Monster in the Swamp

"Abilities?"

Han Su, who was tearing open a packet of instant noodles, paused and looked up at Cui Qiao. "I'm actually quite curious..."

He paused again, then looked up at her and said, "I've studied occultism before and seemed to have seen similar theories. Some abilities on the mystical side often come with unknown risks..."

"When you use these abilities, is there a price to pay?"

"A price? Of course, there is."

Cui Qiao listened to Han Su's words with unusual admiration and nodded gently. "Considering the price before understanding mystical power, I must say, your clarity is something I appreciate."

"And speaking of the price, there certainly is."

She paused and said softly, "Using abilities means excessive consumption of spiritual power, squeezing the brain and destroying reason. Therefore, those who abuse spiritual power often suffer from insomnia, confusion, and poor memory."

"Also, in the mystical circles, there's a tendency for severe hair loss after forty years old..."

"..."

Han Su listened, completely bewildered. "Huh? That's it?"

"Of course, there are more serious consequences..."

Secretary Cui Qiao smiled, then suddenly became serious. "Using abilities brings oneself closer and closer to those mysterious existences, until it's impossible to escape!"

"Just like you, after merely coming into contact with the grotesque, you had to leave your normal life and enter this department."

"Mental penetration, however, is directly breaking through the boundaries..."

"You can think of it as the entire world being built on a vast swamp, with all humans walking on it. And in the depths of that swamp, there are countless monsters and shadows, always wanting to devour the people above."

"Even if you do nothing, some unlucky fellows will accidentally fall into the mud, or be captured by monsters from beneath the swamp and dragged down."

"What mental penetrators are doing is repeatedly, and recklessly, sticking their feet into the mud, even deliberately approaching and provoking the monsters within the mud..."

"Real-world ability users are the same. Every time they use an ability, they get a little closer to those monsters. The more powerful the ability they master, the more easily they are seen by the monsters in the depths of the swamp..."

"Abilities themselves are a method for the monsters in the swamp to infiltrate reality."

"Does that make sense to you?"

"..."

Han Su nodded. This time, he truly understood.

Cui Qiao suddenly smiled at this point and said to Han Su, "However, you don't need to be afraid."

"The Disaster Management Bureau has been established for several years. Some very capable and intelligent individuals have indeed reduced the risks of mental penetration training to a very low level. Moreover, the slots for this training are limited. Who knows when you'll get your turn!"

"..."

Speaking of which, she glanced at her wristwatch and turned to walk towards the door. Han Su was a little anxious. "Uncle Zhang..."

The secretary walked out without looking up. "Don't casually inquire about the whereabouts of important leaders of the Disaster Management Bureau."

"...What the heck!"

Watching her leave just like that, without giving him any real answers, Han Su felt a bit helpless. He could only slowly boil water for his noodles while silently pondering her words.

"A world walking on a swamp?"

If what she said was true, that the entire world was built on a swamp, and those who achieved mental penetration were the ones who occasionally stuck their feet into the swamp to provoke monsters.

Then what was he, who had been kidnapped by monsters since childhood and still couldn't escape, considered?

Someone already submerged by the swamp, who repeatedly surfaced for air?

But if he thought about it this way, what exactly were those monsters that kidnapped him? And why did mystical power remain on him?

It wasn't that he hadn't wildly speculated that these monsters were "gods" or something else, but how could gods be at this level?

Although he had never truly escaped, he had tricked them, evaded them, and even injured them...

...Those damn things were definitely not gods!

Shaking off this strange thought, Han Su looked at his left hand again. On the back of his hand, the conspicuous cross-shaped scar was ferocious and clear, carrying an ugly, eerie feeling.

During his time at the Disaster Management Bureau, the only inconvenience was adapting to his abilities. Although he had a general understanding during the assessment, he hadn't had the space to familiarize himself with and develop the abilities of his right eye or his left hand.

Of course, if he truly wanted to develop them without restraint, he would have to clarify the price first.

He had to admit, Cui Qiao's reminder was very necessary:

Hair loss was indeed terrifying!

But as for the other things, like getting closer to the swamp monsters the more he used his abilities, and the greater the risk of sinking, what kind of price was that to him?

As he thought, Han Su put the instant noodles into a bowl.

He habitually ate instant noodles from a bowl for two reasons.

First, the woman who took care of him before he was ten told him that at home, he shouldn't eat instant noodles from a paper cup.

