Testing the Waters

The cicadas outside the window chirped for dear life, while the electric fan's hum drove away their unceasing cries for a moment.

The camera on the TV screen cut back to the studio. The host lowered his head to read from the script as he spoke:

"The Association spokesperson reminds citizens: if you discover similar black, ribbon-like objects recently, please stay away immediately and call the emergency hotline to report them. Black Cocoon's identity and motives are still under investigation. Our station will continue following the development of this incident. Next, the weather report."

Hearing this, Ji Minghuan looked away from the television.

While Gu Qiye isn't home, I'll use Restraint Belt Detection to see what abilities Su Zimai has. Maybe I can complete the Main Quest right away.

With that in mind, he opened the Skill Tree panel again to confirm the skill's effects.

Restraint Belt Detection (Learned): When you use a Restraint Band to touch an opponent (must be human), a series of their data (attributes, abilities) will appear in your mind.

Though he had not tested it in practice, the description made it seem that a simple touch was all it took. That should be right.

"Want a drink?" Ji Minghuan asked as he rose from the sofa.

"Cola," Su Zimai said.

"Sure."

Ji Minghuan walked to the corner of the Living Room, opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of cola from the freezer, then retrieved a tube of ice cream from the lower freezer compartment.

He slowly strolled toward Su Zimai. Raising the hand holding the cola, he extended the Restraint Band from the cuff of his school uniform jacket. With his hand held aloft, he gently and slowly reached from behind her toward her shoulder.

In that instant, the pitch-black Restraint Band shot out from his sleeve like a tiny hooked blind snake, swiftly slithering over the veins on Ji Minghuan's wrist.

Then it slowly touched Su Zimai's shoulder.

Condition met: touched target's body. Passive skill "Restraint Belt Detection" activated.

Su Zimai, who had been looking down at her phone on the sofa, shuddered. It felt as though a venomous snake that had been lying in wait had suddenly coiled around her neck.

She was still wondering what had touched her when she sharply turned her head and saw an ice-cold bottle of cola. It had only recently been taken out of the refrigerator, and white mist still rose from its red can.

By then, Ji Minghuan had already retracted the Restraint Band into his sleeve. To divert Su Zimai's attention, he pressed the cola against her neck to chill her, then let go.

The cola can, cold as ice, seemed like a stone falling off a cliff at that moment. It dropped from Su Zimai's shoulder, only for her to swiftly raise a hand and catch it.

"Are you sick?"

She glanced sideways at Ji Minghuan over the back of the sofa, staring at him coldly as her voice sank. No one liked being pranked like that, especially when the feeling from before had been so strange, as if some bizarre creature had stung her.

"I brought you cola and you're still giving me attitude. I won't bring you any next time," Ji Minghuan said. Then, while unwrapping the tube of ice cream, he checked the ability panel generated by Restraint Belt Detection.

Target gender: Female

Target attributes: Strength: D-rank; Speed: C++ rank; Mental: B-rank

Superhuman race: Exorcist

Rank: First Order (Exorcists are divided into three orders in total)

Heavenly Drive: Magic Hand (A-rank rarity among Heavenly Drives) (This Heavenly Drive is currently bound to a demon: Refrigerator Demon)

"What even is all this..."

Ji Minghuan expressionlessly bit into his ice cream, then opened the Task Panel. The Main Quest, "Find out what Younger Sister is hiding," was still incomplete.

Is it because I haven't seen her use supernatural powers with my own eyes? Or because I still don't know exactly what identity she holds among the demon hunters? Recalling the scene from last night, when Gu Qiye had bandaged his wounds in the Living Room while wearing his Battle Suit, Ji Minghuan ran through the analysis in his mind and swiftly reached a conclusion.

"Oh, right," Su Zimai suddenly said.

"What now?"

"Dad said he'll be coming back tonight," Su Zimai said.

Ji Minghuan froze for a moment before saying, "But he didn't message me."

After thinking it over, he muttered under his breath, "Then he probably didn't message Older Brother either. He only told you?"

"Then tell Older Brother later."

"Sure, but if he hears that Old Man is coming back, he might not come home tonight."

"Whatever," Su Zimai said expressionlessly. "But if Older Brother doesn't come back, I'll stay at a classmate's house too."

Just then, the sound of the front door opening came from outside. The two turned their heads over the back of the sofa at the same time and saw Gu Qiye entering through the entryway with a heavy shopping bag in hand. From the outlines showing through its folds, they could vaguely tell that it was filled with boxes of ingredients.

Gu Qiye played on his phone with his left hand and hitched the shopping bag higher with his right. In a threatening tone, he said to the two on the sofa, "I'm cooking tonight. You two brats better not run off. Stay put until after dinner before you go out and play."

Ji Minghuan watched his neck. There was no longer any trace of a wound on Gu Qiye's neck, not even a scar. Ghost Bell had clearly injured him so badly last night. Ji Minghuan could not help marveling at how quickly Espers recovered from injuries. Of course... it was also possible that the Esper Association's medical coverage was particularly good.

"Got it," Su Zimai replied.

"And you, Xiao Yu," Gu Qiye asked Ji Minghuan as he headed toward the kitchen. "Did you hear me?"

Ji Minghuan said casually, "I won't run off, but someone else is coming over for dinner tonight."

"Who?" Gu Qiye set the shopping bag down on the kitchen table, raised a brow, and turned to ask them, "Your classmate? Or a friend? Then I'll have to make something that looks a little nicer, leave them with a good impression."

"Old Man."

The air in the Living Room suddenly fell silent. Gu Qiye's expression froze, and he stood stunned for several long seconds.

His reaction was not only because their father, Gu Zhuoan, had not returned home in two years, but also because... of what Black Cocoon had said when he asked to meet Gu Qiye alone last night.

"Aren't you curious? What exactly has your father been doing outside these past two years? Did he really just have an argument with you, decide he never wanted to see you again, or... does your father actually have other plans? To avoid dragging you and your younger brother and sister into it, he had no choice but to leave on his own."

"That's right. Gu Zhuoan... could he, like you, be hiding some unknown secret?"

"Think carefully. Is your father really such a cowardly person? How could he possibly be pathetic enough to hide from his own children and live outside for two years? Was there some reason that forced him to do so, just as you joined the Esper Association to uncover the truth behind your mother's death?"

After coming back to himself, Gu Qiye was silent for two seconds before quietly saying to Ji Minghuan:

"If he wants to come, let him come."

Tomorrow's Tuesday update is very important and will determine whether this story gets a recommendation slot. Please remember to keep reading. Thank you.