5: Bureau of Anomalies

In the following days, Lin Mo lived like an isolated island, an island desperately trying to maintain calm amidst stormy waves.

He reduced all unnecessary activities, staying almost entirely indoors except for work.

In the library, he was more silent than ever, hiding behind mountains of books, like a startled inchworm, clinging tightly to a safe branch, sensing the slightest vibrations from the outside world.

The cold word "the observer" hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles, making him restless.

Which force was it?

Was it a special department of the government? Or was it a "colleague" who, like him, possessed some kind of supernatural power? Or perhaps... an even more unspeakable existence?

He no longer dared to easily use the editor's deduction function, especially for large-scale or clearly targeted deductions.

He worried this would be like a flare in the dark, revealing his location.

He had to rely on the most primitive and safest method—human information retrieval and logical reasoning abilities.

Using the library's network access and his computer knowledge, he acted like a digital archaeologist, digging in the most hidden corners of the internet.

He infiltrated encrypted forums that required special invitation codes or multiple redirections to access, searching for clues about supernatural phenomenon investigations in posts filled with conspiracy theories, urban legends, and dubious anecdotes.

The process was slow and difficult.

Most of the information was absurd, but occasionally, one or two posts would, in extremely cryptic language, mention an organization called the "Anomaly Investigation Bureau" or a similar name.

The descriptions were vague but all pointed to its nature of handling "unusual events" and "phenomena beyond conventional cognition."

The old-timers in the forum were tight-lipped about this name, their words revealing a mix of awe, fear, and helplessness.

Almost as soon as he locked onto this keyword, feedback from the real world followed.

He keenly noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere around the library.

A middle-aged man he had never seen before, wearing a gray jacket, always sitting in the farthest corner of the reading room reading a newspaper—the newspaper often remained unturned for half a day, yet the gaze behind his lenses, like a searchlight, seemingly inadvertently scanned the entire hall, especially at certain fixed times, briefly lingering on him—Lin Mo.

Another young woman, fashionably dressed, claiming to be a graduate student from a university's sociology department, there to conduct a survey on citizens' reading habits, but her questions often revolved around the library's history, special collections, and... whether it had recently received any "special" donations.

Her smile was sweet, but the depths of her eyes lacked genuine curiosity, more like she was performing a checklist task.

They shared a common trait: trained observation skills, and an undeniable sense of coordination and purpose in their words and actions.

Lin Mo was almost certain these were people from the Anomaly Investigation Bureau.

Their arrival was undoubtedly related to the abnormal energy fluctuations triggered by the Basic Guidance Technique, which transcended conventional norms.

The old Chinese medicine doctor in the park was perhaps just the beginning; the influence of this "book" was quietly spreading along the network of social relations, finally touching the officialWarning line.

Crisis loomed like a dark cloud.

The other side was a professional, systematic organization, while he was just a lone individual who had accidentally gained power with no foundation.

A direct confrontation would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Waiting for death was not his style.

He had to take the initiative, but not through reckless confrontation, but through delicate guidance and disguise.

He needed to create an opportunity, one where he could interact with the other party, yet completely hide his true core—the identity of "Lin Mo"—behind a veil of mist.

He needed a "shield" capable of attracting firepower and enduring scrutiny, a completely new identity.

An image gradually became clear and full in his mind—"Ink Master."

A mysterious, knowledgeable, reclusive Antique Shop owner living in the city.

This identity could reasonably allow him to come into contact with some "old artifacts" and also provide a source of explanation for some of his unconventional knowledge.

He cautiously used the editor again for a crucial deduction:

[Deduction: How to make a safe, controllable first contact with Anomaly Investigation Bureau personnel as 'Ink Master' and effectively divert their investigative attention from my true self, 'Lin Mo'?]

The deduction consumed 2 units of energy and provided a circuitous and detailed path.

The core was: he needed a suitable "prop" and a carefully arranged "stage."

The prop had to be an "anomalous item" that would pique the interest of the Anomaly Investigation Bureau but not be too shocking, lest it backfire.

He decided to perform another "minor creation."

This time, he chose a more inconspicuous small item: a seemingly ordinary Qing Dynasty "qianlong era coin" copper coin.

He wanted to imbue it with the conceptual attributes of "weak exorcism and calming the mind."

This creation consumed 5 units of energy, once again depleting his already meager energy reserves, but in return, he gained a seemingly ordinary copper coin that contained a trace of cool, calming energy.

The stage was set in "Antique Shop," an old Antique Shop at the end of the ancient culture street that was about to be transferred.

The owner was an elderly man over seventy, preparing to retire to his hometown.

Lin Mo used the money he had left over from last time, and through an extremely cautious deduction mimicking a lottery win, he "earned" a sum of money and quickly took over the shop.

