A New Director Arrived at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau

Tian Sheng felt as if he were having a dream. In the dream, he seemed to have transformed into a nimble moth, flying freely in the air and resting peacefully on the wall.

The troubles that once plagued him as a human being were no longer relevant to him; the concerns that once bound him as a human being no longer a burden. The form of his life had changed, but his will was also being eroded in the process.

He began to forget that he was Tian Sheng; he began to believe that he was a moth. Was it Tian Sheng dreaming of a moth, or a moth dreaming of Tian Sheng?

In this hazy state of thought, he was brought back to reality by a deep blue light.

Snip, snip, the crisp sound like scissors echoed in his heart. With that sound, he felt his consciousness return, his body become light, as if something was being peeled away from him, and the things that bound him were being erased.

Then, Tian Sheng woke up from his sleep.

When he woke up, he found himself in ruins. He saw a thread of fluorescent blue light extending from his chest, stretching endlessly into the sky.

He looked up and followed the silk threads to the sky. High above, he saw a petite figure standing under the night sky, with intricate silk threads spreading out from her back like wings, connecting her to countless people like herself.

For some reason, a thought popped into his head: he was saved.

And that angelic figure was firmly imprinted in his mind before he lost consciousness again.

"Xiaotian! I'm asking you a question, what's wrong with you?"

The voice calling his name brought Tian Sheng back to reality. He looked in front of him and saw a young man in a Bureau of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau uniform staring at him with a puzzled expression. "Why are you acting like you've lost your mind when I ask you what you had for lunch? Did you do too much?"

"Ah... I'm sorry."

Still savoring his somewhat hazy dream, Tian Sheng blinked, wiped his face awkwardly, and stood up from his workstation. "I zoned out again."

Early November, late autumn, afternoon, two weeks had passed since the massive Aberrant Beast attack during the Full Moon Festival.

As the frontline in handling Magic Side incidents in the city, the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau suffered a tremendous blow this time. Not only was its main building destroyed and nearly a dozen employees lost, but even the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau's director Moss, went missing during the incident.

Even more bizarrely, as the initial scene of the attack, no one in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau knew what had happened. The surviving employees all felt as if they had just woken up from a dream, only to find themselves lying in the ruins of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, where the Aberrant Beast had been eliminated and dawn was breaking.

Tian Sheng was also among those in a coma, and his experience was even more absurd—he had barely passed the recruitment exam for the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, but lost consciousness on the day he was to report for duty at headquarters. Based on his estimation of the time elapsed, he had probably been in a deep coma for more than three days.

In the end, the incident was characterized as "a coordinated attack orchestrated by Black Ash Dawn, involving Aberrant Beast with hypnotic and hallucinogenic abilities and suspected molted Aberrant Beast."

The mastermind behind the incident is said to have been killed by the magical girl, but a large number of remnants of the Black Ash Dawn have not yet been captured and are still in hiding.

The Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, which has just recovered from the disaster, urgently needs to launch a new round of work, in addition to clearing out the remaining criminals and participating in the post-disaster recovery and repair work.

Thanks to the efforts of Mage and various parties, the headquarters of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau was rebuilt in about a week. However, the lost staff could not be replaced in the short term, not to mention the issues of compensation and resettlement for the injured and deceased. Therefore, newly hired employees like Tian Sheng were also sent to the front line and have recently participated in several fierce Magic Armament.

If it were based on Tian Sheng's original level of magic power and Spell Formula, he would never have had the opportunity to participate in such a fierce battle. But now, he has not only been on the front line, but has also become a very effective fighting force.

Yes, Tian Sheng's magic has become stronger.

Unbeknownst to him, his magical power was greatly enhanced, directly surpassing the level of Peering Stage and contact, reaching the highest level of Control Stage among Mage, and it is still showing an upward trend.

This is the most incredible thing about him during this period of time.

He vaguely felt that this was somehow related to his previous dream of becoming a moth; it didn't seem to be entirely a fantasy.

He wasn't the only employee of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau who fell into a coma during the attack, but upon inquiring, he found that no one else had had a similar dream.

"Dreaming of becoming a moth" seems to be a unique experience of his.

That's why he always subconsciously revisits that strange, hazy dream, trying to grasp something from those fading memories.

Standing up from his workstation and following the young man out of the office, Tian Sheng walked down the corridor of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau building, feeling a strange sense of unreality about his current life.

Just a month ago, he was an ordinary nursing home caregiver, conducting mediocre research on Spell Formula, dreaming all day of passing the exam and entering the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau. However, his research on Spell Formula had depleted his meager savings, leaving him living a rather frugal life. He was nearly thirty years old but didn't even have a girlfriend.

