Though Homebound, the Heart Soars (Part 1)

Peng City.

The basement of a certain building.

Mr. Liang looked at the briefings from all over the country on several screens, compiled and sent by the information collection and analysis department, and quickly sifted through them.

These briefings consist of unusual and strange events that have occurred in various places over the past few days. After preliminary screening and analysis by relevant staff, they are submitted to him for a decision on whether to send a field team for further investigation or for the information team to continue to follow up and conduct more detailed information mining.

In today's era of highly developed mobile internet, every day a large number of users post all sorts of strange things, monsters, and strange people, in various forms such as text, pictures, or videos.

However, most of the information is obviously fake news, and it is not difficult to distinguish and filter it.

Even computer AI can help filter out most of the invalid information through preset rules.

However, due to the sheer volume of information, the workload of manual screening remains considerable. After all, "Mr. Liang" has very strict requirements for the work and cannot tolerate any casual approach.

The people in the information collection and analysis department also didn't want to lose this incredibly well-paid job, so they worked very carefully and diligently.

The information that reaches "Mr. Liang" is basically confirmed to be true. The staff will compile the results of the preliminary investigation through the Internet and other channels into a briefing and present it to him for further judgment.

What "Mr. Liang" needs to determine is, of course, whether there are "Blood-feeding Creature" lurking behind these events.

Of course, even after a round of screening and preliminary investigation, the vast majority of the briefings had nothing to do with "Blood-feeding Creature".

Mr. Liang made his selections quickly, simply by raising his hand and swiping across the screen; no physical contact was required.

His hand paused in front of a briefing; it contained the latest news of the day, from a personal account on a social media platform.

The incident occurred in Star City. The source said that his friend accidentally fell into the river yesterday, and then something strange happened. His friend was "voluntarily" "thrown" ashore by the river water, and his friend also said that there seemed to be something in the river.

At that time, the river was shrouded in mist, and the streetlights along the way had dimmed, which was very eerie.

After returning home, he researched the public news and folk tales that had occurred along the river over the past ten or twenty years, and felt that there might really be something in the river.

But since this thing saved his friend, it must be a good thing.

This message didn't generate much buzz on social media, failing to spark any discussion or attention. After all, there were no pictures or videos, and the person who posted it wasn't a prominent influencer. Only a few of that person's original friends shared and discussed it.

However, the information gathering department verified through other channels and found that his account of the experience was likely accurate in its basic facts. So they prepared a briefing and uploaded it to "Mr. Liang".

In addition to the message posted on social media by the person, the briefing also included CCTV footage found by the information department showing the person illegally parked on the side of the road at the time of the incident.

The surveillance video shows three men and one woman getting out of the car one after another. About ten minutes later, the three men helped a soaking wet man back, got into the car, and drove away.

From another angle of the surveillance footage, the entire process of the man falling into the river can be seen. It is clear that it was not an accidental fall into the river, but a deliberate act of jumping into the river, seemingly due to a quarrel between lovers and a moment of impulse.

I also saw the streetlights change brightness as the three men ran along the embankment after the other two men got out of the car.

Unfortunately, no footage was captured of the specific situation on the river, and the man who jumped into the river was thrown ashore.

However, this already proves the partial authenticity of the messages that person posted on social media.

Mr. Liang carefully reviewed the two surveillance videos again, seemingly lost in thought.

Is it a "Blood-feeding Creature" born in the water?

No, if it were an aquatic creature, it probably wouldn't save people.

But if it's a "Blood-feeding Creature" mutated from humans, why would it be in the water?

Or is this unrelated to "Blood-feeding Creature"?

It's possible that the man who jumped into the river regretted it after falling in and swam ashore himself, since the current in that section of the river shouldn't be very fast. But because he was concerned about saving face, he told his companion that he was thrown ashore by the water, using the excuse of something in the river to distract his companion. As for the streetlights and the fog on the river, they can also be explained reasonably.

Mr. Liang swiped the briefing to the right, leaving it behind, intending to arrange for someone to follow up and investigate later.

Generally, if there is a high degree of certainty that a "Blood-feeding Creature" has appeared, he will directly send a field investigation team to conduct an on-site investigation, just like the reaction after the incidents in the Qinling Uninhabited Zone and Wushu Mountain.

Of course, sometimes he would go out in person.

Just as Mr. Liang was about to continue browsing other briefings, an external call request appeared on one of the LCD screens, displaying the name "He Haomin".

