I pressed him again. “So, what’s the deal with that shedding woman? How could you be so certain it was Incident Six?”

“That one? Because I’ve seen a monster like that before. It was during a mission, and I initially thought it was an Incident Five. An SSS-level ability user capable of freezing organic matter had hijacked a high-ranking official. Two waves of police went in, then the SWAT team was deployed, but everyone died in that hotel. Eventually, they had to call in the Ninth Division. That time, it was Number Five—me—along with Number One and Number Three. The opponent was incredibly strong. I was knocked out in a single blow and spent the rest of the fight just observing. Number One has always been volatile; he directly blew the opponent’s head off. But unexpectedly, the thing didn't die; instead, a black, gaseous-looking creature emerged from the severed neck. We failed to capture it that time; the thing escaped. However, the analysis of the Ranger’s body revealed substances not native to Earth.” Yang Zhifeng then rolled up one of his sleeves and said, “This scar is from that incident.”

I expected to see a terrifying wound, but all I saw was a very neat circle of white scarring around his upper arm.

Confused, I asked, “This is?…”

Yang Zhifeng smiled. “My entire arm was frozen solid at the time. I cut it off myself; otherwise, it wouldn’t have just been my arm that froze—I would have turned into an ice sculpture. Fortunately, after thawing, the severed arm could be reattached; it didn't suffer immediate necrosis.”

Seeing a sheen of cold sweat break out on his forehead as he spoke of it, I knew that experience must have left a deeply terrifying memory. And now I understood why his reaction when he saw the black creature earlier was so fast and so ruthless, leaving no chance for survival.

I paused, then said to Yang Zhifeng, “Actually, I’ve met that shedding woman before. Our connection runs quite deep.”

Yang Zhifeng replied, “I was meaning to ask you that earlier because I noticed something unusual in the way you looked at that monster. There must be some link between you two. National Security is currently working hard to investigate this series of Incident Sixes, so I’m hoping you can provide the organization with useful intelligence.”

I nodded. “That woman was originally a man.”

Yang Zhifeng seemed unsurprised. “Oh? Tell me the details.”

So, I recounted to him how I took down Boss Tong, how I tracked Xiao Ma, and the scene where she transformed into a woman.

Of course, I also told him about the spatial-temporal rift.

What surprised Yang Zhifeng first wasn't the bizarre experience but his astonished question: “You can see the spatial-temporal rifts?”

I nodded. “Yes. Not only that, but I’ve also entered one.”

Yang Zhifeng asked with keen interest, “What was it like inside?”

I answered, “I didn’t enter the alternate dimension; instead, I emerged from another rift, completing a spatial transfer.”

Yang Zhifeng sighed. “As expected, you were rejected too.”

I didn't understand, so I asked, “Rejected?”

Yang Zhifeng confirmed, “Yes, rejected. You technically entered the alternate dimension, but you were spat back out before you could stay for even a thousandth of a second. Others have accidentally entered rifts before, but just like you, they only saw a white line before being ejected through another exit.”

“A white line? I didn’t see any white line…” I muttered.

Yang Zhifeng said, “Next time you go in, look closely, and you’ll see it. The alternate dimension might even be a bright, sunny place, haha. Actually, we’ve already figured out a way not to be rejected, but there’s no need to invade the other world yet. When we’re ready, we’ll need your help, Number Ten!”

When he addressed me by my codename, I smiled and said, “Got it, Four.”

After a moment’s thought, I asked again, “By the way, why are the top super-powered individuals called the Ninth Division? Doesn’t the character ’Fan’ [] mostly appear in Japanese anime? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?”

Yang Zhifeng countered, “What Japanese word? Those Japanese characters were copied from China to begin with. In Chinese, ’Fan’ means alternating or taking turns, referring to a serial number. Furthermore, the character ’Fan’ can be used interchangeably with ’Fu’ [], which is a very auspicious word. Our Tenth Division ranks are based on ability; rotation and succession happen frequently. Although personnel are occasionally sacrificed, it’s precisely because of that we hope for peace. Therefore, the character must be lucky. Tell me, is there any word more concise or more suitable than ’Fan’?”

I was silenced by his explanation, only able to think silently, ‘Chinese characters are truly vast and profound!’

I was about to ask how they discovered Xiao Ma and brought her back to perform, but just then, Yang Zhifeng’s phone rang.

