Everyone is very scared

Li Fan's smile froze on his face as a monstrous storm surged within his heart!

I am the Collector of the Cleaning Association!?

These two cheap parents of mine are both imposters!?

What happened to my peaceful life of filial piety and paternal love? It's just gone like that!?

When his parents had simultaneously chanted those few lines belonging to the Cleaning Association, Li Fan had assumed they were just playing some kind of joke.

But upon seeing the shriveled heads inside the box, he finally understood exactly what kind of situation he had fallen into.

Absurd, yet real.

He had actually transmigrated into the body of the Collector, an undercover agent within the Anomaly Bureau!

That was the most vicious figure ranked number one on the wanted list for Awakened criminals!

But he didn't know how to do anything! Not only had he failed to inherit any memories, but he also lacked all of the other man's formidable abilities. It was impossible to imagine that those severed heads were the Collector's weapons.

Stuck in this shell with nothing to show for it, isn't this the end of me?

After clarifying his predicament, Li Fan's mind raced, desperately trying to figure out how to handle this crisis.

If these two "parents," who were currently acting so respectful, found out he wasn't the real Collector, they would definitely turn on him in an instant. He'd likely be dead before he even knew how it happened.

Li Fan, oh Li Fan, whether you live or die depends on whether you can keep your cool.

Keep smiling first!

Seeing Li Fan smiling without a word, the middle-aged man and woman before him couldn't help but show nervous expressions.

The Collector was temperamental; no one ever knew what he was thinking.

The father seemed to remember something suddenly, hurriedly pulling out a phone-sized controller covered in buttons and a slip of paper, handing them to Li Fan with both hands. "Team Leader, this is the detonator for the psychic bombs, along with the list of undercover agents for the mission."

Holding the detonator and the paper in his hands, Li Fan felt a tremor in his heart.

The Cleaning Association was truly ruthless; they had actually rigged the Anomaly Bureau with bombs and planted a group of moles.

The Anomaly Bureau was also absurdly incompetent; for an official organization, they were on the verge of being wiped out in one fell swoop.

The father said in a fawning tone:

"Everything has been calibrated. The individual switches are connected properly; you can detonate them separately or press the master switch to trigger them all at once. After the explosion, you only need to hold off the Anomaly Bureau's strongest Awakened; leave the rest to your subordinates."

Li Fan's fingers lightly brushed over the master switch, but he didn't speak, maintaining the appearance of someone lost in deep thought.

What do I do? Do I press it or not?

If I press it, who knows how many people will die? And they want me to hold off the strongest Awakened? Hold off what, exactly?

If I don't press it, I might blow my cover. I have no idea what the situation is with this infiltration mission of the Collector's.

The air in the room seemed to solidify.

Seeing that Li Fan remained motionless, the father and mother exchanged a worried glance.

They both sensed the Collector's hesitation.

The mother gritted her teeth, summoned her courage, and whispered:

"Team Leader, the Cuckoo Project designed by headquarters is indeed a bit too aggressive. It will trigger a full-scale reaction from the Anomaly Bureau, but after all, it was an order issued personally by the Chairman..."

Hearing this, a light went off in Li Fan's mind, and he instantly realized something.

Earlier in the cafeteria, he had already identified a problem.

The Collector's achievements were so great they threatened his master, and his own strength was so immense that he was bound to arouse suspicion within a criminal organization like the Cleaning Association.

After all, the sole leader of the Cleaning Association was that high and mighty Chairman.

Judging by the mother's words, this problem definitely existed!

The Collector might be at odds with the Chairman of the Cleaning Association, perhaps even defying his orders!

I'll just bluff my way through this first!

Li Fan's expression darkened, and he toyed with the detonator as he said slowly:

"The situation has changed. The Anomaly Bureau has already detected and prepared for the Cuckoo Project. Initiate Plan B; we shall deliberate on this at length."

Upon hearing this, the father and mother's expressions changed drastically. They exchanged another look, and a sense of relief appeared in their eyes, as if they were saying, "We've finally reached this point."

The Collector was going to openly oppose headquarters.

As for them, the members subordinate to the Collector, they felt a mix of nervousness and excitement.

Although it was dangerous, everyone wanted to follow the strong.

The father took a deep breath and asked tentatively:

"This subordinate is dull-witted; what is Plan B for the Cuckoo Project?"

Li Fan said indifferently:

"I will remain undercover at the Anomaly Bureau for the long term, until I become the Director of the Anomaly Bureau."

First, blow some smoke to give himself an excuse for his long-term stay.

His father and mother were deeply shocked once again, unable to help but gasp.

As expected of the powerful Collector!

Such a bizarre and brilliant plan could only be conceived by the Collector!

Just think, if the Collector were to become the Director of the Anomaly Bureau, the entire Bureau would become a complete joke, or even a vassal to the Cleaning Association!

What magnificent audacity!

Li Fan had no idea what the two were thinking; he just wanted to get rid of them quickly, so he said indifferently:

"Change the preliminary communication methods immediately, and leave here as soon as possible."

He had to get his hands on the list of moles within the Anomaly Bureau.

His father hurriedly said respectfully, "Yes, I will finish changing them as soon as possible and provide you with the new communication methods. It's just that if headquarters asks about the Cuckoo Project..."

"Report the truth. Go."

They also had to take the equipment with them; he didn't know what to do with a pile of severed heads sitting in his dormitory.

His parents exchanged a glance, looking as if they had been granted amnesty, and quickly walked outside.

