New Job

"Since you've become a Hunter, your debt to the Federation is naturally cleared," Yang Qi said. "Besides that, every Hunter receives a very generous monthly allowance. This allowance isn't just money; it includes many supplies that money can't buy."

"Like what?"

"Firearms and ammunition, restricted medications... and some of the latest research findings from the Institute."

"Will you restrict my freedom then? Surely you wouldn't let a 'dangerous individual' like a Hunter roam freely in the city?" Sun Hang asked.

"No, we don't restrict the freedom of Hunters," Yang Qi smiled. "We encourage Hunters to integrate into human society, as this helps solidify their sense of human identity. Of course, we will equip you with a tracker to pinpoint your location at all times."

"Does this thing have listening capabilities or anything like that?"

"No, besides tracking, its only other function is to send an alert to the Investigation Bureau and the Institute when a Hunter's Anomalization level exceeds a dangerous threshold," Yang Qi shook her head. "We don't interfere too much in the private lives of Hunters. When you're not on a mission, you can enjoy life just like any ordinary Federation citizen."

"Do I need to clock in every day?"

"No."

"Are missions mandatory?" Sun Hang asked again.

"In principle, Hunters aren't forced to undertake missions. However, Hunters have an annual mission quota, and failing to meet it will result in a reduction or even cancellation of benefits," Yang Qi explained.

"So if I can make a living just by working odd jobs, I can just slack off, right?" Sun Hang shrugged. "You know, screwing bolts on an assembly line is much safer than facing an Oddity."

"If it were before, slacking off might not have been a problem, but things are different now," Yang Qi said. "We lost eleven Hunters in the Taotie clone attack. Now, including you, there are only two active Hunters in Tianfu City... If you refuse to undertake missions, Oddities will directly invade the residential areas, and you won't be able to stay out of it then."

"There are only two Hunters in Tianfu City now? So, besides me, the other one is that 'humanoid female lizard'?"

Sun Hang couldn't help but recall the scene from that day—the scales, bone spurs, and wings that grew from beneath that woman's skin, the thorns and roots she tore apart with brute force, and the massive blue-white fireball that almost evaporated the entire blood pool...

In Sun Hang's eyes, this woman's "deliciousness" even surpassed Bloody Mary... It was just that Sun Hang's appetite for her lasted less than half a second before being overwhelmed by an even stronger sense of nausea.

Sun Hang found it difficult to describe the feeling. If he had to use an analogy, that woman was like a top-tier delicacy, but before this delicacy was served, the chef had sprinkled it with a lethal dose of cilantro.

And Sun Hang happened to be the diner who detested cilantro with all his being.

Sun Hang tried to erase the feeling of nausea from his memory, but at that moment, he noticed Yang Qi staring at him with a very strange look.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Sun Hang asked.

"No... I'm just curious how you knew her private nickname..."

"Nickname?" Sun Hang blinked. "You mean the female liz..."

"Shh," Yang Qi interrupted him, placing a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. "You absolutely must not mention that nickname in front of her. To maintain her human form, she needs to inject a large amount of inhibitor daily, and the most prominent side effect of this inhibitor is that it makes people extremely irritable..."

"Then what should I call her?"

"Tianfu City Registered Hunter Number 115, codenamed 'Night Fiend'," Yang Qi said. "You can call her by her codename or her real name, but pay attention: when you call her by her real name, you must say both the given name and the surname. Don't omit the surname for the sake of familiarity."

"Why? What's her real name?" Sun Hang couldn't help but feel curious.

"Wang Xiyi."

"Huh? Isn't that still Lizard?"

"It's Wang Xiyi, not Wang Lizard," Yang Qi picked up a tablet and wrote the three characters on the screen.

"Oh, now I get it," Sun Hang nodded. "Speaking of which, what are her abilities? And which Oddity infected her?"

"I don't know," Yang Qi said frankly. "The detailed information for each Hunter is top secret and won't be disclosed until they lose control or die. Only my teacher, the Hunter's direct supervisor, and high-ranking officials from the Federation and military can view it. I'm not qualified."

"Then my direct supervisor..."

"Is me," Yang Qi replied. "The relationship between a Hunter and their direct supervisor is similar to that between a celebrity and their agent. If you have any problems, come directly to me. Don't worry about bothering me, because that's my job."

"Then who is that Liz... Wang Xiyi's supervisor?"

"My teacher, the director of the Tianfu City Anomaly Research Institute," Yang Qi said. "She's been working here for seven years and has completed a total of thirty-three missions, big and small. She's our ace Hunter in Tianfu City."

"Seven years, thirty-three missions... That means, on average, she gets a mission about every two and a half months," Sun Hang calculated mentally. "Looking at it that way, the frequency of Oddity invasions is quite high... Especially now that there are only two Hunters left in Tianfu City, the mission density will only get higher..."

"I have one more question," Sun Hang said.

"Ask away. I'll answer anything within the permissible scope," Yang Qi said generously.

"Tianfu City is a border region of the Federation, isn't it? With major cities like this on the border, can two Hunters really defend it?"

"So that's what you're worried about... You can rest assured about that. The application for Hunter reinforcement has already been submitted, and the reinforcements from the Federation will arrive in Tianfu City within two months at the latest. As long as these two..."

"Stop," This time Sun Hang interrupted Yang Qi. "If you keep talking, something unexpected will happen, as sure as night follows day."

"Huh?" Yang Qi didn't react at first. After two seconds, she couldn't help but chuckle. "You still believe in that?"

"Better safe than sorry," Sun Hang said. "I have to say, you're quite pretty when you smile."

"Can I interpret that as you flirting with me?" Yang Qi's smile held a hint of playfulness.

"I'm just comparing you to someone who always has a straight face. You two look very similar," Sun Hang shook his head.

"That's my sister, Yang Lian. She works at the Anomaly Investigation Bureau."