He glanced at the incoming number, and his expression instantly grew serious. He gestured for me to be quiet.

Then I heard him speaking into the phone, “Yes, this is Four. Is there an emergency mission?”

“I understand. I’ll bring him over immediately…”

“Huh? Something like that? Oh, oh, I see. I understand.”

When he hung up, his smile had returned. He turned the steering wheel, maneuvering into an intersection, and said, “We’ll reschedule the hot pot dinner. I had intended to introduce you to the higher-ups tomorrow, but their communication is too efficient; they already know. Now, I’m taking you to get necessary gear and clothes, and to meet a few people. Any objections?”

I shook my head. “No objections. It was going to happen sooner or later. I’d find it strange if I became an important figure in National Security this easily. I know it wouldn't be that simple.”

Yang Zhifeng hummed in agreement. “Alright. One more thing to tell you: the entity you took down at the bar today wasn't the one that escaped last time. The higher-ups have classified it as Envoy Number Two. An ‘Envoy’ means it’s an intelligent life form from the alternate dimension that broke through into our world, carrying some kind of mission. Its abilities are completely different from Envoy Number One. Envoy Number One displayed immense power immediately, but Envoy Number Two is even more terrifying—it knows how to evolve. Fortunately, when we encountered Envoy Number Two, it had only shed its skin about three times. Each time it sheds, it occupies a normal human body and grows stronger. Once it sheds more than ten times, its power will surpass Envoy Number One, making it an X-class ability user, which will be extremely difficult to deal with then.”

I was slightly shocked. “How did the higher-ups gather such accurate and extensive information so quickly? That’s incredible.”

Yang Zhifeng laughed. “Because we have Number Five! His other abilities aren’t strong, but his IQ is over 300, and his brain development has reached 50%. You know, the average person is only at 5% to 6%. As long as he catches a few threads, that guy can analyze the entire system. I imagine the higher-ups have already gone to the bar to collect samples, and they’ve probably scrutinized that woman’s entire file. That’s why they analyzed the result so quickly.”

I nodded. “There’s someone that brilliant? Now I really want to meet the others.”

Yang Zhifeng burst into laughter. “It’s better if you don’t interact with the others too much. Aside from me, the personalities of the rest are so bizarre you can’t imagine. They are all difficult people to approach, especially Number Two and Number Five, whose temperaments are exceptionally strange.”

I pursed my lips. “Fine…”

Yang Zhifeng said, “We’ll be there soon. Relax. If they ask you questions, just answer truthfully.”

I put on a look of slight difficulty. “I happen to have quite a few secrets. If I have to answer everything truthfully…”

Yang Zhifeng waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry. Those guys won’t care about your secrets. They only need to know if you are loyal to the organization, if your abilities are stable, and if there are any potential instability factors like going berserk.”

Although I still harbored some reservations, seeing his easygoing smile, I could only say, “Alright then…”

The car soon pulled up in front of a privately owned grand hotel.

The hotel staff seemed to recognize Yang Zhifeng’s license plate number from a distance, rushing out to meet us.

So, instead of taking the underground garage where regular vehicles went, we circled around and parked in an open area behind the hotel.

I noticed only a few cars scattered there, but they were all high-end models worth at least a million. And though their license plates weren't particularly special, they all ended with the number 9.

Could this signify the Ninth Division?

And does that mean once I join, they’ll all have to change their plates to 10?

But then I dismissed the thought—damn it, I didn’t even own a car yet!

The strangely silent hotel attendant, dressed in a black suit, hadn't spoken a single word from start to finish. He merely guided us into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor, 23.

There were only the three of us in the elevator, making the atmosphere rather stiff.

While riding up, I asked Yang Zhifeng, “Are all the attendants here like this?”

Yang Zhifeng replied, “No, they’re usually very enthusiastic. I’ve never seen this guy before; maybe he’s new.”

Just as he finished speaking, the elevator we were in suddenly dropped with a loud thud, and all the lights began to flicker.

We were both startled, but luckily, it only fell a short distance before the safety brake caught, stopping the descent.

The attendant, however, remained unhurried. He pressed the emergency call button inside the elevator and stated into the intercom, “The elevator is broken. Get someone here to fix it quickly.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the elevator shuddered again.

I felt a bad premonition—the safety lock might fail too!

Just as I thought this, the elevator indeed lost control and plunged downward from the twentieth floor.