50: Upgrade complete

Lu Jianchuan followed behind him in silence, not responding. His left hand subconsciously brushed over his right wrist, where, inside the device currently in the form of a "watch," there seemed to be a faint, warm fluctuation, different from before.

At first, this fluctuation was merely a slight warmth, but after a few seconds, it abruptly turned into an intense itch that seeped into his marrow, as if countless tiny organisms were burrowing and reorganizing deep within the flesh and bone of his wrist! Lu Jianchuan's expression changed slightly as he forced himself to suppress the urge to scratch.

However, the itching lasted for less than three seconds before being replaced by a sudden, tearing pain!

"Ugh!" He let out a muffled groan, his right hand suddenly grabbing his left forearm. His body hunched over slightly from the unheralded pain, and a layer of fine cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. The pain came and went quickly, like a high-intensity energy pulse surging through his body.

"Xiao Lu? What's wrong?" Wang Qiang, walking ahead, heard the commotion and immediately turned around, asking with concern.

Taking advantage of the gap as the pain receded like a tide, Lu Jianchuan quickly straightened up. He forced a somewhat stiff smile onto his face and rubbed his left forearm with his free right hand, explaining, "It's nothing, Brother Wang! Just a sudden cramp, hiss—ouch, that hurt for a second... It's better now, all better." As he spoke, he moved his left arm to show he was fine.

Wang Qiang looked him over for a moment. Seeing his complexion return to normal, he believed him and shook his head with a smile. "You young people look sturdy, but you just lack exercise! Cramps are mostly due to calcium deficiency or muscle fatigue; you'll have to train more when we get back!"

"Yes, yes, Brother Wang is right," Lu Jianchuan hurriedly nodded in agreement, though his heart tightened. He could feel the form of the "watch" on his left wrist quietly changing. Those subtle, biological-textured patterns re-emerged as the cold metallic feel faded; it was reverting to its original ring-shaped transformation device prototype. The upgrade was complete.

The two continued toward the school gate. Lu Jianchuan took the opportunity to bring the conversation back to the case. "Brother Wang, I've been thinking about last night. That thing comes and goes without a trace; conventional methods are completely ineffective. But as long as it's a living creature, it should have a body temperature, right? If we apply to use the Bureau's thermal imager, would it be possible to find it?"

Wang Qiang's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh hard. "That's right! Thermal imaging! How did I forget that! No matter how well it hides, heat can't be covered up! That's a lead; I'll file a report to apply for it as soon as I get back!"

As they spoke, they reached the school gate. Just as Wang Qiang was about to pull open the car door, a dark gray business van with no markings glided up silently with precise and steady poise, stopping right next to their police car.

The door opened, and four people stepped out of the vehicle with efficiency.

Leading them was Zhan Yong, with his cold face and sharp eyes. Beside him was the intern investigator, Chen Xing, still holding a tablet with a serious expression. Following behind them were two men in ordinary dark jackets, with lean builds and steady strides.

Zhan Yong's gaze swept over Lu Jianchuan and Wang Qiang without stopping. He merely gave a nearly imperceptible nod to Chen Xing behind him before leading the two plainclothes men directly into the school with a clear objective and hurried steps.

Chen Xing stayed behind. With a stylized, polite smile on his face, he walked quickly to Wang Qiang and presented a document with a special seal.

"Officer Wang, hello. I am Chen Xing from the Special Affairs Investigation Bureau," his voice was clear and concise. "Based on the information we have, the continuous abnormal attacks occurring at this school and the surrounding areas have met our Bureau's takeover criteria. This is the relevant documentation. From now on, our Bureau will take full responsibility for all investigative work regarding this case. This is a formal notice."

Wang Qiang was stunned. Before he could even file the report for the thermal imager, the matter had been intercepted. He took the document and looked at it; the wording and the seal carried an authority he could not question.

"Investigator Chen, this... we just came up with some new ideas, like using thermal imaging..." Wang Qiang still wanted to try and stay involved.

