On the morning of the first day of the New Year, after the revelry of the previous night's celebration, all of Fangting City was still wrapped in silence.
Eastern Hua Prefecture had once had a tradition of setting off fireworks and firecrackers during the New Year. People placed their hopes of "driving away Aberrant Beasts" in these simple explosives, letting their wishes echo through the city streets alongside the sharp crackle of the new year. Yet as times changed, some research findings indicated that such explosive sounds were more likely to agitate Aberrant Beasts lurking beneath the city, causing unnecessary losses. Thus, a tradition originally meant to drive away Aberrant Beasts had instead declined because of them.
On this rare occasion, Lin Yun had also been granted several days of not-quite-complete vacation. It was not complete because he still had to visit the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau from time to time, checking on the staff while ensuring its normal operations. Yet it was still a vacation because, apart from those inspections, he truly had no more complicated work to handle and had gained quite a bit of personal time.
Thus, Director Lin, who did not need to report to work, rose early on the first day of the New Year. He drove alone through streets that could practically be called deserted and headed to the commercial office building beside the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau.
—"So, you came running here to take refuge?"
Controlling a doll that looked like a pureblood Fairy, Emerald lifted her head from the research bench covered in tubing and asked lazily.
"What kind of strange phrasing is 'taking refuge'? I merely came to fulfill our agreement."
While expressing her confusion at Emerald's words, Larkspur took a violet-black crystal from her sleeve and placed it before Emerald. "Here. I'm