He valued the shop's original quaint layout, its relatively secluded location, and the shelves full of genuine and fake old items, which provided excellent cover.

He simply tidied up the shop without making major changes, only deepening the atmosphere of accumulated years.

He mixed some genuine old items with the copper coin he had created and placed them on the shelves.

He acquired a dark Chinese-style outfit with frog buttons, put on a pair of plain glasses, and most crucially, a half-face mask with a delicate wooden grain that covered only the part above his nose.

Facing the mottled bronze mirror in the shop, he repeatedly adjusted his posture, gait, tone of voice, and gaze, striving to shape himself into a calm, introverted hermit figure with a hint of mystery and scholarly air—"Ink Master."

The bait was ready, the stage was set.

Now, what was needed was for the fish to swim over on their own.

He made an anonymous, voice-distorted internet call to the local cultural market management department, vaguely reporting that a small item recently acquired by "Antique Shop" on the ancient culture street seemed a bit "ominous," making people restless when held.

Two days later, on a gloomy afternoon with drizzling rain, there were few tourists on the antique street, and the bluestone slab road was slick and reflective.

Above the entrance of "Antique Shop," the old plaque was dark with rain.

Inside the shop, the light was dim and yellow, with only a few spotlights illuminating the artifacts on the display shelves, and the air was filled with a mixed scent of sandalwood and old wood.

"Ding-a-ling—"

The crisp sound of a wind chime rang out as the shop door was gently pushed open.

They had arrived.

Lin Mo—at this moment, he was "Ink Master"—stood with his back to the door, in front of a display shelf, holding a small bronze sword, meticulously wiping it with a soft cloth, as if tending to a lover's skin.

He did not turn around, only spoke in a deliberately adjusted voice, slightly hoarse and magnetic, saying indifferently: "Feel free to look around.

There aren't many genuine items; the prices are on the tags.

Ask if you see something you like."

The person who entered was the young woman who had previously appeared at the library, conducting social surveys.

Today she was dressed more casually, like an ordinary tourist, but the sharpness and scrutiny in her eyes were difficult to completely conceal.

Behind her followed the middle-aged man who read the newspaper, his demeanor steady, his steps firm, clearly the leader.

The woman wandered casually through the shop, her fingers seemingly inadvertently brushing over pieces of porcelain, jade, and wood carvings, but her gaze was like a scanner, not missing any detail.

The middle-aged man walked directly to the counter, without superfluous pleasantries, pulled a black identification folder from his pocket, quickly flashed it in front of Lin Mo, and lowered his voice, speaking in an official tone: "Boss, excuse me.

We are from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau's special inspection team.

We received a report from the public saying that your shop recently acquired some items of unclear origin that may involve cultural relic smuggling, and we need your cooperation for an inspection."

The identification flashed by quickly, but Lin Mo, with his extraordinary dynamic vision, still saw the clear emblem and the words "Anomaly Investigation Bureau."

It was them, indeed.

"Ink Master" then slowly turned around, his gaze, through the gap above his mask, calmly met the other party's.

He had already predicted through deduction that they would start with such a half-truth identity.

"Unclear origin?" he chuckled softly, his voice carrying just the right amount of doubt and indifference, "My small shop has been open for some years, and I've always been particular about the provenance of items I acquire.

Even if some small trinkets have vague origins, they certainly don't qualify as 'smuggling.'

Comrade, is there a mistake?"

He deliberately misinterpreted their meaning, drawing "unclear origin" towards cultural relic smuggling, making himself appear like an ordinary antique dealer who abided by the rules.

The middle-aged man's gaze was sharp, fixed on his eyes behind the mask, trying to catch any emotional fluctuation: "What we mean is, items that may possess... unusual energy characteristics.

Not ordinary antiques."

Upon hearing this, "Ink Master" put down the bronze sword he was holding, walked behind the counter, leaned his hands on the surface, and slightly tilted his body forward, closing the distance between them, his tone tinged with curiosity: "Energy characteristics?

Comrade, are you referring to the 'patina' and 'inner radiance' that are often spoken of in the antique trade?

Those are merely the charm accumulated over time, the touch of our ancestors.

What, does the Cultural Relics Bureau manage this now?"

He continued to play dumb, redirecting the supernatural energy towards traditional antique appraisal terminology.

Just then, the young woman seemed attracted to a copper coin in the corner of a shelf.

She picked up the "qianlong era coin" that Lin Mo had imbued with a concept, and the moment her fingertip touched it, her brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

She clearly felt a faint, cool sensation spread from her fingertip, which actually calmed her anxiety, which had been caused by days of intense investigation, by a trace.

Her heart jolted, and she immediately shot a confirming look at the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man understood, his tone softened slightly, but still carried an undeniable authority: "Boss, could we take a closer look at this copper coin?"