Chen Xing maintained his professional expression, but his tone brooked no argument. "Thank you for your efforts, Officer Wang. However, the subsequent professional detection and disposal plans will be formulated after evaluation by our experts. Please hand over all currently available case materials to me and sign this non-disclosure agreement. Thank you for your hard work."

Lu Jianchuan stood to the side, watching this scene in silence. He knew that in the face of GUPA's efficient and forceful procedures, ordinary police investigations could only go this far. On his wrist, the ring-shaped object that had just finished its upgrade was sending out faint pulses of new power that only he could perceive.

Watching Chen Xing's figure also disappear into the depths of the campus, Wang Qiang sighed heavily, his face filled with helplessness and a hint of dissatisfaction. As he pulled open the car door, he complained to Lu Jianchuan, "Ugh, those people again! Lately, several bizarre cases have been forcibly taken over by them like this. They're so mysterious; I don't even know what they actually do. Well, all our hard work was for nothing."

He sat in the driver's seat, only to find Lu Jianchuan still standing there, his gaze fixed on the direction where Chen Xing and the others had left, his brow furrowed.

"Let's go, Xiao Chuan, stop staring!" Wang Qiang leaned out and shouted.

Lu Jianchuan withdrew his gaze and walked to the car window, a look of well-placed concern on his face. "Brother Wang, I'm still a bit worried. You know Uncle Li's son, Xiao Zhe, is still a student here. I... I really can't feel at ease just leaving like this."

Hearing this, Wang Qiang's expression also turned serious. He looked inside the school, then back at Lu Jianchuan, and lowered his voice. "Xiao Chuan, I understand how you feel. But this is work discipline. The case has been transferred; if we interfere again, that's a violation of regulations! If we're caught, we'll face disciplinary action or even be called in for a talk by the higher-ups!"

"Brother Wang, I understand the rules," Lu Jianchuan said sincerely, his voice pleading. "I'm not trying to interfere with the investigation. I'm just... just worried. I want to stay for a while longer in a personal capacity to make sure Xiao Zhe and the others are okay. I promise I won't disrupt their work; I'll just watch from a distance. Please, Brother Wang, for Uncle Li's sake."

Wang Qiang looked at the genuine concern in Lu Jianchuan's eyes and thought of his fallen old colleague, Li Ming. His heart softened. He remained silent for a few seconds before finally waving his hand helplessly, his tone cautionary. "Sigh, fine! You kid... be smart about it! Don't let anyone catch you, especially that group from just now! Go home early after you're done, and call me immediately if anything happens!"

"Thank you, Brother Wang!" Lu Jianchuan thanked him hurriedly.

Wang Qiang said no more, started the police car, and drove away from the school gate.

Lu Jianchuan watched the police car drive away, the look of concern on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by absolute calmness. He didn't stay where he was; instead, like an ordinary passerby, he turned and walked unhurriedly along the sidewalk parallel to the school wall.

As he walked, he used his peripheral vision to carefully observe the school's perimeter wall and the surrounding environment. He needed to find a suitable entry point—one that was not covered by surveillance cameras, was sufficiently hidden, and was not easily discovered by pedestrians or people inside the school.

After walking for about five or six minutes, he turned into a relatively quiet alley adjacent to the school's back wall. Some discarded building materials and trash cans were piled here, and few people usually passed by. He quickly scanned the area, confirming there was no one around and no cameras overhead.

This was the spot.

Lu Jianchuan took a deep breath, backed up a few steps, and after a short sprint, kicked off the rough wall surface. Using the momentum to surge upward, his left hand nimbly caught the edge of the wall. He exerted force with his arm, and his entire body flipped over as lightly as if he were weightless, the movement clean and sharp without a single unnecessary sound.

He crouched on top of the wall, confirming once more that the base of the wall inside was a dense, untended thicket of evergreen shrubs—a perfect landing spot and cover. Then, like a cat merging into the shadows, he slid silently into the bushes, his figure completely disappearing within the campus.

His feet landed steadily on the soft soil, and the only sound around him was the rustle of wind through the leaves. Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he felt the steady, restrained pulse from the upgraded ring-shaped object on his left wrist, and cast a sharp gaze deep into the campus.