the desk was stunned for a moment. He internally cursed those incompetent fools who occupied positions they didn't deserve, racking up a huge mental tally against them. He then begrudgingly managed a smile. "We will definitely cooperate fully."
"That's very good."
The door closed.
"Music!"
In the dimly lit private room, two figures were nestled on the sofa, whispering sweet nothings. One of them raised a hand. SNAP. They snapped their fingers.
And so, in the corner, an expressionless Huai Shi numbly began to play his cello.
In his backpack, the emotionless Book of Fate recorded: First day working with Liu DongLi. He made me play the cello for him. I've noted this grudge.
Indeed, it was Huai Shi's first day moonlighting as a Cowherd.
For the sake of survival, he had fallen from an elegant Cellist to Liu DongLi's personal background music player. A group debut, one selling his body, the other his art. Perm three curls into his hair, wear a V-neck jacket, and becoming a Cowherd superstar seems just around the corner... As if!
Everyone else gets a personal bodyguard; why have I turned into a bodyguard's attachment? Sleeping in the same house is one thing, but even going to work together? Seriously?!
If it weren't for the life-threatening danger and Ai Qing's daily payment of 800 yuan, he would have abandoned this gig long ago.
Until this matter was resolved, it seemed he was destined to be tied to this Cowherd.
Huai Shi's requirements weren't high: he would take the blame, and Liu DongLi would face death. Once this business is settled, they'll go their separate ways, acting as if nothing happened. No entanglements for the rest of their lives—that would be best. After he manages to get rid of that damn Raven as well, he'll be able to start his life anew, climb to the pinnacle of life with his finally activated golden finger, marry a rich beauty, fulfill his dream of breaking dozens of money-counting machines from handling so much cash, and become so famous that even in death, he'd reincarnate as a beautiful Teenage Girl in a gacha game...
Lost in these impractical fantasies, his keen hearing suddenly caught the sound of suppressed crying from the sofa.
In the midst of alcohol and the mournful cello, the woman leaning into Liu DongLi's arms couldn't suppress her sorrow. She sobbed, grasping Liu DongLi's hand. "In my heart, always, I've thought of you as my son... I'm sorry for keeping this from you. If my son were still alive, he would surely be as old as you by now..."
Amid Huai Shi's barely suppressed snickers, Liu DongLi's professional smile became strained.
Finally, after he managed to send the client off, he returned to find Huai Shi's mocking expression.
"PFFT—" Huai Shi sized him up, sighing theatrically. "Could this be the legendary 'quintessence' of being a Cowherd?"
"Quintessence, my ass!" Liu DongLi rolled his eyes. "More like the smell of privet flowers! I've accompanied so many clients to bed, only to end up becoming their son!"
"TSK TSK." Huai Shi clicked his tongue. "Isn't this when you should be saying something noble, like you're just comforting lonely women and bringing them warmth? Then my opinion of the Cowherd profession might greatly improve..."
"I suspect you've got a screw loose." Liu DongLi eyed him sideways, pointing to his own head. "No matter how nicely you put it, a Cowherd just sells smiles and his body. Where's all this glorified nonsense coming from?"
"But you seem to enjoy it quite a bit," Huai Shi said, pausing. His gaze turned pitying again. "Don't tell me you're into older women?"
"BULLSHIT!" Liu DongLi shot him a contemptuous look. "You think everyone's as dirt poor as you, about to go bankrupt? Back in the day, with this face, I just had to name a price to rake in the cash. I made forty million in just a few days..."
Huai Shi remained calm. "Oh? And then?"
"...And then I got caught," Liu DongLi said drily. "Arrested by *that* woman herself. Later, she said, 'Since you enjoy using your looks to cheat women out of their money so much, you might as well become a Cowherd. You'll be free when you've paid back all the money you swindled.'"
Huai Shi was astounded. "And you really became a Cowherd?"
"What else? Get sent to the Border? My Ability doesn't work on anything but people. Going there would be a death sentence." Liu DongLi puffed on his cigarette gloomily. "When they've shoved a gun in your mouth, do you think you can just shake your head 'no'? I nearly pissed myself, okay?!"
Hearing this, Huai Shi grew very curious. He leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Didn't you use your, uh, Ability back then?"
Liu DongLi's expression became even more dejected. After a long pause, he squeezed out two words: "Used it. Useless."
"So, did you use it or not?!" Huai Shi pressed.