It was a principle, representing that he had a home.

The second reason was that Han Su had bought bagged instant noodles.

Xu Ji was indeed very generous, renting him this small apartment. But the key point was, while the rent was cheap, the property management fees and administrative fees were not!

He had already taken advantage of Xu Ji, and it was inconvenient to ask someone to pay the money for him, so he paid out of his own pocket. In the end, it was no different from when he went out to work and lived in a cheap rental apartment.

He had stayed at the Disaster Management Bureau for a week before, and the instant noodles he bought just in time were about to expire.

Boiling water poured into the instant noodle bowl, scalding hot. Han Su's right hand couldn't help but want to let go, but in his heart, he silently recited that spell. Instantly, his spiritual power "flowed" and concentrated on his left hand.

He had chanted the spell several times before and was used to this feeling of spiritual power seeming to turn into flowing water that could be captured.

This normally somewhat clumsy hand suddenly became ice-cold, completely unable to feel the scalding hot water. On the contrary, his sense of strength became extremely strong. Although he was holding it without exerting any force, this large bowl inexplicably cracked.

Han Su quickly changed to another bowl and withdrew the spiritual power that was concentrated on his left hand.

He silently thought, "If mere contact can make those monsters leave such powerful strength on my body, then perhaps..."

"Next time I'm in the ancient castle, I'll find an opportunity to grab those monsters and leave corresponding strength, only to activate it when I return to reality?"

"Grab a monster?"

"Weird!"

As he thought, to celebrate his return, he added an egg and a sausage to the bowl, a small luxury.

Yet, after returning to a familiar environment, why did he feel like something was missing?

Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door. Han Su picked up his chopsticks and went to open it. The moment he opened the door, he was stunned.

Zhang Chiguo stood at the door with a smile, while Secretary Cui Qiao behind him, with a dark expression, carried a bag full of groceries.

"Xiao Han, you..."

He said happily, then suddenly paused, smelling the instant noodles, and asked, "You've already started eating?"

Han Su was bewildered, "What are you doing here?"

Zhang Chiguo looked back at Secretary Cui strangely and said, "I came to make you a meal to celebrate your entry into the Disaster Management Bureau and to have a chat. Didn't Xiao Cui tell you?"

Han Su replied, "No."

Secretary Cui, expressionless, said from behind Zhang Chiguo, "Your whereabouts cannot be disclosed under any circumstances, and besides..."

"...How was I supposed to know that when you said 'get ready,' you meant go to the market?"

"...And buy so much?"

"..."

He had indeed bought a lot. After helping Secretary Cui bring it in, Zhang Chiguo tied on an apron with a smile and went into the kitchen to cook.

The female secretary in the black suit, Cui Qiao, was assigned to squat on a small stool to wash potatoes.

Unlike when Zhang Chiguo was at the Disaster Management Bureau, in the kitchen, he looked like a homely old man.

However, Cui Qiao also seemed different from her usual refined, capable, and confident demeanor at the Disaster Management Bureau. She looked bitter and resentful, washing the potatoes with a clattering sound.

Han Su thought it would be polite to sit beside her and help, but she lost the friendliness she had shown him before, instead giving him a cold shoulder. "Go sit on the sofa over there. Chief Zhang said this is my mission!"

The words "my mission" were emphasized.

"Then your attitude towards this mission is clearly unprofessional..."

Han Su thought to himself but didn't dare to say it out loud, abandoning the idea of saving the potatoes.

Judging by the smell, Zhang Chiguo was preparing to cook oil-poached fish and beef with tofu. He pushed the bowl of nearly expired instant noodles aside.

His perpetually tense nerves also relaxed somewhat.

These were all dishes he loved as a child.

He didn't have many memories before the age of ten, and the few fragments he had didn't suggest a good life.

The single woman who took care of him had a bad temper, and he was always covered in bruises. He didn't remember any delicious food, but at least he didn't starve.

It was after the kidnapping case that Zhang Chiguo took care of him for a while under the guise of protecting a witness. This rough old man would often cook delicious food himself and occasionally make him laugh.

Of course, at that time, he might have been trying to coax Han Su into remembering something, but that was unimportant now.

Back then, facing the stern Public Security Bureau, the frenzied media, and the grieving victim's family, if Zhang Chiguo's tall and silent figure hadn't stood in front of him, he might have gone mad then.

As he thought, he picked up a bean pod and slowly began to pick it.