When Deng Yuqi heard that Shen Ge had already dealt with the eerie creature, she breathed a sigh of relief—though inwardly, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of cursed luck this guy had. Another eerie incident? Every single day?

How is his luck this catastrophically bad?

A few minutes later, Deng Yuqi arrived at the vendor street with her team, dispatching Special Countermeasures agents to secure the area and ensure no other threats remained.

Meanwhile, she and several technicians—dressed in full radiation-style hazmat suits—headed to the small park across the street, where they found Shen Ge lounging in a corner, scrolling through short videos on his phone.

“Oh, you’re here. Had dinner yet?” Shen Ge looked up at Deng Yuqi and the technicians, greeting them with cheerful familiarity.

“…”

The question instantly reminded Deng Yuqi of the steaming, fragrant meal still sitting untouched on her desk—abandoned the moment she’d gotten the call.

She eyed the large cardboard box at Shen Ge’s feet. “That’s the eerie creature inside?”

“Yep.”

Shen Ge bent down to open the box, but Deng Yuqi immediately tensed. “Wait! Let us handle it!”

“Uh.”

Shen Ge wanted to say that the system had already confirmed the thing was dead—no need for all this caution.

But the four technicians were already in motion, scanning the box with handheld devices before running a series of tests with other instruments.

Meanwhile, Deng Yuqi motioned for Shen Ge to step away and join her.

“Mr. Shen, while you may have the ability to handle an eerie creature alone, you should still exercise more caution. You

were the one who said this rat had rapid regeneration—so after trapping it, you should’ve immediately distanced yourself, not sat right next to it browsing your phone!”

“Eerie creatures are tenacious. What you assume is dead might suddenly mutate and counterattack. Many of our agents have died to post-mortem transformations,” she said sternly.

“Next time, definitely,” Shen Ge replied.

Deng Yuqi: …There’s going to be a next time?

Do you really think you’re some kind of eerie magnet?

Just then, the technicians finished their tests. One of them, under the “protection” of his three colleagues, carefully pried open the box with a pair of bomb-defusal clippers.

The other three stood ready with their instruments, tense as if facing a live threat. When the box was fully opened, revealing the rat’s corpse inside the iron cage, they immediately stepped forward, plunging syringes into its body and injecting enough anesthetic to knock out an elephant.

Shen Ge: …Uh.

Kicking a dead rat much?

As the anesthetic took effect, a series of beeps sounded from the lead technician’s backpack—a bulky, insecticide-sprayer-like device.

Then, the man turned to Deng Yuqi, unable to hide his excitement. “Director, we’ve detected eerie energy—this is a fully intact specimen! Scans show no vital signs, but cellular activity remains high. The wounds even show signs of regeneration!”

“Seal it and take it back,” Deng Yuqi ordered.

The technician nodded, unfolding a special silver cloth from his backpack. He carefully placed the cage onto it, wrapped it up, and stowed the bundle inside the locked container.

Shen Ge watched, then turned to Deng Yuqi with a puzzled look. “Officer Deng, are you guys worried the rat might get cold on the way back? Bringing a thermal bag just for it?”

The technician who’d packed it scoffed. “Thermal bag? Amateur! This is a proprietary material designed to contain eerie energy. It’s worth a for—”

“Li Xiang!” Deng Yuqi cut him off sharply.

Realizing he’d said too much, the man promptly shut his mouth.

“Mr. Shen, as per protocol, we’d like you to accompany us back to the department to give a statement about today’s incident. Thank you for your cooperation,” Deng Yuqi said.

Shen Ge tilted his head. “This time, I not only captured an eerie creature for you but also delivered it in pristine condition. That’s gotta be worth a pair of eerie-energy gloves, right?”

He emphasized pristine deliberately—clearly, he’d picked up on the key detail from the technician’s slip-up.

Before Shen Ge’s appearance, even Deng Yuqi—with years of experience—had only encountered a handful of eerie incidents. Their supply of usable eerie remains had to be scarce.

And the researcher’s barely contained excitement upon seeing the rat’s intact, energy-rich corpse had been very telling.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Shen, but eerie-energy gloves are specialized equipment issued exclusively to our agents. They can’t be gifted or awarded as prizes. However, I can arrange for a substantial monetary reward,” Deng Yuqi said.

Shen Ge raised an eyebrow. “How substantial?”

Deng Yuqi almost said *500,000*—but then she remembered the asset report Information had sent her that morning. The number in Shen Ge’s net worth column made her pause.

“…Five hundred thousand.”

“Oh.” Shen Ge’s interest flatlined.

Deng Yuqi sighed inwardly. She’d expected this. While Shen Ge hadn’t outright said I’m not interested in money, it was clear he valued eerie-tech far more than cash.

And so, for the second time in two days, Shen Ge found himself inside the heavily secured Special Countermeasures Department—in the same interrogation room as before.

After completing the statement, Deng Yuqi gave him a strange look, her tone laced with exasperation.

“Mr. Shen, you’re seriously telling me you went to the market just because you wanted fruit?”

Shen Ge met her gaze with utmost solemnity. “Officer Deng, I’ll be honest with you. I’m a super-soldier from the M78 Nebula. My body has awakened an Anti-Eerie System that lets me pinpoint eerie activity with precision. Recruit me, and I’ll make your branch the top eerie-elimination champions in the country!”

Deng Yuqi: …Thanks, but no thanks.

Even with her discipline, she had to bite back the urge to say What the hell kind of champions?!

After silently counting to ten, she steadied herself. “Mr. Shen, while your luck is… questionable, your capabilities are undeniable. To be frank, I received your clearance report this morning. You’ve passed the background check. Aside from your… unique thought process and that wasp-stung tongue of yours, you’re precisely the kind of talent we need. You meet all the criteria to join the Special Countermeasures Department.”

“One day and you’ve already dug up my family tree? Impressive work, Heavenly Dynasty Dragon Group,” Shen Ge mused, nodding approvingly.

Deng Yuqi ignored the jab and pressed on, her tone grave. “The emergence of eerie creatures means nations can no longer afford superficial peace. Humanity must unite against this existential threat—and our department stands on the front lines. We are the wall of flesh and blood shielding the people behind us.”

“So, Mr. Shen—will you join the Special Countermeasures Department? Will you fight for your country, for your people… and stand against the eerie tide?” Her invitation was formal, weighty.

Shen Ge smiled.

“I’ll think about it.”

Deng Yuqi: ?