At the entrance of the Anomaly Bureau, his father dragged his suitcase, looked at Li Fan with a loving expression, and said:

"Xiao Fan, you must work hard. It's not easy to find a stable job. Be diligent and responsible, and get along well with your colleagues."

Li Fan smiled brightly:

"I know, Dad. Don't worry, I'll definitely work hard and strive to climb the ranks."

His mother, standing to the side, laughed:

"What's all this about climbing ranks? As long as you're happy, that's enough. As parents, we don't ask for you to be rich or powerful, just safe and healthy. You must be careful."

"Alright, Mom, set your mind at ease. I've been assigned to the Support Center; it's very safe."

The guard standing watch at the gate saw this scene of fatherly love and filial piety and couldn't help but smile, thinking of his own parents.

This young man was clearly a filial son.

After seeing his parents off into the car parked at the entrance, Li Fan waved at the departing vehicle with a smile, nodded to the guard, and returned to his dormitory.

Locking the door behind him, Li Fan quickly searched the room to ensure there were no listening or surveillance devices. He went to the bathroom, turned the shower on to the maximum, sat on the toilet, and buried his head in his hands to contemplate his situation.

A warm family, a stable life as an antique dealer—it was all gone!

He was actually the Collector!

Have I become the villain?

The crucial part was that he hadn't inherited any memories or abilities, including combat skills; he was a complete blank slate. How the hell was he supposed to survive?

He had been scared out of his wits just now!

Fortunately, having been a worldly, seasoned veteran in his past life, Li Fan quickly made a decision.

Forget the Cuckoo Project or the Magpie Project; he would use the "delay" tactic and plan for the long term.

He would just hide in the Support Center as a dead weight, killing time. If anyone asked, he'd say the plan was in progress. He wouldn't get promoted for ten or eight years, just quietly remaining a low-level employee.

Once the Cleaning Association lost patience, they would probably abandon him.

When no one remembered him anymore, he could just sneak away.

Plan successful!

For now, this was the only way...

Also, he had to get that resignation letter back as soon as possible!

Resigning was out of the question; otherwise, he would be exposed to the Cleaning Association immediately!

Meanwhile, in a private car a few blocks away from the Anomaly Bureau.

"Father and Mother" parked the car in a quiet alley.

His father's hands were still trembling as he gripped the steering wheel, trying to suppress his fear. He said:

"The pressure he exerts is even stronger. In that short time, I felt like I had walked through the gates of hell..."

His mother gulped down a large mouthful of water, wiped her mouth vigorously, and said dejectedly:

"That's because we don't know if we'll end up as his collection... After all, he is the fickle Collector..."

"Is the Cuckoo Project just going to be suspended like this? Headquarters will be absolutely furious. The excuse about being detected by the Anomaly Bureau is just that—an excuse. We were only one step away from destroying the Anomaly Bureau's Southwest Branch... Is Plan B actually viable? Is it really that easy to get promoted in the Anomaly Bureau?"

His mother waved her hand and said:

"How would I know... Attacking the Anomaly Bureau was just a front, a test from headquarters. Now it seems he's already lost his patience..."

His father asked with some trepidation:

"Then what do we do? If he comes into conflict with the President, what should we do? We are already his fifth set of parents; I don't want to be replaced!"

Mother stared coldly ahead and said slowly:

"Steady, Old Li. No matter what, I firmly believe he is the one closest to the Lord of the Abyss. When the day the Lord of the Abyss descends arrives, we too shall find salvation... We have a guest."

Father instantly regained his composure, rubbed the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and nodded:

"Yes, I lost my composure."

Father opened the car door and stepped toward a young man setting up a vegetable stall by the roadside.

The man wore only a undershirt and a straw hat; his face was dark and weathered, and before him lay a bundle of celery and a bag of chili peppers.

"How much for the celery?" Father asked, crouching down.

"Three-fifty a catty. Homegrown, selling it cheap," the vegetable seller grinned.

Father shook his head: "Celery prices have dropped recently. It's only one-eighty at the supermarket."

As he spoke, he suddenly reached out, his arm like a pair of iron pincers, grabbing the vegetable seller's shoulder and tearing outward with force.

The vegetable seller suddenly grinned, his body turning as soft as a puddle of mud, wrapping around Father's hands. Veins and nerves like tangled roots sprouted from his body, coiling toward Father!

Father let out a cold snort, his large hands sliding out of the man's body as if greased. At the same time, his fingers flickered rapidly, stitching together every vein and nerve the man had thrust out, tying them into knots as if he were embroidering.

A strange power surged from his hands, molding the vegetable seller's muscles and bones like modeling clay into a lump of mush.

Before the vegetable seller could even scream, Father had used his large hands to knead the body into a grotesque "human ball." Then, his own jaw suddenly dislocated, his mouth stretching to an impossible width, and he swallowed the human ball whole.

Having finished all this, Father snapped his jaw back into place, picked up the two bags of celery and chili peppers, and sat back in the car.

"This technique of psychic fusion—it's someone from the Unity Society."

Mother said.

Father nodded: "It's the sour stench of the Unity Society. Tastes terrible. Shall we have stir-fried celery with meat and stir-fried eggs with chili for dinner?"

Mother shook her head slightly: "Let's make celery dumplings instead. The chili can be used for a cold dish."

The private car started up again, pulling away from the alley and heading toward the suburbs.

The alley fell into silence, as if nothing had ever happened.