Chapter 9

What did it mean that an extra residential complex had appeared?

Not only the higher-ups at the Resurgence Management Office, but even Lu Jingshan, the captain of the Third Squad who had been watching over his team members, was dumbfounded.

The statement was simply too bizarre.

How could a residential complex appear out of nowhere?

Everyone outside the observation room exchanged bewildered glances, while the management higher-ups furrowed their brows tightly.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Jingshan turned his head and spoke up. “I believe Yin Liao.”

“He’s not the type to spout nonsense. His mental state checks out fine right now, so I think what he said might actually be true.”

The management higher-ups shook their heads. Even considering Yin Liao’s past performance, they remained cautious. “The head scans aren’t back yet. We’ll only trust his judgment once the reports for Yin Liao and the other relevant Third Squad members come in and show no abnormalities.”

“This is about being responsible to everyone.”

As captain, Lu Jingshan naturally understood this. So when the higher-ups said that, he nodded and stepped aside.

The lobby fell quiet again. It wasn’t until the other mission squads returned that sounds began to fill the Resurgence Management Office once more.

“I heard the Third Squad ran into issues during their pursuit this time?”

Si Ning had just returned when he overheard Xue Hengfu gossiping.

Because of this sudden incident, there had been meetings all morning. Even the Ability User squad members out on missions had received the news. After all, the Third Squad wasn’t some no-name newbie team that had just joined. They ranked near the top at the Resurgence Management Office. With the First Squad staying hidden year-round, the Third Squad was one of the most active alongside the Second Squad, having resolved countless weird incidents over the years.

This time, they had been tracking the A-grade weird entity, the Wandering Chef. Thanks to its dissolving characteristics, they had only just gotten a lead. But after the Wandering Chef’s weird corpse was transported back and the mission reported as complete, they suddenly discovered a problematic residential complex.

Si Ning rubbed his brow. After wrapping up this mission in the lobby and handing the files back to the staff, he could still hear Xue Hengfu’s shocked voice.

“What? The Third Squad is still under protection?”

Xue Hengfu was genuinely surprised. Dealing with heterized weird entities year-round, even the most experienced Ability Users could have accidents. If a mission went wrong, it was standard procedure to head straight to the protection room upon return to avoid affecting others.

Usually, within six hours of returning, the Alienation Value results came out, determining whether it was isolation or treatment.

But now, eight full hours after the Third Squad’s mission issue, Vice Captain Yin Liao was still in the protection room?

The duty staff were puzzled too.

“We don’t know yet.”

“We’re still waiting for the notice.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone rang. He instinctively picked it up.

“Meeting in the third-floor conference room in ten minutes.”

The curt voice from the receiver carried the higher-up’s order. The duty staff immediately looked toward the returning squads.

“Results are in.”

“Get ready for the meeting!”

In the protection room, everything was normal with Yin Liao—which was precisely what made things tricky for the Resurgence Management Office. Because just an hour earlier, the full checkup results for the Third Squad had already come out.

The other squad members’ Alienation Values were all normal. Only Vice Captain Yin Liao’s stood out.

This key team member—the only one who mentioned “an extra residential complex”—had normal head scan data, but his overall Alienation Value was 0.1 higher than the normal range.

That tiny exceedance left the management higher-ups in a bind.

In the end, trusting Captain Lu Jingshan’s guarantee, they took Yin Liao’s words seriously.

By the afternoon, the management higher-ups promptly called a meeting.

…

Bo Ting noticed that their residential complex seemed a bit off today.

After finishing dinner in the afternoon, he saw Elder Wen’s notice in the residents’ group chat.

“Folks, has our complex been targeted by someone?”

“I was sitting in the garden playing chess with Old Zhang today, and I kept feeling like someone outside was peeking at our complex.”

With the property security guard on leave back home, the complex had been without a guard for a month. The security booth was just a decoration except for the after-the-fact surveillance camera.

This left the complex’s safety in a precarious state.

Especially for solitary elders like Elder Wen, who were particularly concerned about security issues.