Mr. Liang thought for a few seconds before answering the call request.

"Ah Liang?" a deep male voice rang out.

"I'm here," Mr. Liang replied in his signature metallic, grating voice.

Are you still in Peng City?

"Exist."

"I heard that you confirmed that the burning flying object that appeared on Purple Huan Mountain in Citong City, Haixi Province on February 14 was the 'giant bird of prey' that caused tourists to fall off cliffs in Wushu Mountain earlier?"

"Yes."

Where is it now?

"It's not certain yet; it's still under investigation."

The voice on the other end suddenly became stern. "Have you forgotten the regulations? Any 'Blood-feeding Creature' that may endanger the lives and property of the people must be subject to necessary control and monitoring; any 'Blood-feeding Creature' that has already endangered the lives and property of the people must be subject to mandatory measures to prevent further harm!"

Mr. Liang replied, "I have already dispatched an investigation team..."

He was immediately interrupted by the other end, "Dr. Fang's investigation team? Don't try to fool me. I've seen the personnel configuration of her investigation team. They have no ability to take coercive measures. You never intended for them to capture the 'mutant raptor'."

Indeed, compared to the field survey team that entered the Qinling Uninhabited Zone, the survey team led by Fang Pingfang was far too poorly equipped and had no ability to capture large birds.

"You didn't discover Guo Tianxiang in Yang City beforehand, which isn't your fault, after all, he hid very well. But you must take these 'Blood-feeding Creature' that have already shown harmful behavior and revealed their whereabouts seriously." The man named He Haomin across from him softened his tone, becoming earnest. "A Liang, I won't interfere with the specific research... I can't interfere either, you have to handle those yourself, but there are some things you need to be careful about. With those 'Blood-feeding Creature' that have already shown great harm, no matter what research plan you have, you can't adopt a 'laissez-faire' approach. There must be a bottom line in research. Don't forget, it was Academician Shen who went against the majority to vouch for you to do this. Although Academician Shen is no longer with us, I hope you won't let him down... and many other people have placed their trust in you."

Mr. Liang listened silently to the entire conversation before saying, "Old He, don't worry, I'll personally track down that bird."

After ending the call, "Mr. Liang" brought up an interface, entered a code representing the "giant raptor," and asked the computer to perform a simulation based on the known information to predict its possible location. The prediction results were then sent to the information gathering department, who would conduct further investigation and analysis to select the most probable outcome.

He Haomin's guess was actually correct. Mr. Liang did indeed have the idea of "free-ranging" that "giant bird of prey" and conducting some related experiments and research.

However, it wasn't that he intentionally let the "giant raptor" escape; he simply didn't put in his full effort to track and capture it.

He had some guesses about the "giant raptor," but he couldn't share these guesses with his researchers or field staff, nor could he tell Old He.

Now that Old He has issued a very strong warning, he must prioritize dealing with the "giant raptor."

He knew that Old He's support was very important to him.

While waiting for feedback from the information gathering department, Mr. Liang's unlidded eyes moved, his gaze falling on a wooden Rabbit Woodcarving on a metal stand next to him.

He had been staying in this building since New Year's Eve, spending most of his time studying the wood carving. He believed there was something wrong with the carving and that it was definitely related to some "Blood-feeding Creature," but no matter what method he used, he couldn't find the problem.

He also pretended to be "asleep," lying still and relaxing his whole body for several hours, but he didn't "dream," let alone see any hallucinations.

He also tried to get his driver, Lao Xie, to help him with the experiment. He placed the wooden carving next to Lao Xie while he was asleep, but when he woke up, he didn't have any dreams at all, let alone "strange dreams related to rabbit meat".

The wooden carving could sense his threat, so it "dared not" react.

Or is it because so much time has passed that its "characteristics" have dissipated?

Holding her phone, "Little Apple" listened to Liu Shiling, the Little Chubby Girl, singing "Learn to Meow" yesterday afternoon, and a "motherly smile" appeared on her face, just like Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er had back then.

Although her singing was a bit intermittent, with many forgotten lyrics and various "meow meow meow" sounds used to try and get by, strictly speaking, it wasn't as good as when "Little Apple" first taught her to sing it.

But I have to say, the Little Chubby Girl's adorable, innocent voice is just too cute.

Even though "Little Apple" couldn't see the video Yang Zhen'er posted in the group, the Little Chubby Girl's slightly uneasy and nervous expression while singing made her sound very cheerful.

