Do You Have Depression?

The second set of materials, "The Selection and Training Mechanism for Superpowered Individuals," was nowhere near as long as the Monster Encyclopedia, but it was far more technical.

To put it simply, he could understand every word individually, but had no idea what they meant together. It was the sort of thing that left him impressed without understanding a thing.

Fang Cheng gave up on the sections about principles and technology and skipped straight to the summary.

There really were people born with superpowers, but they were extremely rare, and every one of them was very weak. They were practically useless in combat, and not even as useful as a small pistol.

The fire-controlling ability Kanzaki Rin possessed was actually the result of years of research into supernatural beings.

Ever since the First Industrial Revolution, countries around the world had captured and studied supernatural beings to varying degrees. After more than two hundred years, they had achieved a great deal in this field.

The most well-developed result was artificial superpower technology.

This technology combined the genes of various supernatural beings with the DNA of naturally superpowered individuals, making it possible to cultivate superpowered people artificially.

Kanzaki Rin's ability to control fire came from Phoenix Fire, a traditional monster from Area 11 that still roamed the Kyoto region to this day.

Unfortunately, the technology wasn't suitable for every human. Only children with the right aptitude could be selected, and they had to start training from a young age.

It wasn't until Fang Cheng finished reading about the "Selection and Training Mechanism" that he realized the government's practice of vaccinating all elementary school students wasn't meant to prevent disease. It was a way to identify children with aptitude.

Those gifted children would then undergo several more rounds of selection. The ones who ultimately stood out would become interns at the Disaster Countermeasure Department.

After reading the materials, Fang Cheng finally understood that artificial superpowers weren't an option for him.

He'd received the same vaccinations in elementary school. Since the Disaster Countermeasure Department hadn't selected him, that proved he lacked the necessary aptitude.

Even if he somehow gained access to the technology, the time required for successful cultivation was simply too long.

Take Kanzaki Rin, for example. The Disaster Countermeasure Department had selected her in fifth grade, and she'd undergone regular cultivation and training every year since. It had taken six years for her to develop her current ability.

When she'd first started, her power hadn't even been as strong as a lighter.

By the time he'd finished reading both sets of materials, it was already evening. Kanzaki Rin's estimate had been spot-on: just reading the parts he was interested in had taken up the entire day.

She was still in the living room, waiting to make sure Fang Cheng deleted the materials.

Fang Cheng had already taken pictures of the Vampire materials with his phone. He then let Kanzaki Rin delete everything on the USB drive.

He could tell that these materials probably weren't classified at the Countermeasure Department. Otherwise, Kanzaki Rin wouldn't have been able to bring them out so easily.

"You've read the materials. Starting tomorrow, I'll put you through three days of basic training. After that, you'll come with me to look for the other Vampires."

Before leaving, Kanzaki Rin said this to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng was a little surprised. "That soon? And isn't three days of training a bit short?"

Kanzaki Rin explained, "We can't afford to wait too long. The police have received several missing-person reports recently, and they've found quite a few bodies drained of blood. The Vampires are getting stronger. The longer we wait, the worse things will be for us."

There was another reason she didn't mention: the Disaster Countermeasure Department was planning a hunting operation to track down the Vampires the Blood Queen had created and left behind in Tokyo.

If they didn't hurry, the Vampires might all be captured or driven away. As an intern, Kanzaki Rin wouldn't earn much credit from a large-scale operation like that.

Fang Cheng reluctantly accepted her explanation. Kanzaki Rin added, "Three days is just basic training. We'll keep at it whenever we have time afterward."

As she spoke, she gave him a meaningful smile. "Basic training won't be easy. I hope you won't be wishing those three days were over."

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow. There was more to her words than met the eye.

Was she planning to use training as an excuse to put him in his place?

After Kanzaki Rin left, Fang Cheng went through his usual training routine.

This time, it took nearly three hours to gain a single point of stamina.

At this rate, he might have to work out all day just to gain one point.

That put a serious limit on his ability to grind stamina endlessly.

Fang Cheng wasn't disappointed, though. Training was no longer his only way to gain strength. He could also enjoy the thrill of looting corpses.

After finishing his workout, Fang Cheng turned on his computer and copied the Vampire materials he'd photographed on his phone onto it.

As soon as the files finished copying, he saw a message from Asaka Akie on LINE.

"Fang, why weren't you at school today?"

"Something came up at home."

Fang Cheng replied casually, then noticed that Asaka Akie had changed her status again.

It had gone from "Are there really heroes in this world?" to "Is there really a heaven in this world?"

That status looked like it had a story behind it. He typed, "Asaka, do you have depression?"

"No, why do you ask?"

Fang Cheng asked, "Then let me put it another way. What do you think of the phrase, 'I'm sorry I was born'?"

"Fang, did you do something wrong?"

"Then let me put it another way. Have you ever felt like killing yourself?"

Asaka Akie sent three question marks.

"Never mind. If you ever decide to do it, let me know ahead of time. I can collect your body for you."

"If you don't apologize, I'm going to get mad, okay? o(≧口≦)o"

"Gomen nasai."

Looks like Asaka Akie wasn't one of those perpetually depressed internet users, and she had no thoughts of ending her life.

Fang Cheng shut down his computer, took a shower, then played a few ranked matches.

Luckily, he didn't run into that useless support player today. Fang Cheng picked a hero who could dash around with E, then logged off, satisfied, amid his teammates' countless astonished question marks.

The next morning, Fang Cheng had only just gotten up and started brushing his teeth when Kanzaki Rin was already ringing the doorbell. She was more diligent than a girlfriend.

When Fang Cheng opened the door, he saw that Kanzaki Rin was carrying a bag of fresh pig's blood.

He asked, "Have you gotten hooked on pig's blood vermicelli stew?"

Kanzaki Rin raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you ask for it? If not, I'll throw it out."

She made as if to toss it into the trash, and Fang Cheng hurried to stop her.

If she wanted to bring it, he'd let her. What was wrong with getting free pig's blood every day?

If he got tired of it, they could switch to duck's blood.

There were no vermicelli today, so Fang Cheng could only stir-fry some tofu with scallions and make a pot of congee.

Kanzaki Rin unceremoniously polished off more than half of it, making Fang Cheng's gaze repeatedly drift to her perfectly flat stomach.

After breakfast, Fang Cheng headed out with Kanzaki Rin. He was about to begin three days of basic training, and he was curious to see what it would involve.

This time, Kanzaki Rin had brought her own car, a sedan with no recognizable brand.

"Do you have a driver's license?"

Fang Cheng was sitting in the passenger seat. He'd fastened his seat belt before remembering to ask.

"You ask too many questions."

Kanzaki Rin didn't want to answer.

"So you don't. As a law enforcement officer, you're awfully good at breaking the law. This is how taxpayers' money gets wasted—by corrupt parasites on the government payroll like you..."

Before Fang Cheng could finish complaining, Kanzaki Rin had already started the engine with practiced ease. She slammed on the gas, and the car shot forward.

Thanks for the tips from LVMax, Sexy Kitten, Hao Ran Cheng Kong, Rescue Failed, book friend 20190724233259162, and Death Smile.