61: Chapter 61: The Higher-ups' Handling of Sima Yan! An Lei's Choice!

Inside the abandoned slab-concrete building deep in the alley, a series of weak, intermittent pleas could be heard.

"*Cough, cough*... Please, I beg you, just kill me..."

"Sima Yan, I was wrong, please, just kill me..."

"*Heh heh heh*, you want to die? I haven't finished cutting with my knife yet, and isn't your tongue still there?"

In the dark, lightless corner, Sima Yan licked his lips, bloodthirsty, eerie glints flashing in his eyes.

The Yellow-Haired Punk at Sima Yan's feet no longer looked human.

He looked more terrifying than a vengeful ghost.

Like a mangled corpse dragged out of Hell, the sight was nauseating and bone-chilling.

"It doesn't matter if the flesh is gone, and it doesn't matter if the blood is drained dry. I fed you half of a premium Life-Prolonging Herb; it will let you live for another fifteen minutes, so enjoy it well—*heh heh heh heh heh*!"

As Sima Yan spoke, his hand, gripping the knife that dripped blood incessantly, was twisting and trembling.

"...Lunatic, you lunatic, I curse you to a wretched death!"

"Still have the energy to curse? Then I'll gouge out another one of your eyes!"

*Slash!*

With a swift strike, a mist of blood sprayed out.

The bloody, ghastly scent grew even more intense in this dark environment.

"This place is so eerie. Why do I feel like someone in this building is letting out miserable, shrill screams?"

On the open ground outside the building, surrounded by police tape, Qian Anming's fat body shuddered as he whispered to the criminal investigation officer beside him.

"Captain Qian, I heard it too. It should be Sima Yan committing violence against that person."

"...Alright, you all keep watch. I'm going to the side to smoke for a while."

"Understood!"

Hearing the reply from those around him, Qian Anming wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and trotted off into the distance.

Qian Anming had a principle: whenever a major criminal case was involved, he basically let his subordinates handle it while he just made an appearance to keep up appearances.

He never got close to dead bodies because he was afraid that ghosts would come to claim his life at night.

Five or six minutes later, Director Sun arrived at the crime scene with the cool-tempered Special Agent Xia Ya and Cao Yan.

"Where is Qian Anming?"

"Report, Captain Qian went over there to smoke!"

"...!"

Director Sun wanted to curse out loud, but upon remembering Special Agent Xia Ya and her companion, he had to swallow his anger.

He turned and squeezed out a smile, saying to Special Agent Xia Ya:

"Special Agent Xia, the perpetrator is in that building inside. Should I send men to escort you in? If you have any needs, our City Police Bureau will fully support you!"

"No need. You all wait here; Cao Yan and I will go in."

Special Agent Xia Ya's voice was as cold as frost; she wasted no words.

Under the astonished gazes of Director Sun and the others, she led Cao Yan across the police line and walked straight into the abandoned slab-concrete building.

"Director Sun, should we follow them in?"

"No. But everyone, load your pistols. If any uncontrollable factors arise, we will storm in directly!"

"Remember, you must ensure the safety of Special Agent Xia!"

"Understood!"

The moment Special Agent Xia Ya stepped into the building, she suddenly felt a strong, bone-chilling cold from the surrounding air.

Cao Yan, wearing a black tactical suit, narrowed his eyes, one hand already quietly placed at his waist, ready to draw his gun at any moment.

Facing this inexplicable aura, Special Agent Xia Ya raised her eyebrows slightly.

Without the slightest fear, she took another step with her black high-top shoes.

"If you don't want to die, stop right there!"

It was at this moment that an eerie, twisted voice suddenly came from a corner of the building.

Special Agent Xia Ya looked toward the corner and said in a cool tone:

"Sima Yan, this place has been surrounded by us. You have no way to escape, give up your resistance!"

"Give up resistance? *Heh heh*—do you know what you are saying?"

"Do you think you can stop me with just a few broken guns? If I lash out, I can easily kill both of you!"

The twisted voice came again, carrying a thick sense of mockery.

"...Sima Yan, as a Transcendent, you must surely understand one truth: you are not the only Transcendent on this land!"

"If you persist in your delusions, you will surely come to a clear realization of your ultimate, tragic end!"

Special Agent Xia Ya paused for a few seconds and said firmly: "Besides, I don't think you can escape the pursuit of technological weapons!"

"Although Transcendents are powerful, I suspect you have only completed a portion of your 'Transcendence' and have not yet truly stepped into the Transcendent Domain, right?!"

Hearing this, Sima Yan in the corner was silent for a few seconds, then said eerily:

"I can promise not to harm the innocent in the East, but you must let me leave."

"Otherwise, although I will die, you will also suffer huge losses."

"If you let me escape, with my secret identity, I imagine it won't be long before I possess even greater Transcendent power. When that time comes, what will you use to stop me?!"

"Before we talk about that, we have an invitation here. I wonder if you'd like to hear it?" Special Agent Xia Ya did not answer, but instead changed the subject.

"Oh, what kind of invitation?"

Although no figure could be seen, Sima Yan's slight surprise could still be heard, "I am the perpetrator, do you still want to recruit me?"

"Congratulations, you guessed right!"

"We in the East are recently forming a brand new, most Mysterious Department, and we happen to be lacking the addition of Transcendents. I wonder if you would like to come?"

"Don't be in such a rush to refuse. Listen to my terms, and think it through before answering."

"As long as you join this Mysterious Department, all cases here will be completely wiped clean."

"In the future, the East's top-tier Transcendent resources will all be prioritized for this Mysterious Department."

"Moreover, apart from the orders of certain leaders in Yanjing, you will have a high degree of autonomy!"

After Special Agent Xia Ya finished speaking, the surrounding air eased up slightly and was no longer so cold and ghastly.

"I don't like a life of restraint."

Sima Yan shook his head in refusal: "Same as before: let me go, or we fight to the death!"

"Fine, you may leave, but Sima Yan, remember your promise today: do not harm the innocent again!"

"Otherwise, even if you possess powerful Transcendent power, you will surely pay a price of regret for it!"

Strangely, Special Agent Xia Ya did not seem too surprised and actually chose to agree to Sima Yan's terms!

...

At the crime scene deep in the alley, Director An Lei pondered for a while and decided to reveal his secret to Little Princess.

"Luo Qi, there is something I want to tell you!"

"What is it, why are you being so serious?"

Seeing Director An Lei's solemn expression, Little Princess couldn't help but chuckle, "You aren't going to tell me you've had a change of heart, are you?"

"Haha, how could that be?"

Director An Lei smiled, his expression returning to gravity: "Do you know where Sima Yan's Transcendent power comes from?"

"I'm not a fortune teller, how would I know?"

Little Princess's delicate eyebrows twitched, and she asked in confusion: "Could it be that you know?"

"Yes, not only do I know, but I've also been to that place!"

Under a quiet wall corner, Director An Lei, using words that only the two of them could hear, did not hide anything and truthfully recounted all of his previous experiences.

"..."

Little Princess listened, her mouth hanging wide open, silent for a long time.

After a long while, she gradually digested the information, and a hint of emotion appeared on her tense cheeks:

"You, like Sima Yan, have both become [Destined Ones]...?"

"This kind of secret, shouldn't you keep it buried deep? Every extra person who knows adds another layer of danger of exposure."

"Right now, the Transcendent has just begun to sprout, and no one knows what the higher-ups in Yanjing think about it."

"If it is fully exposed, you could fall into an irreversible situation."

"You little girl, you're exaggerating. If I can't even trust you, who else is worth my trust?"

Director An Lei flicked Little Princess's nose and chuckled lightly.