7: Chapter 7 Redemption Function

After Shen Qinghe left Xinhuo Hall, Lu Chen did not rest immediately.

The numbers on the back of the stele stopped at eight points of source essence.

She had completed the mission and gained thirty contribution points, but the Xinhuo Council currently lacked any function to redeem those contributions. If members could only see a string of numbers but could not obtain any actual help, the contribution system would quickly lose its meaning.

Lu Chen placed his hand on the stele.

"Construct basic exchange module."

[source essence consumed: 5.]

[Function: Convert analyzed anomaly residues into low-level redeemable items.]

[Confirm?]

Once the eight points of source essence were deducted, only three would remain. After a brief weighing of options, Lu Chen still chose to confirm.

He did not choose to strengthen himself first. The reason was not noble, just very practical: an ability belonging only to Lu Chen could solve one crisis, but a catalog that could redeem contributions would make members willing to participate in the next mission.

The advantage of the Core of the Torch should never just be adding a layer of power to him personally; it should be about transforming every anomaly recovery into sustainable organizational resources.

Grey mist churned on the side of the stele, and a row of low stone cabinets rose from the ground. Each compartment was sealed with faint fire patterns, and four characters appeared above them.

[Exchange Catalog]

[Current source essence: 3.]

When the doorplate fragment was recovered, the Core of the Torch had already recorded its spatial residue and visual pollution.

Lu Chen first viewed the analysis process from the highest authority perspective. The grey-white outline was broken down into several minor rules: anomaly traces visible, equipment recording distortion, and short-term mental stinging. The Core of the Torch did not retain the inducing parts, only recombining the ability to "see residues." After the exchange module was completed, those residual forces that could no longer exist as complete anomalies were reconsolidated into three grey-white talismans.

[spirit sight talisman.]

[Quality: Low-level.]

[Effect: Observe anomaly residues, spiritual traces, and mild contamination outlines for a short time.]

[Side effects: Mild dizziness, ocular stinging.]

[Inventory: 3.]

[Suggested price: 10 contribution points.]

Lu Chen checked the source, inventory, and consumption records, then had Zero simulate the usage results three times. Only after confirming that the worst side effect would only cause short-term ocular stinging and dizziness did he place the spirit sight talisman into the catalog.

The three talismans corresponded to three units of real inventory. After Shen Qinghe redeemed one, the remaining quantity had to decrease synchronously; if he wanted to replenish them, he would need new residues of the same type or additional source essence.

Every item opened to members must have a real source and a clear inventory. The Xinhuo Council was not an infinite store that could refresh goods out of thin air; the sooner this rule was established, the less likely things would spiral out of control later.

He sent a notification to Shen Qinghe via the Mark of the Torch.

[Basic exchange function is now open.]

[Enter Xinhuo Hall?]

At the same time, in a car near the Qinghe City Criminal Investigation Detachment, Shen Qinghe slowly opened her eyes.

After returning from the old building, she sat in the car for a long time. Her phone could not capture the grey message, the body camera had no Xinhuo Hall, and the mark on her wrist had faded into her skin. Except for a memory so clear it could not be denied, she had nothing that could be put into an evidence bag.

After the pale gold notification appeared, she hesitated for only a few seconds.

"Enter."

Grey mist surrounded her vision again.

The hall was still empty, but a row of stone cabinets had appeared next to the stele. Shen Qinghe approached and saw the only item available.

The other compartments of the stone cabinets were not empty, but sealed by grey mist. She could tell that more items would appear there in the future, but she could not see their specific names. Insufficient authority would not make the catalog disappear entirely, but it would clearly tell her: some things existed, but they did not belong to her yet.

[spirit sight talisman]

[Price: 10 contribution points]

[Inventory: 3]

[Authority requirement: Apprentice]

[Description: Observe anomaly residues for a short time.]

"I have thirty contribution points."

"Yes."

"Redeem one."

[Redemption successful.]

[Current contribution points: 20.]

[spirit sight talisman inventory: 2.]

The talisman fell into her palm; it felt very light, yet the fire patterns on its surface were real.

The stele provided instructions: press against the center of the forehead, and activate with intent.

Shen Qinghe looked at it for a few seconds.

"The method of use is quite traditional."

Lu Chen, behind the firelight, replied calmly: "This is the only version available for now."

She understood the subtext.

It was useless to complain about it being crude; the system had only just begun.

After leaving the hall, Shen Qinghe did not use the spirit sight talisman immediately. She first returned to the detachment, reorganized the public files of the Luo Wei disappearance case, and confirmed that no one else had entered the North Ring Old Building before returning to the perimeter at 4:00 AM.

The old building was submerged in the night, its third-floor windows like a row of empty eye sockets.

Shen Qinghe pressed the spirit sight talisman to the center of her forehead.

"Activate."

The talisman burned away silently.

Her vision felt as if it had been washed by a cold stream of water.

The streetlights, walls, and windows remained as they were, but their normal colors quickly faded, like an old photograph soaked in water. The grey-white and black anomaly traces instead became prominent. The building itself did not become clearer, but an extra layer of color, usually invisible, appeared.

Between 302 and 303 on the third floor, a grey-white outline remained on the wall. The outline looked like a door that had been forcibly erased, with several blurry human faces layered at the edges. Several black drag marks extended from the corridor deep into the wall, occasionally twitching slightly.

Shen Qinghe's breathing slowed for a beat.

They were real.

Police equipment could not capture them, and ordinary reports could not describe them, but the item provided by Torch allowed her to see them with her own eyes.

The stinging in her eyes quickly intensified. Those blurry faces inside the wall seemed to notice her gaze and slowly turned toward her position.

Shen Qinghe was not greedy and immediately exited the Spirit Vision state. Normal colors re-covered her vision, and the faces disappeared, leaving only a burning pain in the depths of her eye sockets that lasted for several seconds.

She retreated to the streetlight, recorded the location, shape, and direction of the residue into her notebook, but did not try to take photos with her phone. Since equipment could not record the grey message, there was no need to waste time repeating the same issue.

As she left the old building, the talisman ash dissipated from between her fingers.

Shen Qinghe finally understood that contribution points were not numbers used to decorate mission results.

They could be exchanged for tools to survive amidst anomalies, and for the qualification to approach the truth.

The crack had already appeared before her eyes.

She could no longer pretend that this wall was still intact.

After returning to the car, Shen Qinghe divided her notes into two parts.

One part was content that could enter the real investigation process: the structure of the old building, the time of disappearance, police reports, and gaps in surveillance.

The other part remained only in her own encrypted files: the non-existent door, the black drag marks in the wall, Xinhuo Hall, and the spirit sight talisman.

She was not planning to hide it forever, but until she found a way to handle this evidence, she would not let unsuspecting people step into the same corridor because of a report.

The Mark of the Torch on the inside of her wrist warmed up slightly.

It was not a warning, but more like a confirmation after the mission ended.

Shen Qinghe started the car.

For the first time, she did not feel like she was investigating an unexplainable case all by herself.