"Tell me, where is the person?"

A middle-aged man made a grasping gesture in the air. A huge black head in the sky was seized by invisible air hands, countless thin lines falling like worms... like its blood, continuously draining away.

"I, I really don't know."

The man squeezed again forcefully.

"Will you tell me or not?"

"I'm dying... I really don't know. You know you can't kill me, right? The entire city would..."

"Hmph, if you don't release him, I may not be able to directly destroy your anomalous domain, but I can certainly torture you."

"There was a person here, but they might have been released already..."

"Is that so? Hehe, I hope you're not lying."

The man waved his hand, and the head in the sky was thrown against the wall, making a huge crashing sound. Then he left the anomalous domain. The skull continued to leak black thin lines, like small worms...

After the man left, the head looked viciously in the direction he departed.

"Hehehe, Director, someday, I will kill you!"

○

"Director, I still can't contact Lin Bai..."

"I just sensed it. He's definitely not in Black City. He must have left. He wouldn't dare lie to me. Try contacting him again later."

The man made a gesture, and a spatial rift opened. He walked into it.

"I need to handle something abroad. Keep up the good work!"

The man saluted.

"Yes, sir."

Chi Xiaoyu returned the salute.

After the director left, Chi Xiaoyu took out her phone to contact Lin Bai.

[Please respond if you receive this?]

[Hello? Hello?]

[Where are you?]

At this moment, Bai Ling who had just left the anomalous domain...

'Should I reply or not…'

'If I reply, what if she wants to meet me? If I don't reply, she won't know I'm out…'

After thinking, Lin Bai replied:

[I'm out. My phone died. See you tomorrow.]

Chi Xiaoyu read Bai Ling's reply with relief.

"Good that you're out, but what about the contracted anomaly you mentioned earlier? And how did you get out?"

[Want to meet at home?]

[Where are you?]

Bai Ling arrived at a hospital.

"Doctor, I've lost too much blood!"

The elderly doctor looked up, adjusted his glasses, and looked at Bai Ling. She appeared to be a healthy, pretty young girl who had dyed her hair white at such a young age...

"Is it excessive menstrual bleeding?"

He rummaged around and took out a piece of paper.

"Hmm, make sure to rest well, drink some five-red soup, eat more protein..."

The old Chinese medicine doctor wrote a long prescription and handed it to Bai Ling...

Bai Ling looked at the prescription, then at the doctor.

Seeing that Bai Ling wasn't leaving, the doctor added:

"Child, this is a normal phenomenon. Just do as I've written, and it's not a big problem!"

"But, doctor."

"Alright, alright, you should go now. It's easy to catch a cold outside."

○

After leaving the hospital, Bai Ling's previous symptoms of dizziness from blood loss returned. She made it back to her home in a haze.

'So dizzy, so many stars…'

"Welcome back, meow!" Maomao pounced up and nuzzled Bai Ling's foot. When Bai Ling didn't respond, she transformed into human form and puffed her cheeks angrily.

"Why won't you pet me, meow!"

Seeing Bai Ling lying on the bed without saying a word, Maomao walked over and touched Bai Ling's face.

"Wuu! So cold, meow."

"But anomalies are usually this temperature, right meow?"

"Looks like she's sick..."

While Maomao was at a loss, Chi Xiaoyu walked in.

"Oh, you're all here. It seems Lin Bai's house has everything except Lin Bai."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She looks a bit weak, meow."

Chi Xiaoyu walked over and felt Bai Ling's forehead, then took out a red pill and gave it to her.

"Looks like she's injured. Taking some medicine should help, though I don't know if it works on anomalies..."

After taking the red pill, Bai Ling instantly improved, shooting up to stand on the bed.

"Fully revived! Eh? Why are you all here? Wait, what are you doing? No!"

Chi Xiaoyu took out a pink ultra-short skirt with a midriff-baring top and approached Bai Ling.

"Hehehe, I just fed you medicine worth one C-grade anomaly core. Don't you think you should pay a price?"

Looking at the barely-covering outfit, Bai Ling shyly crawled to the corner of the wall.

"No matter what, this kind of clothing is too embarrassing!"

Chi Xiaoyu pounced and began stripping Bai Ling's clothes.

"I don't care, put it on quickly!"

"Put it on quickly, meow!"

"You're not even wearing underwear? I feel like you're wearing Lin Bai's clothes... Could it really be? Wuwuwu, so pitiful. From now on, I'll buy clothes for you to wear, so you don't have to wear men's clothes!"

Soon after, a Bai Ling with beautiful white hair tied in twin tails, two pink ribbons on her head, wearing a midriff-baring top and a short skirt appeared before them.

Chi Xiaoyu quickly hugged Bai Ling and took out a camera, pressing the shutter while the girl had a terrified yet coy expression.

"Miss Bai Ling, you wouldn't want your photos to be uploaded online, would you?"

"Huh? Which country's internet friend are you?"

"If you don't want that, be a good girl and become my contracted anomaly!"

Chi Xiaoyu revealed a triumphant smile as she looked at Bai Ling.

"No way!"

"Why not? Huuuuuh."

Chi Xiaoyu turned away somewhat sadly, making crying sounds.

"It was so simple when I contracted with the Thunder Anomaly before. Am I not good to you?"

Seeing Chi Xiaoyu so sad, Bai Ling looked at her with some hesitation...

"It's not that..."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

Chi Xiaoyu spoke in a pitiful tone, then continued to make crying sounds.

"If you want to contract with me that badly, I can help you every night. But I don't know how to possess someone. You can call me if you need help. The price will be your anomaly cores, with higher grades required for more dangerous situations..."

"It's a deal!" Chi Xiaoyu turned back happily, her face without a trace of tears.

"Eh? You were pretending?"

"Ah, no, I wiped them away."

"You tricked me!"

Chi Xiaoyu took out a piece of parchment with her name on it and handed it to Bai Ling.

Bai Ling looked at the terms:

[Contract]

[The anomaly and the contractor cannot attack each other]

[After receiving payment, the anomaly must help the contractor with all its might]

[Dissolving this contract requires the consent of both parties]

[This contract is permanently valid unless either party reaches S-grade]

"Seems fine."

Bai Ling signed her name with a drop of blood...

"Yay!"

Chi Xiaoyu happily patted Bai Ling's head, then pressed her down on the bed.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Bai Ling looked somewhat shyly at Chi Xiaoyu's exposed chest.

"Now little Bai Ling, you're my contracted anomaly! I'm going to mark you!"

"Mark me? Are you a puppy?"

Chi Xiaoyu hugged Bai Ling and covered them with a blanket.

"We'll sleep together tonight, so you'll be filled with my scent!"

"Is this how you treat Thunder Anomaly too?"

"Of course not! I only like cute ones like you!"

"If not, then this step isn't necessary at all. Get off me!"

"By the way, why has Lin Bai never come home at night?"

"I don't know."

"Did you two drive him out and take over this place?"

"No such thing."

"I don't know either meow, I've only seen him once meow."

"Fine, forget about him. Let's sleep!"

"Can you let go of me..."

"Girls should sleep cuddled together, of course."

No matter what Bai Ling said, Chi Xiaoyu kept holding her tightly and wouldn't let go.

[Looks like I'll have to run away before dawn tomorrow]

Seeing that the two had stopped talking, Maomao turned into a cat, climbed between them, lay down, and quietly closed her eyes...

"So sleepy, meow~"