According to universal values, his previous actions, while not exactly failures, were certainly not much of a success either.

But now, not only has he successfully joined the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, but he has also made a miraculous discovery during a mysterious attack, becoming a rising star among the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau's combat personnel.

Is he really still the same person he used to be? Could it be that, as he thinks, it wasn't him dreaming of the moth, but the moth dreaming of him, and everything before him was just a dream of the moth?

Hey! What are you doing, spacing out again?

The young man walking in front of him suddenly turned around and slapped Tian Sheng on the shoulder. "We're at the cafeteria, time to eat! What are you still thinking about? Thinking about pretty girls?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Tian Sheng finally came to his senses and hurriedly walked towards the window in front of him.

The young man accompanying him was named Li Yingwei, the captain of the Third Squad of the Special Operations Department the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, and also his superior.

The other person was a year younger than him, and at only 27 years old, he had already become Controller Stage- level Mage. He had also made numerous contributions in the fight against the Gray Magic Organization, which is why he became a captain at such a young age.

Li Yingwei seems to come from a family that has studied Spell Formula for generations. His family members have been Mage for generations and have accumulated a wealth of research experience. His family also has considerable influence in Fangting City. In addition, Li Yingwei is good-looking and has a bold and straightforward personality, making him the focus of attention for his young female colleagues in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau.

However, according to other members of the team, Li Yingwei is still single.

He seemed to have been pursuing a female liaison officer surnamed Hong in the Archives Department. He heard that although she was older than him, she was a well-known beauty in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau and had been transferred from Heavenly City, with a rather mysterious background.

Unfortunately, the liaison officer was seriously injured in the previous attack and chose to take a long leave of absence to receive physical treatment in another city.

This seemed to be a significant blow to Li Yingwei. Since the reconstruction of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, they had been searching everywhere for traces of the remnants of the Black Ash Dawn. Because Tian Sheng had joined the Third Squad during this period and performed outstandingly in combat, Li Yingwei had a high opinion of him, which is why he invited him to lunch.

"Sigh, after a week of hard work, we haven't caught many big fish."

Sitting at the dining table, Li Yingwei stirred the food on his plate. "I've heard that the Black Ash Dawn has the ability to borrow the power of Aberrant Beast, but I haven't seen it yet?"

"If you see them, just wipe them all out..."

Tian Sheng shook his head. "Captain, you'd better think about something more practical."

"How is it unrealistic?"

Li Yingwei was somewhat unconvinced. "Our team now has three Controller Stage, including you, and everyone is fully armed. Even if we encounter Aberrant Beast, we can still put up a fight and maybe even take it down?"

"That's just the weakest Aberrant Beast, isn't it?" Tian Sheng stuffed a mouthful of rice into his mouth.

"How much stronger can a human become by borrowing the power of Aberrant Beast?" Li Yingwei picked up his chopsticks.

How powerful can a human become when they borrow the strength of Aberrant Beast?

Tian Sheng didn't know the answer to that question, but he felt that Li Yingwei was wrong. Although he had no evidence, whenever he recalled the dream of turning into a moth, he always felt a strange and peculiar emotion.

Is it truly possible for a human to transform into Aberrant Beast?

Furthermore, if I hadn't been awakened by that angelic being in my dream back then, would I still be here like this now?

Thinking this, Tian Sheng's movements slowed down as he picked up food.

"Daydreaming again? You're acting really strange today!"

Seeing Tian Sheng's gaze gradually dazed, Li Yingwei couldn't help but tap his plate with his chopsticks. "What are you thinking about? Come back, come back!"

"...Sorry." Tian Sheng smiled sheepishly, but he was too embarrassed to admit that he was thinking about magical girls. "There's been some trouble at home these past few days."

"At home? I remember you don't have a girlfriend, right?"

Li Yingwei looked at him suspiciously. "Is there something wrong with the old man?"

"It didn't get to that point..." Tian Sheng said vaguely.

"Fine, it's your own business anyway. I can't stop you from talking about it if you don't want to."

Li Yingwei suddenly laughed, "However, if you really feel sorry, then do me a favor."

"What is it?" Tian Sheng asked, puzzled.

"Run an errand, deliver our Third Squad's combat log to the director's office." Li Yingwei picked up a piece of meat from his plate. "Simple, right?"

"Director's office? But our director is already..." Tian Sheng paused slightly, then realized, "A new director has arrived?"

"Yes, they should send out a notice in the group chat around noon. There will be a meeting and a speech this afternoon."

Li Yingwei stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth. "Before that, go to the director's office and get acquainted with the new leader. It's a good job, isn't it?"

