Three Minutes, I Want All This Man's Information

"Tongtian Shixiong, how have you been?"

Her ethereal, gentle voice, like a spring breeze brushing across a silent lake, gently rippled through the quiet corridor late at night. Yet, when the words reached Lin Fan's ears, they were no less than a thunderclap from a clear sky, leaving him dizzy and his thoughts nearly paralyzed.

Shixiong?

This woman, with her gentle demeanor, as if she had stepped out of an ancient painting, called Tongtian... Shixiong?

Lin Fan abruptly turned his head to look at Tongtian beside him. He saw that the moment the woman spoke, Tongtian's steps had already halted. The eternally indifferent expression on his face showed clear fluctuations for the first time—a faint trace of surprise, and a complex emotion, as if he had confirmed something, flashed in his deep eyes.

He turned around, facing the woman directly, his gaze falling upon her. After a moment of silent scrutiny, he slowly spoke. His tone, no longer the flat indifference he used with Lin Fan, now carried a sense of shared seniority, tinged with a slightly emotional solemnity:

"Nüwa... Shimei."

Nü... Nüwa?!

Lin Fan felt like he was suffocating, blood rushing to his head, his vision darkening.

Tongtian! Nüwa!

These two names, anyone with even a little exposure to Chinese culture would know what they signify! They were the supreme deities from myths and legends who created heaven and earth, molded humans from clay, and mended the sky with stones! They were divine names imprinted on the very origin of the national bloodline!

And now, one calling himself "Tongtian," the other addressed as "Nüwa," were standing alive and breathing right in front of him, at the entrance of his run-down apartment building, engaged in a conversation that sounded like a reunion between martial siblings in a wuxia film?!

Absurd! Utterly absurd!

Lin Fan pinched his thigh hard. The intense pain told him this wasn't a dream. Everything that had happened from last night until now—finding the handsome ancient-dressed man, the delicious instant noodles, the sword light in his eyes, scaring off the thugs... all these unbelievable events, at this moment, finally seemed to have found an explosive explanation that could shatter his entire worldview!

Could it be... they really were...

No! Impossible! This is too crazy!

Lin Fan shook his head forcefully, trying to suppress this world-shattering thought. It must be a coincidence! Or some kind of large-scale, immersive role-playing event he didn't know about? Yes! It must be!

Just as Lin Fan was battling internally, trying to force a rational explanation onto everything before him, Nüwa—the woman addressed by that name—turned her gaze to him.

Her eyes were gentle and encompassing, carrying a compassionate love for all living beings, as if she could see through all the panic and disbelief within his heart. She bowed slightly to Lin Fan, performing an ancient and graceful gesture. Her voice remained ethereal and pleasant:

"I presume you are the one who took in Tongtian Shixiong. As a descendant of the Human Race, Nüwa thanks you."

She... she's thanking me? And calling herself Nüwa? Addressing me as... a descendant of the Human Race?

Lin Fan's mouth hung open, his throat feeling as if it were stuffed with cotton, unable to utter a single word. He could only stand there stiffly, looking into Nüwa's sincere (or at least, incredibly sincere-looking) eyes, feeling his twenty-plus years of established scientific worldview crumbling piece by piece.

Tongtian seemed to have no objection to Nüwa thanking Lin Fan. He merely added indifferently, "Were it not for him, I would still be wandering the streets."

Upon hearing this, Nüwa's gaze towards Lin Fan softened further, even carrying a hint of... curiosity? As if appraising a junior who had done something remarkable and worthy of praise.

"This is not a place for conversation," Tongtian glanced at the quiet surroundings and the lit windows of the apartments upstairs, frowning slightly. "Let us talk inside."

With that, he walked directly towards the building entrance, as if he were the owner of the place.

Lin Fan finally snapped back to reality, fumbling for his keys and shakily opening the building's main door. His mind was still a mess, and he could only act on instinct, inviting these two... "great deities" into his ten-square-meter rental room.

As Nüwa followed Tongtian into the small, cluttered room filled with the aura of a struggling office worker's life, a trace of unconcealed surprise and... a faint, almost imperceptible heartache? flickered again in her pure, water-like eyes.