"I used it! But it was utterly f*cking useless!" Liu DongLi shook his head in defeat. Later, I kept thinking: my Ability *should* have worked. To escape, I even used ten times the usual amount! When I used my Ability, she should have fallen madly, uncontrollably in love with me... "It's ridiculous, right? Her name is literally Ai Qing, yet 'aiqing'—love—means less than nothing to her."
"Uh..." Huai Shi, comparing this to the woman he'd met a few days ago, was somewhat astonished. "Are you sure you're describing a human and not Steel Godzilla?"
Liu DongLi glanced at him again, as if looking at an idiot. "Are you kidding me? She's the top dog of the Astronomical Society in Xinhai, a Reviewer with the authority to make all Sublimators grovel and do her bidding on short notice. Godzilla can't even compare to her! Offend Godzilla, and you just die a horrible death. Offend her, and you'll wish you were dead!"
As the two of them talked, they left the club through the back door and walked down the street, looking for a place for dinner.
Liu DongLi was treating. He couldn't stand the plain boiled noodles at Huai Shi's place any longer.
"If I don't eat some meat soon, my abs will start Self-digesting..." Liu DongLi flamboyantly patted his stomach. "How about hot pot?"
Huai Shi glanced at him and said ominously, "I hear eating too much hot pot makes your butt sore."
Liu DongLi froze for a second. Then, realizing this little Wang Ba's words had a hidden meaning, he couldn't stop himself from aiming a kick at the smart-mouthed brat.
In the end, still feeling too grossed out, they hastily ate a bowl of noodles and went home. Liu DongLi also complained that walking was tiring and grumbled about bringing his car tomorrow.
"Hey, it's already midnight," Huai Shi yawned as they walked. "Can't you get off work earlier? Bro, I'm seventeen, still a growing boy!"
"Really? You look pretty developed to me. Where else are you planning to grow?" Liu DongLi snorted. "Besides, what Cowherd works during the day? Because of you, I even skipped the latter half of my shift tonight."
Saying this, he rubbed his fingers together, prompting Huai Shi to consider how much he could earn by going out with clients at night.
Huai Shi's expression turned peculiar. He looked back at Liu DongLi for a long moment, then suddenly asked, "Does this count as me persuading you to go straight?"
"...Screw you!"
While they were shooting the breeze on the road, Huai Shi heard the flapping of a Flying Bird's wings. A black Raven landed on a tree ahead, turning its head to look at them.
For some reason, Huai Shi suddenly felt a chill crawl down his spine.
At the Raven's prompting, he whipped his head around to look behind them.
At the far end of the quiet Long Street in the suburbs, under the dim glow of a streetlight, a hunched shadow was silently perched on a fire hydrant.
A slightly comical monkey mask slowly tilted up.
Indifferent eyes stared at them.
...Finally, they're here! Huai Shi thought.
Almost instantly, Liu DongLi reacted. He pulled Huai Shi behind him with his left hand while simultaneously shoving his own handbag into Huai Shi's arms. His right hand darted into his coat, gripping the weapon in its holster. He began a rapid retreat.
At the same time, a sharp metallic scraping sound erupted from beneath the Ferocious Ape's feet.
Under its slowly tensing claws, the fire hydrant tore apart like thin paper. As the shadow lunged, a violent jet of water erupted from the broken hydrant.
Huai Shi stumbled back, looking around frantically. Amidst his fear, a sliver of relief surfaced. Good thing that creature chose to attack here. If we had gone a bit further, there would be no streetlights... In total darkness, Liu DongLi's Ability would probably be useless.
Before he could process anything else, the Ferocious Ape's howl initiated a Space Break, and in an instant, it was within ten paces.
Liu DongLi stood directly under the streetlight. He raised a hand, brushed back the hair from his forehead, and grinned at the Ferocious Ape.
In that moment, some Power Huai Shi didn't understand activated. It used Liu DongLi's face as a medium, reflecting into the Ferocious Ape's eyes.
Instantly, the creature's movements stiffened, and it tumbled from the air, immobilized, even struggling to breathe.
Liu DongLi didn't dare to be careless. He raised his gun, aimed at it, and squeezed the trigger repeatedly. Amidst the LOUD BANGS, Huai Shi suddenly felt his vision darken.
The streetlight flickered.
He froze, stunned. Looking back, he saw the distribution box next to the fire hydrant smoking heavily. Drenched by the gushing water, sparks and thick smoke billowed madly from it. The streetlight flickered erratically, followed by a loud, cracking explosion.
The streetlight went out completely.
Mother of God! What kind of shoddy, jerry-built crap did this municipal construction company pull?!