Bo Ting had only been scrolling casually at first, but upon seeing the group messages, he took it seriously.

Sure enough, within minutes, “Qiqi’s Dad” from Building 5 chimed in.

“Uncle Wen, you felt it too? I thought it was just my imagination.”

“I was playing with the kid under the building with a bubble machine today, and it felt weird.”

“But I didn’t see anyone.”

Several nearby residents who had been strolling around the complex in the afternoon also came forward to confirm.

Elder Wen thought, so many people?

This was serious—no way it was nothing major.

“No, after dinner this afternoon, I’ll head to the property management surveillance room to check the footage and see what’s going on.”

With the respected Elder Wen stepping up, the group chat instantly filled with agreement.

Bo Ting quickly gave the enthusiastic Elder Wen a thumbs-up.

However, thinking that the complex might have been scoped out by prowling thieves, his expression gradually turned serious. He set down his phone, secured all the window latches, and double-checked:

“This should be fine, right?”

No, just in case, he should order some more locks.

Bo Ting nodded.

Before unemployment, he had just been an ordinary office drone, not a professional. After pondering for a while, he had no idea what locks to buy.

That’s when he suddenly remembered the new friend he’d made yesterday.

Yes, after breaking through the barrier of his air conditioner identity, Bo Ting had already considered that gentlemanly, upstanding man a friend.

From their chats, he found this friend incredibly knowledgeable, eloquent, and seeming to know everything.

When faced with a problem, Bo Ting’s first thought was him. He instinctively sought help from his one and only friend.

“Hey, you there?”

In the forum, Little Red’s indicator blinked twice.

Xu Qinglai didn’t need to check to know it was that mysteriously appearing person.

Oh right, he said his name was “Bo Ting.”

After subconsciously mulling over the name, the man in a three-piece suit, sitting in a spacious and bright office, picked up his phone.

“Of course.”

“Still working overtime at the company.”

From their morning chat, he had keenly noticed the other’s interest in human life, so Xu Qinglai didn’t mind revealing that he mingled among humans.

He naturally snapped a photo of the office’s opposite window.

Bo Ting glanced at it and didn’t realize it was a standalone high-floor office. Thinking it was a meeting room or something, he hesitated.

“Am I bothering you right now?”

“Actually, I wanted to ask if you have any reliable lock shop recommendations.”

“My place seems to have been scoped out by thieves.”

Very everyday words popped up.

Xu Qinglai’s deep eyes lowered as he pondered.

Locks?

The kind he was thinking of?

But with a Bone Dog around, how could there be thieves?

A faint doubt stirred in his heart, but Xu Qinglai still smiled faintly. “Sorry, I’m not too familiar with that.”

“You could search online maybe.”

Huh, so this netizen had areas he wasn’t expert in.

Bo Ting had thought the guy knew everything.

But hearing him say that made Bo Ting feel like this gentle friend had even more human warmth.

“No worries, I’ll just search around.”

“Maybe I’m overthinking it—a false alarm.”

Their complex was in the bustling city center, with a mix of people, and there had been thefts before, so he was a bit on edge.

Muttering to himself, his brows relaxed. When he switched back to the group chat, he saw someone had already shared lock links.

It was Aunt Qian from across the way.

—”Neighbors, this is what our Qian Zheng sent me online. He says their home locks are really good.”

“Family who need them can order.”

“Heard it arrives in two days.”

Several residents thanked Aunt Qian below.

Bo Ting checked the shop and found it impressive. Sky-high sales—averaging ten thousand pieces a day, which was rare.

Looks like Qian Zheng, working in the big city, had good taste.

Bo Ting nodded and bought two on impulse.

Luckily, thanks to Doudou lately, his income was decent. Otherwise, he might not even afford locks now.

After placing the order, Bo Ting fondly thought of Doudou, who had brought him wealth in just a few short days. He couldn’t help messaging Sister Han.

“Sister Han, how’s Wangcai doing today?”

A few seconds later, Sister Han’s profile pic—with permed hair—showed her pausing before sending a question mark.

“Wangcai?”