“Actually, for the investigators of the Disaster Management Bureau, once they reached the stage of spiritual energy activation, many benefits followed: enhanced focus, heightened sensitivity, self-hypnosis, and so on.”

“Certain mysterious artifacts could also be used, as long as there was direct contact.”

More spiritual energy flowed into Han Suo’s mental realm, carrying with it a flood of information.

Spiritual penetration did not necessarily have to convey information—it could just chill and stir another person’s psyche. But that would be like two people eating in silence—too awkward—so one would tend to say something, anything.

Miss Crow was like that. She had assumed it would be easy to enliven Han Suo’s mind, but it proved more difficult. As she increased the strength, she unwittingly transmitted more information.

It was as if she transformed from a reserved young girl into someone who just wouldn’t stop chatting.

“Spiritual activation, penetration, transformation—that is recognized as the three steps to open the door of mystery, and a hard requirement for obtaining the Qinggang Disaster Management Bureau investigator’s license.”

“Each step entails a dangerous and broad field. Some view it as a ladder to climb, step by step; others believe that by expanding horizontally—by deeply understanding—it’s possible to gain extraordinary abilities.”

“Above that lies the comprehension, theft, and mastery of the divine powers—but that is beyond what we can understand for now.”

…

Han Suo passively received all this information.

After a while, he felt embarrassed.

Someone had been talking to him the whole time, and he hadn’t even responded with a “hmm”—wasn’t that rude?

After waiting a bit, hearing nothing but that cold chill in his mind, he forced a smile and said:

“So then you…”

Both of them were engaged in a spiritual exchange. Miss Crow spoke by embedding information in the spiritual channel, and Han Suo instinctively replied in the same channel.

This was his will.

At that moment, the dead-sea–like landscape of his mind stirred slightly.

Just a little movement.

Like stirring a twig on the lake’s surface, suddenly awakening something massive beneath—a twig stirred an explosive wave, a pebble on the water formed a mushroom cloud rivaling an atomic blast.

Han Suo’s eyes snapped open. Something was wrong.

He vaguely felt that something inside him had been triggered.

It was that ocean in his brain.

Usually it only activated when encountering something bizarre, or when he chanted a spell. But now, due to the chill transmitted from her palm, that sea seemed to awaken—just a sliver—and in an instant it converged onto their joined right hands.

Miss Crow was transmitting spiritual energy into Han Suo’s body, and because she couldn't agitate the sea, she was gradually increasing the transmission strength.

This method, used by a higher one on a lower one, was a spiritual stimulus—placid but cautious, wary of unforeseen reactions.

Then, in that moment, Miss Crow was abruptly met with a counterattack from the infinite spiritual force inside Han Suo.

Like reaching into a mouse hole and pulling out a Godzilla.

The instant Han Suo’s spiritual realm reawakened, it drove back the spiritual energy she had sent. This wasn’t a deliberate strike but an instinctive backlash.

It repelled the chill from her palm and sent it right back along her hand.

Even the air buzzed—as if invisible ripples spread outward.

Centered on where they were seated, the ripples struck the walls. On those dark walls appeared flickering runes glowing with sinister red light.

The red glow intensified until even the lights in the training room flickered, then the entire training ground, then the entire base.

The air suddenly felt oppressively crowded, almost suffocating.

Miss Crow, still holding Han Suo’s hand, went pale.

She had not expected such a sudden transformation.

In panic, she tried to pull her hand away, but Han Suo’s spiritual power surged so strongly that as soon as they were three or five centimeters apart, her palm stiffened.

As if under an invisible magnetic force, their hands could not separate further.

In the next instant, their hands snapped together again.

That was because Han Suo’s spiritual power had counterattacked with such ferocity, it surged wildly into Miss Crow’s palm. The spiritual power’s inherent will seized control of her hand, clashing against her own consciousness.

And with their hands once again clasped together came the invasion of spiritual power.

Just moments ago, it was Miss Crow who had controlled the spiritual energy to penetrate Han Suo’s palm.

Now, the situation suddenly reversed—Han Suo’s spiritual power surged upward, invading Miss Crow’s body.

It carried none of the caution she had shown during her attempt, only an instinctive aggression and dominance.

Not only did it directly invade her body, but before either of them could react, it had already reached deeper places.

Before Han Suo’s eyes, strange and fragmented images suddenly flickered.

He seemed to see a classical courtyard filled with artificial hills and flowing water.

In that antique atmosphere, a man dressed in a high-collared Zhongshan suit shook his head and sighed as he walked toward a room where a baby cried, shouting angrily: “Calamity star, calamity star, will only bring disaster.”

He then saw some servants and maids, keeping their distance, whispering among themselves: “They say she’s the devil’s child. Anyone who gets close to her will have nightmares…”

The scene changed again.

A domineering woman in a red trench coat squatted before “him,” looking down and said, “You’re an unlucky child.”

“You were watched the moment you were born.”

“So, I decided to bring you into this circle, to make sure you can stand tall before you ever have to face ‘It,’ okay?”

…

After that, the images flickered without pause. He saw a fragile girl walking across a desolate land, under distant, low-hanging clouds.

She stepped alone into the vine-covered ruins of a city, under a sky filled with circling crows.

He saw her gripping a knife, covered in wounds, crawling out from a mountain of corpses.

The woman in the red trench coat looked down at her and said, “The tide is about to descend. It’s time to go home. I have a task for you…”

In the final instant, deep within the blinding swirl of images, Han Suo suddenly saw a pitch-black eye. It existed in eternal solitude, staring fixedly at “him.”

…

…

“Huff…”

That endless stream of images had only flashed before his eyes for less than a second. Han Suo came to his senses.

As soon as he regained awareness, his will was strong enough to retract his spiritual power. He let go of Miss Crow’s hand as if shocked by electricity and leaned back.

Miss Crow, whose hand was released, jumped up as if pardoned, quickly putting distance between them.

“What was that…”

Han Suo was overwhelmed with shock and awe. He looked at his own palm. Before he could even catch his breath, that strange and marvelous sensation returned.

What he had just seen—was it her memory?

Because of an unconscious spiritual intrusion, had he drawn back “information” from her?

That vast loneliness and despair, the madness and ruthlessness throughout her growth—how could it all feel so at odds with the obedient, reserved, and even slightly dull girl before him?

His gaze shifted slowly from his palm to Miss Crow’s face. A fine layer of sweat beaded on her forehead. She stared blankly, lifting her head toward him. When their eyes met, the strange sensation of spiritual contact reemerged.

“So this is what spiritual penetration feels like?”

Han Suo tried to curl his lips into a smile, wanting to ask this “mentor” a question.

“Beep—”

Before Miss Crow could respond, the alarm suddenly blared throughout the area.

Next came hurried footsteps outside, and then the door to the training room burst open.

Fully armed security personnel entered in two rows, their gun barrels immediately aimed at the two individuals in the room.

From behind them came voices of surprise:

“Did someone lose control of their spiritual power?”

“Who’s inside?”

“What’s going on?”

Once the lead security guards confirmed the safety of the training room, Zhang Zhiguo and Secretary Cui Qiao entered from behind.

Upon seeing Miss Crow and Han Suo inside the training room, a sense of unease immediately struck him.