Even Professor Li Yang, who had come into the room upon hearing the noise and stood to the side watching the content playing on his phone, couldn't help but beam with joy. "This little girl is so cute! She reminds me of you when you were little. Isn't she the little girl from Star City who you told me about learning to sing with?"

"Little Apple" said, "Yes, her name is Liu Shiling, we all call her Little Bell. She's a very cute and sensible little girl. She used to live next to Uncle Xiang's house and was very familiar with him, so when Sister Nana, Sister Zhen'er, and Sister Bing went to Star City with Uncle Xiang this time, they went to find her to play."

Li Yang nodded, looked at "Gold Glitter" who was standing on "Little Apple's " shoulder and seemed to be watching the video as well, and asked, "By the way, have you been letting 'Gold Glitter' out alone a lot lately?"

As if it heard people talking about it, "Gold Glitter" chirped and then flapped its wings and flew to the open birdcage on the table.

"Ah, yes, I let it go out for some fresh air occasionally, otherwise it might get a bit stuffy staying cooped up in the room with me all the time..." Little Apple said hastily, trying to come up with an excuse.

Every time she sent "Gold Glitter" out to act as her "eyes and ears," roaming around the area, she would do it when her father wasn't home and Aunt Yang was busy, so she thought her father hadn't noticed.

"Sigh, I've been so busy lately. I thought I'd have time to take you out during winter break, but things at the department have delayed it again. I'm actually busier than during the school term. Your uncle has also been busy and hasn't been coming over much, and your Aunt Yang has had some things to take care of at home too... Sigh..."

Even without using her "Object-Sensing" ability, "Little Apple" can still hear the emotions of guilt, apology, and heartache in her father's words and voice.

Then she realized that her father probably thought she hadn't been going out much lately and had been staying at home, so he thought she was too lonely and didn't want "Gold Glitter" to be like her. That's why he let "Gold Glitter" go out and get some fresh air, but she herself couldn't fly or go out on her own.

She quickly said, "Dad, I don't really want to go out lately. There are a lot of things to do at home. I need to help Sister Nana record audio, make videos explaining bird science, learn the computer knowledge Uncle Xiang sent me, test Uncle Xiang's voice game with Sister Zhen'er, and teach 'Little Bell' to sing. I have a lot of things to do at home."

Li Yang gently patted his daughter's head and sighed, "I know you're a good child."

"Little Apple" was helpless; her father thought she was just trying to comfort him.

But she couldn't tell her father directly that letting "Gold Glitter" out was the same as letting herself out. "Gold Glitter" was her drone and camera. She was currently in her bedroom at home, but she could know all sorts of things happening in the city, and even knew a lot of gossip that ordinary people didn't know. Although she still couldn't see, her perception ability was actually far beyond that of ordinary people.

"Dad, I'm really fine, really." Little Apple could only say it again in a resolute and absolutely certain tone.

"Yes, I know, I know," Li Yang nodded in response.

However, from her father's tone, "Little Apple" knew that he didn't really take it seriously.

"But... you keep letting 'Gold Glitter' out, what if it never comes back, gets lost, or gets attacked by other birds... After all, 'Gold Glitter' is raised by your uncle, it wouldn't be good if it got lost," Li Yang said with some concern.

"Little Apple" laughed and said, "Dad, don't worry, 'Gold Glitter' is very clever and will protect herself. Aunt Yang and I went to so much trouble to prepare birdseed for her; she can't find it anywhere else. She wouldn't bear to leave me, she'll definitely come back, one hundred percent. Besides, Uncle Xiang knows that I let her out."

The "Gold Glitter" in the cage chirped twice in agreement, which surprised Li Yang.

"By the way, Little Apple, your uncle said someone wants to consult you about training 'guide birds'..." Li Yang recalled what his younger brother had told him on the phone earlier and said, "It's a police officer from Haixi Province. He learned about your 'guide bird' from his classmate at police academy. Oh, his classmate is Officer Wang to arrive when you called the police at the lake last time. That officer from Haixi Province has a friend who works at a school for the blind Haixi Province, and he wants to ask on behalf of that friend. I noticed you haven't really been training 'Gold Glitter' much. Is the guide bird ability based on the special relationship between you and 'Gold Glitter,' or can it really be trained? If it can't be trained, I'll have your uncle turn it down?"