She surveyed the surroundings, her gaze sweeping over the single bed piled with clutter, the old table that served as both a desk and a dining table, and the pile of instant noodle boxes in the corner. The air seemed to still carry the mixed scent of instant noodles and cheap laundry detergent.

This is... the dwelling of a descendant of the Human Race today? So... cramped and simple?

It was a world of difference compared to her memory of the Sage's dojo, situated high in the Nine Heavens, overlooking the Primordial Era, and worshipped by all beings.

An indescribable complex emotion swirled in her heart. Was it a lament for the changes of the times? Or pity for the current circumstances of future generations? Perhaps both.

She let out a soft sigh, barely audible, yet carrying the weight of eons of time.

Tongtian was clearly accustomed to this (or perhaps numb to it?). He walked to the yoga mat by the wall, sat down cross-legged, and resumed his meditative posture, as if the brief exchange downstairs had exhausted all his social energy.

Lin Fan was so nervous he didn't know what to do. He looked at Nüwa, standing in the center of the room, incongruous with the environment, radiating a holy aura (a psychological effect?). He felt like his doghouse had defiled her celestial presence.

"Um... Wa, Nüwa... Miss?" Lin Fan stammered out an awkward title after a long pause, quickly pulling over the only relatively clean chair in the room. "Please, please sit."

Nüwa looked at him and smiled slightly, a smile like melting ice and snow, warm and healing, instantly dispelling much of Lin Fan's nervousness.

"No need for formalities, just call me Nüwa," she said softly. Without showing any disdain for the cheap plastic chair, she sat down elegantly, her posture natural and flowing, as if she were sitting on a lotus throne in the Nine Heavens. "My apologies for this unannounced visit; I have disturbed you."

"No disturbance! No disturbance!" Lin Fan waved his hands repeatedly, feeling like he was dreaming. He secretly glanced at Tongtian in the corner, then at the woman who was possibly the "progenitor of humanity" before him, feeling that his life's trajectory had been hurtling in a completely unpredictable direction since last night.

"How did Shimei find this place?" Tongtian asked suddenly, his eyes still closed, interrupting Lin Fan's wandering thoughts.

Hearing this, Nüwa's face showed a hint of recollection, and she said softly, "After I awoke from my primordial state, I found the laws of this realm to be vastly different, with almost no spiritual energy, and my divine sense greatly suppressed. However, there seemed to be a pull in the void... Coupled with sensing a faint trace of Shixiong's sword intent lingering in this world, I followed the trail."

She paused, looking at Tongtian with concern, "Shixiong seems... greatly depleted?"

Tongtian did not open his eyes, merely uttering a faint "Mm." "The Heavenly Dao has undergone a drastic change, and the damage from crossing realms is extraordinary. I am now no different from a mortal."

Nüwa nodded slightly in understanding. Her own situation was not much better. Her divine abilities and the merit of mending the sky were suppressed to near freezing point in this realm. She could only rely on her Sage essence to maintain her basic form and a minuscule amount of perception.

Their conversation, though in modern language that Lin Fan could understand, contained content that made his heart pound.

Damage from crossing realms? Drastic change in the Heavenly Dao? Lingering sword intent?

These phrases, combined, continuously battered the "scientific explanation" defenses he was trying to maintain.

He couldn't help but interject, "Um... may I be so bold to ask, are you guys... really... the Tongtian Jiaozhu and Goddess Nüwa from the myths?"

Asking this question, Lin Fan felt like he had used all his strength. He stared intently at Nüwa, awaiting her answer.

Nüwa turned her head to look at Lin Fan, her eyes clear and honest, without any flicker. She nodded gently, "If the myths you know are accurate, then it is my Shixiong and I."

Boom--!

Although he had already guessed, when the earth-shattering answer was confirmed by the person involved, Lin Fan felt as if his brain had been struck by lightning, instantly turning blank.

It's real... it's real!

Mythology has bled into reality! A Primordial Sage has landed in his home!

He slumped onto the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the woman before him, then at Tongtian in the corner, feeling like he needed oxygen.

His worldview had completely shattered, beyond repair.

Seeing his state, a hint of apology flashed in Nüwa's eyes, and she said gently, "This matter is indeed difficult for you to accept. However, it is the truth. The Primordial Era... is no longer a paradise, and we had no choice but to flee to this world."