"Captain, aren't you going yourself?" Tian Sheng felt something was off.

"I was supposed to go, but I didn't want to." Li Yingwei grinned. "I took a peek at the new director from afar, and wow, he's got a grumpy old man face. He looks like he has a bad temper. I'm sure I'll get a scolding when we meet."

"You want me to go?" Tian Sheng's eyes widened.

"Young man, you should exercise more."

"Captain, you're not even as old as me, are you?"

"That means newcomers need more practice."

Li Yingwei waved his hand, changing the subject. "Don't think I'm trying to trick you, our new director actually has quite a background."

"So what makes him so important?" Tian Sheng grinned. "He was also transferred from Heavenly City?"

"Hey! You little brat, why are you poking someone in the lungs?"

Li Yingwei naturally understood Tian Sheng's underlying meaning: he was deliberately bringing up his failed attempt to win over the liaison officer. "It has to be Heavenly City, not Yannan City, right? Where do all these big shots from the Central City come from?"

"What is that?" Tian Sheng asked, following up on his question.

"He's a local, but he was directly assigned by the headquarters in Heavenly City."

"Isn't that still an adult?"

"It's different. The new director is a true local, and he's never worked at headquarters before."

Li Yingwei, holding the tray, said, "The explanation from the General Administration is that this new director was previously an undercover liaison officer in the civilian sector. He made a great contribution in this attack, so he was promoted to the position."

"From liaison officer to bureau chief? That's a jump of several ranks!"

"Level four, but that's not surprising. Our Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau emphasizes meritocracy."

Li Yingwei feigned seriousness. "So, with your Xiaotian, Xiao Tian, work hard, solve more cases involving the Gray Magic Organization, and maybe in a few years you'll be my boss."

"... So, Captain, after all this talk, you still want me to deliver the documents for you, right?"

"Just tell me if you're going or not."

"Why do I get the feeling that you, Captain, don't really care about this?"

Tian Sheng asked helplessly, "It seems you simply don't want to see this new director?"

"I already said that, I'm afraid of getting scolded."

"Is that really the reason?"

"The real reason? It's not like she's a beautiful woman, what would a bunch of old men see?" Li Yingwei scoffed. "Besides, who knows how long this new director will last? I told you, the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau appoints people based on merit."

"Are you obsessed with beautiful women?" Tian Sheng picked up the soup bowl beside him. "In the end, you just don't like this new director."

"I can't keep dwelling on past failed relationships," Li Yingwei said, seemingly saddened. "As for whether I like the new director or not, he's been promoted four levels in a row. Let me see what kind of person he is first."

"... Okay, I'll go."

Seeing the other party's firm attitude, Tian Sheng sighed, "Don't blame me if you say something wrong."

"Hey, you haven't been with our Third Squad for long anyway, so even if you say something wrong, it won't be too serious."

Li Yingwei felt he had gotten rid of a big problem and happily picked up some food from his plate. "Then it's up to you!"

The matter was settled. After lunch, Tian Sheng was sent out of the office by Li Yingwei and took the battle record into the elevator.

With a sense of helplessness, Tian Sheng pressed the button for the 11th floor in the elevator. Looking at the floor number flashing on the screen, he recalled his recent experiences and couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"This is so surreal!"

It seems that ever since he was attacked by Black Ash Dawn at the orphanage, his life has veered onto a path he never imagined, heading in an extremely unfamiliar direction.

What's unsettling is that all of this seems to have nothing to do with his wishes. After each incident, he wakes up with hazy memories, completely unaware of what happened. It's like a passenger on a shipwrecked journey who eventually washes ashore on a strange continent, suddenly surrounded by a pile of treasure, unsure whether to be happy or sad.

With a heavy heart, Tian Sheng stepped out of the elevator and, after turning a corner, saw a pair of rather imposing wooden swing doors standing against the wall.

As Tian Sheng stepped forward, he reached out to knock on the door, but for some reason, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

He saw an extremely thin magical thread at the doorway. The thread trembled slightly as he approached the office, then disappeared.

He felt as if he had seen such threads somewhere before, as if they were the ones that connected to his chest when he woke up from his dream...

"Please come in."

Suddenly, a sound came from inside the door. Although Tian Sheng neither spoke nor knocked, the person inside seemed to know he was standing there.

Tian Sheng could only obediently say "Excuse me" and push open the door. What came into view was a floor-to-ceiling window, bookshelves standing on both sides of the wall, and a huge desk in the center.

And the stern-faced middle-aged man sitting behind his desk, frowning as he flipped through a stack of documents.