"Ink Master" slowly walked over, carefully picked up the copper coin with tweezers, and placed it on the black velvet cloth on the counter.

"This coin," he said in a flat tone, as if speaking of an ordinary matter, "was brought by an old farmer from the countryside a few days ago, who said it was passed down from his ancestors and had always been kept at the bottom of a chest.

I saw that the bronze color was good and the characters were clear, so I took it.

What, is this coin... special?"

He raised his eyes, meeting the middle-aged man's gaze calmly.

The young woman picked up the copper coin, carefully feeling the strange sense of calm, becoming more convinced that this coin was far from ordinary.

She whispered something to the middle-aged man.

"Boss, we need to take this copper coin back for a more detailed appraisal," the middle-aged man said, his tone non-negotiable.

"Ink Master" pondered for a moment, his finger gently tapping the counter surface, making soft thudding sounds: "Appraisal... of course.

Cooperating with government work, you know.

However, I quite like this coin; it feels good to handle.

If there are no major issues after the appraisal, it must be returned to me.

As for the appraisal fee..."

"The fee is not an issue; we will issue the necessary paperwork according to regulations," the middle-aged man immediately interjected.

"Furthermore," "Ink Master" changed the subject, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sweeping over the two, finally resting on the young woman's slightly tired eyes, "I observe your complexions, especially this female comrade.

There is a faint weariness between your brows, and your glabella is slightly dim.

I fear you have been mentally and physically exhausted recently, coming into contact with some... unclean things, and your sleep at night is not peaceful, is it?"

Upon hearing this, both their expressions subtly changed.

They had indeed been in contact with some inexplicable phenomena and objects recently while investigating the source of the "park anomaly" and the "Basic Guidance Technique," and their minds had been under high tension, resulting in very poor sleep quality.

These words hit their secret spot.

"Ink Master" did not wait for their reply, picked up the copper coin, and instead of handing it to the middle-aged man, placed it directly back into the young woman's hand: "This coin, for now, leave it with you.

Qianlong coins themselves are said to ward off evil and protect the home.

Holding it might calm your mind and spirit, and help you sleep better at night.

As for the fees and its return, it's not too late to come talk to me after you've completed the appraisal and have a result."

His action, a tactic of feigned retreat to lure them in, not only displayed a certain ineffable mystique (being able to discern their poor state) but also showed a cooperative attitude (agreeing to the appraisal), and timely offered a "sweetener" (the calming effect of the copper coin).

More importantly, it cleverly seized the rhythm and initiative of the conversation—before the appraisal results were out, they would have to come back to him.

The middle-aged man and the young woman exchanged glances, both seeing surprise and seriousness in each other's eyes.

This "Ink Master" was definitely not simple!

He might not be the direct source of the "Basic Guidance Technique" they were looking for, but he was certainly connected to this hidden world, and might even be a deeply hidden "insider" or "inheritor"!

Finally, they left "Antique Shop" with the crucial copper coin and a mind full of doubts.

The wind chimes rang again, and silence returned to the shop.

[First contact completed.

Causal disturbance successfully guided to the 'Ink Master' identity.

Information energy acquired: 'alertness' 'importance' 'curiosity', + 2 units.

Current energy reserve: 5.2 units.]

[Warning: Anomaly Investigation Bureau's attention to 'Ink Master' has been elevated to 'observation' level.

Subsequent interactions must maintain extreme caution to avoid exposing the main body's connection.]

Lin Mo slowly took off his mask, his exposed forehead already covered in fine cold sweat.

He let out a long breath, feeling his back soaked with sweat.

In his first direct confrontation with official hidden forces, he barely passed, relying on the editor's pre-simulation and careful preparation, successfully pushing the "Ink Master" persona to the forefront, temporarily gaining a moment of respite for his true identity, "Lin Mo."

But he knew clearly that this was merely the calm before the storm.

The Anomaly Investigation Bureau would never easily give up on tracing the source of the Basic Guidance Technique, and the identity of "Ink Master" had now entered their archives.

Every future contact would be like treading on thin ice.

He walked to the window, looking at the continuous drizzle outside.

The antique street was shrouded in a misty haze, as if everything had become unreal.

He was like a traveler in this rain, the path beneath his feet slick and muddy, the view ahead blurred.

The only thing clear was the double-edged sword in his hand, which had just demonstrated its power but could also backfire at any moment.

How should he proceed from here?

Should he continue to cautiously release "knowledge" and guide the changes in this world, or should he temporarily lie low and accumulate strength?

He clutched the black jade slip in his pocket; its cold touch gradually settled his chaotic thoughts.

The answer, perhaps, lay hidden beyond this endless curtain of rain, requiring him to use his own strength and wisdom to uncover it step by step.