Her voice possessed a calming power that helped Lin Fan's wildly beating heart settle down a little.

He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. No matter how unbelievable it was, the facts were now before him. What he needed to consider now wasn't whether to believe it, but... what to do next?

He already had Master Tongtian living in his house, and now Goddess Nüwa had arrived?

How could his humble little rental apartment possibly become a temporary refuge for two Primordial Sages?!

He could already see his already meager wallet deflating at a visible rate...

"Then... Goddess Nüwa," Lin Fan struggled to change his address, "What are your plans... after this?"

Nüwa shook her head slightly, a gentle expression of slight bewilderment, unbefitting her status, appearing on her face. "Having just arrived in this world, everything is new. I still need time to understand. Currently... I have no place to go."

Great.

Lin Fan sighed inwardly. Great, looks like I'll have another mouth to feed.

He looked at Nüwa's incomparably gentle face and the uncertainty in her eyes regarding this strange new world. The little bit of sympathy he had for fellow humans, as a struggling office worker, began to overflow. He couldn't possibly kick the ancestor of humanity out onto the street, could he?

Resignedly, he sighed and said, "If... if you don't mind my place being simple, you can stay here for now. It's just... the conditions are rather poor, and you might have to endure some hardship."

Nüwa's eyes brightened slightly at his words, a relief of finding a temporary shelter. She bowed to Lin Fan once more, solemnly, "In that case, I shall impose upon you. Thank you, descendant of the Human Race."

Thanked again... Lin Fan felt a bit overwhelmed. He quickly waved his hands, "No, no, no, please don't be so polite. Just call me Lin Fan."

He glanced at the only bed in the room and began to worry about the sleeping arrangements. Make Goddess Nüwa sleep on the floor? That would be ten thousand times more sinful than making Master Tongtian sleep on the floor!

As if sensing Lin Fan's difficulty, Nüwa gently raised her hand and pointed to a small, empty corner of the room (where some miscellaneous items had been piled before, which Lin Fan had hastily tidied up).

"I can meditate here," her voice was soft but carried an undeniable calmness. "Heaven and Earth are my dwelling, and it is also my cultivation."

With that, she got up and walked to the corner, sitting down gracefully on the floor. Her long skirt spread out like a blooming lotus. She closed her eyes, and a faint, vibrant aura seemed to flow around her, completely different from Tongtian's sharp, icy sword intent. The cramped, narrow room seemed to become fresh and peaceful.

Lin Fan watched her enter her state instantly. Like Tongtian, she seemed capable of sitting there until the end of time. He sighed inwardly again, As expected of a Sage, their adaptability and 'low-maintenance' nature are truly unparalleled.

He looked at Tongtian meditating in the left corner, then at Nüwa sitting quietly in the right corner, feeling as if his small rental apartment had instantly transformed into some... extraordinary dojo?

And he himself was the... administrator? And nanny?

With complicated feelings, Lin Fan finished tidying up and finally lay down on the bed, exhausted. Too many things had happened tonight, an information explosion, and he needed time to digest it all.

However, he was unaware that just outside his small rental apartment, in another corner of the city, an investigation into him and his two "roommates" was underway with great urgency.

In the heart of the city, inside an inconspicuous office building, the lights were still on late into the night.

On the surface, this was an ordinary business consulting firm, but internally, it was heavily guarded, possessing information processing capabilities and authority far beyond that of a normal company.

In a conference room filled with display screens and data streams, Chen Jing, whom Lin Fan had met earlier that day, stood solemnly before a massive LCD screen. The screen displayed several blurry surveillance video feeds.

One was from road surveillance near Lin Fan's residential complex, showing Lin Fan supporting an abnormal-looking Tongtian into the complex.

Another was from a cleverly angled camera installed privately near the unfinished building site. Although not very clear, it could barely show Lin Fan and Tongtian confronting a group of thugs, followed by the thug leader screaming and collapsing, and the knife-wielder inexplicably passing out.

The last feed was from the surveillance at the entrance of Lin Fan's apartment building's stairwell, clearly capturing Nüwa's appearance, her conversation with Tongtian and Lin Fan, and their subsequent ascent to the apartment.

"Target Lin Fan, male, twenty-six years old, a programmer at a local internet company, simple social connections, no unusual background," a technician reported. "The identities of the two unknown individuals appearing in his home cannot be verified. There is no matching information in the database; they appeared as if out of thin air."

Chen Jing's gaze was fixed on the figures of Tongtian and Nüwa on the screen, especially Tongtian. Even through the blurry surveillance footage, the unique, almost condescending aura emanating from him could not be concealed.

"Focus on analyzing the footage from the unfinished building site," Chen Jing said sternly. "Did Target Two (Tongtian) show any signs of direct physical contact or use of any implements during the entire process?"

"No, team leader," the technician quickly operated, zooming in and slowing down the footage. "Based on multi-angle analysis and energy (assuming existence) fluctuation simulations, Target Two did not move, nor did he make any gestures. The abnormal states of thug A (crew cut) and thug B (knife wielder) occurred almost instantaneously upon making eye contact with Target Two."

Silence fell in the conference room.

Eye contact alone could cause someone to have a mental breakdown and lose their ability to act?

This was completely beyond the scope of modern science and known human potential!

"What about the energy readings? Did you detect any abnormal radiation, electromagnetic waves, or other unknown signals?" Chen Jing pressed.

"No. The environmental readings at the scene were all normal. No known or unknown non-natural energy radiation was detected."

This was even more bizarre. A phenomenon that could not be explained by current scientific theories.

Chen Jing's gaze shifted to the footage of Nüwa's appearance. "How did Target Three (Nüwa) appear? Track her movements before her appearance."

"Unable to track," the technician shook his head. "We checked the surveillance footage from all surrounding intersections and shops. Target Three just... suddenly appeared at the stairwell entrance. There was no record of her entering the complex before that."

Appeared out of thin air?

Chen Jing's brows furrowed tightly. A man of unknown identity with bizarre abilities, and a woman of unknown identity who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, were both gathered at the home of an ordinary office worker, Lin Fan.

This was definitely not a coincidence!

What role did Lin Fan play in all this? Did he know the true identities and abilities of these two people?

"Team leader, do we need to take action? Should we summon the target, Lin Fan, or conduct a search of his residence..." A subordinate next to her made a gesture for a secret search.

Chen Jing pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Don't alert them yet. The target's abilities are unknown and bizarre; acting rashly is too risky. Increase surveillance on Lin Fan and his residence. Use the highest clearance. I want to know everything about him! His family background, education, work performance, social circle, bank statements, even his internet browsing history! In three minutes, no, ten minutes, I want to see a preliminary report!"

Her gaze was sharp, filled with an undeniable determination.

"Also, contact the headquarters' analysis department. Transmit the surveillance footage and all data from the unfinished building. Have them use their highest-level analysis models and figure out how that man... actually did it!"

"Yes!"

The orders were given, and the entire conference room became instantly busy, with the sounds of keyboards clacking and commands being relayed echoing non-stop.

Chen Jing walked to the window alone, looking down at the sleeping city below. Neon lights flickered, and traffic flowed like a river, presenting a scene of peace.

But she knew that beneath this calm facade, some unknown changes were quietly taking place.

That ordinary programmer named Lin Fan, and his two mysterious "roommates," were likely the key to uncovering all of this.

She picked up her internal encrypted communicator, dialed a number, and reported with a grave tone:

"Report, there have been significant changes at target 'Shelter.' Two new extremely high-risk unknown individuals have appeared, one of whom is suspected of possessing supernatural abilities. Requesting an upgrade in surveillance level and the activation of the... 'Mythology Genealogy' comparison program."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, followed by a steady, middle-aged male voice:

"Approved. Be careful and report any updates."

The call ended.

Chen Jing put down the communicator, her gaze returning to the screen, fixed on Tongtian's face, which, even blurred, couldn't hide his extraordinary demeanor.

This man, and the woman who suddenly appeared, who exactly are you?

Meanwhile, Lin Fan, completely unaware of all this, was lying on his bed, under the "guard" of two Primordial Sages, tossing and turning, contemplating an extremely practical question—

Tomorrow morning, what breakfast should he prepare for these two ancestors?

Would instant noodles... be enough?